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WOMEN
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The United Nations adopted in 1979 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Two years later, in 1981, CEDAW became an international treaty. The purpose of CEDAW is to establish a "bill of rights" for women and set out a series of actions to be undertaken by countries in order to guarantee those rights to women. Governments committed to:
ensuring that women can exercise their rights and freedoms
affirmative action for women until gender parity is achieved
securing women's right to vote, stand for election and hold public
or political office.
ensuring girls' and women's equal access to education
ensuring equal employment opportunities, equal pay for work
of equal value.
the provision of health services, including family planning
ensuring access to financial credit
special attention to women living in rural areas
equal rights to choose a spouse, name or occupation; marry and
divorce; own, buy, sell and administer property.
recognize the extent and value of women's work in the informal
sector
Health services and family planning
equal access to health services
adequate health facilities for mothers and children
every woman's right to decide on the number and spacing of her
children, and access to family planning for every woman
discouragement of child-bearing at too early an age
Better educational opportunities
equal access to educational and training
efforts to have more girls study subjects usually selected by boys,
and vice versa, in order to desegregate curricula
efforts to ensure that girls don't drop out of school
the provision of adult education for women
Promotion of peace
the involvement of women, in promoting peace and disarmament
Minimum targets for the year 2000
enforcement of laws guaranteeing implementation of women's equality
an increase in the life expectancy of women to at least 65 years in all countries
the reduction of maternal mortality
the elimination of women's illiteracy
the expansion of employment opportunities