The “Bill of Rights for Women”

What is CEDAW?

WoCoBoCo actively supports the Cities for CEDAW Campaign. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly. It is often described as an international bill of rights for women.  Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."

Sharon Simmons, a member of BPW, our Collaborative and the Cities for CEDAW Task force explains, “All but six United Nations countries have signed the CEDAW treaty worldwide. Yes, you guessed it — the U.S. is one that has not. That is why San Francisco started the Cities for CEDAW movement in 1998…nothing (is) prohibiting local or state governments from applying international law to local ordinances.”

Visit the Colorado for CEDAW to learn more.

By accepting the Convention, cities and states commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including:

• incorporating the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;

• establishing tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and

• ensuring elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.