Conference Celebrates 30 Years of UN Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women

Abstract

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the international human rights treaty for women, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly 30 years ago. To date, 186 countries have ratified the Convention and 98 of these countries have ratified its Optional Protocol, which allows the CEDAW Committee to hear individual complaints of rights violations. The Eighth African Regional Conference on Women celebrated in words and songs the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). As we celebrate the birth of this instrument, the changes that we seek today are the result of women’s mobilization over many years, today women’s equal rights and gender equality are part of the political debate.