Recognizing Rights Promoting Progress: The Global Impact of CEDAW

When women participate in political, economic and social life, they promote the health, well-being, prosperity and security of their families, communities and nations. In order for women and girls to contribute fully toward the creation of a better world, it is imperative that their needs are met and their rights are secured — to live a life free from violence and discrimination, to be educated, to work, to be healthy, and to participate in public life.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) provides an important tool for countries to use in realizing the potential of women and girls. In the three decades since this Convention was adopted by the United Nations and ratified by 186 of 193 nations, countries have decided to incorporate CEDAW principles in their national constitutions, legislation and administrative policies. Countless civil society organizations and individual women have relied on the principles of the Convention to improve the lives of women and girls. This paper describes some examples of the impact CEDAW has had around the world, with the purpose of informing the public conversation in the United States about the Convention. Because of the broad scope of the Convention, and the diversity of ways it has been implemented and evaluated in many different contexts, this paper does not attempt to cover every country or address every theme. Instead, it focuses on select cases and countries where CEDAWratification and implementation have led to concrete changes in the opportunities afforded to women and girls.