Press release
CEDAW Ratification Call in Day
Washington D.C. Working Group on CEDAW appeals for CEDAW Ratification by U.S. Senat
Today, 89 years ago women in America won the right to vote but still the work of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers remains unfinished. The United States is the only democracy in the world that has not ratified the CEDAW treaty, putting U.S. in the company of nations such as Iran, Somalia and Sudan.
One hundred eighty-six countries, over 95 percent of United Nations members, have ratified CEDAW. It provides a fundamental framework for ending international violence against women, ensuring girls access to education, and promoting economic opportunity and political participation for women.
“The U.S. is long overdue in ratifying CEDAW” says Billie Heller, Chair National Committee on CEDAW. The committee urges people in U.S. to call their senators and ask them to work for the ratification of CEDAW.
Today on the occasion of the 28th Women’s Equality Day in the United States, Sabra Bano, director of Gender Concerns International, in an interview with the Pakistani GEO Television, expressed her appreciation and support for CEDAW Ratification Call in Day in U.S. She further added that
“This call shows that only by having the right to vote is not a way to attain gender equality but women’s political participation at top decision-making levels is the key to pave the way to have more gender-balanced legislations throughout the world. Women from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Europe, U.S. and the rest of the world still have a long way to go on struggling for the attainment of a gender-balanced society and there is indeed a need to support and show solidarity with each other. We certainly wish strength and support to CEDAW Ratification Call in Day Action”.
End of the press release
For further information please contact:
Sabra Bano, Gender Concerns International:
Phone: 00 31 (070) 4445082
Mobile: 06 53965784
Laan van Meerdervoort 70
2517 AN, The Hague
Email: Sbano@genderconcerns.nl
Site: www.genderconcerns.nl
ABOUT CEDAW
The CEDAW treaty for the rights of women, formally known as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, provides a universal standard for women’s human rights. It addresses discrimination in areas such as education, employment, marriage and family relations, health care, politics, finance and law.