8 March 2006 – International Women’s Day

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is "Women in Decision-Making: Meeting Challenges, Creating Change.” For more UN information about this day, see www.un.org/events/women/iwd/2006. The celebration of International Women’s Day is an opportunity to remember that gender equality (Millennium Development Goals # 3) must be a priority in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty by 2015. The “feminization of poverty” is well recognized in all parts of the world.
International norms and standards of human rights must be implemented at the national level. NGOs at home can play a significant role in awareness raising, speaking out, monitoring compliance and influencing government’s performance vis-à-vis its commitments and obligations. A vehicle for doing this exists in the area of gender equality and the advancement of women.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the CEDAW Committee responsible for monitoring its implementation play a key role. Governments who become States Parties to the Convention must report to the Committee every four years. From time to time, national NGOs give “shadow reports”, commenting on the claims of their government. This year, the government of Australia reported to the Committee (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/34sess.htm ) and a group of NGOs, including several religious congregations, presented a shadow report.

The Committee listens to all reports, engages in dialogue, comments on the adequacy of progress the state has made on implementation, and makes recommendations for further action to the government. Both the reports and Committee responses are public documents.

Is your country a State Party to the CEDAW Convention? A list can be found at www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/states.htm .