CEDAW Seminar – March 10, 2010

The Phoenix-/Scottsdale Chapter hosted a panel discussion on the importance of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the need for the United States to ratify this women’s rights UN treaty. The U.S. is one of only seven countries that have yet to ratify CEDAW.

Karen Kondej outlined the structure of CEDAW: 30 Articles, The CEDAW Commission, General Recommendations, and The Optional Protocol. Olga Vives, past executive vice-president of National Now, elaborated on NOW’s previous involvement with International Law. Dianne Post, J.D., discussed court cases and the positive results in other countries that have ratified CEDAW, such as legal reform in inheritance laws and crucial steps to eliminate violence against women. Dianne Post has worked in over 14 countries designing and implementing reform on issues related to gender equality. Ms. Post filed a petition on the behalf of protective mothers with the Inter American Commissions on Human Rights on May 11, 2007.