CEDAW

In 2005 Louise Cleary csb called together Australian academics and social justice advocates to prepare a submission to the Committee of CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) at the United Nations in New York. Download a copy of the submission here.

This submission was successful in framing several of the CEDAW Committee’s Concluding Comments; these were recommendations back to the Australian government, and ACRATH’s advocacy work was born. ACRATH began meeting with Members of Parliament to call for these CEDAW recommendations to be implemented.

Concluding comments from CEDAW in 2006 to the Government of Australia:

• Recommendation 21: The Committee recommends the formulation of a comprehensive strategy to combat the trafficking of women and exploitation …
• Recommendation 32: The Committee recommends that the State party increase its funding to non-governmental organizations …
• Recommendation 35: The Committee also emphasizes that a full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) …

ACRATH also contributed to a Joint Statement from Australian, Cambodian and Thai NGOs concerning trafficked women that was submitted to the 34th Session of the Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Joint statement can be viewed here.