Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Transcription

1 Unite Nations CEDAW/C/2006/II/4 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Distr.: General 19 April 2006 Original: English Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Thirty-fifth session Item 6 of the provisional agena* 15 May-2 June 2006 Contents I. Introuction II. III. IV. Ways an means of expeiting the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Note by the Secretariat** Paragraphs Developments in the human rights regime A. General Assembly B. Commission on the Status of Women C. Commission on Human Rights D. Follow-up to the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting an seventeenth meeting of chairpersons of human rights treaty boies an preparations for upcoming meetings E. Reform proposals concerning human rights treaty boies F. Fifth informal meeting of the Committee Reports to be consiere by the Committee at future sessions Secretariat activities in support of the implementation of the Convention V. Other issues In-epth stuy on all forms of violence against women... 9 Page (E) * * * CEDAW/C/2006/II/1. ** The present note was submitte late in orer to provie the Committee with the most up-to-ate information.

2 Annexes I. States that have not ratifie or accee to the Convention II. States parties whose reports have been submitte but not yet consiere by the Committee as at 18 April

3 I. Introuction 1. The present report contains information that is relevant to the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Section II provies information on evelopments in the Unite Nations human rights regime, incluing information concerning the work of the General Assembly, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights an the proposals by the Secretary-General for the reforms of human rights treaty boies. Section III presents information on the reports to be consiere by the Committee at future sessions. Section IV summarizes the activities of the Secretariat in support of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women an its Optional Protocol. Other issues are covere in section V. II. Developments in the human rights regime A. General Assembly 2. At its sixtieth session in 2005, the General Assembly aopte several resolutions of relevance to the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, incluing resolutions on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, violence against women migrant workers an an in-epth stuy on violence against women. Some of the following information was provie orally to the Committee at its thirty-fourth session. 3. In its resolution 60/230 on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the General Assembly note ecision 33/I of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, by which the Committee requeste an extension of its meeting time. 1 The Assembly authorize the Committee to hol three annual sessions of three weeks each, with a one-week pre-sessional working group for each session, effective from January 2006, as a temporary measure. It also continue to authorize two annual sessions of the Working Group on Communications uner the Optional Protocol to the Convention. The Assembly also authorize the Committee to meet on an exceptional an temporary basis in 2006 an 2007 for up to seven ays in parallel working groups uring its thir (July/August) annual session in 2006 an its first (January) an thir (July/August) annual sessions in 2007, taking ue account of equitable geographical istribution, for the purpose of consiering reports submitte uner article 18 of the Convention. 4. In its resolution 60/139 on violence against women migrant workers, the General Assembly unerline the important role of relevant Unite Nations treaty boies in monitoring the implementation of human rights conventions, within their respective manates, in aressing the problem of violence against women migrant workers. The Assembly encourage the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to consier eveloping a general recommenation on the situation of women migrant workers an requeste the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly at its sixty-secon session in 2007 on the problem of 3

4 violence against women migrant workers an on the implementation of the resolution. 5. In its resolution 60/136 on the in-epth stuy on all forms of violence against women, the General Assembly welcome the work unertaken to ate, an stresse the importance of close collaboration with, inter alia, Unite Nations treaty boies, incluing the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The Assembly extene the ealine for submission of the stuy to its sixty-first session in On 15 March 2006, the General Assembly aopte resolution 60/251, in which it establishe a Human Rights Council as a subsiiary organ of the General Assembly. Accoring to the resolution, the Council woul, inter alia, be responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights an funamental freeoms for all, without istinction of any kin an in a fair an equal manner. It shoul aress situations of violations of human rights, incluing gross an systematic violations, an make recommenations thereon, an promote the effective coorination an the mainstreaming of human rights within the Unite Nations system. 7. The resolution inicate the Council woul consist of 47 Member States, to be electe irectly an iniviually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly. Membership woul be base on equitable geographical istribution an be open to all States Members of the Unite Nations. Members electe to the Council woul be expecte to uphol the highest stanars in the promotion an protection of human rights an to fully cooperate with the Council an be reviewe uner the universal perioic review mechanism uring their term of membership. The Council woul meet regularly throughout the year an scheule no fewer than three sessions per year, incluing a main session, for a total uration of no less than 10 weeks, an woul be able to hol special sessions, when neee, at the request of a member of the Council with the support of one thir of the membership of the Council. In the same resolution, the Assembly recommene that the Economic an Social Council request the Commission on Human Rights to conclue its work at its sixty-secon session, an that it abolish the Commission effective 16 June In accorance with the resolution, elections of the first members of the Council were scheule for 9 May 2006, with the first meeting of the Council to be convene on 19 June B. Commission on the Status of Women 8. The fiftieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women was hel from 27 February to 10 March 2006 an on 16 March 2006, an aopte a total of six resolutions. In its resolution 50/3, on the avisability of the appointment of a special rapporteur on laws that iscriminate against women, the Commission invite the Secretary-General to bring his report (E/CN.6/2006/8) to the attention of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women an other relevant treaty boies, with a view to eliciting their views on ways an means that coul best complement the work of the existing mechanisms an enhance the Commission s capacity with respect to iscriminatory laws. The Commission agree to consier the question further at its fifty-first session. The Committee is invite to provie, 4

5 at its thirty-fifth session, its views in accorance with the request of the Commission. 9. Its resolution on the future organization an methos of work of the Commission on the Status of Women, 2 for aoption by the Economic an Social Council, referre to both the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women an the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 10. The Commission aopte agree conclusions on two themes: Enhance participation of women in evelopment: an enabling environment for achieving gener equality an the avancement of women, taking into account, inter alia, the fiels of eucation, health an work ; an Equal participation of women an men in ecision-making processes at all levels. In both agree conclusions, the Commission calle upon States parties to comply fully with their obligations uner the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women an the Optional Protocol thereto an to take into consieration the concluing comments as well as the general recommenations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 11. In the agree conclusions on Enhance participation of women in evelopment: an enabling environment for achieving gener equality an the avancement of women, taking into account, inter alia, the fiels of eucation, health an work, the Commission calle upon other States parties to the Convention that ha not yet one so to consier signing, ratifying or acceing to the Optional Protocol thereto. 12. In the agree conclusions on Equal participation of women an men in ecision-making processes at all levels, the Commission urge States parties to limit the extent of any reservations that they loge to the Convention, to formulate any such reservations as precisely an as narrowly as possible, to ensure that no reservations are incompatible with the object an purpose of the Convention, to review their reservations regularly with a view to withrawing them an to withraw reservations that are contrary to the object an purpose of the Convention. Moreover, the Commission calle on Member States to consier ratifying an implementing relevant instruments relating to the full political, economic, social an cultural rights for women an girls, especially the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, an encourage the public issemination of national perioic reports to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. C. Commission on Human Rights 13. As negotiations on the establishment of the Human Rights Council were uner way in the General Assembly, the sixty-secon session of the Commission on Human Rights was limite to the aoption of a proceural resolution on the closure of its work. In that resolution, the Commission recalle General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 (see paras. 6 an 7 above) in which the Assembly ecie on the creation of the Human Rights Council, an Economic an Social Council resolution 2006/2 of 22 March 2006, an accoringly referre all reports to the Human Rights Council for further consieration at its first session in June The Commission also expresse its appreciation to all those who ha 5

6 contribute to the promotion an protection of human rights uring its 60 years of existence, then conclue its work in accorance with the above-mentione General Assembly an Economic an Social Council resolutions. D. Follow-up to the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting an seventeenth meeting of chairpersons of human rights treaty boies an preparations for upcoming meetings 14. At its thirty-fourth session, the Committee consiere several of the points of agreement an recommenations emanating from those meetings, in preparation for participation at the upcoming meetings, scheule to take place from 19 to 23 June 2006 in Geneva. The Committee is invite to take up pening issues, as outline below, at its thirty-fifth session. 15. In follow-up to the points of agreement of the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting an the seventeenth meeting of chairpersons of the human rights treaty boies hel in June 2005, 3 incluing in regar to proposals on harmonize guielines on reporting uner the international human rights treaties an guielines for an expane common core ocument an treaty-specific targete reports, 4 the Committee esignate Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling to participate in an Inter- Committee technical working group of seven members, one from each treaty boy. The working group, which was given the task of finalizing the raft harmonize guielines for consieration an eventual aoption by each of the committees, met in December Ms. Schöpp-Schilling was electe chairperson of the group. 16. During the thirty-fourth session of the Committee, Ms. Schöpp-Schilling briefe it on the results of the meeting of the technical working group, inicating the progress mae by the group an highlighting pening issues. The group met again in February In accorance with a ecision taken at its thirty-fourth session, the issue was to be iscusse at the Committee s informal meeting in Berlin, from 2 to 4 May 2006 (see also para. 23 below). 17. Participants in the fourth Inter-Committee also recommene that the question of stanarization of terminology (see HRI/MC/2005/2 an Corr.1, annex) be consiere by each committee uring the course of the year an that the Secretariat prepare a paper, base on the comments receive, containing revise proposals for consieration at the fifth Inter-Committee Meeting. The Committee is invite to consier the question with a view to submitting proposals to the fifth Inter- Committee Meeting. 18. Participants in the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting recalle the recommenation of the sixteenth meeting of chairpersons regaring the moalities of non-governmental organization participation in the treaty boies an recommene that that issue be place on the agena of the fifth Inter-Committee Meeting. 19. Participants in the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting also recommene that the fifth meeting consier eveloping harmonize criteria for the participation of national human rights institutions in treaty boy sessions in orer to enhance the quality of information provie to the treaty boies. The Committee ha iscusse the issue at its thirty-thir an thirty-fourth sessions. 6

7 20. Participants at the fourth Inter-Committee Meeting recommene that a working group, compose of a member of each committee, be convene in early 2006 to consier an upate version of the report on reservations prepare by the Secretariat (HRI/MC/2005/5) an to report to the next inter-committee meeting. The Committee esignate Cees Flinterman to participate in the group, with Ms. Patten as a backup. The meeting was scheule for 8 an 9 June 2006 in Geneva. E. Reform proposals concerning human rights treaty boies 21. During the thirty-fourth session of the Commission in January 2006, the High Commissioner for Human Rights met with the Committee in orer to iscuss the human rights treaty boy reform proposals containe in the High Commissioner s Plan of Action (A/59/2005/A.3). Base on that exchange of views, the Committee wrote to the High Commissioner an to the Secretary-General, an also inclue a ecision in its report, expressing its view that no ecision shoul be taken at that time on the question of a possible transfer of the Committee an its secretariat. Instea, the Committee strongly recommene further reflection once the etails of the reform proposals were available an that its own inputs be taken into consieration in the ecision-making process. 22. In March 2006, the Office of the Unite Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issue a concept paper on a unifie staning treaty boy, 5 to be consiere uring the fifth Inter-Committee Meeting (19-21 June 2006), the eighteenth meeting of chairpersons (22-23 June 2006) an in an intergovernmental meeting to be hel later in The Committee was expecte to hol a iscussion on the concept paper uring its fifth informal meeting in Berlin from 2 to 4 May F. Fifth informal meeting of the Committee 23. At the invitation of the Government of Germany, the Committee is to hol an informal meeting in Berlin to mark the Committee s twenty-fifth anniversary. At its thirty-fourth session, the Committee agree that the informal meeting woul provie an opportunity to consier the question of its working methos, especially its consieration of perioic reports of States parties in parallel working groups for its thirty-sixth an future sessions. The Committee also agree to cover aspects in conjunction with the reform of the human rights treaty boies an to iscuss a number of raft general recommenations. The Secretariat prepare a backgroun paper to support the Committee in its eliberations. The Committee will be invite to take action on the agreements reache at the informal meeting. III. Reports to be consiere by the Committee at future sessions 24. All States parties selecte by the Committee for presentation of reports at the thirty-fifth session to be hel from 15 May to 2 June 2006 will be able to o so. 25. The Committee propose to consier the reports of the following States parties at its thirty-sixth session from 7 to 25 August 2006: the combine initial, secon, 7

8 6 thir, fourth, fifth an sixth perioic reports of Cape Vere, the combine secon an thir perioic report of Georgia, 7 the combine secon an thir perioic report of the Republic of Molova, 8 the combine secon an thir perioic report of Uzbekistan, 9 the thir perioic report of the Czech Republic, 10 the combine thir, fourth an fifth perioic report of Mauritius, 11 the combine thir, fourth an fifth perioic report of Ghana, the fourth perioic report of Chile, the combine fourth an fifth perioic report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 14 the fifth perioic report of Jamaica, the combine fifth an sixth perioic report of China, the combine fifth an sixth perioic report of Cuba, 17 the combine fifth an sixth perioic report of the Philippines, 18 the sixth perioic report of Denmark 19 an the sixth perioic report of Mexico The Committee also invite 15 States for presentation of reports at the thirtyseventh (January 2007) an thirty-eighth (May 2007) sessions. Its pre-session working group scheule to meet from 31 July to 4 August 2006 will prepare the lists of issues an questions for those States. 27. The Committee s attention is rawn to annex II of the present report, which provies an overview of available reports an ates of previous consieration, as applicable. 28. One State party, the Democratic People s Republic of Korea, inicate that the submission of its secon perioic report by March 2006, as requeste by the Committee in its concluing comments aopte at its thirty-thir session in July 2005, woul not be possible ue to the limite time for preparation. It inicate that the combine secon an thir perioic reports woul be submitte in IV. Secretariat activities in support of the implementation of the Convention 29. The Special Aviser to the Secretary-General on Gener Issues an Avancement of Women an the Director of the Division for the Avancement of Women continue their efforts to encourage universal ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, acceptance of the Optional Protocol to the Convention an amenment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention. Those aspects are regularly aresse by the Special Aviser, the Director an staff of the Division in meetings with an briefings for representatives of Member States, entities of the Unite Nations system an civil society organizations in training workshops an other outreach activities. Cooperation an collaboration has remaine an important element in the joint work plan of the Division an OHCHR In December 2005, the Division, in collaboration with OHCHR, hel a subregional workshop on the follow-up to the concluing comments an observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women an the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination against Women in Cairo. The workshop, hoste by the National Council for Women, aime to buil the capacity of Government representatives an of representatives of national human rights institutions an non-governmental organizations to follow up on an implement the concluing comments an observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women an the Committee on the 8

9 Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The workshop was attene by over 50 participants from six countries of the North African region (Algeria, Egypt, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mauritania, Morocco an Tunisia), an inclue Government officials, members of the juiciary, representatives of national human rights institutions, national non-governmental organizations, the League of Arab States an Unite Nations agencies. Three experts of the Committee serve as facilitators at the workshop. 31. In March 2006, a staff member of the Division attene a workshop in Sofia, convene by non-governmental organizations, to train lawyers from Central an Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia an Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Polan, Slovakia, Romania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Maceonia an Ukraine) on the use of the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil an Political Rights an the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women for promoting an protecting the human rights of women. 32. The Division, with the Netherlans Institute for Human Rights at the University of Utrecht, continue preparation of a manual on implementation of the Convention an its Optional Protocol. The manual is an avocacy tool to buil the capacity of States parties to enhance effective implementation of the Convention an to prepare both initial an perioic reports. The chapters of the manual are now in the final stages of preparation. 33. Base on contributions receive from the Governments of Irelan an Norway, the Division will continue an expan its activities to support countries emerging from conflict in their efforts to implement the Convention. For the perio , the Division plans to focus its support on Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone an Timor-Leste. The Division s programme of technical cooperation in countries emerging from conflict will take the form of continuous an sustaine support in multiple phases, which will inclue high-level consultations, the evelopment of comprehensive recommenations for priority action an the elivery of training for more effective implementation of the Convention. V. Other issues In-epth stuy on all forms of violence against women 34. The Division continue preparation of the in-epth stuy on all forms of violence against women, requeste by the General Assembly in its resolution 58/185, an which will be submitte to its sixty-first session. The Division organize a multi-stakeholer ialogue on violence against women in conjunction with the fiftieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The ialogue focuse on collaboration between Governments an civil society in aressing omestic violence an trafficking in women an girls. Two experts of the Committee participate as iscussants in the ialogue. 35. Panel iscussions, other events on violence against women an the stuy are to be implemente by the Division uring the secon quarter of 2006, incluing sie events in conjunction with the Commission on Crime Prevention an Criminal Justice an the Permanent Forum on Inigenous Issues. 9

10 Notes 1 See Official Recors of the General Assembly, Sixtieth Session, Supplement No. 38 (A/60/38), part 2, chap. I. 2 Official Recors of the Economic an Social Council, 2006, Supplement No. 7 (E/2006/27), chap. I.B, raft resolution III. 3 See A/60/ See HRI/MC/2005/3. 5 See HRI/MC/2006/2. 6 CEDAW/C/CPV/ CEDAW/C/GEO/ CEDAW/C/MDA/ CEDAW/C/UZB/ CEDAW/C/CZE/3. 11 CEDAW/C/MAR/ CEDAW/C/GHA/ CEDAW/C/CHI/4. 14 CEDAW/C/COD/ CEDAW/C/JAM/5. 16 CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6, CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6/A.1 an CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6/A CEDAW/C/CUB/ CEDAW/C/PHI/ CEDAW/C/DNK/6. 20 CEDAW/C/MEX/6. 21 See E/CN.4/2006/59-E/CN.6/2006/9. 10

11 Annex I States that have not ratifie or accee to the Convention Africa Somalia Suan Asia an the Pacific Brunei Darussalam Iran (Islamic Republic of) Nauru Palau Qatar Tonga Western Europe an other Holy See Unite States of America 11

12 Annex II States parties whose reports have been submitte but not yet consiere by the Committee as at 18 April 2006* Initial reports State party (report) Date ue Date receive a, Cape Vere (1-6) 3 September June 2005 c, Mauritania (1) 9 June May 2005 c, Mozambique (1-2) 21 May May 2005 c, Niger (1-2) 7 November July 2005 c, Pakistan (1-3) 11 April July 2005 c, Syrian Arab Republic (1) 27 April August 2005 Tajikistan (1-3) 25 October May 2005 c Vanuatu (1-3) 8 October March 2005 Perioic reports State party (report) Date ue Date receive Previously consiere Previous report(s) Austria (6) 30 April October , 23r session 3-4, 5 Azerbaijan (2-3) 9 August January , 18th session Initial Belize (3-4) 15 June August , 21st session 1-2 Bolivia (2-4) 8 July December , 14th session 1 Brazil (6) 2 March August , 29th session 1-5 Chile (4) a, 6 January May , 21st session 3 a, China (5-6) 3 September February , 20th session 3-4 an A.1 an A.2 Colombia (5-6) 18 February March , 20th session 4 a Cuba (5-6) 3 September January , 23r session 4 a, Czech Republic (3) 24 March August , EXC session 2 * The list oes not inclue States parties whose reports are to be consiere by the Committee at its thirty-fifth session. 12

13 State party (report) Date ue Date receive Previously consiere Previous report(s) Democratic Republic a, of the Congo (4-5) 16 November August , 22n session 1; 2 an A.1; 3 a, Denmark (6) 21 May July , 27th session 4; 5 an A.1 Estonia (4) 20 November October , 26th session 1-3 Finlan (5) 4 October February , 24th session 3, 4 France (6) 13 January March , 29th session 3-4 a, Georgia (2-3) 25 November April , 21st session Initial an A.1 an A.1/Corr.1 a, Ghana (3-5) 1 February February , 11th session 1-2 Greece (6) 7 July June , EXC session 4-5 Guinea (4-6) 8 September July , 25th session 1-3 Honuras (4-6) 2 April January , 11th session 3 Icelan (5) 18 July November , 26th session 3-4 Inia (2-3) 8 August October , 22n session Initial Inonesia (4-5) 13 October June , 18th session 2-3 Israel (4) 2 November June , 33r session 3 a, Jamaica (5) 18 November February , 24th session 2-4 Joran (3-4) 31 July December , 22n session 2 Kazakhstan (2) 25 September March , 24th session Initial Kenya (5-6) 8 April March , 28th session 3-4 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (2) 15 June December , 13th session Initial an A.1 Liechtenstein (2) 21 January February , 20th session Initial Lithuania (3) 17 February May , 23r session Initial, 2 Luxembourg (5) 4 March February , 28th session 4 Malives (2-3) 31 July May , 24th session Initial Mauritius (3-5) a, 8 August November , 14th session 1-2 a Mexico (6) 3 September January , EXE session 5 Namibia (2-3) 23 December March , 17th session Initial 13

14 State party (report) Date ue Date receive Previously consiere Previous report(s) Netherlans (4 an A.1) 22 August January , 25th session 2 an A.1 an A.2; 3 an A.1 an A.2 Nicaragua (6) 26 November June , 25th session 4, 5 Peru (6) 13 October February , EXC session 5 a, Philippines (5-6) 4 September July , 16th session 3, 4 Polan (4-5 an 6) 3 September November , 10th session 2, 3 Republic of Korea (5) Republic of Molova a (2-3) 26 January July , 19th session 3, 4 31 July October , 23r session Initial Singapore (3) 4 November November , 25th session Initial, 2 Suriname (3) 31 March April , 27th session 1-2 Unite Kingom of Great Britain an Northern Irelan (5 an A.1 an A.2) 7 May August , 21st session 3 an A.1 an A.2; 4 an A.1, A.2, A.3 an A.4 a, Uzbekistan (2-3) 18 August October , 24th session Initial Viet Nam (5-6) 19 March June , 25th session 2, 3-4 a Report selecte to be consiere by the Committee at its thirty-sixth session, to be hel in New York in August b Report selecte to be consiere by the Committee at its thirty-seventh session, to be hel in New York in January c Report selecte to be consiere by the Committee at its thirty-eighth session, to be hel in New York in May Report has been translate, reprouce an mae available in all official languages. 14