Eighty-fifth session
8–26 May 2023
Item 2 of the provisional agenda
Adoption of the agenda and organization of work
Annotated provisional agenda
Provisional agenda
1.Opening of the session.
2.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3.Report of the Chair on activities undertaken between the eighty-fourth and eighty-fifth sessions of the Committee.
4.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
5.Follow-up to the consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention.
6.Implementation of articles 21 and 22 of the Convention.
7.Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee.
8.Activities of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
9.Provisional agenda for the eighty-sixth session of the Committee.
10.Adoption of the report of the Committee on its eighty-fifth session.
Annotations
1.Opening of the session
The eighty-fifth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will be opened by the Chair of the Committee on 8 May 2023.
2.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work
Rule 9 of the rules of procedure provides that the first substantive item on the provisional agenda for any session shall be the adoption of the agenda. Rule 7 provides that the provisional agenda for each session shall be prepared by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chair, in conformity with the relevant provisions of articles 17 to 22 of the Convention.
At its eighty-fourth session, the Committee approved the provisional agenda for its eighty-fifth session.
3.Report of the Chair on activities undertaken between the eighty-fourth and eighty-fifth sessions of the Committee
The Chair will provide a briefing to the Committee on activities and events having occurred since the previous session that had a bearing on the work of the Committee.
Documentation
Annotated provisional agenda (CEDAW/C/85/1)
4.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Article 18 of the Convention provides that States parties to the Convention shall submit to the Secretary-General, for consideration by the Committee, a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures that they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and on the progress made in that respect. Reports are to be submitted within one year after the entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned and thereafter at least every four years and, further, whenever the Committee so requests.
The reports of the following States parties are scheduled to be considered at the eighty-fifth session of the Committee: China; Hong Kong, China; Macau, China; Germany; Iceland; Sao Tome and Principe; Slovakia; Spain; Timor-Leste; and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
Rule 51 of the rules of procedure provides that representatives of a State party shall be present at meetings of the Committee when the report of that State party is being examined and shall participate in discussions and answer questions concerning the report.
Rule 49 of the rules of procedure provides that, at each session, the Secretary-General shall notify the Committee of the non-receipt of any report required from a State party under article 18 of the Convention. The Secretary-General also regularly provides the Committee with a list of reports submitted by States parties to the Convention, as well as a list of reports submitted by States parties to the Convention that have not yet been considered by the Committee.
A pre-sessional working group of the Committee is convened before each session to prepare lists of issues and questions relating to reports for transmission to States parties before the meetings at which their reports are to be considered. The pre‑sessional working group for the eighty-fifth session met from 31 October to 4 November 2022. The report of the pre-sessional working group (CEDAW/C/PSWG/ 85/1) will be before the Committee.
Documentation
Reports
Ninth periodic report of China (CEDAW/C/CHN/9)
Ninth periodic report of Hong Kong, China (CEDAW/C/CHN-HKG/9)
Ninth periodic report of Macau, China (CEDAW/C/CHN-MAC/9)
Ninth periodic report of Germany, submitted under the simplified reporting procedure (CEDAW/C/DEU/9)
Ninth periodic report of Iceland (CEDAW/C/ISL/9)
Combined initial and second to fifth periodic reports of Sao Tome and Principe (CEDAW/C/STP/1-5)
Seventh periodic report of Slovakia, submitted under the simplified reporting procedure (CEDAW/C/SVK/7)
Ninth periodic report of Spain, submitted under the simplified reporting procedure (CEDAW/C/ESP/9)
Fourth periodic report of Timor-Leste (CEDAW/C/TLS/4)
Ninth periodic report of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (CEDAW/C/VEN/9)
Lists of issues and questions
China (including Hong Kong, China, and Macau, China) (CEDAW/C/CHN/Q/9)
Germany (CEDAW/C/DEU/QPR/9)
Iceland (CEDAW/C/ISL/Q/9)
Sao Tome and Principe (CEDAW/C/STP/Q/1-5)
Slovakia (CEDAW/C/SVK/QPR/7)
Spain (CEDAW/C/ESP/QPR/9)
Timor-Leste (CEDAW/C/TLS/QPR/4)
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (CEDAW/C/VEN/Q/9)
Replies to the lists of issues and questions
China (CEDAW/C/CHN/RQ/9)
Iceland (CEDAW/C/ISL/RQ/9)
Sao Tome and Principe (CEDAW/C/STP/RQ/1-5)
Timor-Leste (CEDAW/C/TLS/RQ/4)
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (CEDAW/C/VEN/RQ/9)
5.Follow-up to the consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention
The Committee will discuss matters relating to follow-up to concluding observations.
6.Implementation of articles 21 and 22 of the Convention
Article 21 of the Convention provides that the Committee may make suggestions and general recommendations based on the examination of the reports and information received from States parties. It also provides that such suggestions and general recommendations shall be included in the report of the Committee to the General Assembly, together with comments, if any, from States parties.
Article 22 of the Convention provides that the specialized agencies shall be entitled to be represented during the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the Convention that fall within the scope of their activities and that the Committee may invite the specialized agencies to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in those areas.
Documentation
Reports provided by the specialized agencies of the United Nations system on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities
7.Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
The Committee will discuss matters relating to its methods of work.
8.Activities of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the Convention
The fifty-sixth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol will be held from 3 to 5 May 2023 in Geneva.
The twenty-fifth session of the Working Group on Inquiries under the Optional Protocol will be held on 4 and 5 May 2023 in Geneva.
At its eighty-fifth session, the Committee will continue to implement its mandate under articles 2 and 8 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
9.Provisional agenda for the eighty-sixth session of the Committee
Documentation
Annotated provisional agenda for the eighty-sixth session (CEDAW/C/86/1)