3.The curricula vitae of the candidates, as provided by their Governments, are contained in annex III.
Annex I
List of the 11 members of the Committee whose terms expire on 31 December 2012
|
Member |
Country of nationality |
|
Nicole Ameline |
France |
|
Magalys Arocha Dominguez |
Cuba |
|
Violet Tsisiga Awori |
Kenya |
|
Barbara Evelyn Bailey |
Jamaica |
|
Niklas Bruun |
Finland |
|
Indira Jaising |
India |
|
Soledad Murillo de la Vega |
Spain |
|
Silvia Pimentel |
Brazil |
|
Victoria Popescu |
Romania |
|
Zohra Rasekh |
Afghanistan |
|
Xiaoqiao Zou |
China |
Annex II
List of the members who will continue to serve on the Committee until 31 December 2014
|
Member |
Country of nationality |
|
Ayse Feride Acar |
Turkey |
|
Olinda Bareiro-Bobadilla |
Paraguay |
|
Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani |
Algeria |
|
Naela Mohamed Gabr |
Egypt |
|
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari |
Israel |
|
Yoko Hayashi |
Japan |
|
Ismat Jahan |
Bangladesh |
|
Violeta Neubauer |
Slovenia |
|
Pramila Patten |
Mauritius |
|
Maria Helena Lopes de Jesus Pires |
Timor-Leste |
|
Patricia Schulz |
Switzerland |
|
Dubravka Simonovic |
Croatia |
Annex III
Curricula vitae of candidates *
Noor Al-Malki Al-Jehani (Qatar)
Date and place of birth
1961, Doha
Working languages
English and Arabic
Current position/function
Ms. Al-Jehani recently retired and is now working as an independent expert. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development (DIIFSD).
Main professional activities
Ms. Al-Jehani served as Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), the national mechanism for family and women’s issues, from April 2009 to October 2011. Before that, she was the director of the women department at SCFA.
She was also a member of Qatar National Committee on Human Rights (NHRC) from 2003-2011.
Educational background
BA in Humanities from Qatar University in 1984 and training in gender issues, women’s rights and child rights
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
She was Qatar’s representative in the Arab Women Committee (Arab League) and Committee on Women (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and a member or head of many national delegations to regional and international conferences on women’s and children’s rights. During her service in SCFA, she was assigned to the file of Qatar’s ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women from 2004 to 2009. Then, she chaired the national committee for drafting Qatar’s first report on the implementation of the Convention. She supervised and participated in drafting national reports on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (2000-2009).
Ms. Al-Jehani participated in drafting many national strategies and plans including Qatar’s first national development strategy, 2011-2016 (as chair of the drafting committee on the Sectoral Strategy on Family Cohesion and Empowerment of Women). She also participated in the review or drafting of legislation pertaining to social and women’s issues and initiated and oversaw several landmark studies by distinguished scholars on women’s issues, including Violence against Women in Qatari Society, Violence against Married Women — Qatar case study, and Obstacles to Qatari Women Reaching Decision-making Positions. She organized and supervised numerous workshops, panel discussions and awareness-raising campaigns on women’s issues such as domestic violence, family law and political rights. During her membership in NHRC, she was active in advocating for the rights of women, children, people with disabilities and domestic workers.
Most recent publications in the field
Ms. Al-Jehani’s writings, analyses and reports in the field of human rights in general and women’s rights in particular were presented to SCFA, NHRC and other relevant Government bodies for the purpose of formulating policies and strategies, as well as enacting legislation on human rights-related issues.
Nicole Ameline (France)
[Original: French]
Date of birth
4 July 1952
Working languages
French, English
Current position/function
Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Elected member of the French Parliament (National Assembly)
Member of the National Advisory Committee on Human Rights
Main professional activities
Minister for Gender Issues and Professional Equality (2002-2005)
Ambassador for social and gender issues and representative of the French Government to the International Labour Organization (ILO) (2005-2007)
Elected member of the French Parliament (National Assembly) since 1991
Educational background
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law
Diplôme d ’ études supérieures (postgraduate degree) in law and political science
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
President of a European foundation for professional equality
Organized an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in Paris in 2010 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention
Organized a meeting in Brussels in 2011 with the European Commission on the implementation in Europe of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Will organize a further meeting in Brussels to be attended by Lady Ashton, to strengthen the mainstreaming of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Europe’s external relations
Supports proposals and legislation concerning equality between men and women
Has provided expert advice and undertaken missions for many countries in the field of women’s rights
Most recent publications in the field
Assessments carried out within the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Parliamentary reports on development assistance and on the International Criminal Court
Press and media comment on the situation of women in France and around the world
Violet Awori (Kenya)
Date and place of birth
19 July 1957, Kenya
Working languages
English
Current position/function
I am the proprietor of my own legal firm dealing with family law. I am also a consultant on women’s and human rights. I provide training on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This has been to relevant Government officers and members of the judiciary particularly in countries that are reporting to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for the first time.
Main professional activities
Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. I am currently the Committee Rapporteur and so I ensure that the reports of the Committee are accurate before they are adopted. Also a member (former Chairperson) of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). This is a women’s rights non-governmental organization that provides legal aid to marginalized women. It also provides awareness and training on human and women’s rights to women, various Government officers, police officers, etc. FIDA also lobbies for changes in laws, especially those that discriminate against women. I am also the Vice-Chairperson of SMEP, which is a microfinance organization that provides loans to small and medium enterprises particularly targeting poor and rural women.
Educational background
Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Nairobi
Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law in Nairobi
Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in International Criminal Justice at the Open University of Tanzania
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Training on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and human rights to the Zimbabwe National Human Rights Commission in September 2011. Mock session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for the Zimbabwe Government delegation and training on the Convention and human rights for some Zimbabwe civil society organizations in December 2011. Prepared and made a presentation on witness protection in Geneva in May 2011. Attended and made some contributions at the Seminar of Experts on United Nations Treaty Bodies Reform in Poznan, Poland, in September 2010. Made a presentation at a half-day panel discussion in Geneva to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention in Geneva on 4 November 2009.
Most recent publications in the field
Not published
Barbara Bailey (Jamaica)
Date and place of birth
14 March 1942, Kingston, Jamaica.
Working languages
English
Current position/function
Professor Emerita and Immediate Past University Director of the Regional Coordinating Unit, Institute of Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, 1996-2010. Since 1985, Professor Bailey has represented the Government of Jamaica at regional and international conferences on matters relating to gender and women’s rights.
Main professional activities
August 2010 to present
Professor Emerita, University of the West Indies, Mona Kingston, Jamaica
August 1995 to July 2010
University Director, Regional Coordinating Unit, Institute of Gender and Development Studies, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
2003
Appointed Professor, Gender and Education, Regional Coordinating Unit, IGDS
Educational background
PhD education, University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica, 1987
MA education, University of the West Indies, Jamaica, 1983
BSc General (Botany and Zoology), 2nd Class Honours, University of London, University College of the West Indies, Jamaica, 1964
Non-degree studies: Advanced Reading Course on Gender and Development Issues, Dalhousie University, Canada, 1999
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Consultant to UNFPA to provide technical support to the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to develop a National Gender Equality Policy, August to October 2011
Consultant to the Caribbean Development Bank to assess the implementation, effectiveness and mainstreaming of the gender equality policy and strategy, February to May 2012
Consultant to Commonwealth Secretariat to prepare the draft Final Report: Mid‑term Review of the Implementation of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015 in consultation with the Commonwealth Secretariat, May 2010.
Chair, Gender Task Force, 2030 National Development Plan, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2007-2009
Consultant to UN- Women, Caribbean Office to carry out a gender audit of the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), October 2008
Most recent publications in the field
Feminization of Poverty Across Pan-African Societies: The Church’s Response — Alleviative or Emancipatory. In Religion and Poverty: Pan African Perspectives, Peter Paris, ed., Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2009
Implicit and Explicit Gender-Based Violence in Caribbean Educational Institutions. In Caribbean Journal of Education , vol. 29(1), 2007
Caribbean Labour Markets: Potential of the CSME for Reducing Gender Disparities. In CARICOM Single Market and Economy: Genesis and Prognosis, Hall, K. and Chuck-A-Sang, M., eds., Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers, 2007.
Gloria Bender (Argentina)
[Original: Spanish]
Working languages
Spanish. Reads and understands English.
Current position/function
Special International Representative for Women’s Issues (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina). Appointed ambassador charged with promoting gender equality and women’s rights at the regional and international levels
President of the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee for Follow-up to the Beijing Platform for Action, the coordinating body for the highest authorities on gender issues at the provincial level
Principal Delegate to the Inter-American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States (OAS)
Main professional activities
Ambassador Bender has more than 20 years of experience within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina, having held various decision-making positions, including at the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Executive Committee on the Bicentennial of the May Revolution, forums where she sought to link culture with current and historical women’s rights issues in Argentina.
In her current position as Special International Representative, she is responsible for monitoring the gender agenda at the regional and international levels and negotiating international gender instruments and cooperation agreements on gender at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. She has headed her country’s delegation at the major meetings on gender, including sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women of the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission of Women of OAS, and the Meeting of Women Ministers and High-level Authorities on Women’s Affairs of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).
Educational background
Degree in modern languages, Department of Philosophy and Humanities, National University of Cordoba, Argentina
Lecturer in modern languages, Department of Philosophy and Humanities, National University of Cordoba, Argentina
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Negotiated the presidential declaration on gender equality signed in January 2011 by President Cristina Fernández of Argentina and President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil
Organizes the annual celebration of International Women’s Day
On the occasion of the 2011 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she presented a compendium of national, regional and international regulations relating to women’s rights prepared by the Special International Office for Women’s Issues. She is responsible for coordinating the process of drafting and adopting the national plan for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. She promoted the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Argentine Ministry of Economic Affairs and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) on developing a gender-sensitive budget. She also advocated for gender mainstreaming within the Committees on Border Integration with Chile. In her current post, she works to build dialogue on gender between Argentina and the European Union, as well as between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the European Union. She was a speaker at the International Colloquium on Observatories on Gender and Violence against Women, held by the National Women’s Council in Buenos Aires in 2011.
Most recent publications in the field
She has contributed to many publications and catalogues relating to the work of the Department of Cultural Affairs, which she headed for more than six years.
She is currently working on the publication of a compendium of national, regional and international regulations on women’s rights issues.
Niklas Bruun (Finland)
Date and place of birth
1950, Finland
Working languages
Finnish, Swedish, English and Danish
Current position/function
Professor of Private Law, University of Helsinki, Finland
Head of the Research Programme “Regulating Markets and Labour”, Stockholm University (Sweden)
Member of the Research Team of the Centre of Excellence in the Foundations of European Law and Polity, University of Helsinki
Main professional activities
Professor of Private Law, University of Helsinki, 2006-(continuing)
Professor in Law, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Helsinki, 1986-2006
Guest Professor of the National Institute for Working Life, Stockholm, Sweden, 1993-1996, linked to the Institute as an academic supervisor for European Union labour law research, 1997-2007
Director IPR University Center, University of Helsinki 2000-(continuing)
Professor of the Year in Finland, 2005
Guest lecturer in numerous European universities, including the European University Institute-Florence, Italy, the University of Bari, the University of London (King’s College), London School of Economics and Humboldt University, Berlin (continuing)
Expert Member of the European Labour Law Network (ELLN), supported by the European Commission (continuing)
Educational background
LLD, Dissertation, Helsinki University, 1979
Doctor of Law H.C., University of Stockholm, 2000
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Commissions of trust, national
Involved as an expert in the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into Finnish law, 1980-1985
Chairperson of the Equality Board of Finland, 1999-2007
Chairperson of the Committee for Revision of the Gender Equality Act of Finland, 2000-2002
Chairman of the Board of Good Business Practice of the Central Chamber of Commerce, 1999-2010
Finnish Copyright Council, Vice-Chairman, 1988-1995; Chairman, 1997-2008
Member of the Equality Committee, 2007-2009
Expert Member of the Group preparing a Government Report on Gender Equality, 2009-2010
Commissions of trust, international
Member of the Freedom of Association Committee, ILO, 1996-1998, 2006-2008, 2011-2014
Member of the High-level Mission of Inquiry concerning Belarus appointed by ILO, 2003-2004
Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 2009-2012, Member of the Optional Protocol Working Group on Communications 2011-(continuing)
Expert for the European Union Institutions (the European Commission and the European Parliament) on numerous occasions
Most recent publications in the field
Several publications in the area of labour law and gender equality, including Gender Discrimination (1996) and Gender Discrimination and Equality (2006). Frequent articles in Nordic and international publications.
Nuria Chinchilla (Spain)
[Original: Spanish]
Working languages
Spanish and English
Current position/function
She is a member of the awards panels of Fundación Bufí y Planas and the magazine Capital, the board of trustees of Fundación Alares, the awards panel of the María Teresa Rodo private foundation, the council of experts of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Business Digest Advisory Committee, the editorial board of the publication Nueva Empresa, the economic and social council of the University of Catalonia and the honorary board of trustees of The Family Watch.
Main professional activities
She is currently Academic Director of a programme focused on women at the IESE Business School in Barcelona. She is a professor in the Department of Managing People in Organizations and the founder and director of the International Center for Work and Family at the IESE Business School (University of Navarra). Since 1999, Professor Chinchilla and her team at IESE have been developing the International Family-Responsible Employer Index (IFREI), which studies the extent to which family-friendly policies and culture are implemented within various companies and sectors. She is also the president and founder of the company NCH & Partners: Developing People and Organizations, president of the non-governmental organization Acción para la Democracia (Action for Democracy) and a columnist and pundit for print and other media.
Educational background
Law degree from the University of Barcelona
Doctorate in economic and business sciences from the University of Navarra
Master’s degree in economics and business management and doctorate from the IESE Business School
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Member of the Advisory Board and VIP Club of the European Professional Women’s Network
Member of the Advisory Board of Women’s International Networking and the International Women’s Forum
Organizer of a course on business management for women in Madrid and of the Women’s Lobby in Barcelona
Participant at the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, and the Symposium on Women, Business and Society in the 21st Century
Academic Director of a programme focused on women at the IESE Business School in Barcelona
Most recent publications in the field
La ambición femenina: como re-conciliar trabajo y familia (Female ambition: balancing work and family)
Criterios de decisión en los procesos de selección en España ¿se discrimina a la mujer? (Criteria for decision-making in recruitment processes in Spain: Are women discriminated against?)
La mujer y su éxito (Women and their success)
Las mujeres empresarias en la China del siglo XXI ¿un estilo diferente de liderazgo o simplemente mujeres? (Businesswomen in China in the twenty-first century: a different leadership style or simply women?)
Mujer y empresa en el nuevo siglo: 7 preguntas clave (Women and business in the new century: 7 key questions)
Guía para la igualdad de oportunidades entre mujeres y hombres en la empresa (Guide to equal opportunities between women and men in business)
Fatimata Dembélé Djourté (Mali)
[Original: French]
Date and place of birth
18 October, Bamako
Working languages
French
Current position/function
Lawyer
Director of Maison de la femme et de l’enfant pour l’autonomisation de la femme et l’épanouissement de l’enfant (Centre for women’s empowerment and child development)
Training expert on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women for the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Training expert on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women for judges, lawyers, police officers and health workers
Main professional activities
Legal information on women’s rights
Training on women’s rights, international conventions, mechanisms to protect women against discrimination and gender-based violence; training for parliamentarians on women’s rights
Free legal assistance for women and girls
Research on women’s rights
Educational background
Certificat d ’ aptitudes à la profession d ’ avocat (qualifying certificate for the practice of law)
Diplôme d ’ études approfondies (advanced university degree) in international law and international cooperation
Master’s degree in public law
Certificate of accreditation to train human rights trainers; certificate of accreditation to train trainers on gender and gender-based comparative analysis
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Author of the draft periodic report of Mali on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, in respect of the combined second, third, fourth and fifth periodic reports of Mali
Preparation of a training module for judges on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Advocacy with policymakers for the adoption of temporary measures to accelerate equality between women and men, girls and boys
Research on discriminatory provisions in Malian law
Helping women access justice and equality; defending and advising women victims of gender-based violence and practices harmful to women’s health; seeking financial resources and credit for the empowerment of women
Most recent publications in the field
Etude analytique sur l ’ identification des dispositions sexo spécifiques discriminatoires à l ’ égard des femmes en Afrique de l ’ Ouest: cas du Mali en 2008 (Analytical study to identify the gender-specific provisions that discriminate against women in West Africa: case study of Mali, 2008)
Claiming Our Rights: Surviving Pregnancy and Childbirth in Mali, 2002
Module de formation sur femmes et politique en Afrique de l’Ouest (Training module on women and politics in West Africa), 2004
Les violences faites aux femmes avec identification des axes prioritaires de lutte (Violence against women with identification of the priority areas for combating it)
Hilary Gbedemah (Ghana)
Date and place of birth
1 October 1953, Nsawam, Ghana
Working language
English
Current position/function
Rector, The Law Institute, Labone Accra. The Institute is Ghana’s premier vocational law training institute undertaking training of non-legal personnel in paralegal studies and legal personnel in specific aspects of the law they require courses in. Functions include lecturing in family law, human rights, legal aspects of human resource management and employment discrimination, law of succession, alternative dispute resolution and contract law; research, curriculum development and administration.
Main professional activities
Research in law, gender and human rights, human resource law
Producing publications and academic writings
Curriculum development for vocational law programmes, production of training materials
Implementation of paralegal studies training programmes, within and outside the Institute
Partner, network and build coalitions with non-governmental organizations, the private sector and governmental and international stakeholders
Advocacy on contemporary human rights issues (inheritance, property rights of spouses; affirmative action and women’s equal representation; economic rights; access to, and management of natural resources — water, forestry, mining)
Supervision of office administrative functions, ensuring quality control in the Institute’s output
Educational background
LLM (Master’s Degree in Law), Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., 1996
LLB (Hons.), University of Ghana, Legon, 1975; BL (Professional Law Qualification), 1977
Women in Senior Management, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration
International Humanitarian Law (Certificate), Henri Dunant Institute, Geneva, 1998
Diploma in Leadership and Advocacy, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., 1996
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Engaged with civil society organizations in identifying discriminatory articles in Ghana’s citizenship laws in 1992, and with the International Spouses Association on discriminatory aspects of Ghana’s citizenship laws in order to present submissions to the Constitutional Review Commission in 2011. Has engaged in legislative advocacy and community sensitization on the Property Rights of Spouses Bill and the Intestate Succession Bill. Produced and presented a paper to ILO with chapters on prostitution and trafficking of girls. Has written, trained and engaged in advocacy on affirmative action. Is a member of Netright — a coalition of civil society organizations, on whose platform she made a presentation on women’s economic rights at the Beijing+15 NGO Forum; Formed an entrepreneurial club — Women on the Move — to assist young women in business, and was a contributor to the World Bank/International Finance Corporation publication Women, Business and the Law 2012: Removing Barriers to Economic Inclusion. Has worked with the Legal Awareness Programme, advancing the legal rights of rural areas women and establishing their claim-making power.
Most recent publications in the field
Trokosi: Twentieth Century Female Bondage — A Ghanaian Case Study
Rape and Defilement; Interventions available to Victims of Rape and Defilement; Safety Planning — Preventing Rape and Defilement
Enhancing Women’s Representation in Governance through Affirmative Action
Unpublished 80-page manuscript paper prepared for ABANTU for Development
Nahla Haidar (Lebanon)
Date and place of birth
22 July 1951, Lebanon
Working languages
Arabic, English and French
Current position/function
Retired, after a 34-year United Nations career. Volunteering in support of different NGOs with regional involvement in the development field and, inter alia, overseeing the programme component related to human rights education for Amel Association and Amel International. Acting as an adviser to other NGOs on a pro bono basis to streamline gender perspective into their policies and programmes (i.e. MENTOR ARABIA). Consultant to DARA, an international NGO undertaking evaluation of development and humanitarian assistance at the field level in Sudan and Yemen).
Main professional activities
Deputy focal point for the advancement of women, United Nations Office at Geneva
Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States (World Intellectual Property Organization) focusing on development cooperation, including the promotion of women inventors and innovators in the region
Deputy Executive Director, War Torn Societies Project (United Nations Office for Project Services). In charge of outreach and learning for peacebuilding projects in Guatemala, Rwanda and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, empowering women at the community level through participatory action research and dialogue processes
Chief of a Unit covering North, Central and Eastern Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) with a special emphasis on protection issues and women in conflict
Recruitment Officer at United Nations Headquarters and the United Nations Office at Geneva focusing, among other issues, on improving the representation of women at the senior level within the Secretariat
Social Affairs Officer (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), working on community development projects throughout the region including special projects aiming at better integration of women in development
Educational background
Advanced University Degree in Law, major in Sociology of Law, Pantheon-Sorbonne, Paris
“Licence en Droit”, major in International Law and Islamic Sharia, Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut
“Licence en Sociologie”, sociologie du développement, École supérieure des lettres, Beirut
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Throughout my life I have been very active in the field of human rights, in particular through the Arab Lawyers Union in the early 1980s, as a member of the special committee on women and Sharia, as well as through the Arab Organization for Human Rights. I have also been an active member of the group constituted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) of Arab women researchers in social sciences. In addition, I served on several internal United Nations panels investigating claims of discrimination, including gender discrimination.
Most recent publications in the field
Although I have no recent publications in the specific field of discrimination against women, I have contributed to several United Nations reports including on the status of women within the Secretariat, as well as other reports, and training materials on various topics addressing also gender concerns, such as the protection of civilians in armed conflict, women in disasters, humanitarianism and war and, most recently, the 2010 Humanitarian Response Index, published by DARA International.
Marie-Carmelle Lafontant (Haiti)
[Original: French]
Date and place of birth
7 April 1930, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Working languages
French
Current position/function
Consultant to the Ministry for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights, Port-au-Prince
Executive Director of the Haitian Centre for Research and Actions for the Advancement of Women
Contractor with the Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF) — DEJEN/United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Main professional activities
In charge of social programmes for Food For The Poor
Municipal assessor in Port-au-Prince
Specialist attached to the Department of Economic and Social Planning of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
Head of the Conciliation and Arbitration Service of the Ministry of Social Affairs
Head of the Educational Materials Production Department of the Service coopératif haitiano-américain d’éducation rurale (SCHAER) (Haitian-American Cooperative Service for Rural Education)
Educational background
University of Río Piedras (Puerto Rico): social work training
Integrated development, Quito, Ecuador
Specialization in education, Washington, D.C.
Teacher training college, Port-au-Prince, Haiti: diploma
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Technical adviser to the Ministry for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights
President of the Haitian delegation to the regional conference of business and professional women’s clubs (Havana, Cuba)
Member of the twinning task force of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, together with the delegates of Australia, Benin, Italy and Togo
Most recent publications in the field
Enquête sur le statut socio-économique de la marchande haitienne (Study on the socio-economic status of Haitian women traders)
Violences exercées sur les femmes et les fillettes en Haiti (Violence against women and girls in Haiti)
Habilitation de la femme haitienne: un impératif du développement durable (The empowerment of Haitian women: an imperative for sustainable development)
Dalia Leinarte (Lithuania)
Date and place of birth
25 October 1958, Lithuania
Working languages
English and Russian
Current position/function
Professor, Director of the Gender Studies Centre at Vilnius University, Lithuania (since 2000)
Professor of Family History, Vilnius University (since 2009)
Consultant of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men, Lithuania (since 2000)
Member of the Working Group for the Action Plan for the Implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), Lithuania (since 2011)
Main professional activities
Vilnius University, (Lithuania): teaching and research areas: family history; women’s history; women’s movements; women and nationalism; women and totalitarian regimes; trafficking in women; gender mainstreaming
Inter-Ministerial Commission on Equal Opportunities of Women and Men, (Lithuania): women’s rights and position monitoring in line with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; gender mainstreaming and gender equality implementation through national programmes
Educational background
PhD in History, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania (1996)
Visiting Professor, Gender Studies Programme at Idaho State University, United States of America (2005-2008)
Research Scholar, American Association of University Women (AAUW), United States (2005-2006)
Fulbright Scholar, State University of New York, United States (2002-2003)
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
2007-2011: Gender equality expert and panellist in the European Union and international conferences such as: the high-level conference of the Community of Democracies on “Women Enhancing Democracy: Best Practices” (2011), the European Union seminar on “Good Practices in Gender Equality: Implementation of Gender Mainstreaming” (2011), the international conference on women’s entrepreneurship in the OSCE region, the high-level meeting of the Community of Democracies on Women and Leadership (April 2010), and the conference of European gender experts entitled “Employability and Entrepreneurship — Gender Stereotypes” in the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (2007)
2006-2008: Coordinator of the European Social Fund project entitled “Gender Stereotypes in the Labour Market”
2004-2007: Drafter of the third and fourth periodic reports of Lithuania under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women submitted to Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
2002-2003: International Coordinator of the Preventive — Informative Campaign against Trafficking in Girls and Women in the Baltic States
2002-2003: International Coordinator of the international training courses on “Violence Prevention Strategy in Schools: Training for Trainers: Kaliningrad Region, Belarus, Russia, Lithuania”
Most recent publications in the field
Life Stories of Lithuanian Women, 1945-1970, Rodopi, New York, 2010
Families in Europe between the 19th and the 21st century, in Romanian Journal of Population Studies, 2009
Gender Mainstreaming in Social Inclusion Policies in Lithuania, USP Publishing, 2008
Gender Mainstreaming in the EU Member States, Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality, Sweden, 2006
Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in Lithuania, Vilnius University Press, Vilnius, 2003
Natalija Micunovic (Serbia)
Date and place of birth
26 March 1957, Belgrade
Working languages
English, French and German
Current position/function
Director, Gender Equality Directorate, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy
Main professional activities
Member of the Council on Gender Equality of the Government of the Republic of Serbia
Associate Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory
Visiting Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Belgrade
Director of HEDONE Publishing House
Registered EC-FP7-EMM expert
Educational background
PhD in philosophy, Purdue University, 1996
MA in philosophy, Purdue University, 1987
BA in philosophy and comparative literature, Sarajevo University, 1984
BS in mathematics, Sarajevo University, 1983
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Formation of an inter-sectoral team for reporting to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, report prepared in 2009
Prepared Law on Gender Equality, adopted in December 2009
Prepared National Strategy for Improvement of the position of women and promotion of gender equality and action plan, adopted in 2010
Prepared National Strategy for preventing and combating violence against women in the family and in partner relationships, adopted in April 2011
Prepared succession of the Republic of Serbia to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence of the Council of Europe
Permanent representative of Republic of Serbia in the Steering Committee on Equality of Women and Men of the Council of Europe, 2007-2011
List of most recent publications in the field
“Influence of Transition on Gender Relations in Serbia” in Philosophy and Society XXIX, Belgrade, 2006.
“Ideological Obstacles to Integrated Scientific Community” presented at the Enwise Workshop in 2003 in Brussels, published in the conference materials
“Ideology and Theory in Southeastern European Context”, presented at the 21st World Congress of Philosophy in August 2003 in Istanbul, published in the proceedings
“Enlightenment and Sensitivity”, in Women, Spirituality and Education, Belgrade, 2001
“Gendered Aspects of New Socio-Economic Developments and Social Research in Yugoslavia”, Sofia, 23 and 24 November 1999, published in the proceedings
Theodora Oby Nwankwo (Nigeria)
Date and place of birth
22 September 1956, Nigeria
Working languages
English
Current position/function
Executive Director, Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre, an NGO committed to the promotion and protection of human rights, women’s rights, gender equality, good governance and access to justice. Independent gender and development expert and has consulted for UN-Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on gender budgeting, anti-corruption strategy, women’s political participation, access to justice and gender policy, among others.
Main professional activities
Retired from the Nigerian judiciary after 23 years as Chief Magistrate; runs an NGO that provides pro bono legal services to indigent women; trainer and facilitator on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, women’s rights and gender; in the forefront of the campaign for respect for gender equality for over three decades; represents Africa on the Steering Committee of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court; Chairperson of the civil society organizations Coordinating Committee on Constitutional and Electoral Reform; founding Coordinator of the National Coalition on Affirmative Action, a network of civil society organizations committed to the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the adoption of affirmative action for women’s increased participation in governance in Nigeria. Member of the National Technical Committee on the Convention, the National Committee on the Review of Discriminatory Laws against Women, the Advisory Board of Global Fund for Women and the ICC Gender Justice Team.
Educational background
LLM University of Nigeria (1992); BL Nigeria Law School (1980); LLB University of Nigeria (1979); Women’s Global Leadership Institute, Rutgers University, New Jersey (1999); Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Washington College of Law, American University, United States (2003); training on “Using International Human Rights Instruments in the Enforcement of Human Rights” by the World Organization against Torture, Geneva (2002)
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Active involvement in legislative advocacy and the campaign for the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Nigeria as coordinator; facilitation of NGO shadow reporting on the Convention; provision of technical advice to the Government on periodic country reporting under the Convention. Consultant on the comparative analysis of the domestication processes of the Convention and the African Union Protocol in different countries in Africa to inform the process in Nigeria. Consultant for United Nations bodies on engendering the Nigerian national anti-corruption strategy, engendering the Liberian public finance management systems and policies within government agencies and development of gender policies and strategic results frameworks. She has attended all hearings of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on Nigeria since 2004. Participated in the Expert Group meeting on good practices in legislation on violence against women of the Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat, Vienna, May 2008.
Most recent publications in the field
Current Themes in the Domestication of Human Rights Norms, C. C. Nweze and O. Nwankwo, eds., FDP Books, 2005. “Ensuring Justice to Women in the ICC: A Call to Action”, The ICC Monitor, No. 33. Human Rights of Women: A Compilation of Treaties and Conventions — Peculiar Instincts, 2005. CEDAW as a Tool for Women’s Rights Activism: FDP Books, 2001. Affirmative Action Strategies: Perspectives from Around the Globe, Sam Egwu and Oby Nwankwo, eds., FDP Books, 2003. Engendering the Budget Process in Nigeria, FDP Books, 2008.
Silvia Pimentel (Brazil)
Date and place of birth
1 March 1940; Minas Gerais, Brazil
Working languages
English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Current position/function
Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Chair of the Working Group on Access to Justice, inside the Committee, for the elaboration of a general recommendation on access to justice for women. PhD Professor in the programme of graduation and postgraduate studies of law at Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC), São Paulo.
Main professional activities
Expert of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women since 2005. Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women from 2011 to 2012. Currently teaches law at the Catholic University of São Paulo, where she began teaching in 1973, both in the graduate and postgraduate programmes.
Educational background
PhD in Legal Philosophy, Catholic University of São Paulo (1977)
Master in psychology of education, Catholic University of São Paulo (1973)
Law degree, Catholic University of São Paulo (1970)
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Founding member of the Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights (CLADEM) (1987); member of its Honorary Consulting Council (2003-present); Coordinator of the Brazilian Section of CLADEM (1992-2005). Founding member of the International Women’s Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) (1985). President of the Institute for the Advancement of Equality (IPE) (2003-present). Member of the Director Council of the Commission of Citizenship and Reproduction (CCR). Author of the New Civil Statute of Women, a proposal for changing the Brazilian Civil Code, which was included in its reform in 2002. Participation in the drafting process of the Brazilian Constitution in 1986. Co-author of the Maria da Penha Law, which is the Brazilian legislation on violence against women.
Most recent publications in the field
“A Lei Maria da Penha na perspectiva da responsabilidade internacional do Brasil”, in Lei Maria da Penha: comentada em uma perspectiva jurídico-feminista, organized by Carmen Hein de Campos, Lumen Juris, Rio de Janeiro, 2011
“Education and Legal Literacy”, in The Circle of Empowerment — Twenty-five Years of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women , Cees Flinterman and Beate Schopp-Schilling, eds., Feminist Press, New York, 2007
Bianca Pomeranzi (Italy)
Date and place of birth
14 June 1950, Arezzo, Italy
Working languages
English and French
Current position/function
Senior Adviser on Gender and Development at the General Directorate for Development Cooperation (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), member of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development Assistance Committee GENDERNET, member of the European Union gender experts. The functions related to professional activities deal with the implementation of international agreements and conventions for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Main professional activities
2010-2011: Head of the Office of Italian Development Cooperation for Senegal and West Francophone Africa
2008-2010: National Counselor for Equal Opportunities of the Italian Government
2000: Editor and speaker at the European Union Preparatory Conference for the Beijing+5 Conference (1996-2001): Adviser of the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities for International Affairs
1995: Adviser of the Italian Delegation to the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing
1994-ongoing: Adviser of the Italian delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women of the United Nations
1981-1991: Co-founder and planner of the Association of Italian Women for Development
Educational background
2001: Course on theories of gender — Prof. Rosi Braidotti — Women’s Studies Centre — Utrecht University
1985: Fellowship of Equal Opportunities Programme, Marshall Fund, United States of America
1974: Diploma in History of Africa — Italo-African Institute
1973: Masters degree in Social Sciences, University of Florence
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
2009: Member of the Italian Government team for the G8 Conference on Violence against Women, Rome
2008-ongoing: Member of the Italian Committee on Human Rights (CIDU)
2007: Responsible for the organization of the Regional Conference of the Italian Directorate for Development Cooperation “Women in West Africa” Bamako, Mali
2005-2006: Teacher in the Masters programme in equal opportunities on the United Nations system and international treaties and the Convention on Gender
1975-ongoing: Member of several Italian and international women’s associations for the advancement of women
Most recent publications in the field
“What’s next for the UN system and the international women’s movement” in DWF, International Review for Anthropological, Sociological an d Historical Studies on Woman — 2008, No.3, 4
“The Woman’s Body and Multiculturalism” in Democracy and Rights, Quarterly Review of the Cent re for the Reform of the State — 2004, No. 1
Victoria Popescu (Romania)
[Original: French]
Date and place of birth
23 August 1951, Bucharest
Working languages
English, French and Spanish
Current position/function
Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Vice-Chairperson)
Diplomat (Minister Plenipotentiary), Department for the United Nations and the International Organization of la Francophonie, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
National correspondent for the International Organization of la Francophonie (since 2009)
Member of the Romanian Interministerial Council for Gender Equality (since 1999)
Main professional activities
2009-2010, Deputy Director, Department for the United Nations and the International Organization of la Francophonie, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2004-2009, Ambassador of Romania to the Kingdom of Sweden
2004, Director General for the United Nations and world affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2000-2003, Director, Department for the United Nations and its specialized agencies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1999-2000, Deputy Director for human rights and the Council of Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1994-1999, Counsellor, Human Rights and Social Affairs Section, Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations, New York
1992-1994, First and Second Secretary, European Organizations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1990-1991, English/French interpreter and teacher, Foreign Languages Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1976-1989, English/French interpreter and teacher, Centre for International Relations
Educational background
1970-1976, Department of Foreign Languages (French/English section), University of Bucharest
1993-1994, course in international relations (Bucharest, September 1993-June 1994; Clingendael Institute, The Hague, 1994)
1991, Oxford, proficiency course in English
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2003-2006; 2009-2012); Vice-Chairperson, Bureau of the Committee (2003-2004; 2011-2012)
Speaker and resource person on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and gender issues (e.g., Bratislava, 2005; Bangkok, 2006; Stockholm, 2007; Beirut, 2008; Vienna and Istanbul, 2009; Geneva, 2010; Burkina Faso, Amman and Berne, 2011; Helsinki, 2012)
Alternate member, United Nations Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2000-2006)
Rapporteur and Vice-Chairperson, Third Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations (1996-1997; 1998-1999)
Chairperson of the Consultative Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) (1998-2000)
Facilitator of United Nations resolutions on the advancement of women (1997-1999) and facilitator of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1999)
Most recent publications in the field
Articles and studies on gender equality and human rights
Articles on educational and literary topics, literary translations in Romanian journals
Speeches and presentations on human rights, gender equality and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women at national and international meetings
Zohra Rasekh (Afghanistan)
Date and place of birth
7 February 1969, Kabul
Working languages
English and Persian
Current position/function
Zohra Rasekh is the President of Global Watch Group (GWG), an independent non‑profit organization, dedicated to the protection of human rights and promotion of health for all people. GWG focuses on investigative research, promoting public awareness of human rights violations and providing health-care services in situations of health and human rights crises in conflict and post-conflict countries around the world.
Main professional activities
General Director, Office of Human Rights and Women’s International Affairs and Adviser to the Foreign Minister on human rights and gender issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 2003-2010. Among other accomplishments, established a sustainable human rights treaty body reporting mechanism within the Afghan Government, initiated the process of human rights treaty body reporting including that of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Research Analyst, Population Action International, 2000-2003. Managed a three-year project on reproductive health rights policies in seven countries.
Senior Research Analyst, Physicians for Human Rights. Initiated and led two epidemiological research projects on the impact of war and Taliban policies on women’s health and human rights under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Educational background
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Certificate from the Women and Public Policy Program, 2006
George Washington University, School of Medicine and Healthcare Sciences, Masters of Public Health, May, 1994
George Washington University, B.A., Biology, December 1989
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Zohra Rasekh is an expert on human rights, gender and health issues, with a focus on Afghanistan. She is one of the world’s leading spokespersons for human rights and gender equality in Afghanistan and the region. Ms. Rasekh also has expertise on women in conflict and post-conflict situations. She regularly appears before Congress, international forums and international media. Ms. Rasekh has conducted two unprecedented studies on the impact of Taliban policies and the prolonged war on Afghan women’s health and human rights in 1998 and 2000. Ms. Rasekh is the co-founder of the Women’s Alliance for Peace and Human Rights (WAPHA) and founder of Global Watch Group, a non-governmental organization focusing on human rights of women and children in conflict and post-conflict countries.
Most recent publications in the field
•Terrorism and Public Health: A Balanced Approach to Strengthening Systems and Protecting People, Oxford University Press, 2012
•“Women’s Health and Human Rights in Afghanistan”, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 1998
•The Taliban ’ s War on Women: A Health and Human Rights Crisis in Afghanistan, 1998
•Education, a Health Imperative: The Case of Afghanistan, François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard Publication, 1999
•“Health and Human Rights of Adolescent Girls in Afghanistan”, Journal of American Medical Women’s Association, 2000
•In this Generation: Sexual and Reproductive Health Policies for a Youthful World Population, Action International Publishing, 2002
Olena Suslova (Ukraine)
Date and place of birth
23 April 1958, Orenburg, the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Working languages
Ukrainian, English, Russian, Spanish and German
Current position/function
Gender Activity Coordinator Parliamentary Development Project, Ohio State University (2005 to date)
Founder, Chair of the Board, Women’s Information Consultative Centre, Ukraine (1995 to date)
Main professional activities
The main focus of Ms. Suslova’s work of 20 years has been women’s human rights advocacy, training on gender sensitivity and gender mainstreaming, gender analysis of legislation, consultations on individual cases of gender discrimination and preparing publications on women’s human rights and gender equality. Human rights activist since 1990. Contributed to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women governmental and alternative reporting. Member of the Advisory Council at the Parliament Committee on Human Rights. Experienced in international training — Azerbaijan, Belarus, Myanmar, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Initiated the Empowering Education Project — Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Girls and Boys (gender education) (www.empedu.org). Author and editor of more than 50 articles, manuals and other publications.
Educational background
Ukrainian Academy of International Trade, Masters Degree in International Law (Masters theme was on United Nations peacekeeping operations), 2001
National University of “Kyiv — Mohyla Academy” in collaboration with Tempus — Tacis Programme, research in social work and social policy course, 1999
Central European University (CEU) Summer University, Course on Conflict Transformation: The Transcend Approach, 1999
Orenburg Polytechnic Institute, Civil Engineering Degree, 1979
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Expert on gender mainstreaming, training, consultations, UNDP (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009); coordinator of about 30 research, advocacy, informational projects of the Women’s Information Consultative Centre (1995-2012); leader of the team on equal opportunity law comments; Gender Strategic Platform Coordinator; author of trainings on implementation and monitoring of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Optional Protocol; member of the Expert Commission on Gender Discrimination at the Ministry on the Affairs of Family and Youth.
Most recent publications in the field
Protecting women and children by judicial and law enforcement bodies in Ukraine (co-author), Council of Europe TRES project, 2010
Equal Opportunities Law — comments (co-author), UNDP, 2009
Mechanisms of counteraction and monitoring gender violence and discrimination — analysis, UNFPA, 2009
Our rights are not optional, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Optional Protocol to the Convention, comments of International Women’s Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) (translation and edition), Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF), 2008, Women’s Information Consultative Centre (WICC), 2009
Regional Legislative Analysis and Mapping on Correspondence to International Treaties on Discrimination against Women, UNFPA — analysis, 2008
Xiaoqiao Zou (China)
Date and place of birth
22 February 1952, China
Working languages
Chinese and English
Current position/function
Director General of the International Liaison Department of the All-China Women’s Federation, board member of China Human Rights Studies Society, board member of China NGO Network for International Exchanges, council member of China United Nations Association, Member of China UNESCO National Committee, Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women since 2005 (Vice-Chair of the Committee, 2009-2010).
Main professional activities
Ms. Zou has over 30 years of experience in promoting women’s human rights and gender equality, with a solid theoretical background. A champion of quite a number of policy and legislative proposals, such as integration of gender equality and combating of domestic violence into the revision of the Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests of China, and further strengthening of sex-disaggregated data in surveys and statistics. She has been dedicated to women’s studies, with a focus on women’s empowerment in economy and politics, violence against women and the rights of rural women, in both national and international contexts. She has attended almost all major regional, international and United Nations conferences on human rights, women and social development.
Educational background
1986, University of Los Andes, Colombia, Diploma in methodology, data collection and data analysis
1985, University of Chicago, United States, Diploma in sociology and women studies
1978-1980, University of Canberra, Australia, Diploma in History, politics and literature
1971-1975, Beijing Foreign Studies University, China, BA in English literature
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Ms. Zou has long been committed to promoting the dissemination and implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, at both national and international levels. She has actively engaged in various major activities, including publishing articles in mainstream newspapers and magazines, and has made special efforts to enhance public knowledge of the Convention in China through, inter alia, promoting the publication of easy-to-read booklets on the Convention, translation of the Convention in ethnic languages and giving lectures on the Convention to Government officials, judges, procurators and those working for women’s rights. She has also been actively involved in regional and international seminars/workshops, giving lectures on the Convention and other international human rights instruments in Viet Nam, Fiji and Samoa. She provided consultancy and advice on China’s seventh and eighth combined report on the Convention.
Most recent publications in the field
Safeguard Women’s Human Rights and Promote Women’s Overall Development
The Advancement of Chinese Women in the Thirty-year Reform and Opening-up
Footsteps of Progress: Human Rights in Another Perspective
Building a Fairly Well-off Society in an All-round Way and Human Rights