Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Fifty-sixth session
Summary record (partial)* of the 1184th meeting**
Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Friday, 18 October 2013, at 3 p.m.
Chairperson:Ms. Ameline
Contents
Adoption of the report of the Committee on its fifty-sixth session
Statement by the Director of the Human Rights Treaties Division
Statement by the Chairperson
Closure of the session
The discussion covered in the summary record began at 5.50 p.m.
Adoption of the report of the Committee on its fifty-sixth session (CEDAW/C/AND/CO/2-3 ; CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/4; CEDAW/C/COL/CO/7-8 ; CEDA W/C/KHM/CO/4-5; CEDAW/C/MDA/CO/4-5 ; CEDAW/C/SYC/CO/1-5 and CEDAW/C/TJK/CO/4-5; CEDAW/C/2013/III/CRP.1 and L.1 )
Ms. Bailey (Rapporteur) introduced the Committee’s draft report, which was contained in document CEDAW/C/2013/III/CRP.1 and L.1. She drew attention to chapter IV of the draft report concerning the draft concluding observations on the seven reports by States parties that the Committee had considered during its fifty-sixth session, which were contained in documents CEDAW/C/AND/CO/2-3, CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/4, CEDAW/C/COL/CO/7-8, CEDAW/C/KHM/CO/4-5, CEDAW/C/MDA/CO/4-5, CEDAW/C/SYC/CO/1-5 and CEDAW/C/TJK/CO/4-5.
The Chairperson said that she took it that the Committee wished to adopt the documents containing the draft concluding observations.
It was so decided.
Ms. Bailey (Rapporteur) introduced the draft report of the Working Group of the Whole, contained in chapters VI and VII of the draft report.
The Chairperson said that she took it that the Committee wished to adopt the draft report of the Working Group of the Whole.
It was so decided.
Ms. Bailey (Rapporteur) drew attention to the provisional agenda for the fifty-seventh session, contained in chapter VIII of the draft report.
The provisional agenda for the fifty-seventh session was adopted.
The draft report of the Committee on its fifty-sixth session was adopted as a whole, subject to finalization by the Rapporteur.
Statement by the Director of the Human Rights Treaties Division
Mr. Salama (Director of the Human Rights Treaties Division) commended the work of the Committee at its fifty-sixth session, which had enhanced its credibility and impact. He applauded the Committee’s achievement of a balance between the fulfilment of its main functions, through the examination of communications and reports, and its significant role as part of the treaty body system, through the development of the joint general recommendation/comment on harmful practices with the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the joint discussion with the Human Rights Committee. The adoption of the landmark general recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations, which had already been announced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Security Council, showed that the Committee used the potential of the treaty body system to the fullest and constituted an immediate and concrete contribution to the advancement of women’s rights.
Statement by the Chairperson
The Chairperson said that there had been a high level of representation and participation from States parties and non-governmental organizations at the fifty-sixth session. She encouraged United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations to continue to promote awareness of women’s rights and to implement the Convention. The meeting with the Inter-Parliamentary Union delegation had signalled the start of close ongoing cooperation with national parliamentarians to publicize the work of the Committee and the Convention.
Ms. Bailey would continue to serve as rapporteur for follow-up and Ms. Zou as alternate rapporteur.
The Committee had reviewed information from States parties on priority recommendations as part of its follow-up procedure, fulfilled its mandate under article 8 of the Optional Protocol regarding communications and inquiries, and had adopted inadmissibility decisions on two individual communications.
In addition to adopting general recommendation No. 30, the Committee had also discussed the draft general recommendation on gender-related dimensions of refugee status, asylum and statelessness and a first reading of that recommendation was expected at the fifty-seventh session. A meeting had also been held to finalize the draft joint general recommendation/comment on harmful practices.
A day of general discussion on rural women, to which various United Nations bodies and non-governmental organizations had contributed, had laid the foundations for a draft general recommendation on that topic. A meeting with the Human Rights Committee, hosted by the Center for Reproductive Rights, had allowed for in-depth discussion on the issue of abortion. In addition, a meeting with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants underscored the importance of continuing to make progress in that area. The Committee had also enjoyed a productive visit to the Red Cross Museum.
The report of the Committee of the fifty-second, fifty-third and fifty-fourth sessions had been presented to the Third Committee and requests had been submitted for additional resources for the Working Group on Communications and for relocating one of the Committee’s annual sessions to New York. She expressed her sincere thanks to all involved in the fifty-sixth session.
Closure of the session
Following an exchange of courtesies, the Chairperson declared the fifty-sixth session closed.
The meeting rose at 6.05 p.m.