Twenty-fifth session
Summary record of the 528th meeting
Held at Headquarters, New York, on Friday, 20 July 2001, at 3 p.m.
Chairperson:Ms. Abaka
Contents
Provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session
Adoption of the report of the committee on its twenty-fifth session
Statement by the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women
Closure of the session
The meeting was called to order at 5.15 p.m.
Provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session
1.The Chairperson read out the provisional agenda for the Committee’s twenty-sixth session.
2. The provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session was adopted.
Adoption of the report of the Committee on its twenty-fifth session (CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.1, L.1/Add.1, L.2 and L.3; CEDAW/C/2001/II/CRP.3 and Add.1-7)
3.The Chairperson drew attention to draft decisions 25/I, 25/II and 25/III and draft suggestion 25/I (CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.2) and to the programme budget implications of draft decision 25/I (CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.3).
4.Mr. Anderson (Chief, Budget and Finance Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs) summarized the programme budget implications of draft decision 25/I, by which the Committee would request the General Assembly to approve, on an exceptional basis, a three-week session of the Committee in 2002 to consider the backlog of reports, and to approve resources for an enlargement of the pre-session working group scheduled for 4 to 8 February 2002. Provision had been made under section 9 of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003 for the Committee’s two regular sessions and the corresponding meetings of its pre-session working group. Holding an additional session and enlarging the pre-session working group would entail additional resources estimated at US$ 252,900 to cover Committee members’ per diem and travel costs, to be charged against the contingency fund for the biennium 2002-2003. The matter would be dealt with by the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session.
5.The Chairperson said she took it that the Committee wished to adopt the draft suggestion and the draft decisions in document CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.2.
6.It was so decided.
7.Ms. Hazelle (Rapporteur) drew attention to documents CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.1 and L.1/Add.1, containing the initial sections of the Committee’s draft report, and CEDAW/C/2001/II/CRP.3 and Add.1-7, containing its concluding comments on the eight States parties whose reports it had considered at the twenty-fifth session.
8.The Chairperson said she took it that the Committee wished to adopt the sections of the report contained in document CEDAW/C/2001/II/L.1 and Add.1 and CEDAW/C/2001/II/CRP.3 and Add.1-7.
9.It was so decided.
10.The report of the Committee on its twenty-fifth session was adopted.
Statement by the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women
11.Ms. Ertürk (Director, Division for the Advancement of Women) congratulated the Committee on its achievements and hard work at its twenty-fifth session. She also commended its constructive dialogue with the representatives of States parties, which provided a framework for better implementation of the Convention within all States parties.
12.Referring to the meetings of the working group on the Optional Protocol, she welcomed the development of the basic features of a model communications form for the guidance of petitioners. She assured the Committee that the Division would make every effort to develop a dedicated database for such communications, as recommended by the working group.
13.Perhaps the most important decision taken by the Committee at its current session was to request the General Assembly to authorize an additional session of the Committee in 2002. If the General Assembly approved that request, the Committee would clear its backlog of reports by the end of its first session of 2003, thereby ensuring that future reports would be considered in a timely fashion and permitting the consideration of communications as well as work on the inquiry mechanism established under the Optional Protocol.
14.She felt privileged to have worked with the Committee, first as a representative of a State party and subsequently as Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women. She was about to return to academic life, but would cherish the personal bond formed with Committee members. She would also continue to work on the Convention and, in particular, lobby for ratification of the Optional Protocol and acceptance of the amendment to article 20 (1).
15.The Chairperson thanked Ms. Ertürk for the good working relationship that she had established with the Committee and expressed confidence that she would bring welcome visibility to the Convention in the next phase of her career. She also extended thanks and best wishes to Ms. Taya, who was leaving the Committee.
Closure of the session
16.After an exchange of courtesies, the Chairperson declared the session closed.
The meeting rose at 5.45 p.m.