His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon

Secretary-General of the United Nations

New York

Letter of transmittal

4 August 2008

I have the honour to refer to article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, according to which the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, established pursuant to the Convention, “shall, through the Economic and Social Council, report annually to the General Assembly of the United Nations on its activities”.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women held its fortieth session from 14 January to 1 February 2008 and its forty-first session from 30 June to 18 July 2008 at United Nations Headquarters. It adopted its reports on the sessions at the 827th meeting, on 1 February 2008 and the 850th meeting, on 18 July 2008, respectively. These two reports of the Committee are herewith submitted to you for transmission to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session.

(Signed) Dubravka Šimonović

Chairperson

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Part one

Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its fortieth session

14 January-1 February 2008

Chapter I

Matters brought to the attention of States parties

Decisions

Decision 40/I

The Committee adopted reporting guidelines for documents that specifically relate to the implementation of the Convention, which complements the guidelines for the common core document (see annex I to part one of the present report).

Decision 40/II

The Committee adopted a statement on its relationship with national human rights institutions (see annex II to part one of the present report).

Decision 40/III

In line with efforts to harmonize the working methods of the human rights treaty bodies, the Committee decided to change the title of its “Concluding comments” to “Concluding observations”.

Decision 40/IV

The Committee decided to request States parties that reported at the fortieth session to present their subsequent two reports as combined reports.

Chapter II

Organizational and other matters

A.States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to the Optional Protocol

1.As at 1 February 2008, the closing date of the fortieth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, there were 185 States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 34/180 and opened for signature, ratification and accession in New York in March 1980. In accordance with article 27, the Convention entered into force on 3 September 1981.

2.On the same date, there were 90 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 54/4 and opened for signature, ratification and accession in New York on 10 December 1999. In accordance with article 16, the Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 December 2000.

3.A list of States parties to the Convention, a list of States parties that have accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, concerning the Committee’s meeting time, and a list of States parties that have signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention are contained in annexes I to III to part two of the present report.

B.Opening of the session

4.The Committee held its fortieth session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 14 January to 1 February 2008. The Committee held 20 plenary meetings (810th-830th). The Committee also held nine meetings to discuss agenda items 5 to 8. A list of the documents before the Committee is contained in annex IV to part two of the present report.

5.The Deputy United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang, addressed the Committee at its 810th meeting.

C.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work

6.The Committee adopted the provisional agenda (CEDAW/C/2008/I/1) at its 810th meeting, amending it to add an item to provide for the solemn declaration of Yoko Hayashi, a new member of the Committee.

D.Report of the pre-session working group

7.At the 810th meeting, Heisoo Shin introduced the report of the pre-session working group for the fortieth and forty-first sessions of the Committee, which met from 16 to 20 July 2007 (CEDAW/PSWG/2008/I/CRP.1).

E.Organization of work

8.At the 810th meeting, Jane Connors, Senior Human Rights Officer, introduced reports provided under agenda items 5 (CEDAW/C/2008/I/3 and Add.1, 3 and 4) and 6 (CEDAW/C/2008/I/2 and 4).

9.On 14 January 2008, the Committee held closed meetings with representatives of the specialized agencies and bodies of the United Nations system, in which country-specific information and information on the efforts made by the body or entity concerned to promote the provisions of the Convention at the national and regional levels through its own policies and programmes was provided.

10.On 14 and 21 January, the Committee held informal public meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations, who provided information about the implementation of the Convention in States parties reporting to the Committee at its fortieth session, namely Bolivia, Burundi, France, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Sweden.

F.Membership of the Committee

11.The Committee took note of the resignation of Fumiko Saiga, which occurred on 18 December 2007. In accordance with article 17, paragraph 7, of the Convention, a State party whose expert has ceased to function as a member of the Committee shall appoint another expert from among its nationals, subject to the approval of the Committee. Accordingly, on 19 December 2007, Japan nominated Yoko Hayashi to fill the casual vacancy created by the resignation of Ms. Saiga, and this nomination was accepted by the Committee. At its 828th meeting, Ms. Hayashi made the solemn declaration required by new members (CEDAW/C/SR.828).

12.A list of members of the Committee, indicating the duration of their terms of office, is contained in annex V to part two of the present report. All experts attended the entire fortieth session, except Cornelis Flinterman and Tiziana Maiolo, who attended from 14 to 30 and 14 to 23 January 2008, respectively.

Chapter III

Report of the Chairperson on the activities undertaken between the thirty-ninth and fortieth sessions

13.At the 810th meeting, the Chairperson presented her report on the activities she had undertaken since the thirty-ninth session.

Chapter IV

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention

A.Introduction

14.At its fortieth session, the Committee considered the reports of eight States parties submitted under article 18 of the Convention: the combined initial and second periodic report of one State party; the combined second, third and fourth periodic report of two State parties; the third periodic report of one State party, the combined third and fourth periodic report of one State party; the fifth periodic report of one State party; the sixth periodic report of one State party; and the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of one State party.

15.The Committee prepared concluding comments on each of the States parties’ reports considered. The Committee’s concluding observations are set out below.

B.Consideration of reports of States parties

1.Combined initial and second periodic report

Saudi Arabia

16.The Committee considered the combined initial and second periodic report of Saudi Arabia (CEDAW/C/SAU/2) at its 815th and 816th meetings, on 17 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.815 (A) and 816 (A)). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/SAU/Q/2 and the responses of the Government of Saudi Arabia are contained in document CEDAW/C/SAU/Q/2/Add.1.

Introduction

17.The Committee congratulates the State party for ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined initial and second periodic report, which was well structured and in general followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of initial reports, although it lacked references to the Committee’s general recommendations, as well as some specific data, and was overdue. The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by its pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee.

18.The Committee commends Saudi Arabia for having sent a large and important delegation, headed by the Vice-President of the Human Rights Commission, which included a high number of women and men representatives from ministries and other governmental bodies with responsibilities for implementation of measures in the areas covered by the Convention, as well as university staff. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the insights into the situation of women in Saudi Arabia provided by the constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and members of the Committee.

19.The Committee notes that a general reservation has been made by the State party to the Convention, whereby in case of a conflict between the provisions of Islamic law and those of the Convention, the State party gives precedence to Islamic law, as well as to specific reservations to article 9, paragraph 2, and article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

Positive aspects

20.The Committee commends Saudi Arabia for its modern infrastructure, and its high standard of basic social services, especially the provision of Government-funded health care and education services to many sectors of society.

21.The Committee congratulates the State party on the establishment of institutional mechanisms for the advancement and the protection of women from violence, in particular the higher national committee specialized in women’s affairs and the 13 social protection committees established in 2004. The Committee also notes with satisfaction that Saudi Arabia is currently in the process of drafting new legislation on the implementation of women’s rights and that the State party plans to compile, in writing, the provisions of sharia on personal status.

22.The Committee also notes the establishment by royal decree in 2004 of a human rights commission, which is tasked with the implementation of the human rights commitments of the State party, and a national society for human rights.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

23. While recalling the obligation of Saudi Arabia to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring priority attention between now and the time of submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, the Consultative Council (Shura) and the Judiciary so as to ensure their full implementation.

24.The Committee is concerned about the general reservation made upon ratification of the Convention by the State party, which is drawn so widely that it is contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention.

25. The Committee urges the State party to consider the withdrawal of its general reservation to the Convention, in particular in the light of the assurance given by the delegation that there is no contradiction in substance between the Convention and Islamic sharia.

26.While the Committee notes with satisfaction that while the Basic Law of Governance and domestic regulations provide that any treaty that has been promulgated by royal decree is part of domestic law and that, in practice, international treaties are given precedence over domestic laws, it is concerned about the lack of general awareness of the Convention and its implementation in practice. In particular, the Committee expresses concern that the Convention has not been made fully operational in the State party, as relevant laws remain to be adopted. In that connection, the Committee notes with concern that the State party was not able to provide information on cases where the provisions of the Convention had been directly invoked in Court.

27. The Committee encourages the State party to amend its legislation to confirm that international treaties have precedence over domestic laws. The Committee calls upon the State party to enact a comprehensive gender equality law and to intensify its efforts to raise awareness about the Convention among the general public. The Committee also calls upon the State party to ensure that the Convention becomes an integral part of the legal education and training of judicial officers, including judges and magistrates, lawyers and prosecutors, in particular those working in the family courts, so that a legal culture supportive of women’s equality with men and non-discrimination on the basis of sex is firmly established in the country. It invites the State party to enhance women’s awareness of their rights through, for example, legal literacy programmes and legal assistance.

28.The Committee is concerned with the State party’s distinctive understanding of the principle of equality, which implies similar rights of women and men as well as complementarities and harmony between women and men, rather than equal rights of women and men. The Committee is concerned that, although articles 8 and 26 of the State party’s Basic Law guarantee the principle of equality, neither the Constitution nor other legislation embodies the principle of equality between women and men. It expresses concern that neither article contains a definition of discrimination against women, in accordance with article 1 of the Convention, covering both direct and indirect discrimination and extending State responsibility to prohibit acts of discrimination of both public and private actors, in accordance with article 2 of the Convention.

29. The Committee calls upon the State party to incorporate fully into the legislation the principle of equality between women and men, as well as a definition of discrimination on the basis of sex in line with article 1 of the Convention, and extending State responsibility to acts of discrimination by public and private actors, in accordance with article 2 of the Convention, and to take the appropriate steps in order to implement the principle of formal and substantive equality.

30.The Committee notes with concern that the concept of male guardianship over women (mehrem), although it may not be legally prescribed, seems to be widely accepted; it severely limits women’s exercise of their rights under the Convention, in particular with regard to their legal capacity and in relation to issues of personal status, including marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, property ownership and decision-making in the family, and the choice of residency, education and employment. It is concerned that the concept of male guardianship contributes to the prevalence of a patriarchal ideology with stereotypes and the persistence of deep-rooted cultural norms, customs and traditions that discriminate against women and constitute serious obstacles to their enjoyment of their human rights. Other practices prevalent in Saudi Arabia, such as the de facto ban of women from driving, which is a limitation of their freedom of movement, also contribute to the maintenance of such stereotypes. The Committee is concerned about the limited efforts by the State party to directly address such discriminatory cultural practices and stereotypes.

31. The Committee urges the State party to take immediate steps to end the practice of male guardianship over women, including by awareness-raising campaigns. It calls upon the State party to be proactive and to put into place without delay a comprehensive strategy, including clear goals and timetables, to modify or eliminate negative cultural practices and stereotypes that are harmful to and discriminate against women and to promote women’s full enjoyment of their human rights, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. The Committee also calls upon the State party to finalize its review of the ban of women from driving. It requests the State party to include in its next periodic report information on the concept of male guardianship and how it affects the application of the Convention in Saudi Arabia .

32.The Committee is concerned that the State party has not developed a national action plan for the promotion of gender equality, based on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”, and the substantive provisions of the Convention.

33. The Committee encourages the State party to develop a national action plan with an effective strategy on gender equality, based on the Convention, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”, with the involvement of all sectors of Government and in consultation with relevant non-governmental organizations. It requests the State party to provide information in its next periodic report on the impact of, and results achieved in, its implementation of such a plan. It encourages the State party to seek the technical support of United Nations entities in developing such a plan and also in the collection and analysis of data and training of the national team responsible for its elaboration and implementation.

34.While noting that the State party is in the process of strengthening its national machinery for the advancement of women, including by creating sections and units within governmental bodies to provide services to women, the Committee is concerned that it did not receive a clear picture of the national machinery on women’s rights, its institutional and legal framework and its status, in particular in the areas of decision-making and enforcement.

35. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that the national machinery for the advancement of women has the necessary visibility and decision-making, as well as coordination, powers to enable it effectively to fulfil its mandate in promoting gender equality. It requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report a clearer and more detailed picture of the national machinery, both the central coordinating body and the sectorial units to be created, including its authority, functions, powers and resources. Taking into account that the Human Rights Commission has been tasked with the implementation of the Convention and other human rights treaties, it recommends that the Commission be comprised of an equal number of female and male staff and board members and that it provide full and easy access to women to claim their rights.

36.While noting that a domestic violence law is being drafted and social protection committees have been established recently, the Committee is concerned about the incidents of violence against women, the absence of specific laws relating to violence against women and the lack of prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of violence against women, including domestic violence. It is also concerned that social attitudes and the concept of male guardianship over women deter and often prevent victims from reporting cases of violence. The Committee is further concerned about the lack of information and data in the report on the prevalence of different forms of violence against women, especially data on perpetrators.

37. The Committee requests the State party to give high priority to comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that violence is a form of discrimination against women and constitutes a violation of their human rights under the Convention. The Committee calls upon the State party to enact, as soon as possible, legislation on violence against women, including a comprehensive law on domestic violence, to ensure that violence against women is a criminal offence, that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of redress and that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished. The Committee recommends that the State party implement educational and awareness-raising measures aimed at law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers, social workers, community leaders and the general public, to ensure that they understand that all forms of violence against women, including violence in the home, are unacceptable. It encourages the State party to make full use of the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19 in such efforts and of the in-depth study of the Secretary-General on all forms of violence against women (A/61/122/Add.1 and Corr.1) and his recently launched worldwide multi-year campaign to eliminate it. The Committee requests the State party to provide information in its next report on the laws, policies and programmes in place to deal with all forms of violence against women, in particular the approach of the 13 social protection committees, and on the impact of such measures, as well as statistical data and trends concerning the prevalence of various forms of violence.

38.The Committee notes with concern that the State party did not provide sufficient information and statistical data on the situation of non-Saudi Arabian women residing in Saudi Arabia. It is especially concerned about the status and situation of female domestic migrant workers, in particular as they are not yet covered by the current labour code, often are not aware of their rights and, in practice, cannot easily file complaints and gain redress in cases of abuse. The Committee expresses concern with regard to the rights of the children of these women, in particular in relation to residency and access to health services and education. While appreciating the State party’s efforts to combat the trafficking of women and girls, including its accession to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), the national plan to combat trafficking, and the draft law on combating the trafficking of human beings, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of trafficking and the economic and sexual exploitation and ill-treatment of young migrant girls employed as domestic servants.

39. The Committee urges the State party to provide full details on the situation of non-Saudi Arabian women, in particular domestic workers, in its next report and on their enjoyment of the rights established by the Convention. It calls upon the State party to grant in law and practice to female domestic migrant workers, including their children, the rights provided for in the Convention and to implement measures aimed at informing them about these rights. It urges the State party to adopt as a priority a labour law concerning domestic workers. The Committee also urges the State party to fully implement article 6 of the Convention, including by speedily enacting specific and comprehensive national legislation on the phenomenon of trafficking that ensures that victims are adequately protected and assisted. It recommends that the State party increase prevention efforts, by addressing the root causes of trafficking through bilateral and/or multilateral cooperation with the countries of origin so as to eliminate the vulnerability of women and girls to being trafficked into Saudi Arabia, as well as the provision of assistance and support to these trafficking victims, using the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/2002/68/Add.1).

40.The Committee expresses concern that, while there has been visible improvement regarding the number of women participating in the workforce, especially in the public sector, the level of representation of women in public and political life, at the local, national, and international levels and in particular in decision-making positions, is very low. It is also concerned that women were excluded from the first municipal elections in Saudi Arabia. While noting the role of some women as advisers, the Committee is further concerned that women do not participate in the country’s Consultative Council (Shura).

41. The Committee encourages the State party to take sustained measures, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations Nos. 23 and 25, and to establish concrete goals and time frames to accelerate the increase in the participation and representation of women in the Shura and other elected and appointed bodies in all areas and at all levels of public and political life. It recommends that the State party conduct training programmes on leadership and negotiation skills for current and future women leaders. It calls upon the State party to undertake awareness-raising about the importance of women’s participation in decision-making for society as a whole.

42.The Committee notes with concern that certain provisions of the Saudi Arabian Nationality Code contradict article 9 of the Convention and continue to discriminate against Saudi Arabian women married to non-Saudi Arabian nationals. It is also concerned that children of such marriages do not have an equal right to nationality as children of Saudi Arabian men married to non-Saudi Arabian women.

43. The Committee requests the State party to amend the Nationality Code so as to bring it into conformity with article 9 of the Convention and to withdraw its reservation concerning article 9, paragraph 2.

44.While acknowledging the significant progress made in the area of women’s education and appreciating the efforts of the State party to revise school curricula to remove stereotyped images of women and men, the Committee is concerned about the high rate of illiteracy among women, which demonstrates a pattern of direct and indirect discrimination under article 10. It is also concerned about the discrimination against women in relation to their access to certain fields of studies. The Committee expresses concern that the number of women in higher studies is still low compared with their male counterparts. It regrets that the State was not able to provide sufficient information and statistical data regarding the levels of education and access to education by women and girls from rural areas, and non-Saudi Arabian nationals.

45. The Committee encourages the State party to raise awareness of the importance of education as a human right and as the basis for the empowerment of women. It recommends that the State party implement measures to ensure equal access for girls and women to all levels and fields of education and to ensure the retention of girls in school. The Committee calls upon the State party to make every effort to improve the literacy level of girls and women through the adoption of comprehensive programmes of formal and non-formal education, and through adult education and training. The Committee requests the State party to provide detailed information and statistics in its next report on the education of women and girls, including those from rural areas, and non-Saudi Arabian nationals.

46.While appreciating the positive steps taken with regard to labour legislation, including the repeal of the provision on sex segregation at the workplace, the Committee is concerned that the participation of women in the workforce is still very low. The Committee notes with concern the gaps in the data provided on women’s employment. While noting that a study on a maternity leave law for the private sector is being finalized, the Committee is concerned that paid maternity leave is currently only provided for in the public sector. It expresses concern regarding impediments to women’s employment, such as the lack of adequate childcare facilities in the private sector and de facto workplace segregation of women and men.

47. The Committee requests the State party to take immediate and more targeted steps to increase women’s participation in the workforce, in particular by ensuring the implementation of the laws enacted for the advancement of women. It urges the State party to prioritize the adoption of a law regarding maternity leave in the private sector and calls upon the State party to remove impediments to women’s employment, including by abolishing de facto workplace segregation of women and men and by ensuring that there are adequate childcare facilities in all areas. It requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report more information and more detailed data on women in employment, including incidents of sexual harassment and the positions held by women in the private and public sectors.

48.While commending the efforts made by the State party to improve the health-care infrastructure, the Committee expresses concern about the lack of information and data on health problems unrelated to maternity, as well as the access by women and girls from rural areas and non-Saudi Arabian nationalities to adequate health-care services. The Committee further expresses concern that women may require the permission of their male guardian to access health facilities.

49. The Committee calls upon the State party to take all necessary measures to improve women’s access to health care and health-related services and information, within the framework of the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24. The Committee recommends that special attention be paid to the health needs of women from rural areas and non-Saudi Arabian nationalities. The Committee also recommends training for hospital staff on the rights of women regarding health care and the implementation of a system of supervision to ensure that staff respects these rights.

50.The Committee is concerned that there is no legally prescribed minimum age of marriage for girls and boys. The Committee expresses concern that legal provisions relating to personal status, in particular concerning marriage, divorce, the custody of children and inheritance, do not provide for equal rights for women and men.

51. The Committee urges the State party to prescribe and enforce a minimum age of marriage of 18 years for both women and men, in accordance with article 16, paragraph 2, of the Convention and with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to introduce legislative reforms to provide women with equal rights in marriage, divorce, the custody of children and inheritance. It calls upon the State party to end the practice of polygamy, in accordance with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21, on equality in marriage and family relations.

52.The Committee is concerned that the State party’s report did not provide sufficient statistical data on the situation of women in all areas covered by the Convention, and disaggregated by factors such as age and rural and urban areas. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of information on the impact of measures taken and results achieved in the implementation of the various provisions of the Convention.

53. The Committee calls upon the State party to include in its next periodic report more detailed statistical data and analysis on the situation of women, disaggregated by sex, age and rural and urban areas. The Committee requests the State party to include information on the impact of measures taken to implement the Convention and the results achieved in the practical realization of women’s substantive equality.

54. The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

55. The Committee encourages the State party to enhance collaboration and coordination with civil society organizations, in particular women’s associations, to strengthen implementation of the provisions of the Convention, and to engage in consultations with such organizations when preparing its next periodic report.

56. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully in its implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

57. The Committee emphasizes that the full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

1 The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

58. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Saudi Arabia to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

59. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Saudi Arabia of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in appropriate and suitable forms, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

60. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its third periodic report, which is due in October 2009, and its fourth periodic report, which is due in October 2013, in a combined report in 2013.

2.Combined second, third and fourth periodic report

Bolivia

61.The Committee considered the second, third and fourth periodic report of Bolivia (CEDAW/C/BOL/2-4) at its 811th and 812th meetings, on 15 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.811 and 812). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/BOL/Q/4, and the responses of the Government of Bolivia are contained in document CEDAW/C/BOL/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

62.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined second, third and fourth periodic report, which, although very long overdue, complied with the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of reports, were frank and self-critical and had taken into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group.

63.The Committee commends the State party for the high-level delegation headed by the Minister of Justice and the Deputy Minister for Gender and Generational Affairs. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the oral presentation, which provided an overview of recent advances and challenges remaining in achieving gender equality in Bolivia, and for the clarification to the questions posed by the Committee during the dialogue.

Positive aspects

64.The Committee commends the State party for having ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention in 2000.

65.The Committee notes with satisfaction the many efforts made to implement the Convention through the adoption of a considerable number of laws, policies, plans and programmes, including the Family and Domestic Violence Act, No. 1674; the Electoral Reform and Enhancement Act, No. 1779; the Executive Branch Reform Act, No. 1788, promoting gender equality; the Citizens’ Associations and Indigenous Peoples Act; the Law on Protection for Victims of Crimes against Sexual Freedom, No. 2033; and Act No. 3325 on Trafficking in Persons and Related Offences; the National Public Policy Plan for the Full Exercise of Women’s Rights; the National Maternity and Childhood Insurance Scheme; and the National Reproductive Health Plan.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

66. While recalling the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, Parliament and the judiciary so as to ensure their full implementation.

67.The Committee is concerned at the disparity between the de jure and de facto situation regarding the legal protection of women and gender equality. While the Committee welcomes the legislative reforms carried out and the bills currently before Parliament designed to improve the status of women in Bolivia, it is concerned that discriminatory provisions still remain in the State party’s criminal and civil law. In this regard, special reference is made to article 317 of the Penal Code, which provides that there shall be no punishment in cases of rape and other abuses when perpetrators marry their victims, and to article 130 of the Family Code on the grounds for divorce.

68. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of existing legislation on gender equality. The Committee also urges the State party to streamline procedures for review of the compatibility of those laws with the Convention, to repeal without delay all legislation that discriminates against women, including discriminatory provisions in its criminal and civil law and to ensure the enforcement of laws prohibiting discrimination against women.

69.The Committee, while taking note of the various internal reforms in the Department for Gender and Generational Affairs, is concerned at the lack of institutional stability of national machineries for the advancement of women, their limited decision-making power and the fact that they lack the financial and human resources to promote effectively the implementation of the Convention and foster gender equality at the central, local and municipal government levels. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of a comprehensive gender mainstreaming policy, including at the local and municipal government levels, as a central element of the State party’s strategic priorities.

70. The Committee requests the State party to enhance the institutional status of the national machinery for the advancement of women and to provide it with sufficient decision-making authority and with human and financial resources at the central, regional and municipal government levels to promote effectively and coordinate the application of a substantive gender mainstreaming strategy for the implementation of the Convention in all policy areas and by all levels of Government. The Committee encourages the State party to formulate, adopt and implement an integrated and comprehensive national plan of action directed to achieving gender equality and the advancement of women.

71.The Committee is concerned at the persistence of high levels of poverty and social exclusion among Bolivian women, particularly among women living in rural areas, indigenous women, older women and women with disabilities, and their insufficient access to land, housing and basic social services. The Committee notes that the free market economy without a social dimension, which has contributed to the increase in poverty, may have a greater impact on the poverty situation of women. The poverty conditions of women are reflected in their high illiteracy rates, low school enrolment and completion rates, poor access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health, leading to high rates of maternal mortality, and lack of access to land, housing, income-generating training opportunities and basic social services.

72. The Committee recommends that the impact of the free market economy on women’s poverty situation be studied and appropriate measures to address this be integrated in the poverty reduction strategy.

73. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that all poverty eradication policies and programmes integrate a gender perspective and explicitly address the structural nature and various dimensions of poverty faced by women, in particular women living in rural areas, indigenous women, older women and women with disabilities. It recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to implement nationwide effective educational programmes in the areas of functional literacy, skills and income-generating training, including the provision of microfinance schemes, as a means of poverty alleviation, and adopt measures to ensure women’s equal access to land, housing, health care and basic social services.

74.The Committee is particularly concerned that the Afro-Bolivian community is socially invisible and marginalized due to the fact that it is not recognized in the national statistics, which hinders its members’ access to basic social services and makes, in particular, Afro-Bolivian women suffer from the intersections of race- and gender-based forms of discrimination.

75. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary steps to enable men and women in the Afro-Bolivian community to have access to all basic social services, through their inclusion in the national statistics, to address the specific vulnerability of Afro-Bolivian women and to report on measures taken in this respect in its next report.

76.The Committee is concerned that women’s access to justice is limited because of their high rate of illiteracy, lack of information on their rights, lack of legal assistance tailored to their needs, lengthy legal proceedings and related costs, and the insufficient understanding of the Convention by the judiciary.

77. The Committee urges the State party to create the necessary conditions for women, particularly for women living in poverty and rural and indigenous women, to have access to justice and to enhance where appropriate, in the relevant languages, women’s legal literacy, awareness of their rights and capacity to effectively claim them. It also urges the State party to take additional measures to disseminate information in the appropriate forms about the Convention, the procedures under the Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations, and to implement training programmes for prosecutors, judges and lawyers that cover all relevant aspects of the Convention and the Optional Protocol.

78.While noting the State Party’s efforts, the Committee is concerned that there is still a considerable number of women, in particular indigenous women in rural areas, older women and women with disabilities, who do not have identity documents and therefore do not have access to public institutions and the relevant social services and benefits.

79. The Committee calls upon the State party to continue to expedite and facilitate the process of registration of women, in particular indigenous women in rural areas, older women and women with disabilities, and to issue birth certificates and the relevant identity documents. The Committee urges the State party to establish concrete goals and timetables for this process and to provide information on the progress achieved in its next report.

80.Despite the existence of awareness-raising programmes, the Committee is concerned at the persistence of traditional stereotypes relating to the roles and responsibilities of women and men within the family, in the education system and in society in general, which reinforce their sense of inferiority and affect their status in all areas of life and throughout their life cycle. The Committee is concerned that the most recent educational reform has not dealt with these subjects in depth.

81. The Committee recommends the development of policies and implementation of programmes for women and men in both the rural and urban areas aimed at eliminating stereotypes associated with traditional roles within the family and manifested in the education system, employment, politics and society in general. It also recommends that the media be encouraged to project positive images of women and of the equal status, roles and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres.

82.While congratulating the State party for its recognition of cultural diversity and the differences and specificities of indigenous communities in legislation, the Committee is concerned that the emphasis placed on such specificities might detract from compliance with the provisions of the Convention relating to non-discrimination and formal and substantive equality between men and women. The Committee is particularly concerned that, while the recognition of community justice by the State party might make it easier for the indigenous and rural people to have access to justice, it might operate to perpetuate stereotypes and prejudices that discriminate against women and violate the human rights enshrined in the Convention.

83. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that indigenous concepts and practices are in conformity with the legal framework of the Convention and to create the conditions for a wide intercultural dialogue that would respect diversity while guaranteeing full compliance with the principles, values and international norms for the protection of human rights, including women’s rights.

84.While the Committee takes note of various legislative and political initiatives to reduce violence against women, including domestic and sexual violence, it remains gravely concerned about the extent, intensity and prevalence of such violence in Bolivia, which borders on feminicide, and about the lack of statistical data thereon. The Committee is particularly concerned about the shortcomings of Law No. 1674 on Family and Domestic Violence and Law No. 2033 on the Protection of Victims of Crimes against Sexual Freedom, in particular the priority given to reconciliation and family integrity, as well as about the fact that judicial personnel persuade women victims not to claim their rights before the judicial system.

85. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that existing legislation to combat violence against women and girls, especially domestic and sexual violence, is appropriately formulated and enforced, and give priority attention to the design and implementation of a comprehensive strategy to combat and eradicate all forms of violence against women, in conformity with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19, to prevent violence, punish offenders and provide services for victims. Such a strategy should also include awareness-raising measures and sensitization of, in particular, the judiciary, law enforcement officers and prosecutors, as well as teachers, health-care and social workers and the media. The Committee encourages the State party to provide statistical data on the incidence of domestic violence, and information on steps taken to deal with the problem, progress achieved and remaining obstacles in its next periodic report.

86.While noting the State party’s recent initiatives to address the problem of trafficking in, and the sexual exploitation of, women and girls, including Act No. 3325 on Trafficking in Persons and Related Offences, the Committee remains concerned about the persistence of trafficking in Bolivia and the insufficient information on its causes and extent in the country, and the absence of adequate measures to combat the trafficking in, and sexual exploitation of, women and girls at the national and regional levels.

87. The Committee urges the State party to promulgate and fully implement its legislation on trafficking and sexual exploitation of human beings, as well as national plans of action and other measures to combat all forms of trafficking, and sexual exploitation of women. The Committee encourages the State party to promote, as far as possible, regional agreements on this issue in the Southern Common Market area. It recommends that the State party tackle the root cause of trafficking and sexual exploitation by stepping up its efforts to improve the economic situation of women and thereby eliminate their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking, and that it adopt measures for the rehabilitation and social integration of women and girl victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as effective penalties for those who commit such crimes.

88.The Committee is concerned at the dearth of special temporary measures introduced by the State party to accelerate the achievement of de facto equality between women and men, as provided for in article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, and at the Government’s apparent lack of understanding of the nature and purpose of and need for the special temporary measures set out in the Convention.

89. The Committee urges the State party to establish a legislative basis for temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, and to apply them in areas where necessary to accelerate the achievement of the substantive equality of women in all areas covered by the Convention.

90.While welcoming the recent appointment of five women ministers and acknowledging the importance of the legal provisions establishing quotas for women’s participation in elected bodies, the Committee expresses its concern at the insufficient representation of women in senior posts in many areas of professional and public life, for example, in the judiciary, in particular at the highest levels. It is also concerned that, at the higher levels, women continue to play a much smaller role than men in economic life. While the Committee takes note of the draft law against political harassment of women currently under consideration, it is particularly concerned at the incidence of such violence against women in government posts.

91. The Committee recommends the adoption of dynamic and effective policies to increase women’s participation at all levels of professional and public life, including the adoption of temporary special measures and appropriate penalties for failure to comply with existing provisions aimed at establishing a threshold and ceiling for each sex, and of other proactive effective measures to support their implementation. The Committee urges the State party to adopt, as soon as possible, the draft law against political harassment of women with a view to combating and eradicating such violence and ensuring that female victims of political harassment have access to means of protection and effective resources, that the perpetrators of such acts are duly prosecuted and punished and that women are effectively protected against reprisals.

92.While noting the State party’s efforts to reduce illiteracy and improve boys’ and girls’ access to education and ensure that they remain in school, for example, through the Juancito Pinto scholarship or the “Yo sí puedo” (“Yes I Can”) Literacy Programme, the Committee is concerned at the low level of education of rural and indigenous women and girls, who continue to be at a serious disadvantage in terms of access to and quality of education, as well as the number of years they attend school, basically owing to the lack of infrastructure, distance, the risk of violence, the cost of transport and language.

93. The Committee urges the State party to adopt all necessary measures, including temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25 on temporary special measures, with a view to reducing girls’ illiteracy and school dropout rates, particularly in rural and indigenous areas, and to provide an education, whether formal or informal, and in the relevant languages, to these women and girls.

94.Despite the existence of employment legislation, the Committee is concerned at the persistence of inequalities in the labour market, in particular the limited employment opportunities for women and the existence of a huge gap in men’s and women’s wages, clear-cut job segregation and poor working conditions.

95. The Committee recommends the adoption of measures to guarantee the implementation of the provisions of article 11 of the Convention and the implementation of the relevant conventions of the International Labour Organization that have been ratified by Bolivia. The Committee urges the State party to establish effective mechanisms to monitor compliance with existing legislation and ensure non-discrimination in employment and equal pay for work of equal value.

96.The Committee notes with concern the lack of a general employment policy to address women in the informal sector, in particular women in the agriculture and domestic work who are excluded from all social protection and benefits. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of data on women’s work in formal and informal sectors of the economy.

97. The Committee recommends the adoption of a gender-sensitive employment policy to address women in the informal sector, in particular women in the agriculture and domestic work. The Committee further recommends the systematic collection of data disaggregated by sex, age, rural and urban area and ethnicity with respect to women in the formal and informal sectors of the economy.

98.The Committee notes with particular concern the high vulnerability of girls in child labour and the specific threats girls with and without families experience on the street. The Committee notes the weaknesses in the design and allocation of financial resources to the National Plan for the Progressive Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (2000-2010), including its focus on girls, which impedes the establishment of mechanisms to monitor and follow up its gender-sensitive impact.

99. The Committee requests the State party to address the issue of child labour in general, and the vulnerable situation of girls in particular, and to rectify the weaknesses in the design and allocation of financial resources to the National Plan for the Progressive Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (2000-2010) and to align its policies and legislation with the obligations it assumed under International Labour Organization Convention No. 138 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment (14 years) and Convention No. 182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

100.The Committee expresses concern at the State party’s insufficient recognition and protection of women’s sexual health and reproductive rights, in particular, the fact that law No. 1810 — the framework Law on Sexual and Reproductive Rights adopted in 2004 — is still “frozen” and has not been promulgated, limiting access to sexual and reproductive health services by the entire population of Bolivian females. The Committee is particularly concerned at the data provided by the State party regarding the gap between the observed and desired fertility rates among Bolivian women, particularly in the rural area, as well as the high number of teenage pregnancies and the impact of such pregnancies on those girls’ enjoyment of their rights.

101. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary steps to overcome the stalemate surrounding law No. 1810 and to promulgate the law as soon as possible. The Committee urges the Government to strengthen the implementation of family planning and reproductive health programmes and policies designed to afford women and adolescent girls, particularly in the rural areas, effective access to information on health-care services, particularly reproductive health and available contraceptives, in accordance with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24 on women and health and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Committee recommends that the State party step up its efforts to incorporate age-appropriate sex education in school curricula and to organize information campaigns to prevent teenage pregnancies.

102.The Committee is concerned at the lack of a gender perspective in the health services delivered to women of childbearing age. The Committee expresses its concern at the high rate of maternal mortality in Bolivia, caused mainly by pregnancy-related problems and the lack of appropriate medical care, particularly in the rural areas. The Committee is also concerned about the difficulties in obtaining a legal abortion — both therapeutic and ethical — owing, inter alia, to the lack of implementing regulations for the laws in force and the tendency, as a result, for many women to seek illegal and unsafe abortions.

103. The Committee recommends that the State party integrate a gender perspective into its national health policy in line with general recommendation No. 24 and improve access to health services to the most vulnerable groups of women, in particular rural and indigenous women. The Committee urges the State party to act without delay and to adopt effective measures to resolve the problem of the high rate of maternal mortality by guaranteeing adequate prenatal, childbirth and post-natal care and ensuring access to health-care facilities and medical assistance provided by trained workers in all parts of the country, in particular in the rural areas. The Committee also urges the State party to adopt regulations to implement existing laws on the right of Bolivian women to therapeutic abortion. The Committee further urges the State party to afford women access to high-quality services for the treatment of complications resulting from unsafe abortions with a view to reducing maternal mortality rates.

104.While the Committee takes note of the State party’s efforts to raise the age of marriage for women, in particular through current reforms to the Family Code, it is concerned that such reform sets 16 years of age as the minimum age for marriage for both males and females, since marriage at such a young age can prevent girls from pursuing their studies and induce them to drop out of school early.

105. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary steps in this reform currently under way to raise the minimum age for marriage to 18 years of age for both males and females, in line with the provisions of article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; article 16, paragraph 2, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21 on equality in marital and family relations.

106.The Committee regrets the report’s lack of statistical data disaggregated by sex, age, rural and urban area and ethnicity, which makes it difficult to accurately assess the real situation of women in most of the areas covered by the Convention. The Committee notes with concern that the paucity of disaggregated data may also impede the State party’s own efforts to design and implement specific policies and programmes, and to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of implementing the Convention.

107. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen, without delay, its current system of data collection in all areas covered by the Convention in order to be able to assess accurately the real situation of women and to monitor adequately evolving trends. The Committee also urges the State party to use quantifiable indicators to evaluate the impact of the measures adopted and the progress achieved in the attainment of de facto equality between women and men. It encourages the State party to use these data and indicators in formulating laws, policies and programmes for the effective implementation of the Convention. The Committee requests the State party, in its next periodic report, to include such data, disaggregated by urban and rural area and by ethnicity, and to indicate the effects of the measures taken and the results obtained in terms of the practical realization of de facto equality between women and men.

108. The Committee urges the State party to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

109. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully, in its implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

110. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

111.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Bolivia to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

112. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Bolivia of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly.

113. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report, which was due in July 2007, and its sixth periodic report, which is due in July 2011, in a combined report in 2011.

Burundi

114.The Committee considered the combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Burundi (CEDAW/C/BDI/4) at its 813th and 814th meetings, on 16 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.813 and 814). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/BDI/Q/4 and the responses of the Government of Burundi are contained in document CEDAW/C/BDI/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

115.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined second, third and fourth periodic report. While appreciating the candour of the report, the Committee nonetheless regrets that it was overdue, did not comply fully with the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports or refer to the Committee’s general recommendations and did not contain enough statistical data disaggregated by sex.

116.The Committee thanks the State party for submitting its written replies to the list of issues and questions sent by the Committee’s pre-session working group, but regrets that these replies were submitted late and did not completely answer all the questions. It expresses its appreciation to the State party for its oral presentation and the further clarifications given, but notes that some questions remained unanswered.

117.The Committee commends the State party for sending a delegation headed by the Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Gender and the Director-General for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality and welcomes the frank and constructive dialogue between the delegation and the Committee members.

118.The Committee takes note of the persistence of armed conflict in Burundi, which is the main cause of the destruction of the country’s socio-economic infrastructure and the poverty of the majority of the population.

Positive aspects

119.The Committee welcomes the fact that the State party incorporated the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into its Constitution in 2005.

120.The Committee congratulates the State party on the imminent establishment of the steering committee responsible for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

121.The Committee notes that the State party signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention in November 2001 and encourages the State party to fulfil its expressed intention to ratify the Optional Protocol as soon as possible.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

122. While recalling the obligation of the State party to implement all the provisions of the Convention systematically and continuously, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the priority attention of the State party. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to Parliament and the judiciary in order to ensure their effective implementation.

123. Considering that 90 per cent of the Burundian population live in rural areas, including a large proportion of women, the Committee requests that the State party take note that these recommendations also apply in particular to rural women.

124.While taking note of the legislative reform announced by the State party, the Committee is concerned that the State party has done little to follow up on the concluding observations adopted by the Committee when it considered the initial report of Burundi in 2001, in particular the recommendations to amend existing laws that discriminate against women and to reduce the gap between de jure and de facto equality, despite the legal reforms provided for by the Arusha Agreement with a view to improving the status of women.

125. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party take the necessary steps to bring discriminatory laws, inter alia, the Code of the Person and the Family and the Penal Code, into line with the Convention. It strongly recommends amendment of the provisions that stipulate a minimum marriage age for women that is different from that for men (article 88 of the Code of the Person and the Family), indicate that the man is the head of the household (article 122 of the Code of the Person and the Family) and establish discrimination with regard to adultery (article 3 of the Penal Code). The Committee again calls upon the Government to ensure the effective implementation of laws and policies that provide for de jure equality and seek to eliminate discrimination against women. It recommends that the Government ensure that those responsible for the implementation of these laws and policies are made aware of their discriminatory contents and that information campaigns be put in place to ensure wide knowledge of the reform of these laws and policies.

126.The Committee notes with concern that customary law is still recognized in Burundi and has a detrimental impact on the rights of women with regard to inheritance, matrimonial regimes and gifts.

127. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt a uniform family code ensuring de jure and de facto equality for women with regard to inheritance, matrimonial regimes and gifts, and that it ensure its effective implementation, in particular in rural areas. The Committee calls upon the State party to organize an awareness-raising campaign in order to educate rural chiefs about the new laws to ensure their effective implementation.

128.The Committee notes with concern that judges, lawyers, prosecutors and women themselves are not sufficiently informed about the provisions of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations. It is also concerned that women’s ability to bring cases of discrimination before the courts is limited by poverty, illiteracy, lack of information about their rights and lack of assistance in claiming their rights.

129. The Committee calls upon the State party to intensify its efforts to raise awareness about the Convention, its Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations and to implement training programmes on the Convention for prosecutors, judges and lawyers so as to establish a legal culture supportive of gender equality and non-discrimination. In addition, the Committee urges the State party to provide legal aid services and recommends that awareness-raising and information campaigns be undertaken, targeting women and non-governmental organizations working on women’s issues and human rights, to encourage them to make use of the available procedures and remedies for violation of their rights. It requests the State party to remove the impediments that women may face in gaining access to justice and invites it to seek aid from the international community for the implementation of concrete measures to this effect. The Committee takes this opportunity to remind the State party to ensure that the truth and reconciliation process is conducted in compliance with the provisions of the Convention and that women are involved in the process on an equal footing with men, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

130.The Committee continues to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of men and women in society, which discriminate against women. The Committee is also concerned that the preservation of negative cultural practices and traditional attitudes serves to perpetuate women’s subordination in the family and society and constitutes a serious obstacle to women’s enjoyment of their fundamental rights.

131. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in accordance with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. It urges the State party to cooperate in this regard with civil society organizations, women’s groups and community leaders, as well as teachers and the media. The Committee invites the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement education and awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men at all levels of society, with a view to creating an enabling environment for the elimination of stereotypes that are discriminatory to women and allowing women to exercise their fundamental rights. It calls upon the State party to periodically review the measures taken in order to assess their impact, to take appropriate action and to report thereon to the Committee in its next report.

132. While noting with satisfaction that the Constitution of Burundi introduces a 30 per cent quota for women in Parliament and the recent appointment of 30 per cent of women in the Government, the Committee is concerned at the fact that the quota is applied as a ceiling. It regrets the absence of other temporary special measures in many areas, in particular education and the judicial system and at the local and international levels.

133. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure the implementation of the provision of the Constitution guaranteeing a quota of “at least 30 per cent” for women. The Committee recommends that the State party use temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, as part of a strategy to accelerate the achievement of substantive equality between men and women, in particular in education, the judicial system and international affairs and at the local level.

134.While welcoming the adoption of the National Gender Policy by the Council of Ministers in December 2003, the Committee is concerned that the monitoring mechanisms, in particular the National Gender Council, the Technical Committee on Gender and the Permanent Executive Secretariat of the National Gender Council, have not yet been established as planned.

135. The Committee recommends that the State party put in place without delay the planned mechanisms and that it provide them with adequate human and financial resources for the implementation of the National Gender Policy and the related plan of action through the planned monitoring mechanisms, including the development of appropriate indicators.

136.While noting the State party’s efforts to combat violence against women, the Committee is deeply concerned about the high number of women and girls who are victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence, including incest. It is concerned about the impunity that is too often enjoyed by the perpetrators of these acts and the extrajudicial or amicable settlement of cases, including by the administrative authorities, which favour practices such as marriage between the rapist and the victim. The Committee is concerned that women victims of violence, including those who were victims of the armed conflict, do not have sufficient support. The Committee is alarmed at the persistence of negative traditional practices with regard to widows. Further, it is seriously concerned about the scale of the phenomenon of domestic violence and the fact that it is not prohibited in the Penal Code or in a separate legislation.

137. The Committee urges the State party to adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women. It encourages the State party to make use of the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19 in its efforts to combat violence against women and also of the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women (A/61/122/Add.1 and Corr.1), in particular the good practices identified in the study. It also encourages the State party to consider the campaign for the elimination of violence against women launched by the Secretary-General. The Committee invites the State party to raise public awareness, through the media and education programmes, that all forms of violence against women are unacceptable. It calls upon the State party to train the judiciary, law enforcement officials, legal professionals, social workers and health providers so as to ensure that the perpetrators of violence against women are prosecuted and punished, and to provide victims with gender-sensitive support. It also calls upon the State party to enhance access to justice for victims, including victims of armed conflict, and to take steps to provide them with legal, medical and psychological support. It urges the State party to enact legislation on domestic violence and all forms of gender-based violence. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure the protection of widows from negative traditional practices. It requests the State party to provide information in its next periodic report on the laws, policies and programmes in place to eradicate all forms of violence against women, as well as statistical data and trends concerning the prevalence of such violence.

138.The Committee is concerned that women in detention are not always separated from men, which makes them vulnerable to violence, especially sexual violence.

139. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary measures to ensure that women in detention are systematically separated from men and supervised by gender-sensitive prison staff.

140.The Committee is concerned about the absence of effective measures to combat the phenomenon of trafficking in women for the purposes of prostitution, including its causes and extent, in particular from the State party’s perspective as a country of origin, transit and destination. It regrets the lack of information and statistical data on trafficking in women and girls. The Committee is concerned that article 539 of the draft revised Penal Code establishes that prostitution of women is an offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of one to six months and a fine of 5,000 to 20,000 francs.

141. The Committee urges the State party to analyse the causes and extent of trafficking in women and girls, from its perspective as a country of origin, transit and destination. It recommends that the State party strengthen measures to combat and prevent trafficking in women and girls and to improve the economic situation of women so as to eliminate their vulnerability to exploitation and traffickers. The Committee invites the State party to provide, in its next periodic report, detailed information on trafficking in women and girls, the criminalization of the exploitation of prostitution of women and the protection, recovery and reintegration programmes for victims of exploitation and trafficking. The Committee urges the State party to amend article 539 of the draft revised Penal Code to ensure that prostitutes under 18 years of age and those who are victims of trafficking are not punished but can benefit from protection measures.

142.The Committee notes with concern that article 4 of the Nationality Code does not comply with article 9 of the Convention because it does not allow a Burundian woman married to a foreigner to transmit her nationality to her husband or children on the same basis as a Burundian man married to a foreigner.

143. The Committee urges the State party to amend the Nationality Code so as to bring it into line with article 9 of the Convention.

144.While congratulating the State party on introducing free primary education in 2005, the Committee remains concerned about the significant disparity between boys and girls in education, in particular in secondary and higher education. It is also concerned that the low rate of girls’ enrolment may be due to stereotypes relating to girls, in particular in rural areas.

145. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to eliminate traditional attitudes that perpetuate discrimination and non-compliance with the provisions of article 10 of the Convention. It recommends that the State party take measures to ensure equal access for girls and women to all levels of education and to ensure the retention of girls in school, including through temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25. The Committee calls upon the State party to improve the literacy level of girls and women through the adoption of comprehensive programmes of formal and non-formal education, adult education and training, and the allocation of adequate financial resources. It encourages the State party to strengthen collaboration with civil society and to seek support from the international community and donors in order to accelerate the implementation of article 10 of the Convention.

146.Despite the existence of employment legislation, the Committee notes with concern the persistence of inequalities in the labour market, in particular the widespread discrimination against women on grounds of maternity with regard to security of employment and payment of maternity leave and benefits. The Committee is also concerned about the high unemployment rate and the lack of secure employment for women and their concentration in the informal sector in a narrow range of activities associated with low and unstable earnings and excluded from formal social protection programmes.

147. The Committee recommends the adoption of measures to guarantee the implementation of all the provisions of article 11 of the Convention and the implementation of the relevant conventions of the International Labour Organization that have been ratified by Burundi. The Committee urges the State party to establish effective mechanisms to oversee compliance with existing legislation, in particular with regard to pregnant women and maternity leave and benefits. The Committee recommends the adoption of a gender-sensitive employment policy with respect to women in the informal sectors of the economy.

148.While welcoming the State party’s efforts to improve women’s health, the Committee remains concerned about the low level of access for women to adequate health-care services, in particular information on antenatal and post-natal care and family planning, in particular in rural areas. It is concerned about the high maternal mortality rate, which indicates a lack of obstetric care, and the number of deaths following illegal abortions. The Committee notes the establishment of family development centres, but is concerned that not every province has such a centre and that they are often short of qualified staff.

149. The Committee urges the State party to continue its efforts to improve the country’s health infrastructure. It calls upon the State party to integrate a gender perspective into all health sector reforms and to implement fully article 12 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24. The Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to improve women’s access to health care and health-related services. It calls upon the State party to improve the availability of sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning information and services, as well as access to antenatal, post-natal and obstetric services, so as to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality. The Committee also calls upon the State party to establish family development centres in all provinces and to provide them with adequate financial resources and qualified staff. It encourages the State party to seek technical support from the United Nations Population Fund in the above-mentioned areas.

150.While congratulating the State party on establishing the ministry in charge of AIDS control and the National Anti-AIDS Council, the Committee is alarmed at the increased HIV/AIDS infection rate among women, which is one of the major causes of mortality in Burundi.

151. The Committee recommends that sex education focusing on the control of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS be widely promoted and targeted at girls and boys. It urges the State party to ensure the implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention policies and to seek technical assistance in this regard from the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

152.The Committee is concerned about the widespread poverty among women, in particular rural women and older women. It is also concerned about the lack of participation by rural women in decision-making processes and their lack of access to health care, social security services, education, justice, clean water, electricity, land and credit facilities.

153. The Committee calls upon the State party to study the needs of rural women. It urges the State party to ensure that they have access to health care, education, justice, clean water, electricity, land and microcredit. The Committee calls upon the State party to elaborate poverty reduction strategies integrating a gender perspective and also taking into account the specific needs of older women.

154. The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

155. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully, in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

156. The Committee also emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

157. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Burundi to ratify the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

158. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Burundi of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the measures that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in this regard. In particular, the Committee encourages the State party to convene a public forum involving all State actors and civil society to discuss the presentation of the report and the content of the concluding observations. It requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

159. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report, which is due in February 2009, and its sixth periodic report, which is due in February 2013, in a combined report in 2013.

3.Third periodic report

Lebanon

160.The Committee considered the third periodic report of Lebanon (CEDAW/C/LBN/3) at its 819th and 820th meetings, on 22 January 2007 (see CEDAW/C/SR.819 and 820). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/LBN/Q/3, and the responses of the Government of Lebanon are contained in document CEDAW/C/LBN/Q/3/Add.1.

Introduction

161.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its third periodic report, which gives a clear and candid picture of the overall situation of women and the challenges towards realizing equality between women and men. The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and further clarifications in response to the questions posed by the Committee.

162.The Committee further expresses its appreciation for the frank and constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee, which provided further insights into the current situation of women in the country.

163.The Committee commends the State party on its delegation, headed by a member of the Executive Board of the National Commission for Lebanese Women. It regrets that the delegation was composed mainly of members of the Commission and did not include representatives of a number of different relevant ministries and offices.

164.The Committee commends the State party for reporting in a timely manner under the Convention and notes that its third periodic report was submitted only a year after the issuance of the Committee’s previous concluding comments in July 2005.

Positive aspects

165.The Committee commends the State party on establishing, through the decree of the Prime Minister in April 2007, a Steering Committee led by the Ministry of Labour to reform the 1946 Labour Law.

166.The Committee commends the State party’s post-conflict efforts to mainstream the role of women in peacebuilding, decision-making, development and rehabilitation process in 10 villages that were heavily affected by the conflict in Lebanon in July and August 2006. It also welcomes the implementation of a project entitled “WEPASS” aimed at empowering women in the conflict-affected regions with a view to capacity-building in the main areas of concern covered by Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

167.The Committee welcomes the signature by the State party of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol on 14 June 2007.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

168. While recalling the State party’s obligation to implement systematically and continuously all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to Parliament and to the judiciary so as to ensure their full implementation.

169.While acknowledging the difficulties confronting the State party owing to the consequences of the 2006 conflict, the current difficult political situation and the short period of time between the issuance by the Committee of its previous concluding comments, adopted in 2005 (A/60/38, part two, paras. 77-126), and the submission of the State party’s third period report, the Committee notes that there has been no progress at all towards implementation of those comments in respect of some concerns raised in the Committee’s previous concluding comments. In particular, the Committee considers that its recommendations in paragraphs 95 (to include provisions guaranteeing equality on the basis of sex, in line with article 2 (a) of the Convention, in the Constitution or in other appropriate legislation), 98 (to undertake a systematic review and revision of all existing legislation to bring it fully into compliance with the Convention), 106 (to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of and support for equality between women and men at all levels of society), 108 (to take sustained measures to accelerate the increase in the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies in all areas of public life) and 110 (to eliminate occupational segregation, ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market and establish a monitoring mechanism to ensure enforcement of legislation requiring employers to provide equal pay for work of equal value) have been insufficiently addressed.

170. The Committee reiterates these concerns and recommendations and urges the State party to proceed without delay with their implementation.

171.While welcoming the ongoing efforts to address the need of women in the post-conflict period, the Committee is concerned that the promotion of women’s human rights and gender equality has not been considered as a priority, in particular in efforts to address the consequences of the conflict and in the peacebuilding and reconstruction processes. It is also concerned about the small number of women in leadership positions in areas connected with the transition process.

172. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that the promotion and protection of women’s human rights and gender equality is a central goal of all aspects of the transition process and to raise the legislature’s awareness of that important goal. It also urges the State party to devote serious attention to the specific needs of women in the post-conflict period and to ensure women’s equal participation in decision-making, in conformity with Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. The Committee recommends that the State party put in place an action plan for the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), taking into account paragraph 1 of article 4, and articles 7 and 8 of the Convention.

173.While noting that international instruments take precedence over national law and may be invoked before the courts, the Committee is concerned that the provisions of the Convention, including the general recommendations of the Committee, are not widely known in the country and do not seem, so far, to have been utilized in changing discriminatory laws and practices or in litigation related to discrimination against women.

174. The Committee calls upon the State party to develop and implement awareness-raising programmes and training on the provisions of the Convention, in particular with regard to the meaning and scope of direct and indirect discrimination and about formal and substantive equality, for parliamentarians, government officials, judges, lawyers and prosecutors, so as to establish firmly a domestic legal culture supportive of women’s equality and non-discrimination. It invites the State party to enhance women’s awareness of their rights through sustained legal literacy programmes and legal assistance. The Committee calls upon the State party to disseminate widely the Convention and its general recommendations among all stakeholders, including government ministries, parliamentarians, the judiciary, political parties, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the general public.

175.While welcoming the intention of the Lebanese Parliamentary Committee to adopt a National Plan of Action for Human Rights, which is intended to reform Lebanese laws and policies in accordance with human rights standards, to bring the national legislation into compliance with the Convention, the Committee is concerned about the lack of progress towards the elaboration of such a national plan due to the political situation as orally indicated.

176. The Committee urges the Parliamentary Committee to proceed with the elaboration, adoption and implementation of the National Plan of Action for Human Rights without delay and within a clear time frame.

177.The Committee regrets that no steps have been taken towards the adoption of a unified personal status code as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding comments (A/60/38, part two, para. 100). The Committee notes that although some information was provided in the periodic report and oral presentation on the religious communities existing in the country, information on the various personal status codes governing these communities, in particular their scope and impact on women’s equality, was insufficient.

178. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party urgently adopt a unified personal status code that is in line with the Convention and would be applicable to all women in Lebanon , irrespective of their religion. The Committee also reiterates its recommendation that the State party include, in its next periodic report, detailed information on the various personal status codes affecting women, and the impact of these codes on implementation of the Convention.

179.While commending the National Commission for Lebanese Women for its efforts, the Committee notes with concern that the Commission is a semi‑governmental body with weak institutional capacity. It notes that it is severely under-resourced and understaffed and does not have the authority or capacity effectively to promote implementation of the Convention, and to support gender mainstreaming across all sectors and levels of Government to bring about equality for women and men in all fields. The Committee also notes with concern a lack of awareness on the part of the State party about the importance of a strong and well‑resourced national machinery for the practical realization of equality between women and men at all levels and a lack of political will to develop the necessary institutional capacity of such a national machinery in accordance with its obligations under the Convention.

180. The Committee calls upon the State party to give urgent priority to strengthening the national machinery for the advancement of women, and to provide it with the authority, decision-making power and human and financial resources that are necessary to work effectively for the promotion of equality of women and the enjoyment of their human rights. The Committee recommends that the State party institute or revitalize a system of focal points with sufficient expertise in gender equality issues in all sectoral ministries to strengthen the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy to ensure the realization of equality of women with men in all policies and programmes. It also recommends that the State party institute a system of collaboration and networking between the national machinery and the focal points.

181.The Committee notes with concern the absence of any temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and the State party’s apparent lack of understanding of the concept and purpose of such measures.

182. The Committee recommends that the State party use temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, as part of a necessary strategy to accelerate the achievement of de facto equality between women and men. It calls upon the State party to consider using a range of possible measures, such as quotas, benchmarks, targets and incentives, in particular with regard to accelerated implementation of articles 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 14 of the Convention.

183.The Committee continues to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society in Lebanon, which are reflected in women’s educational choices, their situation in the labour market and their low level of participation in political and public life. The Committee is concerned about persistent stereotypes reflected in school textbooks and curricula.

184. The Committee requests that the State party enhance the training of teaching staff on gender equality issues and revise educational textbooks and curricula to eliminate gender-role stereotypes. The Committee urges the State party to disseminate information on the Convention through all levels of the educational system, including through human rights education and gender ‑sensitivity training, so as to change existing stereotypical views and attitudes about women’s and men’s roles. The Committee calls upon the State party to encourage diversification of the educational choices of boys and girls. It also urges the State party to encourage a public dialogue on the educational choices girls and women make and their subsequent opportunities and chances in the labour market. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns be addressed to both women and men and that the media be encouraged to project positive images of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres.

185.The Committee remains concerned about the persistence of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, rape and crimes committed in the name of honour and about the lack of a comprehensive approach to address violence against women. It reiterates its concern about article 562 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which allows mitigation of the penalty for crimes committed in the name of honour and which continues to be in force. It is also concerned about other discriminatory provisions in the Lebanese Penal Code, in particular article 503, which tolerates marital rape, and article 522, which allows for charges to be dropped in cases of rape.

186. In accordance with its general recommendation No. 19 recognizing that violence against women is a form of discrimination against women and thus constitutes a violation of their human rights under the Convention, the Committee urges the State party to place high priority on establishing and implementing comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls. The Committee calls upon the State party to enact, without delay, legislation on violence against women, including domestic violence, so as to ensure that violence against women constitutes a criminal offence, that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of redress and protection and that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished.

187. The Committee calls upon the State party to amend, without delay, applicable provisions in the Penal Code to ensure that perpetrators of honour crimes are not exonerated, that marital rape is criminalized and that marriage to the victim does not exempt a sexual offender from punishment. The Committee recommends that the State party introduce and implement educational and awareness-raising measures aimed at law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health service providers, social workers, community leaders and the general public, in order to ensure that they understand that all forms of violence against women are unacceptable. The Committee requests the State party to provide detailed information in its next periodic report on the laws and policies in place to deal with violence against women and the impact of such measures.

188.While noting the State party’s ratification of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Committee is concerned that trafficking in women and girls is growing in Lebanon and that the State party has neither enacted legislation on trafficking nor established a comprehensive plan to prevent and eliminate trafficking in women and to protect victims. It is also concerned that women and girls who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced domestic labour may be prosecuted and penalized under immigration laws and are therefore subject to revictimization. The Committee is further concerned at the lack of systematic data collection on this phenomenon.

189. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to combat all forms of trafficking in women and girls, including by enacting specific and comprehensive legislation and by putting in place programmes for the repatriation and reintegration of victims of trafficking. The Committee calls upon the State party to increase its international, regional and bilateral cooperation with countries of origin and transit so as to address more effectively the causes of trafficking, and to improve prevention of trafficking through information exchange. The Committee urges the State party to collect and analyse data from the national, regional and international police and other sources, to prosecute and punish traffickers and to ensure the protection of the human rights of trafficked women and girls, including protective measures and legal assistance. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that trafficked women and girls are not subject to prosecution of immigration laws and have adequate support to be in a position to provide testimony against their traffickers.

190.The Committee is concerned at the abuse and exploitation of women employed as domestic workers in Lebanon. The Committee expresses concern that article 7 of the Labour Law excludes domestic workers from its scope of application, thereby depriving them of a range of critical labour protections and making them vulnerable to all forms of exploitation.

191. The Committee recommends that the State party speedily enact the draft law regulating the employment of domestic workers, which is currently being considered by a steering committee established in April 2007 to address the situation of women migrant workers and to supervise its compliance by employment agencies and employers. It also recommends that the State party establish procedures to monitor and safeguard the rights of women domestic workers and adequately prosecute and punish abusive employers. The Committee calls upon the State party to provide domestic workers with viable avenues of redress against abuse by employers. The Committee urges the State party to undertake efforts to ensure that domestic workers are aware of their rights and legal protections and have access to legal aid. It requests the State party to include information on the steps and measures taken, and on their impact, and data on the prevalence of violence against women domestic workers in its next periodic report.

192.The Committee notes with concern that discrimination against women exists in the area of taxation as married women are considered as single in matters of taxation and do not receive the same tax allowance as married men or heads of household.

193. The Committee calls upon the State party to take adequate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the area of taxation.

194.While noting the high quality of health services in Lebanon, the Committee is concerned about the dominance of the private sector and geographical disparity in the delivery of services, preventing access to health care for women and girls from poor and rural areas, as well as disabled women.

195. The Committee recommends that the State party put in place mechanisms to make health-care services accessible to all groups of women and to ensure that all health policies and programmes integrate a gender perspective in accordance with article 12 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24 on women and health.

196.The Committee is concerned about the situation of rural women, particularly in view of their precarious living conditions and lack of access to justice, health care, ownership of land, inheritance, education, credit facilities and community services. It is especially concerned about the situation of women agricultural workers who are excluded from the protection of the Labour Code and who consequently do not benefit from social security or other benefits.

197. The Committee urges the State party to pay special attention to the needs of rural women, ensuring that they participate in decision-making processes that affect them and have full access to justice, education, health services and credit facilities. The Committee also urges the State party to take appropriate measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women with respect to ownership and inheritance of land. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that a gender perspective is included in all poverty reduction plans and strategies. The Committee recommends that the State party collect data on the situation of rural women and include such data and analysis in its next periodic report.

198.Considering the series of wars Lebanon has experienced, the Committee is concerned about the number and situation of women with disabilities, as well as women who care for disabled family members who often suffer from multiple forms of discrimination.

199. The Committee requests the State party to provide, in its next report, a comprehensive picture of the de facto situation of disabled women as well as women who care for disabled family members and to take appropriate measure to protect their rights.

200.While commending the State party for its efforts to host refugees from neighbouring countries, the Committee is concerned that the State party has not enacted any laws or regulations relating to the status of asylum-seekers and refugees, thereby adversely impacting on women refugees and asylum-seekers. The Committee notes with concern that refugee women and girls and internally displaced women and girls remain in a vulnerable and marginalized situation, in particular with regard to access to education, employment, health and housing and protection from all forms of violence.

201. The Committee urges the State party to adopt laws and regulations relating to the status of asylum-seekers and refugees in Lebanon , in line with international standards, in order to ensure protection for asylum-seeking and refugee women and their children. It recommends that the State party consider accession to international instruments to address the situation of refugees and stateless persons, including the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. It also recommends that the State party fully integrate a gender-sensitive approach throughout the process of granting asylum/refugee status. The Committee urges the State party to implement targeted measures for refugee women and girls and internally displaced women and girls, within specific timetables, to improve access to education, employment, health and housing and protect them from all forms of violence and to monitor their implementation. The Committee requests the State party to report on the results achieved in improving the situation of these groups of women and girls in its next periodic report.

202.The Committee is concerned about the State party’s reluctance to withdraw its reservation to article 9, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee is particularly concerned about the State party’s assertion that it cannot, for political reasons, amend its nationality law to allow Lebanese women to pass their nationality to their children and foreign spouses.

203. The Committee urges the State party to recognize the negative impact of its nationality law on Lebanese women married to foreigners and on the children of those women and, accordingly, revise its nationality law and remove its reservation to article 9, paragraph 2, of the Convention.

204.The Committee is concerned about the State party’s reluctance to withdraw its reservation to article 16, paragraph 1 (c), (d), (f) and (g), of the Convention. The Committee is also concerned about the persistence of discrimination in areas that are not adjudicated by the confessional courts, such as the marital property regime.

205. The Committee urges the State party to remove its reservation to article 16, paragraph 1 (c), (d), (f) and (g), of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to ensure equality for women in marriage and its dissolution by giving women equal rights to property accumulated during marriage, in the light of article 16 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21 on equality in marriage and family relations.

206. The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

207. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully, in its implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

208. The Committee also emphasizes that a full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

209.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Lebanon to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

210. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Lebanon of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in that regard. In particular, the Committee encourages the State party to convene a public forum involving all State actors as well as civil society to discuss the presentation of the report and the content of the concluding observations. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

211. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18. The Committee invites the State party to submit its combined fourth and fifth periodic report before 16 May 2014.

4.Combined third and fourth periodic report

Morocco

212.The Committee considered the third and fourth periodic report of Morocco (CEDAW/C/MAR/4) at its 825th and 826th meetings, on 24 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.825 and 826). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/MAR/Q/4 and the responses of the Government of Morocco are contained in document CEDAW/C/MAR/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

213.The Committee commends the State party for the timely submission of its third and fourth periodic report but, while the report generally follows the guidelines of the Committee (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.1/Add.2), regrets that it does not provide clear and precise information on the implementation of each recommendation made in the previous concluding observations of the Committee. The Committee acknowledges the State party’s written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre‑session working group, but regrets the absence of responses to some issues.

214.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for sending a high‑level delegation, which was headed by the Minister of Social Development, Family Affairs and Solidarity and included representatives of different Government ministries. The Committee congratulates the State party for the quality of its introductory presentation and for the frank and constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee, which provided clear insights into the situation of women in Morocco and on the implementation of the Convention.

Positive aspects

215.The Committee notes with appreciation the work of the Royal Commission on the Personal Status Code and commends the State party for the important legal reforms undertaken in the field of human rights and especially to eliminate existing discrimination against women, such as the adoption of the Family Code, the Nationality Law, the Law on Civil Registration, the Labour Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the amendments to the Penal Code.

216.The Committee expresses its satisfaction at the ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, published in the Official Gazette in February 2004, as well as the publication of the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in March 2004, since these international instruments also cover the human rights of women and the girl-child.

217.The Committee notes with satisfaction the reorganization of the Conseil Consultatif des Droits de l’Homme, which is in line with the Paris Principles, the establishment of the Diwan Al Madhanlim, as an Ombudsman to deal with complaints vis-à-vis the public administration as well as the establishment of the Instance Equité et Réconciliation, with a view to examining the serious human rights violations of the past, since these instruments and bodies also contribute to the protection of the human rights of women.

218.The Committee commends the State party on the various plans, programmes and other measures aiming at implementing human rights at the domestic level, especially the measures adopted in the field of women’s rights, such as national strategies for gender equity and equality, to eliminate violence against women, for universal basic education and on migration.

219.The Committee also expresses its satisfaction at the State party’s signature of a cooperation agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2007 aimed at implementing a national refugee strategy.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

220. While recalling Morocco’s obligation systematically and continuously to implement all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit these concluding observations to the Parliament, all relevant ministries of the Government and to the judiciary, to ensure their full implementation.

221.The Committee remains concerned that, although the Constitution guarantees equality before the law, it does not enshrine the principle of equality between women and men in all spheres and that the State party’s legislation does not contain an explicit definition of the principle of equality between women and men or of discrimination on the basis of sex.

222. In order to fully implement the Convention, the Committee urges the State party to incorporate the principle of equality between women and men in its Constitution, or in other appropriate law, in line with article 2 (a) of the Convention, and to reflect fully the definition of discrimination contained in article 1 of the Convention in its national legislation. It calls upon the State party to enact and implement a comprehensive law on gender equality that is binding on both public and private sectors and to make women aware of their rights under such legislation. The Committee also recommends that the State party establish clear procedures for filing complaints on discrimination against women, provide adequate sanctions for such acts of discrimination and ensure that effective remedies are available to women whose rights have been violated.

223.While noting that some international instruments that have been ratified at the domestic level and published in the Official Gazette of the State party take precedence over domestic legislation, according to Supreme Court rulings, and that a number of legislative acts contain provisions on precedence of international law, the Committee remains concerned that the status of international instruments, including the Convention, vis-à-vis national law is not clear.

224. The Committee recommends that the State party clearly establish the status of international conventions within its domestic legal framework, ensuring the precedence of international instruments, including the Convention, over national legislation, and ensure conformity of this legislation with these instruments. The Committee also recommends that the State party disseminate the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations widely among all stakeholders, including government ministries, parliamentarians, the judiciary, political parties, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the general public.

225.While noting the public announcement, in March 2006, as well as during the dialogue with the Committee, of the State party’s intention to withdraw its reservations to article 9, paragraph 2, article 16, subparagraph 1 (e), and article 16, paragraph 2, as well as of its declaration on article 15, paragraph 4, the Committee expresses concern that the withdrawal of those reservations and declarations has not been formally communicated to the depositary of the Convention.

226. The Committee calls upon the State party to notify the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as depositary of the Convention, of the withdrawal of those reservations and declarations as soon as possible. It encourages the State party to continue to take the necessary steps for the withdrawal of all its remaining declarations and reservations to articles 2 and 16 to the Convention, which, in the opinion of the Committee, go against the object and purpose of the Convention, in order for Moroccan women to benefit from all of the Conventions’ provisions.

227.While commending the State party’s legislative reforms and awareness-raising programmes on women’s human rights, the Committee is concerned that newly adopted legal regimes, such as the Family Code, are not yet well known and applied in all regions of Morocco, especially by members of the judiciary.

228. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify awareness ‑raising campaigns and training on the newly adopted legislation, as well as on the provisions of the Convention, for prosecutors, lawyers and judges, so as to establish firmly a legal culture supportive of women’s equality and non-discrimination in Morocco . It invites the State party to enhance women’s awareness of their rights through sustained legal literacy programmes and legal assistance. The Committee encourages the State party to continue its reforms in consultation with civil society, especially women’s organizations. The Committee requests the State party to provide, in its next periodic report, detailed information on legal remedies available in cases of discrimination, and on complaints on cases related to discrimination against women brought before the Ombudsman and the courts and their outcome.

229.The Committee expresses concern that traditional discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes persist about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society. These stereotypes present a significant impediment to the implementation of the Convention and are a root cause of the disadvantaged position of women in all areas, including in the labour market and in political and public life, negatively affecting women’s enjoyment of their rights and impeding the full implementation of the Convention. The Committee is especially concerned about the role played by the media in perpetuating such stereotypes.

230. The Committee encourages the State party to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including the hidden cultural patterns and norms that perpetuate direct and indirect discrimination against women and girls in all areas of their lives. It calls upon the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men at all levels of society with a view to changing stereotypical attitudes and negative cultural norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in the family and society, in accordance with article 5 (a) of the Convention. The Committee recommends that the media be encouraged to project positive images of women and the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in society.

231.While welcoming the measures adopted to combat and prevent domestic violence and violence against women such as the establishment, in 2002, of a national strategy to eliminate violence against women, developed in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, as well as the introduction of a national “green number” for battered women and girls and the appointment of gender focal points within the Criminal Investigation Directorate, the Committee remains deeply concerned that there is no specific legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and violence against domestic workers.

232. The Committee urges the State party to enact as soon as possible, in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, to ensure that all violence against women constitutes a criminal offence, that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of protection, including shelters, and redress and that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished adequately. The Committee calls upon the State party to amend, without delay, the Penal Code to ensure that marital rape is criminalized and criminal proceedings against rapists are not terminated when they marry their victims. The Committee recommends that the State party conduct studies on the causes and extent of violence against women and girls, including sexual and domestic violence. The Committee requests the State party to collect disaggregated data on all forms of violence against women and provide information in its next periodic report on the laws and policies in place dealing with such violence against women and the impact of the measures taken. The Committee urges the State party to take steps towards the protection of domestic workers and to ensure that restrictions on child labour are enforced, in order to protect the girls-child from multiple forms of discrimination.

233.The Committee is concerned about the lack of information provided by the State party, on trafficking and sexual exploitation, especially of women and girls, as well as on the concrete measures adopted to prevent such phenomena.

234. The Committee urges the State party to adopt effective measures to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, especially women and girls, and to investigate thoroughly such cases, in accordance with article 6 of the Convention and general recommendation No. 19. It calls upon the State party to increase international cooperation efforts to prevent trafficking, to prosecute and punish traffickers in accordance with the gravity of their crime and to ensure the protection of the human rights of women and girls who are victims of exploitation and trafficking, including by taking measures for their rehabilitation and social integration. The Committee also calls upon the State party to ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It further calls upon the State party to provide to the Committee, in its next periodic report, statistical data related to trafficking and exploitation.

235.While welcoming the State party’s efforts and achievements to increase women’s political participation, especially the appointment of seven ministers to the current Government and the commitment and efforts of various political parties, resulting in 30 women (10.7 per cent) being elected in the House of Representatives at the September 2002 elections, the Committee remains concerned about the very low rate of representation of women in decision-making positions in all spheres, in particular in the House of Counselors (1.1 per cent) and at the municipal level (0.53 per cent), as well as in the public and private sectors, the judiciary, the foreign service and academia.

236. The Committee recommends that the State party take effective and sustained legal measures to increase the political representation of women at all levels, including temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, rather than depending on ad hoc moral commitments from political parties. In order to accelerate the representation of women, the Committee calls upon the State party to establish legal quotas for women for the 2009 municipal elections and to adopt temporary special measures to increase women’s representation in decision-making positions in all spheres. It urges the State party to undertake awareness-raising campaigns about the importance of women’s participation in decision-making for society as a whole, including in the public and private sectors.

237.While noting the State party’s national strategy on education and the progress made in that field, the Committee notes with concern the continuing high level of illiteracy of women and girls, in particular in rural areas, which demonstrates patterns of indirect discrimination under article 10 of the Convention. It is also concerned about the high dropout rate of girls from schools and the difficulty faced by girls who are domestic workers in order to attend school.

238. The Committee recommends that the State party implement measures to ensure that girls and women have access to all levels of education. Such measures could include canteens, boarding facilities, proper sanitation, water and electricity, which have a direct impact on the realization of the right of girls and women to education, especially in rural areas. The Committee also recommends that the State party adopt temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to ensure the retention of girls in school. The Committee calls upon the State party to continue to strengthen its efforts to improve the literacy level of girls and women through the adoption of comprehensive programmes of formal and non-formal education, adult education and training and to increase the training and employment of teachers, the development of gender-sensitive educational materials and the monitoring and evaluation of progress achieved towards time-bound targets. The Committee recommends that special attention be given to girls who are domestic workers, in order to ensure that they are not employed below the age of 15, allowing them to continue their education, at least until that age.

239. The Committee urges the State party to raise general awareness of the importance of education as a human right and as a basis for the empowerment of women, and to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that perpetuate discrimination.

240.The Committee is deeply concerned about the limited opportunities of women on the labour market, their concentration in low skilled jobs with low pay and poor working conditions and the occupational segregation and persistence of a wage gap in both the public and private sector. The Committee is concerned about the high number of women working in the informal sector, where they have no access to social benefits. The Committee notes the poor implementation of the Labour Code and the exclusion of domestic workers from its scope of application by depriving them of a range of critical labour protection.

241. The Committee urges the State party to prioritize the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market, so as to achieve full compliance with article 11 of the Convention. The Committee also urges the State party to strengthen labour inspection measures to ensure better implementation of the Labour Code, to take proactive measures to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical and to narrow and close the wage gap between women and men. The Committee calls upon the State party speedily to enact appropriate legislation to regulate the employment of domestic workers as well as to adopt a gender-sensitive employment policy to regulate women’s work in the informal sector and to enhance their access to the formal sector of employment.

242.The Committee is concerned about the high rate of infant and maternal mortality in Morocco, the limited access to health-care services and family planning and the incidence of clandestine abortions, which puts women’s health at great risk.

243. The Committee calls upon the State party to increase women’s access to primary health-care services, including reproductive health care and means of family planning. In the light of its general recommendation No. 24, the Committee recommends that the State party increase awareness campaigns on the importance of health care, including information on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS and on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies through family planning and sex education.

244.The Committee is particularly concerned about the situation of rural women, their lack of participation in decision-making processes and their difficulty in accessing health care, public services, education, justice, clean water and electricity, which impairs seriously the enjoyment of their social, economic and cultural rights. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of data on the de facto situation of rural women.

245. The Committee recommends that the State party take temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to ensure that rural women enjoy their political, social, economic and cultural rights without any discrimination, especially with regard to access to education and health-care facilities. It recommends that they be fully integrated in the formulation and implementation of all sectoral policies and programmes.

246.While acknowledging that the Family Code, which came into force in February 2004, has established the minimum age of marriage for women and men at 18 years, the Committee remains concerned at the possibility that authorization may be granted by a judge to allow for marriage before that age, without any mandatory legal conditions having been fulfilled. It is also concerned at the high rate of approval of those authorizations and that the vast majority relate to girls, some as young as 13 years.

247. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure the strict implementation of the provisions on the minimum age of marriage of the Family Code. It recommends that the State party amend the Family Code in order only to authorize marriage of children under exceptional strict mandatory legal conditions.

248.The Committee is concerned that the Family Code retains the institution of polygamy, even if this is subject to the authorization of a judge and under certain exceptional conditions.

249. In the light of its general recommendation No. 21, the Committee urges the State party to amend its Family Code to prohibit polygamy, as it contravenes a woman’s right to equality with men. It also urges the State party to eliminate any other discrimination against women remaining in this Code.

250.While acknowledging the major reforms in the State party’s legislation, the Committee notes with concern certain remaining discriminatory provisions, which still affects women’s equal rights in matters relating to property acquired during marriage, divorce, custody and legal guardianship of children and inheritance. The Committee also notes with concern that property relations are governed by a regime of separate property, which often discriminates against women.

251. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure equality between women and men in marriage and upon its dissolution, by giving women equal rights in marriage and family relations. The Committee urges the State party to amend without delay all remaining discriminatory provisions, including provisions, relating to divorce, custody and legal guardianship of children and inheritance. The Committee calls upon the State party to enact legal provisions to ensure that, upon dissolution of marriage, women have equal rights to property acquired during marriage, in line with article 16, paragraph 1 (h), of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21. The Committee encourages the State party to bring about those amendments in consultation with women’s organizations.

252.While noting with satisfaction the improvement in the personal status of women in Morocco, including the fact that every child born to a Moroccan mother, whether in Morocco or abroad, is entitled to acquire his or her mother’s nationality, the Committee remains concerned about various forms of discrimination related to their personal status, such as the non-acquisition of Moroccan nationality by the foreign husband of a Moroccan wife in circumstances where a non-Moroccan wife of a Moroccan husband would acquire Moroccan nationality, and the loss of the Moroccan nationality of a Moroccan wife who acquires her husband’s foreign nationality.

253. The Committee urges the State party to amend without delay all discriminatory provisions affecting women’s rights in the Nationality Code, in order to harmonize it fully with the Convention. The Committee encourages the State party to conduct this task in consultation with women’s organizations.

254.The Committee commends the State party for its efforts to mainstream women’s equality in its national policies and programmes and for its efforts to reduce poverty through the National Initiative for Human Development. However, it remains concerned that poverty among women still persists.

255. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures through its mainstreaming efforts, and the National Initiative for Human Development, to address the specific vulnerability of women in poverty, including efforts to ensure women’s representation in the participatory approaches taken in the management of poverty reduction programmes. The Committee urges the State party to utilize temporary special measures under article 4, paragraph 1, and general recommendation No. 25, to this effect.

256.The Committee is concerned at the situation of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Morocco, as this phenomenon has increased, with Morocco becoming not only a country of origin and transit of migrants but also a country of destination. The Committee is particularly concerned about their access to the labour market, health, education and social services, especially in the case of women and girls, as well as with their exposure to violence, including sexual violence.

257. The Committee calls upon the State party to continue to strengthen its cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and adopt a national refugee legislation, in compliance with the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol. The Committee recommends that the State party allow refugees and asylum-seekers to access public services, provide work permits for those refugees and asylum-seekers who are documented and ensure their right to security, especially for women and children. The Committee calls upon the State party to improve the collection and analysis of statistical data and to include in its next periodic report statistical data and analysis on the situation of women, disaggregated by age, rural and urban areas, ethnicity and region, including Western Sahara, thus providing a clear picture of the situation of women in Morocco. It also calls upon the State party to indicate the impact of measures taken and the results achieved in the practical realization of women’s substantive equality.

258. The Committee calls upon the State party to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and invites the State party to accept the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

259. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next periodic report, as well as to consult with non-governmental organizations during that phase. It encourages the State party to involve Parliament in a discussion of the report before its submission to the Committee.

260. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

261. The Committee emphasizes that a full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

262. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Morocco to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

263. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Morocco of the present concluding observations in order to make the people of Morocco, and in particular government administrators and politicians, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality for women and the further steps required in that regard. It requests the Government to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

264. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report to be submitted under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report, which is due in July 2010, and its sixth periodic report, which is due in July 2014, in a combined report in 2014.

5.Fifth periodic report

Luxembourg

265.The Committee considered the fifth periodic report of Luxembourg (CEDAW/C/LUX/5) at its 821st and 822nd meetings, on 23 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.821 and 822). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/LUX/Q/5 and the responses by the Government of Luxembourg are contained in document CEDAW/C/LUX/Q/5/Add.1.

Introduction

266.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the quality of its fifth periodic report, which follows the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports and takes into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations and recommendations. The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and further clarifications offered in response to questions posed orally by Committee members.

267.The Committee commends the State party on its high-level delegation headed by the Minister of Equal Opportunity and expresses its appreciation for the constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee, which provided further insights into the real situation of women in Luxembourg.

268.The Committee commends the State party on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on 1 July 2003 and on the withdrawal of reservations to article 7 and article 16, paragraph 1 (g), of the Convention on 9 January 2008.

269.The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party accepted on 1 July 2003 the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the extension of the Committee’s meeting time.

Positive aspects

270.The Committee commends the State party on its overall achievement in furthering women’s human rights in Luxembourg.

271.The Committee commends the State party for the legislative developments since the consideration of its previous periodic report in 2003, namely, the revision of article 11 of the Constitution adopted on 21 June 2006, which anchors the principle of equality between women and men in the legislative framework of the State party; the adoption on 23 December 2005 of the Law on the Naming of Children; the adoption on 3 June 2004 of the Law on Collective Labour Relations, which, among other matters, calls for the application of the principle of equal pay for women and men in labour contracts; the adoption of the Domestic Violence Law of 8 September 2003; and the enactment of the Law of 19 May 2003 amending the General Statute of Civil Servants and which introduces measures to promote the reconciliation of family and working life.

272.The Committee notes with satisfaction the work developed by the national machinery, led by the Ministry of Equal Opportunity, to promote equality between women and men. The Committee commends the State party in particular for the implementation of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality, which is in line with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

273.The Committee welcomes the State party’s leadership in the promotion of the Convention during its presidency of the Council of Ministers of the European Union in the first half of 2005. The Committee also welcomes the integration of gender perspectives in its development cooperation programmes and commends the State party for being among the few States to allocate more than 0.7 per cent of its gross domestic product to development assistance.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

274. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations and recommendations to all relevant ministries, to Parliament and to the judiciary so as to ensure their full implementation.

275.While acknowledging the efforts taken by the State party to raise awareness of the Convention, including through training on the mainstreaming of a gender dimension in the work of ministry officials and the publication of school manuals on the Convention, the Committee is concerned that the Convention and its Optional Protocol are not widely known in Luxembourg. The Committee notes with concern the limited sensitization and training initiatives, especially for judicial personnel, on gender equality issues and the provisions of the Convention.

276. The Committee invites the State party to continue to widely disseminate the Convention, its Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations to all stakeholders, including government ministries, the judiciary, political parties, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the general public. The Committee calls upon the State party to integrate the Convention and its Optional Protocol in the university curricula of law and related fields, and in continuing education of legal professionals and the judiciary.

277.While appreciating the comprehensive character of the National Plan of Action on Gender Equality and the leadership of the Ministry of Equal Opportunity, the Committee is concerned that the implementation of the National Plan of Action may not yet be fully assumed by all sectors of the Government, namely taking into account the non-participation of different sectors of the Government in the constructive dialogue with the Committee.

278. The Committee strongly emphasizes that elimination of discrimination against women and attainment of equality between women and men are the Government’s responsibility and recommends that the State party ensure the full involvement and commitment of the whole Government in the implementation of the Plan of Action.

279.The Committee notes with concern that, despite the initiatives undertaken by the State party to eliminate gender-role stereotypes, including awareness-raising campaigns, education of boys and girls on equality between men and women, and incentives to diversify the roles of men and women, stereotypes related to traditional roles of men as breadwinners and women as mothers and caregivers persist and affect the educational and professional choices of women.

280. The Committee calls upon the State party to consider strengthened measures aimed at changing attitudes concerning women’s traditional roles and responsibilities in child and family care. Such measures should include curbing the portrayal, including in school and in the media, of discriminatory images, attitudes and perceptions about the roles and responsibilities of women and girls and men and boys in the family and in society, and further awareness-raising and education initiatives for both women and men with respect to sharing tasks within the family. The Committee recognizes that changing mentality is a long-term endeavour and calls upon the State party to continue, in a comprehensive manner, its efforts until these gender-role stereotypes are eliminated.

281.While noting the positive indicators provided by the State party regarding the use of parental leave by men and welcoming the State party’s legislative and policy efforts and other measures to improve reconciliation of family life and work, including the establishment of a network of child-care facilities, the Committee is concerned that domestic and family responsibilities are still primarily borne by women, many of whom interrupt their careers or engage in part-time jobs to meet family responsibilities.

282. The Committee encourages the State party to step up its efforts to assist women and men in striking a balance between family and employment responsibilities, inter alia, through further awareness-raising and education initiatives for both women and men on adequate sharing of care of children and domestic tasks, as well as ensuring that part-time employment is not taken up almost exclusively by women. The Committee also encourages the State party to consider the findings of the Labour Force Survey, undertaken in 2006 by the Central Statistics and Economic Studies Service (STATEC), on the situation of women in the labour market and to adopt new measures that better address women’s employment challenges, including the provision of additional child-care facilities for children of different age groups.

283.While commending the considerable efforts made by the State party to address violence against women, including the domestic violence law and its positive evaluation, awareness-raising efforts and support services provided to women victims of violence, the Committee remains concerned with the prevalence of different forms of violence against women and the lack of information on the extent of the phenomenon. The Committee is also concerned by the absence of a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women.

284. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify and expand its efforts to prevent and address all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence, rape and sexual exploitation, including pornography, in accordance with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19, as well as utilizing the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women (A/61/122/Add.1 and Corr.1). Accordingly, it calls upon the State party to put in place a comprehensive strategy and action plan to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women, including in the immigrant community, as well as an effective institutional mechanism to coordinate, monitor and assess the effectiveness of measures taken. The Committee encourages the State party to intensify its awareness-raising efforts with regard to all forms of violence against women and the unacceptability of all such violence. The Committee invites the State party to intensify its efforts to correct the violent behaviours of the offenders and to provide support services and a sufficient number of shelters for women victims of violence, staffed by expert personnel and provided with adequate financial resources for their effective functioning. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the systematic collection and publication of data, disaggregated by type of violence and by the relationship of the perpetrator to the victim, and to use such data as the basis for monitoring the implementation of current and future policy and support measures.

285.While noting the progress made with regard to the presence of women in Parliament and in municipal elected bodies, the Committee expresses concern that women remain underrepresented in these bodies and progress made in representation of women in political life has been slow. The Committee is also concerned that fewer women were appointed to serve as ministers in the 2004 Government and very few women hold positions at the highest level in diplomacy. The Committee is further concerned at the generally low number of women working in public administration and in particular at the low number of women holding high-ranking posts in the public sectors. The Committee expresses concern about the lack of information on the presence of immigrant women in decision-making positions in a country where immigrants account for about 40 per cent of the population.

286. The Committee calls upon the State party to evaluate the resistance and obstacles to women’s full and equal participation in public life and decision-making, especially at the higher levels. It also calls upon the State party to use temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations No. 25 on temporary special measures, and No. 23 on women in political and public life. It encourages the State party to ensure that the representation of women in political and public bodies reflects the full diversity of the population and requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report detailed sex ‑disaggregated data and information on the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies and in the judiciary, including at the decision-making level, and trends over time.

287.While acknowledging the initiatives taken by the State party to foster women’s employment and the resulting growth in the participation of women in the labour market, the Committee is concerned that women remain disadvantaged in the labour market. The Committee is particularly concerned at the resistance of social actors with regard to affirmative action measures aimed at increasing the participation of the underrepresented sex in certain sectors. The Committee notes with concern that women are concentrated in part-time and low-paid work and that few women have acceded to high-level posts in economic life. The Committee is equally concerned at the long-standing pay gap between women and men, despite the principle of equal pay for equal work being enshrined in the national legislation, and the absence of a Government strategy to address the issue. The Committee is also concerned at the difficulties experienced by immigrant women regarding their integration and participation in the labour market. The Committee wishes to draw the State party’s attention to the disadvantaged situation of women who interrupt their careers for family reasons and the consequences thereof upon retirement and terms of old-age pensions.

288. The Committee wishes to emphasize that realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market, including in the private sector, so as to achieve compliance with article 11 of the Convention, is an obligation of the State party under the Convention. The Committee calls upon the State party to adopt policies and take all necessary measures, including special temporary measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, with time-bound targets, to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical. The Committee encourages the State party to mainstream the issues of immigrant women, who may suffer multiple discriminations, into its employment policies and programmes. The Committee urges the State party to adopt further measures to narrow and close the pay gap between women and men and to adopt mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the principle of equal pay for equal work of work of equal value. The Committee encourages the State party to continue its data collection and analysis efforts to monitor the effectiveness of policy and measures adopted to improve the employment situation of women. The Committee invites the State party to include, in its next periodic report, information on the extent of use and impact of affirmative action in the private sector, and information on measures taken to improve the situation of women in the labour market and their impact.

289.While noting Luxembourg’s outstanding education system, the Committee draws the State party’s attention to the prevailing stereotyped choices of academic and vocational fields. The Committee expresses concern at the unequal access to quality education at all levels for girls of foreign origin and at the indication of the high level drop-out rate from school at various levels among these girls.

290. The Committee encourages the State party to strengthen its programme aimed at diversifying academic and vocational choices for girls and boys and to take further measures to encourage girls to pursue untraditional education fields. The Committee also upon the State party to monitor closely the situation of girls of foreign origin in all educational levels and to continue to address the difficulties they experience in the school system.

291.While noting the favourable health situation in Luxembourg and welcoming the State party’s intention to develop an anti-smoking programme, the Committee is concerned at the reported increase in smoking among women, in particular young women, and its effects on children. The Committee is equally concerned at the lack of information provided with regard to mental health problems that seem to be experienced by young people, including young women.

292. The Committee recommends that the State party conduct a study on the underlying causes of the popularity of smoking among young women and to integrate a gender perspective in its anti-smoking strategy, including in any awareness-raising campaigns. The Committee invites the State party to include, in its next periodic report, information on the results of measures taken to address smoking problems, disaggregated data on the situation of women and young girls’ mental health in Luxembourg and information on its response thereto, and in particular access to relevant services. Furthermore, the Committee calls the State party’s attention to the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24, which gives guidelines on a gender sensitive approach to health policies.

293.While noting the State party’s efforts to address prostitution in Luxembourg, including the mapping exercise and the plan to launch a campaign targeted to clients, the Committee expresses its concern at the lack of information on the extent of prostitution in Luxembourg and the absence of a comprehensive strategy to address the exploitation of prostitution.

294. The Committee recommends that the State party study the extent of prostitution in Luxembourg and include in its next periodic report sex ‑disaggregated data and information on the exploitation of prostitution. The Committee urges the State party to increase the attention given to the exploitation of prostitution and to formulate comprehensive strategies, including programmes to discourage the demand for prostitution, to discourage women from entering prostitution and to establish programmes of rehabilitation and support for women who wish to discontinue their lives in prostitution.

295.While acknowledging the measures taken to curb trafficking, including the anti-trafficking bill, the establishment of a special investigation unit within the national police and the inter-ministerial working group which coordinates actions to combat trafficking, the Committee remains concerned about the paucity of data with regard to the trafficking of women and girls into Luxembourg, which did not provide it with a clear picture of the situation on the ground. The Committee is also concerned at the reported difficulties in identification and investigation of trafficking cases.

296. The State party is encouraged to provide, in its next periodic report, comprehensive information on the prevalence of trafficking to and out of Luxembourg as well as information on the impact of measures taken and results achieved. The Committee calls upon the State party to accelerate the adoption of the anti-trafficking bill and requests the State party to take all appropriate measures to ensure better identification and investigation of trafficking cases, in particular through enhanced training and capacity-building efforts for law enforcement officials so as to increase their ability to identify potential victims of trafficking. The Committee invites the State party to further strengthen bilateral, regional and international cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination of trafficking victims so as to further curb this phenomenon.

297.The Committee reiterates its concern expressed during the consideration of the fourth periodic report of Luxembourg with regard to the delay in the adoption of the draft law of 15 May 2003 reforming divorce.

298. The Committee urges the State party to expedite the adoption of the draft law reforming divorce, which abolishes the waiting period for women to remarry and divorce based on fault, as well as amends the system of alimony to make it more equitable for women, reforms the system as to compensate for the disparities that the break-up of marriage often creates, and provides for a system of joint exercise of parental authority by divorced parents.

299. The Committee also emphasizes that a full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

300. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. The Committee therefore encourages the Government of Luxembourg to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

301. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Luxembourg of the present concluding observations and recommendations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and of the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

302. The Committee requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report, information on the results obtained from studies and surveys with regard to the impact of laws, policies, plans and programmes aimed at achieving gender equality, as well as information on the evaluation of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality and follow-up measures thereto.

303. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in, and consult non-governmental organizations during, the preparation of its next periodic report. It encourages the State party to involve Parliament in a discussion of the report before its submission to the Committee.

304. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations and recommendations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its sixth periodic report, which is due on 4 March 2010, and its seventh periodic report, which is due on 4 March 2014, in a combined report in 2014.

6.Sixth periodic report

France

305.The Committee considered the sixth periodic report of France (CEDAW/C/FRA/6) at its 817th and 818th meetings, on 18 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.817 and 818). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/FRA/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of France are contained in document CEDAW/C/FRA/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

306.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of the sixth periodic report, but regrets that it did not contain sufficient and systematically organized information on the Overseas Departments and Territories and that no easily accessible information was provided on the implementation of the concluding observations of 2003. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group, although incomplete in some parts, and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee.

307.The Committee commends the State party for sending a high-level delegation, which was headed by the Minister of State at the Ministry of Labour, Labour Relations and Solidarity and included representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Social Relations and Solidarity, as well as a regional delegate from Martinique, and from various other Government ministries and departments. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the open and constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

Positive aspects

308.The Committee welcomes the State party’s ongoing efforts to improve de jure and de facto the situation of women in France. It particularly welcomes Act No. 2006-399 of 4 April 2006, which was aimed at strengthening the prevention and punishment of domestic violence and violence against children.

309.The Committee welcomes the establishment of the High Authority to Combat Discrimination and Promote Equality and its mandate to investigate complaints of discrimination against women, as well as to conduct research, training and awareness-raising campaigns.

310.The Committee welcomes gender-mainstreaming policies through the Charter on Equality between Women and Men of 8 March 2004 as well as the increase in gender-budgeting as expressed in the “Yellow Budget Paper”, which has resulted in better involvement of the various ministries for actions to advance women’s rights and gender equality.

311.The Committee notes with appreciation the State party’s gender policies on international development in providing financial and other assistance, inter alia, to the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the United Nations Children’s Fund, and on undertaking bilateral cooperation with developing countries.

312.The Committee welcomes the State party’s withdrawal of its reservations to article 5 (b) and article 16, paragraph 1 (d), of the Convention.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

313. While recalling the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention until the submission of the next periodic report. The Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on actions taken and concrete results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to transmit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, other Government structures at all levels, including the Overseas Departments and Territories, to Parliament and to the judiciary, in order to ensure their full implementation.

314.While welcoming that the State party, during the constructive dialogue with the Committee, indicated that it might review and withdraw its remaining declarations and reservations, the Committee regrets that this withdrawal has not yet been realized.

315. The Committee encourages the State party to finalize as soon as possible the procedure of withdrawal of its reservation to article 14, paragraph 2 (c), of the Convention. The Committee requests the State party to initiate as soon as possible the procedure to withdraw its declaration and its reservation to article 14, paragraph 2 (h), which in the opinion of the Committee, have the character of an interpretative declaration, and to withdraw its reservation to article 16, paragraph 1 (g).

316.While noting that the Convention, according to the French Constitution, has precedence over domestic law and that efforts have been undertaken to raise awareness about the Convention among judges, the Committee regrets that no court decisions have so far referred to the Convention, in particular as France has a monist legal system in which the provisions of the Convention in principle may be directly invoked before domestic courts.

317. The Committee reiterates the recommendations expressed after considering the State party’s fourth and fifth periodic reports, and urges the State party to take further steps to raise awareness about the Convention and its Optional Protocol and to provide systematic training to the judiciary and public prosecutors on the scope and significance of the Convention with a view to encouraging them to utilize the Convention in litigations and to encourage the legal professions to provide for similar training. The Committee further recommends that the Convention, its Optional Protocol and other international human rights instruments be included as a mandatory component in the training of the legal profession and in the curriculum of law faculties.

318.The Committee regrets the fact that the State party provided incomplete information on the implementation of the Convention in its Overseas Departments and Territories.

319. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next periodic report extensive and systematically organized information on the implementation of the Convention in all its Overseas Departments and Territories.

320.While welcoming the establishment of the High Authority to Combat Discrimination and Promote Equality and its capacity to investigate complaints of discrimination against women, as well as to conduct research, training and awareness-raising campaigns, the Committee is concerned that only 3 per cent of the complaints it receives are from women alleging sex discrimination. It is also concerned that the High Authority might not have sufficient financial and human resources.

321. The Committee recommends that the State party initiate campaigns to encourage women to bring complaints alleging sex discrimination and to endow the High Authority with sufficient financial and human resources in order to fully exercise its mandate.

322.The Committee welcomes the steps taken to eliminate gender-role stereotypes, including the joint declaration signed on 27 November 2003 between the Ministry responsible for Parity and the Advertising Standards Office on respect for the human being in advertising; the establishment of a public forum to debate the image of women in advertising; and the undertaking of a study on stereotypes in school textbooks. However, the Committee remains concerned about the fact that academic orientation remains strongly influenced by stereotypes, as a result of which women continue to be concentrated in a narrow range of employment. The Committee notes with concern the persistence of stereotypes, including about immigrant and migrant women, that affect their position in the labour market, characterized by high unemployment rates, part-time work and limited participation in public life and decision-making.

323. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to encourage the mass media to promote changes with regard to the roles and tasks considered suitable for women and men, as required by article 5 of the Convention, and to provide the Committee in its next periodic report with information on the outcome of the study on stereotypes in school textbooks. The Committee also recommends that the State party continue its work of finding the most appropriate way to pursue measures to encourage girls to study non-traditional subjects and companies to recruit women for non-stereotypical posts. Furthermore, the Committee urges the State party to undertake in-depth research and studies on the impact of gender-role stereotypes for the effective implementation of all the provisions of the Convention, in particular, in regard to the ability of migrant and immigrant women to enjoy their human rights. It calls upon the State party to undertake awareness-raising campaigns targeting the public at large about the negative impact of such stereotypes on society as a whole.

324. While noting the evaluation by the State party of the implementation of the Act of 15 March 2004 banning the wearing of “signs or dress through which pupils ostensibly indicate which religion they profess in public primary, middle and secondary schools”, the Committee nevertheless remains concerned that the ban should not lead to a denial of the right to education of any girl and their inclusion into all facets of French society.

325. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to monitor closely the implementation of the Act so that there is no negative impact on the education of girls and their inclusion into all facets of French society. The Committee also recommends that the State party provide data in its next periodic report on the educational achievements of migrant and immigrant girls at all levels.

326.The Committee is concerned that immigrant women living in France continue to suffer from multiple discrimination, including with regard to access to education, employment and health care, and from violence against them. The Committee is further concerned at the new restrictive immigration laws and policies, which have prevented many immigrant women from qualifying for residence permits. The Committee is especially concerned at the restrictive family reunification practices, which mostly affect women, such as DNA tests, which have been found to be discriminatory by the High Authority to Combat Discrimination and Promote Equality, and language proficiency tests and tests relating to knowledge of the values of the Republic.

327. The Committee reiterates the recommendations expressed after considering the State party’s fourth and fifth periodic reports and urges the Government to take effective measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against immigrant women. The Committee urges the State party to assess the laws and policies that affect immigrant women and to provide information on such assessment, including data and analyses, in its next periodic report. The Committee also requests the State party to include information on the number of immigrant women who were granted residence permits, including in the context of family reunification.

328.While welcoming the strengthening of the Act on Parity in the Political Sphere and other efforts that have been undertaken to improve the representation of women in decision-making positions, as in the President’s cabinet, the Committee reiterates its concern regarding the underrepresentation of women in high-level positions in public sectors, including at the international level, in academia, and in the private and business sectors. It is particularly concerned by the low presence of women in the Departmental Assemblies and in the Parliament.

329. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen measures to accelerate women’s full and equal participation in all aspects of political and public life and in decision-making bodies, especially in high-ranking posts, including in academia, as mayors and as judges. It also urges the State party to take appropriate measures to implement the Act on Parity in the Political Sphere and other relevant legislation. It encourages the State party to ensure that the representation of women in political and public bodies reflects the full diversity of the population and includes immigrant women. The Committee requests that the State party provide data and information on the representation of women, including immigrant women, in political and public life and in academia, in its next periodic report.

330.The Committee remains concerned about the persistence of the disadvantaged situation of women in the labour market, reflected in the fact that the number of women in the higher echelons of the labour market remains low and that women are concentrated in certain low-wage sectors. The Committee is deeply concerned that the wage gap between women and men in the private sector persists, that women are predominantly found in part-time positions and that as a consequence women generally receive lower pensions. Furthermore, the Committee remains concerned at the relatively high unemployment rate among women with disabilities and immigrant women and at the lack of statistical data on the above matters.

331. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to ensure de facto equality for women in the labour market, so as to achieve full compliance with article 11 of the Convention. It recommends that the State party take proactive and concrete measures to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical, and narrow and close the pay gap between women and men. In that regard, the Committee recommends that the State party implement its plan to curb wage gaps, including through financial sanctions as of 2010 for companies that do not have a plan to redress wage inequalities. Furthermore, the Committee urges the State party to create more opportunities for women to have access to full-time employment. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to allow women and men to reconcile family and professional responsibilities and for the promotion of equal sharing of domestic and family tasks between men and women by providing, inter alia, more and improved childcare facilities. The Committee also recommends that the State party encourage men to share responsibility for childcare, including through awareness-raising activities and by taking parental leave. In the area of pensions, the Committee recommends that the State party implement the President’s expressed desire to increase the minimum old-age pension, improve the retirement pensions for people in agriculture and crafts and provide retirement pensions for homemakers who had not worked professionally. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake special measures to assist women with disabilities to enter into the labour market. The Committee further recommends that the State party collect relevant statistical data to improve policy formulation.

332.While appreciating the State party’s efforts to combat violence against women, including through awareness-raising programmes, research and the adoption of Act No. 2006-399 of 4 April 2006 aimed at strengthening the prevention and punishment of domestic violence and violence against children, the Committee remains concerned at the high prevalence of violence, in particular domestic violence, as, inter alia, shown by the recent research demonstrating that a woman dies at the hands of her companion every three days.

333. The Committee urges the State party, in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, to take comprehensive measures in order to address all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence. The Committee recommends that the State party analyse all cases of violence against women, in particular those that result in murders of women, and ensure the adoption of effective measures to prevent violence against women and protect them from violence. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen cooperation between police, the public prosecutor and non-governmental organizations in the prevention of violence against women. Furthermore, the Committee calls upon the State party to collect comprehensive statistical data disaggregated by age and type of violence and the relationship of the perpetrator to the victim.

334.The Committee is concerned at the prevalence of trafficking and that the increase in trafficking in women and girls may lead to an increase in the exploitation of prostitution of women. The Committee is concerned about the scarcity of statistics, data and research on trafficking in women and girls and about the obligation of trafficked women to submit a complaint in order to be granted residence permits. Concerning prostitution, the Committee reiterates its concern about the prohibition of passive soliciting. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of a clear legal definition of sexual harassment in the Labour Code.

335. The Committee urges the State party to take all appropriate measures to suppress all forms of trafficking and exploitation of prostitution of women and girls. In that regard, the Committee urges the State party to systematically collect and analyse data, disaggregated by age and social origin, to improve insight into situations of trafficking and related trends and in order to identify the root causes of the phenomenon, and to formulate and implement policies to address such root causes. In order to ensure that trafficked women and girls in need of international protection are not expelled, the Committee recommends that the State party review the obligation of submitting a complaint to be granted residence permits. The Committee calls upon the State party to undertake a comprehensive study on the impact of the Act of 18 March 2003 on internal security, including the prohibition of passive soliciting, on the area of prostitution and to review the definition of sexual harassment.

336.While noting with appreciation the information on and easy accessibility of contraceptive measures and the access to voluntary termination of pregnancy, the Committee is concerned at the relatively high abortion rate.

337. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that sex education, including prevention of early pregnancy, be widely promoted and targeted at both girls and boys, women and men, with special attention being paid to migrant and immigrant girls and boys and women and men. The Committee calls upon the State party to provide information on maternal mortality and abortion in its next periodic report.

338.While noting that Act No. 2002-304 of 4 March 2002 on family names, amended by Act No. 2003-516 of 18 June 2003, which entered into force on 1 January 2005, ended the requirement that children born in wedlock automatically carry the name of their father, the Committee is concerned about the remaining sex‑based discriminatory aspects of this Act, such as the veto right of the father to oppose the transmission of the mother’s family name in cases where there is no joint declaration or where the parents do not agree.

339. The Committee recommends that the State party amend this legislation in order to conform fully with the Convention.

340.While noting with appreciation the efforts undertaken to improve the situation of rural women, such as the law increasing the basic pensions of rural women working in agriculture, and the declaration made by the State party during the dialogue that further efforts would be put in place to improve their living conditions, including through improved access to transport, the Committee is concerned about the lack of data on the situation of such women.

341. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to improve the situation of rural women, through both legislative and practical measures, to collect disaggregated data covering women in rural areas.

342.While noting the State party’s efforts to improve the situation of older women through the Government’s project of revaluation of small pensions and specific measures to monitor their health and living situation so as to be able to react quickly in times of crises, the Committee remains concerned that specifically targeted measures to combat the marginalization of older women, including immigrant and migrant women, are missing.

343. The Committee encourages the State party to develop a consistent overall policy in order to improve the situation of older women and to develop comprehensive programmes and policies targeted specifically at the elimination of marginalization of older women, and to include the results achieved in its next periodic report.

344.The Committee is concerned that the State party’s report contained insufficient data disaggregated by sex and age, in relation to the implementation of all areas of the Convention. The Committee notes that such data would have further clarified the de facto situation of different groups of women in regard to all provisions of the Convention, and the impact of governmental policies and programmes aimed at eliminating discrimination against them, as well as trends over time.

345. The Committee requests the State party to include adequate statistical data, disaggregated by sex and age, and analysis in its next periodic report so as to provide a full picture of the implementation of all the provisions of the Convention. It also recommends that the State party regularly conduct impact assessments of its legislation, policies, plans and programmes to ensure that measures taken lead to the desired goals, and that it inform the Committee about the results achieved in the implementation of the Convention in its next periodic report.

346. The Committee urges the State party to continue to utilize, in its implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

347. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

348. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore the Committee encourages the Government of France to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

349. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in France, including the Overseas Departments and Territories, of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

350. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, which is due in January 2009, and its eighth periodic report, which is due in January 2013, in a combined report in January 2013.

7.Combined sixth and seventh periodic report

Sweden

351.The Committee considered the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Sweden (CEDAW/C/SWE/7) at its 827th and 828th meetings, on 25 January 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.827 and 828). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/SWE/Q/7 and the responses of the Government of Sweden are contained in document CEDAW/C/SWE/Q/7/Add.1.

Introduction

352.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its combined sixth and seventh periodic report, which followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports and took into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Committee also commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee.

353.The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, which was headed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality and included representatives of various Government ministries and departments. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the frank and open constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

354.The Committee welcomes the State party’s recognition of the positive contribution made by non-governmental human rights and women’s organizations to the preparation of the State party’s report.

355.The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention in April 2003.

Positive aspects

356.The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality on 1 January 2007 as well as the Division for Gender Equality under the Ministry, charged, inter alia, with a coordinating role within the Government offices overseeing gender mainstreaming.

357.The Committee welcomes the adoption of a national human rights plan of action for the period 2006-2009, which focuses on protection against discrimination and the appointment of the Delegation for Human Rights, both of which contribute to the protection of women’s human rights. The Committee also welcomes the adoption, in May 2006, of new gender equality priorities.

358.The Committee notes with appreciation the tenfold increase in the State party budget for gender equality policy and the adoption of the plan for gender mainstreaming in Government offices for the period 2004-2009 to promote gender mainstreaming throughout all governmental bodies.

359.The Committee commends the State party for the adoption, in November 2007, of the action plan to combat men’s violence against women, violence and oppression in the name of honour and violence in same-sex relationships.

360.The Committee welcomes the amendment of the Swedish Aliens Act in 2006, which provides for the granting of refugee status to persons claiming fear of persecution on grounds of gender and sexual orientation and which will be of benefit to women refugees.

361.The Committee also welcomes the amendment of the Abortion Act in November 2007 to remove the requirement that a woman must be a Swedish citizen or resident in Sweden to have an abortion.

362.The Committee congratulates the State party for its bilateral cooperation programmes designed to promote and protect women’s rights in its international assistance. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party’s official development assistance to developing countries has exceeded the international target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product and recently reached 1.0 per cent of the gross national product.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

363. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

364.The Committee is concerned that a recent commission of inquiry concluded that the instrument of Government of the Swedish Constitution is gender-blind, and not gender-sensitive, and that the concept of equality in the Constitution is not in line with the Convention. In addition, the Committee notes with concern the lack of judicial reference to the Convention.

365. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct a thorough gender-sensitive review of all four acts forming its Constitution to ensure that it is in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. The Committee encourages the State party to consider using its future anti-discrimination act as, inter alia, a transformation of the Convention into domestic law, including the concept of substantive equality. The Committee requests the State party to report on progress made in this regard in its next periodic report, including whether the Convention has been invoked by women before domestic courts.

366.While welcoming the recent initiative of the Government to merge the current anti-discrimination legislation into one single anti-discrimination act that will cover seven grounds of discrimination, including discrimination on the grounds of sex, and will be applied to most areas of society, in addition to information that the damages for discrimination will be substantially increased in that act, the Committee is concerned that the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross‑cutting nature, might lose some of its visibility and therefore receive less attention.

367. The Committee recommends that the State party should use the new anti ‑discrimination act to strengthen the national legislative framework for the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of women in Sweden and calls upon the Government to ensure that the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross-cutting nature, is given adequate visibility and attention.

368.While noting that the State party has supported the production of a handbook on the Convention, the Committee is concerned at the lack of awareness, in general, of the Convention and its Optional Protocol in Sweden, especially in the municipalities.

369. The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to raise awareness of the Convention and its Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations among judges, prosecutors and lawyers to ensure that the spirit, objectives and provisions of the Convention become well-known and regularly used in judicial processes. The Committee also recommends that the State party disseminate the handbook on the Convention more widely.

370.While acknowledging the State party’s elaborate system of gender mainstreaming at the municipal, regional and governmental level, including under the plan for gender mainstreaming in Government offices for the period 2004-2009, the Committee is concerned that the plan lacks effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms, including sanctions for non-compliance.

371. The Committee calls upon the State party to introduce effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms at all levels in the context of its system for gender mainstreaming, including in the context of the plan for gender mainstreaming in Government offices for the period 2004-2009, and that such mechanisms include sanctions for non-compliance.

372.While welcoming the State party’s efforts to address stereotypical attitudes and behaviours that discriminate against women and perpetuate inequality between women and men, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of stereotypical attitudes towards women which threaten to undermine their rights. The Committee notes with concern that such attitudes are particularly prevalent in the media, where women and men are often depicted in a stereotyped manner and that a process of mainstreaming pornography, also known as “sexualization of the public sphere”, is occurring in the State party.

373. The Committee calls upon the State party to take proactive and sustained measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to encourage the mass media to promote cultural changes with regard to the roles and tasks considered suitable for women and men, as required by article 5 of the Convention. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its strategies to combat sexualization of the public sphere and to take proactive measures to ensure that media production and coverage are non-discriminatory and increase awareness of these issues among media proprietors and other relevant actors in the industry. The Committee urges the State party to undertake in-depth research and studies on the impact of gender-role stereotypes on the implementation of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to undertake an assessment of the impact of current measures in this context in order to identify shortcomings and to adjust and improve these measures accordingly.

374.The Committee remains concerned at the low percentage of women in high‑ranking posts, particularly in academia, where the presence of women has been declining as they move up the academic ladder and where they currently hold only 17 per cent of professorships. While noting the information provided by the delegation that the Government will develop a strategy on gender mainstreaming in the labour market and business sector, the Committee continues to be concerned at the low representation of women in top management positions and on boards of private companies. The Committee regrets that although temporary special measures are provided for in legislation they are not systematically employed as a method of accelerating the achievement of de facto substantive equality between women and men in all areas of the Convention and, in particular, within the private sector.

375. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen its efforts to encourage an increase in the number of women in high-ranking posts, in particular in academia. It recommends the adoption of proactive measures to encourage more women to apply for high-ranking posts and encourages the State party to employ and effectively implement temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in all areas. It also recommends that the State party include in its gender equality legislation provisions to mandate the use of temporary special measures, including goals or quotas, enhanced by a system of incentives, in both the public and private sectors. The Committee recommends that the future strategy on gender mainstreaming in the labour market and business sector should include effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms, including sanctions for non-compliance by employers and other relevant groups. The Committee requests that the State party monitor developments with regard to women’s participation in top management positions with a view to further supporting such participation through legislative or policy initiatives and to provide information on results achieved, including relevant disaggregated statistical data.

376.The Committee notes the continued high level of participation of women in the labour market and measures taken by the State party in support of such participation, which enable both women and men to reconcile work and family life through extended maternity and paternity leave schemes. While noting recent initiatives undertaken by the State party, including the introduction in 2007 of an earned income tax credit, a tax credit for the purchase of household-related services and the introduction in the budget bill for 2008 of a gender equality bonus in the context of parental insurance, the Committee remains concerned that fewer than 20 per cent of parental leaves are taken by fathers and that women largely dominate part-time positions. Notwithstanding the amendment of the Equal Opportunities Act to introduce a definition of the term “work of equal value” into that Act, the Committee remains concerned at significant occupational segregation and the persistence of a wage gap between women and men.

377. The Committee urges the State party to prioritize the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market, so as to achieve full compliance with article 11 of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to monitor trends, including through the collection and analysis of data disaggregated by sex, skills and sectors in part-time versus full-time work, as well as the impact of measures taken and results achieved, and to take the necessary corrective steps. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to ensure reconciliation of family and professional responsibilities and for the promotion of equal sharing of domestic and family tasks between women and men, including by increasing the incentives for men to use their right to parental leave. The Committee urges the State party to take proactive concrete measures to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical, and to narrow and close the wage gap between women and men.

378.While commending the State party for the range of efforts made to eliminate violence against women since the submission of its previous periodic report, including the 2007 action plan on violence, new legislation on sexual crimes from 2005 and the extension of the provisions of the Act on Restraining Orders, the Committee remains concerned at the high prevalence of violence against women and girls, in particular domestic violence and crimes committed against women in the name of honour. The Committee is also concerned at the low prosecution and conviction rates relating to violent crimes in Sweden and regrets that the Swedish crime statistics are not broken down by the sex of the victims. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned at the conclusions of the inquiry on social services support that the provision of such services varies between municipalities and that some municipalities are unable to offer sheltered housing to all women victims of violence, including women with special needs, such as women with disabilities. In addition, the Committee regrets the lack of statistical information on the number of women and girls living in Sweden who have been genitally mutilated.

379. In accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, the Committee urges the State party to ensure that comprehensive measures are in place to address all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence and crimes committed in the name of honour. The Committee calls upon the State party to allocate sufficient financial resources to ensure the effective implementation of the 2007 action plan on violence, to study and analyse all cases of violence against women, in particular those that result in the murder of women, and to implement policies in order to prevent such violence, provide protection, support and services to the victims and punish and rehabilitate offenders. The Committee also calls upon the State party to collect comprehensive statistical data disaggregated by sex, age and type of violence and the relationship of the perpetrator to the victim. The Committee urges the State party to provide statistical information in its next periodic report on the number of women and girls living in Sweden who have been genitally mutilated. The Committee also urges the State party to take the necessary measures to ensure greater cooperation between the central Government, the regional county administrative boards and the municipalities. The Committee further urges the State party to monitor the provision of social services with a view to ensuring the availability of a sufficient number of shelters equipped to accommodate women with disabilities throughout the territory of the State party and making sure that they are adequately financed.

380.While noting a number of measures undertaken by the State party to address the issue of trafficking, including the ratification on 1 July 2004 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the 2002 amendment of the Penal Code to introduce a provision criminalizing trafficking in human beings and the possibility of issuing time-limited residence permits to victims or witnesses of trafficking, the Committee notes with concern the incidence of trafficking of women and girls into Sweden and is concerned that insufficient data on the prevalence of trafficked women and girls were provided to the Committee. The Committee is also concerned at the occurrence of trafficking in girls, prostitution and related issues committed by Swedish citizens abroad.

381. The Committee urges the State party to take all appropriate measures to suppress all forms of trafficking in women. The Committee requests the State party to provide in its next report comprehensive information and data about trafficking in women and girls and information on the impact of measures taken and results achieved, including under the future national action programme for combating trafficking in human beings. It encourages the State party to take proper account of the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, following her visit to Sweden (A/HRC/4/34/Add.3), when formulating the national programme. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen the legislation allowing the prosecution of Swedish citizens involved in sexual exploitation of girls abroad, including by prohibiting the reissuance of passports for persons freed after posting bail. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its bilateral, regional and international cooperation so as to further curb this phenomenon, including in the context of the State party’s strategy on poverty and trafficking in human beings.

382.While noting the information provided by the delegation that an evaluation of the prohibition of prostitution, including the effects of the 1999 Law that Prohibits the Purchase of Sexual Services, is scheduled for 2008, the Committee regrets the lack of information and data on the prevalence of prostitution in Sweden, including clandestine prostitution.

383. The Committee requests the State party to provide full information and data on the exploitation of women and on prostitution in its next periodic report, including clandestine prostitution. The State party should also provide information on the results of the upcoming evaluation of its policy with respect to prostitution, including the impact of the policy on women in prostitution as well as on the demand side of the sexual services, and should provide information on the measures taken to follow up on the results of the evaluation. The State party is encouraged to continue formulating strategies and programmes to prevent women from entering prostitution and to establish programmes of rehabilitation and support for women and girls who wish to leave prostitution, including information on and support in relation to alternative livelihood options.

384.The Committee expresses its concern at the outcome of recent reports from the National Board of Health and Welfare indicating that there are shortcomings in gender equality in health services and that this can involve differing access to advanced medical treatment for women and men, and can also involve the formulation of standard diagnoses used by the health services. The Committee is also concerned that women suffer to a greater extent from stress-related illness and use the health services, consume medication and go on sick leave considerably more than men. In addition, the Committee expresses its concern at the deteriorating mental health situation of young girls, including increased alcohol and drug consumption and an increase in attempted suicides and other forms of self-inflicted harm.

385. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct further surveys and research to discern the scope of the problem and to understand the causes and also calls upon the State party to continue its efforts to improve health services and integrate a gender perspective into all health sector programmes, services and reforms in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24, so that all women and men in every part of the territory have equal access to appropriate and adequate health services. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary measures to address the deteriorating mental health situation of young girls, to prevent and combat the abuse of alcohol and use of drugs, to prevent suicide and to strengthen mental health programmes, both preventive and interventional, and to allocate adequate financial resources for the effective implementation of such programmes.

386.The Committee is concerned that the State party’s current legislation on distribution of property upon divorce may not adequately address gender-based economic disparities between spouses resulting from the existing sex segregation of the labour market and women’s greater share in unpaid work.

387. The Committee calls upon the State party to undertake research on the economic consequences of divorce on both spouses, with specific attention to the enhanced human capital and earning potential of male spouses on the basis of their full-time and uninterrupted career pattern. The Committee recommends that the State party review its current legislation in the light of the outcome of the research and to include information to this effect in its next periodic report.

388.While noting the measures taken with the aim of enhancing the integration of immigrant, refugee and minority women into the Swedish society and of including those women in the labour market, the Committee continues to be concerned about their human rights situation and the fact that they continue to suffer from multiple forms of discrimination. The Committee notes that the 2007 action plan on violence recognizes women of immigrant or foreign origin as a particularly vulnerable group requiring special protection, but remains concerned at the violence and discrimination on the grounds of sex that they face in their own communities. The Committee is also concerned about a 2007 regulation demanding that a foreign national be accompanied by a close relative when obtaining identification documents, which may negatively affect abused foreign women, but notes the statement by the delegation that this regulation will be reviewed. While noting the appointment of a Delegation for Roma Issues, the Committee continues to be concerned at the remaining forms of discrimination experienced by Saami and Roma women in various contexts.

389. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to eliminate discrimination against immigrant, refugee and minority women. It encourages the State party to be proactive in its measures to prevent discrimination against those women, both within their communities and in society at large, to combat violence against them, and to increase their awareness of the availability of social services and legal remedies as well as to familiarize them with their rights to gender equality and non-discrimination. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to integrate them into the Swedish labour market. The Committee also urges the State party to review the 2007 regulation on identification documents. In addition, the Committee calls upon the State party to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on discrimination against immigrant, refugee and minority women, to collect statistics on their situation in employment, education and health and on all forms of violence that they may experience, and to submit such information in its next periodic report.

390.Notwithstanding the establishment on 1 January 2006 of a new public agency to ensure the effective short-term and long-term implementation of the State party’s national disability policy, the Committee is concerned that women with disabilities suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, including with respect to access to education, employment, health care and protection from violence, and that they are not seen as a particular group with particular needs. The Committee regrets the absence of sufficient information and data, including statistical data, on the impact of legislation and policies in the social sector on women with disabilities, as well as the lack of data on violence against those women.

391. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to eliminate discrimination against women with disabilities, to combat violence against them and to recognize them as a particular group with particular needs. The Committee calls upon the State party to take effective measures to integrate them into the Swedish labour market and to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on discrimination against them, collect statistics on their situation in employment, education and health and on all forms of violence that they may experience and submit such information in its next periodic report.

392. The Committee urges the State party to continue to utilize, in implementing its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

393. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

394. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Sweden to consider ratifying the instruments to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

395. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Sweden of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including Government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

396. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its eighth periodic report, which is due in September 2010, and its ninth periodic report, which is due in September 2014, in a combined report by September 2014.

Chapter VActivities carried out under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

397.Article 12 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women provides that the Committee shall include in its annual report under article 21 of the Convention a summary of its activities under the Optional Protocol.

A.Action taken by the Committee in respect of issues arising from article 2 of the Optional Protocol

398.The Committee decided to discontinue the examination of communication No. 9/2005.

399.The Committee endorsed the report of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol on its eleventh session (see annex VIII to part two of the present report).

400.The Committee discussed and adopted a note on the formulation and format of individual opinions on Committee decisions (see annex IX to part two of the present report).

B.Action taken by the Committee in respect of issues arising from article 8 of the Optional Protocol

401.No action was taken by the Committee in accordance with article 8, paragraph 1, of the Optional Protocol.

Chapter VI

Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee

Future sessions

402.In the light of the authorization by the General Assembly, in its resolution 62/218, of the extension of meeting time of the Committee in 2008 and 2009, the Committee confirmed the dates of its sessions in 2008, as follows:

(a)Forty-first session: 30 June-18 July 2008, New York;

(b)Twelfth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 21-23 July 2008, New York;

(c)Pre-session working group for the forty-third session: 21-25 July 2008, New York;

(d)Forty-second session: 20 October-7 November 2008, Geneva, with parallel chambers;

(e)Thirteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 14-17 October 2008, Geneva;

(f)Pre-session working group for the forty-fourth session: 10-14 November 2008, Geneva.

Reports to be considered at future sessions of the Committee

403.The Committee confirmed that, at its forty-first session, it would consider the reports of the following States parties:

Finland

Iceland

Lithuania

Nigeria

Slovakia

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania

Yemen

404.The Committee decided to consider the reports of the following States parties at its forty-second session:

Belgium

Cameroon

Canada

Ecuador

El Salvador

Kyrgyzstan

Mongolia

Myanmar

Portugal

Slovenia

Uruguay

405.The Committee also agreed to consider the reports of Bahrain and Madagascar at that session.

406.The Committee made a preliminary selection of States parties that would be invited to present their reports at its forty-third session:

Armenia

Bhutan

Dominica

Guatemala

Guinea-Bissau

Haiti

Israel

Liberia

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Rwanda

Composition of parallel chambers at the forty-second session of the Committee to be held from 20 October to 7 November 2008

407.The Committee decided on the following composition of its parallel chambers for the forty-second session and the allocation of reports of States parties to the chambers.

Chamber A	Chamber B
Magalys Arocha Dominguez	Ferdous Ara Begum
Saisuree Chutikul	Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani
Dorcas Ama Frema Coker-Appiah	Mary Shanthi Dairiam
Cornelis Flinterman	Náela Gabr Mohemed Gabre Ali
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari	Françoise Gaspard
Heisoo Shin	Yoko Hayashi
Glenda P. Simms	Tiziana Maiolo
Dubravka Šimonović	Violeta Neubauer
Anamah Tan	Pramila Patten
Maria Regina Tavares da Silva	Silvia Pimentel
Xiaoqiao Zou	Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling

Reports of the States parties to be considered

Chamber A	Chamber B
Belgium (CEDAW/C/BEL/6)	Cameroon (CEDAW/C/CMR/3)
Canada (CEDAW/C/CAN/7)	Ecuador (CEDAW/C/ECU/7)
El Salvador (CEDAW/C/SLV/7)	Kyrgyzstan (CEDAW/C/KGZ/3)
Myanmar (CEDAW/C/MMR/3)	Madagascar (CEDAW/C/MDG/5)
Slovenia (CEDAW/C/SVN/4)	Mongolia (CEDAW/C/MNG/7)
Uruguay (CEDAW/C/URY/7)	Portugal (CEDAW/C/PRT/7)

408.The combined initial and second periodic report of Bahrain (CEDAW/C/BHR/1-2) will be considered in plenary meetings.

Action in relation to item 7, Activities of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the Convention

Action taken by the Committee in respect of issues arising from article 2 of the Optional Protocol

409.The Committee decided to discontinue the examination of communication No. 9/2005. It discussed and adopted a note on the formulation and format of individual opinions on Committee’s decisions, and endorsed the reports of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol at its eleventh session.

Chapter VII

Implementation of article 21 of the Convention

410.The Committee considered agenda item 7, on the implementation of article 21 of the Convention, at its 810th and 830th meetings, on 14 January and 1 February 2008, and in closed meetings.

Action taken by the Committee under agenda item 7

General recommendation on migrant women

411.The Committee agreed to collaborate with the Committee on Migrant Workers on the finalization of its general recommendation on migrant women. It requested the Secretariat to organize a joint meeting of members of the working group on the draft general recommendation with the Committee on Migrant Workers, prior to its forty-first session in June/July 2008. The working group consists of Magalys Arocha Dominguez, Ferdous Ara Begum, Mary Shanthi Dairiam (Chairperson), Náela Gabr Mohemed Gabre Ali, Françoise Gaspard, Silvia Pimentel, Heisoo Shin and Maria Regina Tavares da Silva.

General recommendation on article 2 of the Convention

412.Cornelis Flinterman, the Chairperson of the working group on a general recommendation on article 2 of the Convention, agreed to prepare a draft on a general recommendation on article 2, with the assistance of other members of the group. The Secretariat was asked to explore the possibility of organizing an intersessional meeting of the working group to finalize the draft in the second quarter of 2008 prior to the forty-first session of the Committee, during which a meeting with all stakeholders on the draft would be convened with a view to finalizing the general recommendation during the forty-second session. In addition to Mr. Flinterman, Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani, Dorcas Ama Frema Coker-Appiah, Mary Shanthi Dairiam, Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Silvia Pimentel, Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling and Dubravka Šimonović are members of the working group.

Chapter VIII

Provisional agenda for the forty-first session

413.The Committee considered the draft provisional agenda for its forty-first session at its 830th meeting, on 1 February 2008, and approved the following provisional agenda for the session:

1.Opening of the session.

2.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

3.Report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the thirty-ninth and fortieth 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.Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

6.Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee.

7.Activities of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

8.Provisional agenda for the forty-second session of the Committee.

9.Adoption of the report of the Committee on its forty-first session.

Chapter IX

Adoption of the report

414.The Committee considered the draft report on its fortieth session (CEDAW/C/2008/I/L.1 and addenda) at its 830th meeting (see CEDAW/C/SR.830) and adopted it, as orally revised during the discussion.

Annex I

Decision 40/IConvention-specific reporting guidelines of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

A.Introduction

1.The present Convention-specific reporting guidelines of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women must be applied in conjunction with the harmonized reporting guidelines on a common core document. Together they constitute the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. They replace all earlier reporting guidelines issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

2.Reports of States parties on the implementation of the Convention thus constitute two parts: a common core document and a document that specifically relates to the implementation of the Convention.

Common core document

3.The common core document constitutes the first part of any report prepared for the Committee in accordance with the harmonized reporting guidelines. The common core document contains information of a general and factual nature.

4.In general, information that is contained in the common core document need not be repeated in the Convention-specific document submitted to the Committee. The Committee underlines that, should a State party not have submitted a common core document, or if the information in the common core document has not been updated, all relevant information must be included in the Convention-specific document. In addition, the Committee encourages States to review information given by them in the common core document as to its sex and gender dimensions. If that is found to be insufficient, States are encouraged to include relevant information in the Convention-specific document and in the next update of the common core document.

Convention-specific document

5.The present guidelines pertain to the preparation of the second part of reports and apply to the initial as well as all subsequent periodic reports to the Committee. The Convention-specific document should contain all information relating to the implementation of the Convention.

6.While general factual information on the general framework for the protection and promotion of human rights disaggregated according to sex, where applicable, and on non-discrimination and equality and effective remedies should be included in the common core document, additional information specific to the implementation of the Convention and to the relevant general recommendations of the Committee, as well as information of a more analytical nature on the impact of laws, the interaction of plural legal systems, policies and programmes on women should be provided in the Convention-specific document. Analytical information should also be provided on the progress made in ensuring enjoyment of the provisions of the Convention by all groups of women throughout their life cycle within the territory or jurisdiction of the State party.

B.Reporting obligation

7.Every State party, upon ratifying or acceding to the Convention, undertakes, under article 18, to submit, within one year of the Convention’s entry into force for that State, an initial report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures it has adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and progress made in this respect; and thereafter periodic reports at least every four years and further whenever the Committee so requests.

C.General guidance for the contents of the reports

1.General

8.The report should follow paragraphs 24 to 26 and 29 of the harmonized reporting guidelines.

2.General recommendations of the Committee

9.General recommendations adopted by the Committee should be taken into account in preparing the Convention-specific document.

3.Reservations and declarations

10.General information on reservations and declarations should be included in the common core document in accordance with paragraph 40 (b) of the harmonized reporting guidelines. In addition, specific information in respect of reservations and declarations to the Convention should be included in the Convention-specific document submitted to the Committee in accordance with the present guidelines, the Committee’s statements on reservations and, where applicable, the Committee’s concluding observations. Any reservation to or declaration relating to any article of the Convention by the State party should be explained and its continued maintenance clarified. States parties that have entered general reservations which do not refer to a specific article, or which are directed at articles 2 and/or 7, 9 and 16 should report on the interpretation and the effect of those reservations. States parties should provide information on any reservations or declarations they may have lodged with regard to similar obligations in other human rights treaties.

4.Factors and difficulties

11.Information on factors and difficulties of particular relevance to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and not covered in the common core document, in accordance with paragraph 44 of the harmonized reporting guidelines, should be provided in the Convention-specific document, including details of the steps being taken to overcome them.

5.Data and statistics

12.While general factual and statistical information should be included in the common core document, the Convention-specific document should include specific data and statistics disaggregated by sex which are relevant to the implementation of each article of the Convention and the general recommendations of the Committee in order to enable the Committee to assess progress in the implementation of the Convention.

D.Initial report

13.The initial Convention-specific document, together with the common core document, constitutes the State party’s initial report and is the State party’s first opportunity to present to the Committee the extent to which its laws and practices comply with the Convention.

14.A State party should deal specifically with every article in parts I to IV of the Convention; in addition to information contained in the common core document, a detailed analysis of the impact of legal norms on women’s factual situation and the practical availability, implementation and effect of remedies for violations of provisions of the Convention should be provided and explained in the Convention-specific document.

15.The initial Convention-specific document should, to the extent that such information is not already contained in the common core document, outline any distinctions, exclusions or restrictions made on the basis of sex and gender, even of a temporary nature, imposed by law, practice or tradition, or in any other manner on women’s enjoyment of each provision of the Convention.

16.The initial Convention-specific document should contain sufficient quotations from or summaries of the relevant principal constitutional, legislative, judicial and other texts which guarantee and provide remedies in relation to the rights and provisions of the Convention, in particular when those are not attached to the report or are not available in one of the working languages of the United Nations.

E.Periodic reports

17.The subsequent Convention-specific document, which, together with the common core document, forms a subsequent periodic report, should focus on the period between the consideration of the State party’s previous report and the presentation of the current report.

18.Periodic Convention-specific documents should be structured so as to follow the main clusters (parts I-IV) of the Convention. If there is nothing new to report under any article, it should be so stated.

19.There should be at least three starting points for such subsequent Convention-specific documents:

(a)Information on the implementation of concluding observations (particularly “concerns” and “recommendations”) to the previous report and explanations for the non-implementation or difficulties encountered;

(b)An analytical and result-oriented examination by the State party of additional legal and other appropriate steps and measures undertaken towards the implementation of the Convention;

(c)Information on any remaining or emerging obstacles to the exercise and enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in the civil, political, economic, social, cultural or any other field on the basis of equality with men, as well as information on measures envisaged to overcome those obstacles.

20.Periodic Convention-specific documents should, in particular, address the impact of measures taken, and should analyse trends over time in eliminating discrimination against women and ensuring women’s full enjoyment of their human rights.

21.Periodic Convention-specific documents should also address the implementation of the Convention with respect to different groups of women, in particular those subject to multiple forms of discrimination.

22.Where a fundamental change has occurred in the State party’s political and legal approach affecting the implementation of the Convention, or where new legal or administrative measures have been introduced by the State party which require the annexure of texts and of judicial or other decisions, such information should be provided in the Convention-specific document.

F.Exceptional reports

23.The present guidelines do not affect the Committee’s procedure in relation to any exceptional reports that may be requested and which are governed by rule 48.5 of the Committee’s rules of procedure and its decisions 21/I and 31/III (h) on exceptional reports.

G.Annexes to reports

24.If needed, the report should be accompanied by a sufficient number of copies, in one of the working languages of the United Nations, of the principal legislative, judicial, administrative and other supplementary documentation that the reporting States may wish to have distributed to all members of the Committee to facilitate the consideration of their report. Those texts may be submitted in accordance with paragraph 20 of the harmonized guidelines on reporting.

H.Optional Protocol

25.If the State party has ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol and the Committee has issued views entailing provision of a remedy or expressing any other concern relating to a communication received under that Protocol, the Convention-specific document should include further information about the remedial steps taken as well as other steps taken to ensure that any circumstance giving rise to the communication does not recur.

26.If the State party has ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol and the Committee has conducted an inquiry under article 8 of the Optional Protocol, the Convention-specific document should include details of any further measures taken in response to an inquiry, and to ensure that the violations giving rise to the inquiry do not recur.

I.Measures to implement outcomes of United Nations conferences, summits and reviews

27.There is a significant synergy between the substantive content of the Convention and the Beijing Platform for Action, and they are therefore mutually reinforcing. The Convention comprises legally binding obligations and sets out women’s right to equality in the civil, political, economic, social, cultural or any other field. The Platform for Action, through its 12 critical areas of concern, provides a policy and programmatic agenda that can be used for the implementation of the Convention. The Convention-specific document should also contain information on how the implementation of the 12 critical areas of the Platform for Action, as they relate to specific articles of the Convention, is integrated into the State party’s implementation of the Convention’s substantive equality framework.

28.The Convention-specific document should also include information on the implementation of the gender elements of the Millennium Development Goals and on the outcomes of other relevant United Nations conferences, summits and reviews.

29.Where applicable, the Convention-specific document should include information on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and its outcomes.

J.Format of the Convention-specific document

30.The format of the Convention-specific document should be in accordance with paragraphs 19 to 23 of the harmonized reporting guidelines. The initial report should not exceed 60 pages, and subsequent Convention-specific documents should be limited to 40 pages. Paragraphs should be numbered sequentially.

K.Consideration of reports by the Committee

1.General

31.The Committee intends its consideration of a report to the Committee to take the form of a constructive dialogue with the delegation, the aim of which is to improve the implementation of the Convention by the State party.

2.List of issues and questions with respect to initial and periodic reports

32.On the basis of all information at its disposal, the Committee will supply in advance a list of issues and questions intended to clarify and complete information provided in the common core document and the Convention-specific document. Written answers to the list will be required from the State party at least three months in advance of the session at which the report will be considered. The delegation should come prepared to respond to additional questions by Committee experts.

3.State party’s delegation

33.The State party’s delegation should include persons who, through their knowledge and competence and their position of authority or accountability, are able to explain all aspects of women’s human rights in the reporting State and are able to respond to the Committee’s questions and comments concerning the implementation of the Convention.

4.Concluding observations

34.After its consideration of the report, the Committee will adopt and publish its concluding observations on the report and the constructive dialogue with the delegation. The concluding observations will be included in the annual report of the Committee to the General Assembly. The Committee expects the State party to disseminate the concluding observations widely, in all appropriate languages, with a view to public information and discussion for implementation.

Annex II

Decision 40.IIStatement by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its relationship with national human rights institutions

1.The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and independent national human rights institutions share the common goals of protecting, promoting and fulfilling the human rights of women and girls. The Committee considers that close cooperation between the two is critical. It is accordingly exploring ways to create further interaction and links with national human rights institutions.

2.The Committee emphasizes that national human rights institutions should be established in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (The “Paris Principles”) adopted by the General Assembly (resolution 48/134, annex) in 1993 and duly accredited by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions. The Paris Principles provide guidance on the establishment, competence, responsibilities, composition, including pluralism, independence and methods of operation, and quasi-judicial activities of such national bodies.

3.The Committee considers national human rights institutions as playing an important role in the promotion of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women at the national level, the protection of women’s human rights as well as the enhancement of public awareness of such rights. In this regard, the Committee refers to national human rights institutions and their role in its monitoring activities.

4.The Committee expects national human rights institutions to ensure that their work concerning, inter alia, the consideration of individual complaints and the elaboration of recommendations on laws, policies and their activities in human rights education, is based on the principle of formal and substantive equality between women and men and non-discrimination, as contained in the Convention, and that women have easy access to all services for the protection of their rights provided by national human rights institutions. The Committee also expects that the composition of members and staff of national human rights institutions is gender balanced at all levels.

5.The Committee encourages national human rights institutions to publicize and disseminate the Convention and its Optional Protocol, its concluding observations, general recommendations and decisions and views on individual communications and inquiries conducted under the Optional Protocol, as well as to monitor the State party’s implementation of the Convention and its Optional Protocol.

6.The Committee recognizes that national human rights institutions may contribute in various ways to the work of the Committee under the monitoring procedures of the Convention and its Optional Protocol. National human rights institutions may provide comments and suggestions on a State party’s reports in any way they see fit. National human rights institutions may also provide assistance to alleged victims of human rights violations under the Convention to submit individual communications to the Committee or, when the situation arises, provide reliable information in relation to the mandate of the Committee to conduct an inquiry.

7.The Committee welcomes the provision by national human rights institutions of country-specific information on States parties’ reports that are before the pre‑session working group or the Committee. Such information may be submitted in writing prior to or at the relevant pre-session working group meeting or the relevant session of the Committee. National human rights institutions may also physically attend and provide information orally in the meetings allocated to them in the pre-session working groups and sessions of the Committee. The Committee will include such a time allocation for national human rights institutions’ contribution in the provisional agenda of the relevant working group meeting or session in order to enhance the visibility of input from national human rights institutions.

Part two

Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its forty-first session

Chapter I

Matters brought to the attention of States parties

Decisions

Decision 41/I

The Committee discussed the issue of the compatibility of reservations with the object and purpose of the Convention (vide article 28, para. 2 of the Convention). It decided that the determination of this issue, and thus of the permissibility of reservations, not only falls within its function in relation to the reporting procedure under article 18 of the Convention, but also in relation to the individual communication and inquiry procedures under the Optional Protocol.

Decision 41/II

The Committee decided to adopt the practice of including titles (subject headings) in its concluding observations. A list of the titles agreed by the Committee which will be applied flexibly and as appropriate for the State party concerned is contained in annex X to part two of the present report.

Decision 41/III

The Committee decided to introduce a follow-up procedure whereby it would include a request to individual States parties in the concluding observations on their reports for information on steps taken to implement specific recommendations contained in those concluding observations. The request would call upon States parties to provide such information to the Committee within two years. The Committee decided to assess the experience of its follow-up procedure in 2011.

Decision 41/IV

The Committee decided that requests by States parties to utilize technology, such as video-links, during the presentation of reports and constructive dialogue with the Committee should be submitted well in advance in order for the Committee as a whole to have the opportunity to consider and decide on such requests.

Chapter II

Organizational and other matters

A.States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to the Optional Protocol

1.On 18 July 2008, the closing date of the forty-first session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, there were 185 States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 34/180 and opened for signature, ratification and accession in New York in March 1980. In accordance with its article 27, the Convention entered into force on 3 September 1981. Fifty-three States parties had accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the Committee’s meeting time. A further 71 States parties to the Convention are required to accept the amendment in order for the acceptance of two thirds of the States parties to be achieved, thereby bringing the amendment into force.

2.As at the same date, there were 90 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention, which was adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 54/4 and opened for signature, ratification and accession in New York on 10 December 1999. In accordance with its article 16, the Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 December 2000.

3.A list of States parties to the Convention is contained in annex I to part two of the present report. A list of States parties that have accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, is contained in annex II. A list of States parties that have signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention is contained in annex III.

B.Opening of the session

4.The Committee held its forty-first session at United Nations Headquarters from 30 June to 18 July 2008. The Committee held 19 plenary meetings (831st to 850th). The Committee also held 11 meetings to discuss agenda items 5, 6, 7 and 8. A list of the documents before the Committee is contained in annex IV to part two of the present report.

5.The session was opened by the Committee’s Chairperson, Dubravka Šimonović. Rachel Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Ngonlardje Mbaidjol, Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Carolyn Hannan, Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women, and Inés Alberdi, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, addressed the Committee at its 831st meeting.

C.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work

6.The Committee adopted the provisional agenda (CEDAW/C/2008/II/1) at its 831st meeting.

D.Report of the pre-session working group

7.The report of the pre-session working group (CEDAW/PSWG/2008/I/CRP.1), which met from 16 to 20 July 2007, had been introduced by its Chairperson, Heisoo Shin, at the Committee’s 810th meeting, during its fortieth session.

E.Organization of work

8. Jane Connors, Senior Human Rights Officer, introduced reports provided under agenda item 5, “Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women” (CEDAW/C/2008/II/3 and Add.1, 3 and 4), and agenda item 6, “Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women” (CEDAW/C/2008/II/4).

9.On 30 June 2008, the Committee held a closed meeting with representatives of specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations, as well as other intergovernmental organizations, during which country-specific information was provided, as well as information on the efforts made by those bodies to support implementation of the Convention.

10.On 30 June and 7 July, the Committee held informal public meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who provided information about the implementation of the Convention in the eight States parties reporting to the Committee at its forty-first session, namely: Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Nigeria, Slovakia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen. On 7 July, the Committee held an informal public meeting with two national human rights institutions, which provided country-specific information on the implementation of the Convention in the United Kingdom.

F.Membership of the Committee

11.With the exception of Náela Gabr Mohemed Gabre Ali, Tiziana Maiolo and Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling, all members attended the entire forty-first session. Ms. Gabr attended from 2 July to 18 July 2008, Ms. Maiolo from 30 June to 3 July and Ms. Schöpp-Schilling from 30 June to 22 July. The Committee noted that South Africa had not yet nominated a member to replace Ms. Hazel Gumede Shelton, who resigned from the Committee in 2007. A list of members of the Committee, indicating the duration of their terms of office, is contained in annex V to part two of the present report.

Chapter III

Report of the Chairperson on the activities undertaken between the fortieth and forty-first sessions

12.At the 831st meeting, the Chairperson presented her report on the activities she had undertaken since the fortieth session.

Chapter IV

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention

A.Introduction

13.At its forty-first session, the Committee considered the reports of eight States parties submitted under article 18 of the Convention: the combined second, third and fourth periodic report of one State party; the combined third and fourth periodic report of one State party; the combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report of one State party, the fifth and sixth periodic reports of three State parties; and the sixth periodic reports of two State parties.

14.The Committee prepared concluding observations on each of the States parties’ reports considered. The Committee’s concluding observations are set out below.

B.Consideration of reports of States parties

1.Combined second, third and fourth periodic report

Slovakia

15.The Committee considered the combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Slovakia (CEDAW/C/SVK/4) at its 847th and 848th meetings, on 14 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.847 and 848). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/SVK/Q/4 and the responses of the Government of Slovakia are contained in document CEDAW/C/SVK/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

16.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its combined second, third and fourth periodic report, which followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports, while regretting that it was submitted with a 10-year delay. The Committee also commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee.

17.The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, which was headed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and included representatives of different government ministries and departments. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the open constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

Positive aspects

18.The Committee welcomes the ratification by the State party of the Optional Protocol to the Convention in November 2000, and encourages speedy acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the meeting time of the Committee, as announced by the delegation during the constructive dialogue.

19.The Committee welcomes the adoption of legal measures by the State party to eliminate discrimination against women, including:

(a)The enactment, in 2004, of the Anti-Discrimination Act on Equal Treatment in Certain Areas and Protection against Discrimination, as well as its subsequent amendments;

(b)The amendments to the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and other legislation, between 1999 and 2002, which criminalize violence against women, in particular domestic violence, and introduce restraining orders for perpetrators of violent acts;

(c)The provisions of the Labour Code, and its 2003 amendment, which facilitate reconciliation of family and work responsibilities between women and men.

20.The Committee welcomes the establishment in January 2008 of the Council of Government for Gender Equality, which is an advisory, coordination and expert body of the Government for the implementation of the principle of equality between women and men. The Committee also welcomes the adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence Committed against Women and in Families, in 2004, and the National Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in Persons, in 2006. It notes with appreciation the inclusion of the gender dimension in other strategic plans, including the National Action Plan for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, and the National Action Plan of Employment.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

21. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Limited scope of anti-discriminatory legislation

22.While noting the measures taken by the State party to achieve equality between women and men, the Committee is concerned at the limited scope of the existing legislation to eliminate discrimination on various grounds, including sex, which merely aims at equal treatment of individuals and does not fully reflect the principle of substantive equality embodied in the Convention.

23. The Committee requests the State party to base its efforts to achieve gender equality and the advancement of women on the comprehensive scope of the Convention. It encourages the State party to reflect the provisions of the Convention in all relevant legislation and in all Government plans and policies, across all sectors and levels.

Awareness-raising and training

24.While welcoming the adoption of a new Constitutional Act No. 90/2001 Coll. which provides that international human rights instruments ratified by the State party can be directly invoked in national courts, the Committee is concerned at the limited awareness, including among legal professionals, of the provisions of the Convention and the procedures available under its Optional Protocol. The Committee is also concerned that, although women’s access to justice is provided for by law, women’s ability in practice to exercise this right and to bring cases of discrimination before the courts is hampered by factors such as limited information on their rights, lack of assistance in pursuing these rights, legal costs and an apparent tendency of the State party to encourage women to opt for mediation rather than legal action.

25. The Committee recommends that educational programmes on the Convention, the Optional Protocol and women’s rights be introduced, in particular for all legal professionals, including judges, lawyers, prosecutors and law enforcement personnel, as well as the public at large. The Committee requests the State party to remove impediments women may face in gaining access to justice. It urges the State party to take special measures, including legal literacy, to enhance women’s awareness of their rights so that they may be able to exercise them, as well as to encourage them to opt for legal action rather than mediation whenever it is justified.

Temporary special measures

26.While welcoming the statement of the delegation that there is no legal impediment to the implementation of temporary special measures in Slovakia, the Committee is concerned at the lack of understanding of the scope and purposes of article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, which should be the basis for the adoption of such measures.

27. The Committee recommends that the State party use temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and its general recommendation No. 25, as part of a necessary strategy towards the accelerated achievement of substantive equality for women, in all fields where it may be deemed necessary, especially at the highest levels of decision-making. The Committee also recommends that the Government sensitize political parties and the public at large about the importance of these measures.

National machinery for the advancement of women

28.While welcoming the efforts of the State party to better coordinate gender mainstreaming at the Government level through the establishment of the Council of Government for Gender Equality, the Committee remains concerned at the lack of clarity with respect to the mandates and responsibilities of the various components of its national machinery for the advancement of women, as well as its repeated restructuring in recent years, which could result in a lack of continuity in gender equality policies. It is also concerned at the limited capacity of the State party’s national machinery to adequately ensure the coordination of gender mainstreaming in all areas and at all levels.

29. The Committee recommends that the State party further strengthen its national machinery for the advancement of women, by clearly defining the mandate and responsibilities of its various components, and enhancing coordination among them. It calls upon the State party to ensure that the national machinery has adequate decision-making power and human and financial resources to work effectively for the promotion of women’s human rights at all levels. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that its national machinery develop policies and programmes aimed at achieving gender equality in a comprehensive and effective manner and within a human rights framework.

National action plan

30.While taking note of the various programmes monitored by the Department of Family Policies and Gender Policies to promote equality between women and men, the Committee is concerned at the absence at present of a national action plan on gender equality with established priorities and based on the evaluation of the previous National Action Plan for Women, which expired in 2007.

31. The Committee encourages the State party to proceed expeditiously with the formulation and subsequent adoption of the new National Strategy for Gender Equality for 2009-2013 with the involvement of all sectors of Government and in consultation with relevant non-governmental organizations. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that the new National Strategy is comprehensive and addresses the specific responsibilities of all areas of governance.

Negative cultural practices and education

32.While welcoming measures taken by the State party to eliminate gender segregation in the labour market, including through training programmes in the area of equal opportunities, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of traditional stereotypes regarding the roles and tasks of women and men in the family and in society at large, including in specific areas, such as the labour market, the health sector, academia and politics, that are strongly conditioned by traditional views. The Committee expresses concern at the persistence of gender stereotypes prevailing in school textbooks, which is a root cause of the traditional academic choices of boys and girls. The Committee is also concerned at the insufficient access to sex education in schools, which does not seem to meet the needs of girls and boys or to contribute to the fulfilment of the State party’s responsibilities in that regard.

33. The Committee urges the State party to design and implement comprehensive programmes in the educational system and to encourage the mass media to promote cultural changes with regard to the roles and responsibilities attributed to women and men, as required by article 5 of the Convention. It recommends that policies be developed and programmes implemented to ensure the eradication of traditional sex role stereotypes in the family, labour market, the health sector, academia, politics and society at large. The Committee calls upon the State party to complete the review of school textbooks in order to remove gender stereotypes and promote egalitarian views of women’s and men’s roles in the family and in society. It recommends that the State party ensure that sex education is widely promoted in schools and targeted at both girls and boys.

Violence against women and trafficking

34.While acknowledging current legal and other measures undertaken by the State party to eliminate violence against women, the Committee is concerned that the current legislation on violence may not be fully comprehensive and specific to address all forms of violence against women adequately. The Committee is also concerned at the high rate of violence against women and girls, including homicides resulting from domestic violence. The Committee notes with concern the lack of information in the State party’s report with respect to support to women victims of violence, and the allocation of financial resources to programmes aimed at combating violence against women. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned at the lack of preventive programmes and campaigns targeting different groups of the population, including men, women and vulnerable communities, particularly taking into account that the phenomenon of violence against women is not acknowledged by several sectors of the population. The Committee expresses concern about the fact that corporal punishment in the home is lawful and constitutes a form of violence against children, including the girl child. The Committee notes that, although the State party has adopted legislation criminalizing trafficking, as well as an action plan and mechanisms to address this phenomenon, the report does not provide a full picture of the situation of trafficked women and girls in Slovakia.

35. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on the introduction of comprehensive and holistic measures to address all forms of violence against women in the family and in society. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that such violence is prosecuted and punished with the required seriousness and speed, and that those women victims of violence have immediate means of redress and protection. The Committee requests the State party to ensure that legislation on violence against women is specific and comprehensive with regard to women, encompassing all forms of violence and in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19. It recommends that measures be taken to provide shelters for women victims of violence in sufficient numbers and with adequate standards, and to ensure that public officials, especially law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully sensitized to all forms of violence against women. The Committee invites the State party to take awareness-raising measures through the media and public education programmes, including a campaign of zero tolerance, to make such violence socially and morally unacceptable, and to undertake a study on the root causes of homicides resulting from domestic violence. The Committee recommends that the State party include in its legislation the prohibition of corporal punishment of children in the home. The Committee requests the State party to provide detailed information on the situation of trafficked women and girls in Slovakia in its next periodic report, as well as on the results of measures taken.

Roma women

36.While acknowledging the measures taken by the State party under the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, the Committee is concerned that Roma women and girls remain in vulnerable and marginalized situations, especially with regard to health, education, employment and participation in public life, and are victims of multiple discrimination.

37. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to eliminate the multiple forms of discrimination against Roma women and girls and to enhance respect for their human rights. It calls upon the State party to accelerate achievement of Roma women’s de facto equality by strengthening the coordination among all agencies working on Roma, non-discrimination and gender equality issues, in particular in the areas of health, education, employment and participation in public life. The Committee urges the State party to implement targeted measures to eliminate discrimination against Roma women in all areas within specific timetables, to monitor their implementation and achievement of stated goals, including within the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, and to take corrective action whenever necessary. The Committee also urges the State party to take concrete steps to change the traditional perception of Roma by the majority population, including through awareness and sensitization programmes targeting, in particular, those sectors of society where such attitudes are noticeable. It calls upon the State party to provide in its next periodic report a comprehensive picture of the situation of Roma women and girls, including data disaggregated by sex in regard to their educational opportunities and achievements, access to employment and health-care services and participation in public life and decision-making.

Participation of women in political and public life

38.The Committee expresses concern at the insufficient information in the State party’s report on the participation of women at various levels and sectors of political and public life. The Committee is also concerned that available figures provided in the report indicate that women are underrepresented in decision-making and political bodies and in public life, including academia. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned at the explanation provided by the delegation that the very low level of representation of women in politics and decision-making bodies is due to insufficient social demand for political participation, which seems to indicate a lack of understanding by the State party of the importance of equal participation of women and men at all levels of decision-making and of the responsibilities of the State in promoting and supporting that participation.

39. The Committee encourages the State party to take sustained measures, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25 and to establish concrete goals and timetables so as to accelerate the increase in the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies in all areas of political and public life, and at all levels, and to monitor their achievement. The Committee recommends efforts to increase the number of women in appointed decision-making positions in public administration. Such measures should include the setting of time-bound targets; implementation of awareness-raising campaigns; provision of financial incentives to political parties; and development of targeted training and mentoring programmes for women candidates and women elected to public office. The Committee urges the State party to carefully monitor the effectiveness of measures taken and of results achieved in its next periodic report.

Employment

40.While noting with appreciation the provisions of the Labour Code, and its 2003 amendment, which prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of sex, marital and family status, the Committee remains concerned about the disadvantaged situation of women in employment. It expresses particular concern at the highly segregated labour market, and the wide gap in pay between women and men, as well as the difficulties women experience in reconciling work and family life, which are a consequence of the deeply rooted stereotypes relating to the roles of women in the family and in society.

41. The Committee recommends that efforts be strengthened to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical, to adopt measures to narrow and close the wage gap between women and men by enacting equal pay for work of equal value legislation, as well as by applying job evaluation schemes in the public and private sectors connected with wage increases in female dominated sectors, to further facilitate reconciliation of women’s family and professional responsibilities and to fully sensitize men to their equal participation in family tasks and responsibilities.

Health

42.While noting the measures taken by the State party to facilitate women’s access to health care, including reproductive health, the Committee is deeply concerned about the insufficient regulation of the exercise of conscientious objection by health professionals with regard to sexual and reproductive health. The Committee is also concerned at the persisting high rate of abortion, which is a consequence of the lack of information and access of women to family planning. The Committee is further concerned at the difficulties women belonging to vulnerable communities experience in accessing health care due to the cost of related services. Furthermore, the Committee expresses concern at the lack of a holistic and life-cycle approach to women’s health.

43. The Committee recommends that the State party adequately regulate the invocation of conscientious objection by health professionals so as to ensure that women’s access to health and reproductive health is not limited. The Committee calls the attention of the State party to its general recommendation No. 24, which states that it is discriminatory for a State party to refuse to provide legally for the performance of certain reproductive health services for women. It recommends that, if health service providers refuse to perform such services based on conscientious objection, measures should be introduced to ensure that women are referred to alternative health providers. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to increase the access of women and adolescent girls to affordable health-care services, including reproductive health care, and to increase access to information and affordable means of family planning for women and men. It calls upon the State party to increase its efforts to implement awareness-raising campaigns targeting women and men on the importance of family planning and related aspects of women’s health and reproductive rights. The Committee recommends that the Government fully implement a life-cycle approach to women’s health.

44.While acknowledging the explanations given by the delegation on the alleged coerced sterilization of Roma women, and noting the recently adopted legislation on sterilization, the Committee remains concerned at information received in respect of Roma women who report having been sterilized without prior and informed consent.

45.Recalling its views in respect of communication No. 4/2004 (Szijjarto v. Hungary), the Committee recommends that the State party monitor public and private health centres, including hospitals and clinics, that perform sterilization procedures so as to ensure that patients are able to provide fully informed consent before any sterilization procedure is carried out, with appropriate sanctions being available and implemented in the event of a breach. It calls upon the State party to take further measures to ensure that the relevant provisions of the Convention and the pertinent paragraphs of the Committee’s general recommendations Nos. 19 and 24 in relation to women’s reproductive health and rights are known and adhered to by all relevant personnel in public and private health centres, including hospitals and clinics. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to ensure that the complaints filed by Roma women on grounds of coerced sterilization are duly acknowledged and that victims of such practices are granted effective remedies.

Family relations

46.The Committee is concerned that, as a result of the rising number of divorces, the number of single mothers has significantly increased in Slovakia. It regrets the lack of information in the report of the State party on the possible negative economic and social consequences of divorce for women, in particular single mothers, as well as on the situation of women in non-traditional family situations. It is further concerned that the current legislative framework does not adequately provide for an equal distribution of marital property upon divorce.

47. The Committee recommends that the State party provide, in its next periodic report, detailed information on the possible negative economic and social consequences of divorce for women, in particular single mothers, and calls upon the State party to adopt legislative measures that would ensure a fair sharing between spouses of all assets acquired by either or both partners during marriage. The Committee requests the State party to include information in its next periodic report on the situation of women living in non-traditional family situations.

Non-governmental organizations

48.The Committee notes with concern the insufficient level of cooperation and communication between the State party and women’s non-governmental organizations, which became apparent during the constructive dialogue.

49. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its cooperation with women’s non-governmental organizations by, inter alia, increasing its participation in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and subsequent evaluation of policies, programmes and strategies aiming at achieving equality between women and men.

Parliament

50. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is in particular accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

51. The Committee urges the State party to continue to utilize, in implementing its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

52. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Ratification of other treaties

1 The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

53. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Slovakia to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Dissemination

54. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Slovakia of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including Government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty- third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Follow-up to concluding observations

55. The Committee requests the State party to provide, in one year, written information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraph 45 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate, for the implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next periodic report

56. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report, which is due in June 2010, and its sixth periodic report, which is due in June 2014, in a combined report by June 2014.

2.Third and fourth periodic reports

Lithuania

57.The Committee considered the third and fourth periodic reports of Lithuania (CEDAW/C/LTU/3 and 4) at its 834th and 835th meetings, on 2 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.834 and 835). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/LTU/Q/4 and the responses of the Government of Lithuania are contained in document CEDAW/C/LTU/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

58.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its third and fourth periodic reports, which followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports and took into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations. However, the Committee regrets that the information provided in the reports sometimes was of too general a nature to permit the Committee to evaluate the specific situation of women. The Committee also commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee. However, the Committee regrets that these responses were not always satisfactory and at times lacked an understanding of the nature of the Convention and its specific provisions.

59.The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, which was headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour and included representatives of various government ministries and departments. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the open constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

60.The Committee notes with appreciation that in 2004 the State party ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention and accepted the amendment to the Convention’s article 20, paragraph 1.

Positive aspects

61.The Committee commends the State party for its legal reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and promoting gender equality. In particular, it welcomes the amendments to the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, prohibiting indirect discrimination, allowing for the application of temporary special measures, to accelerate the achievement of women’s de facto equality with men, and shifting the burden of proof from the alleged victim to the person or institution against which the complaint has been lodged. It also commends the State party for the broad enactment of the respective binding European Directive through the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Equal Treatment, which complements the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men by prohibiting other grounds of discrimination from which women may suffer.

62.The Committee welcomes the adoption and implementation of the two National Programmes for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2003-2004 and 2005-2009), which contain a number of measures aimed at ensuring equal opportunities of women and men in all spheres of life.

63.The Committee commends the State party for the adoption of a long-term National Strategy for Combating Violence against Women and a Plan of Implementing Measures 2007-2009 aimed at reducing, in a consistent, complex and systematic manner, domestic violence against women.

64.The Committee welcomes the measures carried out by the State party to combat trafficking in women and girls, including the adoption and implementation of the Programme for the Prevention and Control of Trafficking in Human Beings for 2005-2008, the possibility of issuing residence permits to victims of trafficking who cooperate with the relevant authorities, and the ratification, in 2003, of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. In addition, the Committee commends the State party for its bilateral, regional and international cooperation in this respect.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

65. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament (Seimas) and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Visibility of the Convention and the Optional Protocol

66.While noting that the Convention is directly applicable and takes precedence over conflicting national legislation, the Committee is concerned that the Convention’s provisions and its concept of substantive gender equality, its Optional Protocol as well as the Committee’s general recommendations, are not sufficiently known and applied by all branches of the State party. While recognizing that international law is now a mandatory part of the legal university curriculum, the Committee is also concerned that the Convention’s provisions and the Committee’s general recommendations are not sufficiently known by the majority of judges, lawyers and prosecutors, as well as by women themselves, as indicated by the absence of any court decisions that refer to the Convention. The Committee is also concerned about the underutilization by women, especially from rural areas, of remedies for violations of their rights, including judicial procedures and recourse to the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman.

67. The Committee calls upon the State party to take additional measures to ensure that the Convention is sufficiently known and applied by all branches of Government as a framework for all laws, court verdicts and policies on gender equality and the advancement of women, including the adoption of a new classification system of court cases. The Committee also calls upon the State party to take, in line with its obligations under article 24 of the Convention and article 13 of its Optional Protocol, concrete measures to make the two treaties, as well as the Committee’s general recommendations, widely known. It urges the State party to make in-service training programmes at the Training Centre for the Judiciary for prosecutors, judges and lawyers on these treaties and their application a mandatory obligation. It recommends that sustained awareness-raising and legal literacy campaigns targeting women, including rural women and NGOs working on women’s issues, be undertaken. It invites the State party to establish regional and local branches of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman to facilitate women’s access to these procedures and remedies for violations of their rights.

Temporary special measures

68.While noting that article 2, paragraphs 4 and 6, of the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men provides that temporary special measures should not be treated as discriminatory and that they can be applied if specific legislation is passed by the Parliament (Seimas), the Committee regrets that such laws have not been adopted, including in areas such as politics, public life, education and employment in the public or private sector.

69. In accordance with its general recommendation No. 25 on article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the Committee encourages the State party systematically to adopt such laws on temporary special measures, including goals and timetables or quotas, enhanced by a system of incentives, and effectively implement them in order to accelerate the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the areas of political and public life, education and public and private employment. In addition, the State party is encouraged to consider amending the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men to simplify the procedure of applying temporary special measures in practice and, thus, to ensure the effective use of such measures in areas and at levels where necessary. The State party is also encouraged to organize special training on the nature and the appropriateness of temporary special measures in order to facilitate the application of such measures at the national, regional and local levels.

Stereotypes

70.The Committee continues to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society in Lithuania, which threaten to undermine women’s exercise and enjoyment of their human rights and are reflected, inter alia, in the recently adopted Conceptual Framework for a National Family Policy, the media, and in educational textbooks and materials, all of which influence women’s traditional educational choices, their disadvantaged situation in the labour market and their underrepresentation in political and public life and decision-making positions, especially at the local level.

71. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its efforts and take comprehensive and ongoing measures to eliminate gender stereotyping. It recommends that awareness-raising and educational campaigns be directed at both women and men to promote cultural change with respect to their roles and tasks in line with article 5 of the Convention, and that the media be encouraged to project positive and non-sexualized images of women. The Committee requests the State party to enhance the education and in-service training of the teaching and counselling staff of all educational establishments and at all levels with regard to gender equality issues, to speedily complete a revision of all educational textbooks and materials to eliminate gender stereotypes, and to apply temporary special measures according to article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention to encourage women to move into decision-making positions in educational institutions and to increase the number of women professors among academic staff. It urges the State party to develop and implement programmes aimed at counselling girls and women on non-traditional educational and vocational choices.

National machinery for the advancement of women

72.While noting that the Law on Equal Treatment expanded the mandate of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman to include other grounds of discrimination in addition to sex- and gender-based discrimination, the Committee is concerned that within this new mandate the issue of discrimination against women, including its quantitative predominance and its qualitative cross-cutting nature, might lose some of its visibility and therefore receive less attention. Similarly, while welcoming the establishment within the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of a separate Gender Equality Division, which is authorized to coordinate the gender equality activities of the Ministry, including the implementation of the National Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, the Committee is concerned that the Division has only four employees. It is also concerned that the gender focal points, which have been appointed in every ministry, fulfil this function in addition to their regular tasks. With respect to the local level, the Committee is concerned that, although some municipalities have appointed gender equality officers on a voluntary basis, there is no legal obligation to appoint such officers at the municipal level and that linkages between the national, regional and local levels in relation to gender equality activities are insufficient.

73. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to ensure that the gender equality machinery at the national level be strengthened both with respect to human and financial resources. In connection with the expansion of the mandate of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, the State party should ensure that the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross-cutting nature, is given adequate visibility and attention. In this respect, sufficient funds should be allocated in the State budget to provide the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman with sufficient human and material resources to implement its tasks effectively. The Committee recommends that the gender focal points in the ministries at the national level will be relieved of some of their original tasks in order to have more working time to pursue their equality-oriented mandate. The State party is encouraged to amend its Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men to include a mandatory obligation that an expert on gender equality be appointed in every county and municipality administration and that the linkages between the national, regional and local levels in relation to gender equality activities be strengthened, including through the provision of training in gender-sensitivity and gender mainstreaming. The Committee also encourages the State party to institute a third National Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for the period 2010-2014 on the basis of an evaluation of the second Programme.

Violence against women

74.The Committee notes the various efforts undertaken by the State party to combat violence against women, including domestic violence, since the submission of its previous periodic report, including the adoption of the National Strategy for Combating Violence against Women, a number of recent amendments to the Criminal Code, the establishment of a network of crisis centres providing support to victims of violence and the extension of a specialized assistance by telephone for battered women countrywide to a continuous (24 hours a day) service in 2008. The Committee also notes that a working group has been set up to draft a conceptual framework for protection against domestic violence as a basis for drafting a specific law on protection against domestic violence. However, it remains concerned at the high prevalence of violence against women in Lithuania, in particular domestic violence, and at the absence of a specific law on domestic violence. The Committee is also concerned that this may lead to such violence being considered a private matter, in which the consequences of the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator are not fully understood by police and health officers, the relevant authorities and society at large. The Committee is further concerned that the State party has not set a timeframe for the adoption of the conceptual framework or the subsequent specific law and it regrets that the number of crisis centres, many of which have been established and are operating on the initiative of NGOs, is insufficient due to lack of financial governmental support.

75. In accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, the Committee urges the State party to ensure that comprehensive legal and other measures are in place to address all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence. The Committee calls upon the State party to allocate sufficient financial resources to ensure the effective implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Violence against Women and to closely monitor its results. The Committee also calls upon the State party to ensure that all women who are victims of domestic violence, including rural women, have access to immediate means of redress and protection, including protection orders and access to a sufficient number of safe and adequately funded shelters as well as to legal aid, if necessary. The Committee recommends that the State party elaborate and introduce without delay a specific law on domestic violence against women that provides for redress and protection, and set a timeframe for its adoption. It urges the State party to improve its research and data collection on the prevalence, causes and consequences of violence against women, including information on the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim in instances of violence.

Employment

76.The Committee notes women’s high level of participation in the labour market and the significant decrease in their unemployment rate from 13.9 per cent in 2000 to 5.1 per cent in 2008. While noting a number of initiatives taken by the State party to support such participation and facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life, including the new labour legislation providing for flexible opportunities of childcare leave, the recently established opportunity for men to take paternity leave, opportunities for flexible working arrangement and the encouragement of family-friendly policies in enterprises, the Committee continues to be concerned about the significant vertical and horizontal occupational segregation between women and men in the labour market, the persistence of a gender-based wage gap, and the low percentage of men taking parental leave.

77. The Committee urges the State party to prioritize the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market, so as to achieve full compliance with article 11 of the Convention. It recommends that the State party take concrete measures, including temporary special measures, to eliminate both vertical and horizontal occupational segregation and close the gender-based wage gap between women and men. In this context the State party is encouraged to consider amending the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men to include mandatory equality plans by public and private employers, also covering pay issues and family-friendly policies, to be monitored by the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to ensure reconciliation of family and professional responsibilities and to promote equal sharing of domestic and family tasks between women and men, including by increasing the incentives for men to use their right to parental leave.

Family relations

78.While noting the efforts of the State party to support families, the Committee is concerned at the recent adoption of the Conceptual Framework for National Family Policy, which forms the basis for the substance of laws and policies relating to the family, given that the Conceptual Framework relies on a restricted concept of family, which may have a negative impact on women’s exercise and enjoyment of their human rights in marriage and family relations.

79. The Committee calls upon the State party to monitor effectively the impact of the Conceptual Framework for National Family Policy on non-traditional families as recognized in the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21, and as protected by the Law on Equal Treatment.

Health

80.While noting that some efforts were undertaken by the State party in the area of reproductive health, including the publication and dissemination of booklets on sexual education and reproductive rights, the Committee remains concerned at the remaining high rate of abortion and the limited access of girls and women to methods of family planning, including contraceptives, especially among women in rural areas. In this respect, the Committee expresses its concern at the information that more than half of young women between 15 and 25 years of age do not use any contraceptives and that sexual education is not mandatory in schools. The Committee is deeply concerned at the draft law on the protection of human life in the prenatal phase, which stipulates only three situations in which abortion would be lawful within very strict time-limits. Since, according to the draft law, abortion under circumstances apart from the three situations may be considered a punishable offence under Lithuanian law, the Committee is concerned that the adoption of such a law may lead women to seek unsafe illegal abortions, with consequent risks to their health and lives and contribute to a rise in maternal mortality.

81. The Committee calls upon the State party to take concrete measures to enhance women’s access to health care, in particular to sexual and reproductive health services, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24, on women and health. It requests the State party to strengthen measures aimed at ensuring women’s right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children according to article 16, paragraph 1 (e), of the Convention and thus at prevention of unwanted pregnancies. In this context, the State party is requested to make a wide array of family planning methods, such as a comprehensive range of contraceptives, including emergency contraception, more widely available and affordable, to provide mandatory sexual education in schools and to increase knowledge and awareness about family planning among women as well as men. The Committee calls upon the State party to consider the impact on women of the draft law on the protection of human life in the prenatal stage to ensure that the draft law is in line with the Convention and accordingly will not lead to women seeking unsafe medical procedures, such as illegal abortion, which may seriously risk their health and lives.

Non-governmental organizations

82.While noting that article 3 of the Law of Equal Opportunities for Women and Men obliges State institutions to provide assistance to the programmes of organizations aimed at assisting in the implementation of equal opportunities for women and men as well as the creation of a special committee to prepare the financing strategy of NGOs, the Committee remains concerned about the insufficient funding of NGOs, including women’s NGOs, and notes with concern that such funding is fragmented, competition-based and not constant and continuous.

83. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party develop clear criteria for rendering and ensuring sustained and sufficient governmental financial support at the national and local level for the work of women’s NGOs to increase their capacity to support women’s human rights. The State party may consider issuing a public annual report on the support provided by the State to such NGOs. The Committee also recommends that the State party increase awareness among individuals and corporations regarding possible donations to women’s organizations and develop training programmes for representatives of NGOs on how to participate effectively in European gender equality programmes.

Vulnerable groups of women

84.While noting various measures taken by the State party, including the Programme for Roma Integration into Lithuanian Society (2000-2004 and 2008-2010) and the Lithuanian Rural Development Programme for 2007-2013, the Committee notes with concern that vulnerable groups of women, for example rural women, women with disabilities, women belonging to ethnic minorities, including Roma women, migrant women and elderly women, continue to suffer from discrimination in education, employment, health, housing and other areas based on their sex and gender and on other grounds, thus being exposed to multiple forms of discrimination. In this respect, the Committee regrets that the information presented in the State party’s reports was not sufficiently women-specific and did not cover the situation of all of these groups of women adequately.

85. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to eliminate discrimination against vulnerable groups of women, such as rural women, women with disabilities, women belonging to ethnic minorities, including Roma women, migrant women and elderly women, both within their respective communities and in Lithuanian society at large. It encourages the State party to increase their awareness of the availability of social services and legal remedies as well as to familiarize them with their rights pertaining to substantive gender equality and non-discrimination. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to integrate these women, where appropriate, into programmes of life-long learning and the Lithuanian labour market, including by establishing women resource centres in rural areas. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party monitor existing programmes and develop additional policies and programmes aimed at the economic empowerment of rural women, ensuring their access to productive resources and capital as well as to health services and to social and cultural opportunities. In addition, the Committee calls upon the State party to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on intersectional forms of discrimination against such vulnerable groups of women, to collect statistics on their educational, employment and health situation as well as on their access to decision-making positions in political life and on all forms of violence that they may experience, and to present such information in its next periodic report.

Economic consequences of divorce

86.The Committee is concerned that the State party’s current legislation on distribution of assets, including intangible assets and potential future earnings, as well as property, upon divorce may not adequately address gender-based economic disparities between spouses resulting from the existing sex segregation of the labour market and women’s greater share in unpaid work and potentially interrupted career patterns due to family responsibilities.

87. The Committee calls upon the State party to undertake research on the economic consequences of divorce for both spouses, with specific attention to the existence of enhanced human capital and earning potential of male spouses on the basis of their full-time and uninterrupted career patterns. The Committee recommends that the State party review its current legislation in the light of the outcome of this research and include information to this effect in its next periodic report.

Parliament

88. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is accountable in particular for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national Parliament (Seimas), in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Preparation of the next report

89. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next periodic report, as well as to consult with NGOs during that phase.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

90. The Committee urges the State party to continue to utilize, in implementing its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

91. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Committee calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Dissemination

92. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Lithuania of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Ratification of other treaties

93.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Lithuania to consider ratifying the instruments to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Follow-up to concluding observations

94. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 75 and 81 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate, for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of next report

95. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its fifth periodic report, as scheduled, in February 2011.

3.Combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report

United Republic of Tanzania

96.The Committee considered the combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report of the United Republic of Tanzania (CEDAW/C/TZA/6) at its 845th and 846th meetings, on 11 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.845 and 846). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/TZA/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania are contained in document CEDAW/C/TZA/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

97.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report, which follows the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of reports and takes into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations, but it regrets that not all articles of the Convention were addressed. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the oral presentation, the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by its pre-session working group and the further clarifications to the questions orally posed by the Committee.

98.The Committee commends the State party for its high-level delegation, headed by the Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children, for the Tanzanian mainland, and with the Minister for Labour, Youth, Employment, Women and Children Development, for Zanzibar, as Alternate Head of Delegation. The Committee notes that the delegation was composed of representatives from different governmental departments with expertise in areas covered by the Convention and appreciates the open and constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

99.The Committee notes with appreciation that the report was prepared in a participatory process involving government ministries, department and agencies, NGOs and development partners, including through the organization of various consultative workshops.

100.The Committee also notes with appreciation that the State party acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention in January 2006.

Positive aspects

101.The Committee welcomes the State party’s adoption in 2000 of a National Development Vision 2025, aimed at attaining gender equality and the empowerment of women in all socio-economic and political relations and culture by the year 2025, as well as the adoption of the Policy on Women and Gender Development in 2000.

102.The Committee commends the State party for the establishment in 2001 of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance with, inter alia, competence to investigate allegations of human rights violations and to disseminate information on human rights, including women’s rights. The Committee notes with appreciation that a special gender desk dealing with public education and women’s rights was established within the Commission in 2004.

103.The Committee welcomes a number of efforts undertaken by the State party in the area of education, including the adoption of the Education Sector Development Programme (2000-2015), which incorporates the objective of providing education to all women and men by 2015, as well as a number of other special programmes to promote the education of girls, in collaboration with the development partners and NGOs. Such programmes include a training fund for Tanzanian women, community-based education for girls (the building of hostels and boarding schools and setting up of educational trust funds), primary education and special programmes for secondary education which introduces capitation grants, complementary basic education in the Tanzanian mainland and the Zanzibar education programme as well as higher education programmes.

104.The Committee commends the State party for the 14th amendment of the Constitution, which provides that the number of women in Parliament shall not be less than 30 per cent of a combined number of members and that the President is empowered to nominate 10 members of Parliament, half of whom should be women. The Committee also commends the information provided by the delegation that the State party is striving to attain the African Union 50/50 parity in its upcoming elections in 2010, that this aim is reiterated in the 2005 Manifesto of the ruling party, and that an inter-ministerial Committee entrusted with the task of formulating gender parity strategies has been set up for this purpose.

105.The Committee commends the State party for the introduction of legal reforms aimed at the elimination of discrimination against women, including the Land Act No. 4 of 1999, as amended in 2004, which create value for land and allow mortgage of land without the consent of spouses, and the Village Lands Act No. 5, which gives women the right to acquire, own and use land equally with men. The Committee also takes note of the proposals put forward by the Law Reform Commission for amendment of the present inheritance laws, the Law of Marriage Act of 1971 and the Law on the Custodian of Children.

106.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its regular cooperation and partnership with NGOs in the promotion of women’s rights and gender equality, including through the adoption in 2000 of an NGO policy and the enactment of the Non-Governmental Organizations Act, No. 24 of 2002 aimed at promoting the effective involvement of NGOs. The Committee encourages the Government to further develop such collaboration.

107.The Committee commends the State party on its ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

108. While recalling the obligation of the State party systematically and continuously to implement all the provisions of the Convention, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring its priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all ministries and to Parliament in order to ensure their full implementation.

Definition of discrimination against women

109.The Committee notes that the thirteenth Constitutional amendment in 2000 expanded the grounds of discrimination in paragraph 13 (5) of the Constitution to also include discrimination on the basis of gender and that article 12, section 5, of the Constitution of Zanzibar as amended in 2002 also includes a reference to gender discrimination. However, the Committee is concerned that although the United Republic of Tanzania has amended its Constitution to include gender as a ground of discrimination, the definition of discrimination is still not in accordance with the definition of discrimination in article 1 of the Convention, which prohibits direct and indirect discrimination.

110. The Committee calls upon the State party to consider amending the existing definition of discrimination to encompass both direct and indirect discrimination in accordance with article 1 of the Convention.

Discriminatory laws

111.The Committee is concerned that, although the United Republic of Tanzania ratified the Convention in 1985 without any reservations, the Convention has still not been domesticated as part of the law of the United Republic of Tanzania. It notes with concern that, without such full domestication, the Convention is not a part of the national legal framework and its provisions are not justiciable and enforceable in the courts. While welcoming the efforts of the State party to achieve legislative reform, specifically in the context of the work of the Law Reform Commission, the Committee is concerned at the lack of priority given to comprehensive legal reform to eliminate sex-discriminatory provisions and to close legislative gaps in order to bring the country’s legal framework fully into compliance with the provisions of the Convention and to achieve women’s de jure equality. The Committee is concerned, in particular, about the delay in the passage of the proposed amendments to the Law of Marriage Act of 1971, inheritance laws, as well as the Law on the Custodian of Children. The Committee is further concerned that other legislation and customary laws that discriminate against women and are incompatible with the Convention remain in force, both in the Tanzanian mainland and in Zanzibar.

112. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on completing the process of full domestication of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to accelerate its law review process and to work effectively with Parliament in ensuring that all discriminatory legislation is amended or repealed to bring it into compliance with the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations. It urges the State party to raise the awareness of legislators about the need to give priority attention to such reforms in order to achieve de jure equality for women and compliance with the State party’s international treaty obligations. It encourages the State party to set a clear time frame for such reforms, including the passage of the proposed amendments to the Marriage Act of 1971, inheritance laws as well as the Law on the Custodian of Children. The Committee recommends that the State party seek technical support from the international community in this regard.

Visibility of the Convention and the Optional Protocol

113.While noting with appreciation that the Convention has been translated into Kiswahili, the Committee is concerned that there is inadequate knowledge of the rights of women under the Convention and its Optional Protocol in society in general, including among the judiciary at all levels. The Committee notes the adoption of the Legal Sector Reforms Programme, but it is concerned at the low number of lawyers in the country, in particular in the rural and remote areas, and at the lack of a comprehensive legal aid system. It is concerned that women themselves are not aware of their rights under the Convention and its Optional Protocol and thus lack the capacity to claim them.

114. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that the Convention, the Optional Protocol and related domestic legislation are made an integral part of education and training for members of the legal profession and the judiciary. The Committee recommends that the State party guarantee that judges at all levels be adequately trained in human rights and the provisions of the Convention and its Optional Protocol, and that women have access to the courts on equal terms with men. It urges the State party to ensure that information on the Convention is provided to women and community leaders, through the use of appropriate media, and that all women in need are provided legal aid to ensure their access to justice. The Committee recommends that the Optional Protocol be translated into Kiswahili.

National machinery for the advancement of women

115.While noting efforts undertaken by the State party to strengthen its national gender machinery, notably the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children for the Tanzanian mainland and the Ministry for Labour, Youth, Employment, Women and Children Development for Zanzibar, and the establishment of gender focal desks in ministries, independent departments and agencies, regional secretariats and local authorities, the Committee is concerned about the weak institutional capacity of the two Ministries, including inadequate human, financial and technical resources. It is concerned that such inadequacies could prevent them from effectively discharging their functions in promoting specific programmes for the advancement of women, in effectively coordinating efforts among the different institutions of the national machinery, at various levels, and in ensuring comprehensive gender mainstreaming in all areas of government policy.

116. The Committee recommends that the State party expeditiously strengthen its national gender machinery, in particular the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children for the Tanzanian mainland and the Ministry for Labour, Youth, Employment, Women and Children Development for Zanzibar , in order to ensure strong institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality. In particular, the Committee urges the State party to provide the national machinery with the necessary authority and adequate human and financial resources to coordinate implementation of the Convention and work effectively for the promotion of gender equality. It calls upon the State party to strengthen the linkages between the national, regional and local levels in relation to gender equality activities, including through the provision of training in gender-sensitivity and gender mainstreaming.

Negative cultural practices

117.The Committee is concerned about the persistence of adverse cultural norms, practices and traditions as well as patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles, responsibilities and identities of women and men in all spheres of life. The Committee is also concerned that such customs and practices perpetuate discrimination against women, and that they are reflected in women’s disadvantageous and unequal status in many areas, including in public life and decision-making and in marriage and family relations, and the persistence of violence against women and harmful traditional customs and practices, including female genital mutilation, polygamy and the bride price, and that, thus far, the State party has not taken sustained and systematic action to modify or eliminate stereotypes and negative cultural values and practices.

118. The Committee requests the State party to view its cultures as dynamic aspects of the country’s life and social fabric and as subject, therefore, to change. It urges the State party to put in place without delay a comprehensive strategy, including legislation, to modify or eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. Such measures should include efforts to raise awareness of this subject, targeting women and men at all levels of society, including traditional leaders, which should be undertaken in collaboration with civil society. The Committee urges the State party to address harmful cultural and traditional customs and practices, such as the use of female genital mutilation, polygamy and the bride price, more vigorously. The Committee encourages the State party to effectively use innovative measures to strengthen the understanding of the equality of women and men and to work with the media to enhance a positive and non-stereotypical portrayal of women.

Violence against women

119.While noting the adoption in 2001 of the National Plan of Action to combat violence against women and children (2001-2015) for both the Tanzanian mainland and Zanzibar and the launch and endorsement by the President in May 2008 of a national campaign of “Say No to Violence Against Women”, the Committee expresses concern at the high prevalence of violence against women and girls, such as widespread domestic violence and sexual violence, including rape. The Committee is also concerned that such violence appears to be socially legitimized and accompanied by a culture of silence and impunity, that cases of violence are thus underreported and that those that are reported are settled out of court. The Committee is further concerned at the inadequate funding for the implementation of the National Action Plan and at the lack of a comprehensive legal aid system. Furthermore, it notes with concern that marital rape is not recognized as a criminal offence as well as the State party’s statement that the provision of shelters for victims of violence is not a viable option for the country, and it regrets the absence of data and information on violence against women, disaggregated by age groups.

120. The Committee urges the State party to give priority attention to combating violence against women and to adopt comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19. It requests the State party to raise public awareness, through the media and education programmes, of the fact that all forms of violence against women are a form of discrimination under the Convention and therefore in violation of women’s rights. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, marital rape, and all forms of sexual abuse, constitute a criminal offence; that perpetrators are prosecuted, punished and rehabilitated; and that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of redress and protection. The Committee requests the State party to remove any impediments faced by women in gaining access to justice and recommends that legal aid be made available to all victims of violence, including through the establishment of legal aid clinics in rural or remote areas. The Committee recommends the implementation of training for the judiciary and public officials, in particular law enforcement personnel, health-service providers and community development officers in order to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can provide adequate gender-sensitive support to victims. It also recommends the establishment of counselling services for victims of violence and urges the State party to reconsider the possibility of establishing shelters for such victims. The Committee requests the State party to provide information in its next periodic report on the laws and policies in place to deal with violence against women and girls and on the impact of such measures, as well as data and trends on the prevalence of various forms of such violence, disaggregated by age groups.

Female genital mutilation

121.While welcoming the enactment of the Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act (1998), which prohibits female genital mutilation of girls under the age of 18 years, and the adoption of the National Plan of Action to combat Female Genital Mutilation (2001-2015), the Committee is concerned about the continued prevalence of the practice in some regions of the country and the estimation provided in the report that about 18 per cent of Tanzanian women undergo female genital mutilation. The Committee is also concerned at the weak enforcement of the prohibition of female genital mutilation and the lack of attention of the relevant authorities as to the recent practice of female genital mutilation being perpetrated against newborn baby girls in the privacy of their homes. The Committee is further concerned at the continued legality of the practice upon women over 18 years of age, who are usually pressured or forced into undergoing the practice. The Committee underlines that this harmful practice is a grave violation of girls’ and women’s human rights and the State party’s obligations under the Convention.

122. The Committee urges the State party to implement existing legislation prohibiting the practice of female genital mutilation and to adopt new legislation, as necessary, to eliminate this and other harmful traditional practices affecting all women. The State party should prohibit female genital mutilation in all instances, including in respect of women over 18 years of age, address the recent practice of female genital mutilation being performed on newborn baby girls, and strengthen the enforcement of the 1998 Act to ensure that offenders are prosecuted and adequately punished. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen its awareness-raising and educational efforts, targeted at both women and men, with the support of civil society, to eliminate the practice of female genital mutilation and its underlying cultural justifications. It also encourages the State party to devise programmes for alternate sources of income for those who perform female genital mutilation as a means of livelihood.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

123.While noting the State party’s ratification in May 2006 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and, in particular, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the Convention, the Committee expresses concern at the persistence of trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and girls in the country. In particular, the Committee expresses concern about the trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls stemming from poverty and from their need to provide support to their families. The Committee regrets the absence of data in respect of both trafficking and prostitution and that the State party does not have a national plan of action to address trafficking. It is concerned by information provided by the State party that trafficking is done in secrecy and in some instances mixed with regular rural urban migration.

124. The Committee urges the effective implementation of the Anti-Trafficking of People’s Act, which must include prevention measures, timely prosecution and punishment of traffickers and the provisions of protection and support to victims. The Committee recommends that information and training on the new law be provided to the judiciary, law enforcement officials, including border police, public officials, social workers and community development officers. It also recommends that the State party adopt a comprehensive action plan to address trafficking and to ensure the allocation of sufficient human and financial resources for its effective implementation, including collection of disaggregated data. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party conduct a study on trafficking and address the root causes of trafficking in order to eliminate the vulnerability of girls and women to sexual exploitation and traffickers and that it undertake efforts for the rehabilitation and social integration of women and girls who are victims of exploitation and trafficking.

Participation in political and public life

125.While acknowledging the significant increase in the number of women in Parliament, the Committee notes that the same level of progress has not been achieved and that obstacles to the advancement of women still remain in other areas of public and professional life, including in the realms of the Government, diplomacy, the judiciary and public administration, mainly at senior levels.

126. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue sustained policies aimed at the promotion of women’s full and equal participation in decision-making as a democratic requirement in all areas of public and professional life. It also recommends that the State party fully utilize the Committee’s general recommendation No. 23, concerning women in public life, and calls upon the State party to adopt, wherever necessary, temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate women’s full and equal participation in public and political life, in particular at high levels of decision-making. It further recommends the implementation of awareness-raising activities about the importance of women’s participation in decision-making for society as a whole and the development of targeted training and mentoring programmes for women candidates and women elected to public office. It also recommends that the State party offer training programmes on leadership and negotiation skills for current and future women leaders. The Committee urges the State party to carefully monitor the effectiveness of measures taken and results achieved and to report thereon in its next periodic report.

Citizenship

127.While noting information provided by the delegation on a White Paper and a draft dual citizenship bill that are under consideration, the Committee is concerned at the continuing discrimination against women under the current Citizenship Act (1995) with respect to acquiring citizenship based on their marital status and passing citizenship to their children born outside the country and that such discrimination is in violation of article 9 of the Convention.

128. The Committee urges the State party to accelerate the process to promptly amend the Citizenship Act (1995) in order to bring it fully into compliance with article 9 of the Convention.

Education

129.While welcoming the progress made in the area of education, including a significant number of educational programmes as noted in paragraph 8 above as well as the recent achievement of gender parity in primary school enrolment, the Committee is concerned at the lack of information about the specific budgetary allocations for the implementation of such programmes. The Committee is also concerned about the inadequate educational infrastructure and teaching materials and the limited number of qualified teachers, the marked difference in the quality of and access to education between urban and rural or remote areas, the lack of disaggregated information on literacy rates, the lower transition rate for girls from primary to secondary school as compared with that of boys and the disparity in enrolment rates between young women and young men in public universities as well as vocational and technical education. The Committee is further concerned about traditional attitudes that constitute obstacles to girls’ education, as well as girls’ drop-out rates due to early marriages, pregnancies, truancy and involvement in domestic chores and taking care of the sick and children. The Committee is, in particular, concerned at information that girls falling victim to early pregnancies are expelled from Tanzanian schools. The Committee notes that education is a key to the advancement of women and that the low level of education of women and girls remains one of the most serious obstacles to their full enjoyment of their human rights.

130. The Committee urges the State party to enhance its compliance with article 10 of the Convention and to raise awareness in society of the importance of education as a human right and basis for the empowerment of women. It encourages the State party to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that in some areas constitute obstacles to girls’ and women’s education. The Committee recommends that the State party implement measures to ensure equal access of girls and women to all levels of education, retain girls in school and strengthen the implementation of re-entry policies so that girls return to Tanzanian schools after giving birth. The State party should take the necessary steps to increase the number of qualified teachers, including through providing appropriate and continuous training, and to ensure the provision of an adequate educational infrastructure, especially in rural areas, and teaching materials. The Committee urges the State party to allocate the necessary budgetary allocation for the implementation of various projects and programmes and it requests the State party to provide information on the measures taken and on their impact in its next periodic report.

Employment

131.The Committee notes various measures taken by the State party, including the domestication of international labour standards through the enactment of the National Employment Services Act (1999), which provides for equal opportunities of access to employment for men and women, the enactment of the Employment and Labour Relations Act (2004),which is applicable to all employers, and the adoption of an affirmative action policy in employment in the public service. It also notes that women employed in the public sector are entitled to equal remuneration commensurate with their work. However, the Committee is concerned that the public service is male dominated and that the majority of women working in the public sector are in the lower or middle cadres. The Committee is also concerned that, while paid maternity leave is provided for in the Public Service Standing Orders (1984) and the Employment and Labour Relations Act (2004), such maternity leave is only available every three years and that the private sector employers are not bound by the Standing Orders. The Committee is further concerned that sexual harassment constitutes a serious problem for female labourers. The Committee is concerned about the precarious situation of the high number of women in the informal sector, mainly in the agricultural sector, as well as in other activities such as small business, food processing and handicrafts, where they have limited access to land and lack job security and access to social security benefits.

132.Furthermore, the Committee regrets the limited data on the situation of women in the labour force, which prevented it from obtaining a clear picture with regard to women’s participation in the labour force in urban and rural areas, the wage gap, vertical and horizontal labour force segregation and women’s ability to benefit from new economic opportunities.

133. The Committee requests the State party to ensure equal opportunities for women in the labour market, in accordance with article 11 of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to ensure that employment legislation applies to, and is enforced in, the public and private sectors. The Committee also calls upon the State party to provide a regulatory framework for the informal sector, with a view to providing women with access to social protection and benefits. It further calls upon the State party to provide, in its next report, detailed information, including data disaggregated by sex; an analysis on the situation of women in the field of employment, in both the formal and informal sectors, and trends over time; and information about measures taken and their impact on realizing equal opportunities for women in the employment sectors, including in new fields of employment and entrepreneurship. The Committee requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report detailed information about legal provisions and their monitoring and enforcement; equal pay for work of equal value; and complaints mechanisms and statistical information concerning their use by women and their outcomes.

Economic and social benefits

134.While noting the adoption in 2000 of the National Micro-Finance Policy, which provides guidelines to achieve gender equality and equity in accessing financial services, the existence of the Women’s Development Fund and the information provided by the delegation that the Government is facilitating the establishment of a women’s bank, the Committee is concerned that loans given to women attract high interest rates and that burdensome conditionalities, which undermine women’s development, still prevail. The Committee notes with concern that, although women constitute an estimated 43 per cent of all entrepreneurs, they are still found predominantly in low-growth areas earning lower financial returns than their male counterparts and face sociocultural obstacles as well as legal, regulatory and administrative barriers.

135. In accordance with article 13 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to ensure that the loans granted should have minimal interest rates to accommodate more women and that burdensome conditionalities be removed. The Committee calls upon the State party to address the barriers facing women entrepreneurs by devising specific programmes and developing evaluation mechanisms to determine whether the entrepreneurship education programmes are helping these women. The State party should also take the necessary measures to ensure that the women’s bank becomes operational as soon as possible.

Health

136.The Committee welcomes a number of efforts undertaken by the State party to improve women’s health since the examination of the last periodic report, including the introduction in 1998 of a cost-sharing programme for medical services, the development of a National Road Map Strategic Plan to Accelerate the Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Deaths in Tanzania (2006-2010), the White Ribbon initiative as well as the Reproductive and Child Health Strategy (2004-2008), which provides free maternal and child health services. The Committee expresses its concern that the maternal mortality rate, including deaths resulting from anaemia, as well as the infant mortality rate remain high, and that the life expectancy age for women has decreased. The Committee notes the introduction in 1998 of Family Life Education but it expresses concern at the lack of access by women to quality sexual and reproductive health services and that the existing sex education programmes are not sufficient, and may not give enough attention to the prevention of early pregnancy and the control of sexually transmitted infections. It is also concerned that negative attitudes of health workers may be an impediment to women’s access to health-care services. The Committee is further concerned about the unmet demand for family planning services and the low level of contraceptive use.

137. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to reduce the incidence of maternal and infant mortality and to increase the life expectancy age for women. It urges the State party to make every effort to raise awareness of and increase women’s access to health-care facilities and medical assistance by trained personnel, especially in rural areas. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that health workers adopt a client-friendly attitude that will lead to improved access to quality health care. It recommends the adoption of measures to increase knowledge of and access to affordable contraceptive methods, so that women and men can make informed choices about the number and spacing of children. It also recommends that sex education be widely promoted and targeted at adolescent girls and boys, with special attention to the prevention of early pregnancy and the control of sexually transmitted infections. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party continues to seek financial and technical support from the international community in order to implement measures to improve women’s health.

HIV/AIDS

138.The Committee notes the recent slight decline in HIV prevalence to an estimated 6.5 per cent of adults between 15 and 49 years of age living with HIV/AIDS in 2005, the adoption of the National Multi-Sectoral Strategy Framework on HIV/AIDS (2003-2007),and a national policy under the Tanzania Commission for AIDS and the Zanzibar AIDS Commission, as well as the enactment of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act (2008) for purposes of preventing and outlawing stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS. However, the Committee is concerned that the State party still faces a serious epidemic, especially among young women in their childbearing years. It is also concerned that current policies and legislation do not adequately take into account gender-specific vulnerabilities and do not adequately protect the rights of women and girls affected by HIV/AIDS. The Committee is especially concerned that the persistence of unequal power relations between women and men and the inferior status of girls and women hamper their ability to negotiate safe sexual practices and increases their vulnerability to infection.

139. The Committee recommends continued and sustained efforts to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls, as well as its social and family consequences. It urges the State party to enhance its focus on women’s empowerment and to include clearly and visibly a gender perspective in its policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS. The Committee recommends that the State party report on measures taken in this respect and results achieved in its next periodic report.

Rural women

140.The Committee expresses its concern at the disadvantaged position of women in rural and remote areas who form the majority of women in the United Republic of Tanzania, which is characterized by poverty, illiteracy, difficulties in access to health and social services and a lack of participation in decision-making processes at the community level. The Committee is also concerned that traditional female stereotypes are most prevalent in the rural communities and that rural women are often relegated tasks related to farming and raising children, with no opportunity for wage employment. While noting the adoption of the Land Act No. 4 of 1999, as amended in 2004, and the Village Lands Act No. 5 of 1999 that reverse discriminatory customary practice connected with women’s rights to land and that the Courts (Land Disputes Settlements) Act No. 2 of 2002 provides for the composition of Land Courts with not less than 43 per cent women members, the Committee is concerned that rural women often lack effective access to the ownership of land, despite the existence of legal provisions providing for such access, as reflected in the low percentage of women who own land. The Committee is also concerned that the amended land laws do not address the issue of discriminatory inheritance rights against women. In addition, it is concerned about women’s limited knowledge of their property rights and their lack of capacity to claim them.

141. The Committee calls upon the State party to take the necessary measures to increase and strengthen the participation of women in designing and implementing local development plans, and to pay special attention to the needs of rural women, in particular women heads of household, by ensuring that they participate in decision-making processes and have improved access to health, education, clean water and sanitation services, fertile land and income-generation projects. The Committee urges the State party to take appropriate measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against rural women with respect to ownership of land. The Committee also urges the State party to enact legislation to eliminate discriminatory inheritance practices. The Committee further urges the State party to place high priority on implementing legislative reforms and invites the State party to enhance women’s, especially rural women’s, awareness of their land and property rights through legal literacy programmes and extension services. It encourages the State party to expand legal assistance to rural women wishing to file claims of discrimination. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next periodic report comprehensive data on the situation of rural women in all areas covered by the Convention, including the causes for the low percentage of women, as compared to men, who own land, and on efforts by the State party to increase this percentage.

Vulnerable groups of women

142.While noting efforts undertaken, the Committee expresses its concern at the vulnerable situation of certain groups of women, including older women. In particular, the Committee is deeply concerned about the social situation of those women, including their poverty, as well as reports of intimidation, isolation, abuse and killings, resulting, inter alia, from allegations of witchcraft. The Committee is also deeply concerned at reports that albinos, including women and girls, have been targeted in ritual killings. The Committee regrets the lack of information on the situation of women with disabilities.

143. The Committee recommends that the State party pay special attention to the precarious situation of older women and women with disabilities, to ensure that they have full access to health and social services and to decision-making processes, and that they have adequate jobs in the labour market, as appropriate. The Committee urges the State party to adopt special programmes to alleviate poverty within these groups of women, and to combat all forms of discrimination against them. The Committee also urges the State party to challenge traditional views regarding older women, in particular accusations of witchcraft, and to protect albino women and girls from ritual killings. The Committee requests that further information, including disaggregated data, be provided in the next report about the situation of older women and women with disabilities.

Refugee women

144.While commending the State party for its efforts to host refugees from neighbouring countries and noting the enactment of the Refugees Act of 1998, the Committee remains concerned about the limited information provided by the State party about refugee women in camps in the United Republic of Tanzania. The Committee is particularly concerned at reports about women’s inadequate protection from and redress for all forms of violence in communities of refugees and the apparent impunity of the perpetrators of such violence.

145. The Committee requests the State party to provide in its next report comprehensive information on the situation of refugee women in the United Republic of Tanzania , in particular in respect to the means used to protect these women from all forms of violence and the mechanisms available for redress and rehabilitation. It urges the State party to take steps to investigate and punish all perpetrators of violence against refugees. It encourages the State party to continue to collaborate with the international community, especially the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in these efforts.

Family relations

146.The Committee is concerned about the multiple marriage regimes that apply in the State party. It is particularly concerned that customary law and section 10 of the Law of Marriage Act of 1971 allow polygamy while section 15 of the Act specifically prohibits women from having more than one husband and that the proposed amendments to the Marriage Act will not criminalize polygamy. While noting that the proposed amendments to the Marriage Act purports to establish the legal minimum age for both girls and boys at 18 years instead of 15 years for girls and 18 years for boys as it stands under section 13 of the Marriage Act, the Committee is concerned at the delay in passing such amendment. The Committee is further concerned that the Law of Persons Act allows for the possible payment of a bride price and that discriminatory customary practices still persist with regard to marriage and family relations, including wife inheritance and widow cleansing.

147. The Committee urges the State party to harmonize civil, religious and customary law with article 16 of the Convention and to complete its law reform in the area of marriage and family relations in order to bring its legislative framework into compliance with articles 15 and 16 of the Convention, within a specific time frame. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that where conflicts arise between formal legal provisions and customary law, the formal provisions prevail. The Committee also calls upon the State party to implement measures aimed at eliminating polygamy, as called for in the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21 on equality in marriage and family relations. The State party is urged to speedily enact the proposed amendments to the Marriage Act to ensure that it establishes one legal minimum age for marriage, at 18 years for both girls and boys, in line with internationally acceptable standards.

Data collection and analysis

148.While noting the reference in the report to a computerized gender-sensitive monitoring system database within the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, the Committee is concerned that the report did not provide sufficient statistical data on the situation of women in all areas covered by the Convention. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of information on the impact of measures taken and of results achieved in various areas of the Convention.

149. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its system of data collection, including the use of measurable indicators to assess trends in the situation of women and of progress towards women’s de facto equality, and to allocate sufficient budgetary resources for that purpose. It invites the State party, as necessary, to seek international assistance for the development of such data collection and analysis efforts. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next periodic report statistical data and analysis, disaggregated by sex and by rural and urban areas, indicating the impact of policy and programmatic measures and the results achieved.

Article 20, paragraph 1

150. The Committee encourages the State party to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

Parliament

151. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national Parliament in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of these concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Preparation of the next report

152. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next periodic report, as well as to consult with non-governmental organizations during that phase.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

153. The Committee urges the State party, in its implementation of its obligations under the Convention, to fully utilize the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

154. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Dissemination

155. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in the United Republic of Tanzania of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Ratification of other treaties

156.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. The Committee therefore encourages the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to consider ratifying the instruments to which it is not yet a party, that is, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Follow-up to the concluding observations

157. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 112 and 122 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next report

158. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, which is due in September 2010, and its eighth periodic report, which is due in September 2014, in a combined report in 2014.

4.Fifth and sixth periodic reports

Finland

159.The Committee considered the fifth and sixth periodic reports of Finland (CEDAW/C/FIN/5 and 6) at its 841st and 842nd meetings, on 9 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.841 and 842). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/FIN/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of Finland are contained in document CEDAW/C/FIN/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

160.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its fifth and sixth periodic reports, which followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports and took into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Committee also commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group, and the oral presentation and further clarifications given in responses to the questions posed orally by the members of the Committee.

161.The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, which was headed by the Director of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and included representatives of various Government ministries and departments as well as a member of Parliament. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the frank and open constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

Positive aspects

162.The Committee commends the State party for its legal reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and promoting gender equality. In particular, it welcomes the reform in 2005 of the Act on Equality between Women and Men, which prohibits indirect discrimination, extends the quota provision to inter-municipal cooperation bodies and places the burden of proof on the defendant. It also commends the State party for the enactment in 2004 of the Non-Discrimination Act establishing a general framework for equal treatment between persons, irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, in employment and occupation.

163.The Committee welcomes the measures carried out by the State party to combat trafficking in women and girls, including the newly revised National Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings, the possibility of issuing residence permits to victims of trafficking and the ratification, in 2006, of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

164.The Committee notes with appreciation that the proportion of women parliamentarians in Finland amounts to 42 per cent and women in ministerial positions account for 60 per cent, both of which are among the highest in the world.

165.The Committee congratulates the State party for its international assistance and bilateral cooperation programmes designed to promote and protect women’s rights. The Committee also congratulates the State party on its efforts, nationally and internationally, to enhance implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

166. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation systematically and continuously to implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on actions taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Gender equality in legislative reform

167.While noting the recent initiative of the Government to reform the legislation on equality and non-discrimination and the establishment of the Equality Committee with the task of preparing options for such a reform, the Committee is concerned that a consolidation of the Act on Equality between Women and Men and the Non-Discrimination Act might lead to a loss of visibility of the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross-cutting nature, and consequently to a lower level of protection for women. The Committee is also concerned that such a consolidation might lead to a decrease in resources available for work on gender equality and to a need for prioritization between different grounds for discrimination.

168. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross-cutting nature, is given adequate visibility and attention in the work on the reform of the legislation on equality and non-discrimination and its final outcome. The Committee recommends that the supervisory and monitoring authorities, in particular the Ombudsperson for Minorities and the Ombudsperson for Equality, be given additional resources to carry out any additional duties.

Gender mainstreaming

169.While welcoming the State party’s efforts to ensure that the gender perspective is mainstreamed in all law drafting, budget procedure and other major projects from the outset and the State party’s use of gender budgeting, the Committee is concerned that coordination and effective follow-up and monitoring of the use of the gender mainstreaming strategy in policies and programmes of different departments and at all levels is not ensured.

170. The Committee recommends that a mechanism, at a high level of the Government and with adequate resources, be designated and actively take up the responsibility and leadership role in coordinating the implementation of the gender-mainstreaming strategy in policies and programmes of all other Government departments at all levels of governance, as well as to ensure the effective monitoring and evaluation of results achieved. It also encourages the State party to provide such a mechanism to ensure that knowledge of the Convention is effectively promoted at all levels and sectors of Government with the aim of promoting de jure and de facto equality between women and men.

Visibility of the Convention and the Optional Protocol

171.While noting that information on the Convention and its Optional Protocol is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Committee is concerned at the overall lack of awareness of the Convention, of the procedures aimed at addressing violations of women’s rights via its Optional Protocol, of the Committee’s general recommendations, which give an authoritative interpretation of the Convention, and of views of the Committee on individual cases of communication and inquiry.

172. The Committee recommends that the State party, in line with its obligation under article 13 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention, undertake concrete measures to make widely known and to give publicity to the Convention and its Optional Protocol as well as to facilitate access to information about the general recommendations and the views and recommendations of the Committee regarding individual communications and inquiry.

Violence against women

173.The Committee notes the various efforts undertaken by the State party to combat violence against women and girls, including the introduction of restraining orders for persons living in the same household. However, the Committee remains concerned about the high incidence of violence against women, including the high number of women killed in domestic violence, and sexual harassment, the absence of a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women and the lack of an effective institutional mechanism to coordinate, monitor and assess actions at the governmental level to prevent and address this scourge. The Committee is also concerned that the policy on violence against women is couched in gender-neutral language, which undermines the notion that such violence is a clear manifestation of discrimination against women. The Committee is further concerned that the new mediation procedure may lead to the re-victimization of women who have suffered violence. The Committee regrets that the number of shelters, many of which have been established and are operating on the initiative of NGOs, is insufficient to meet the needs of women, both in numbers and in their mode of operation.

174. The Committee calls upon the State party to intensify its efforts to prevent and address all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, in accordance with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19 and the State party’s reaffirmed commitment during the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/WG.6/1/FIN/4, para. 50). It also calls upon the State party to put in place expeditiously a comprehensive strategy or action plan and a campaign to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, and an effective institutional mechanism at the cabinet level to coordinate, monitor and assess the effectiveness of measures taken. The Committee recommends that the State party carry out studies and monitor closely the new law on the mediation procedure in order to ensure that such procedure is implemented in a way that respects and promotes women’s human rights and does not lead to perpetrators escaping prosecution. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that a sufficient number of shelters, staffed by expert personnel and provided with adequate financial resources, are available to women victims of violence. It recommends that shelters adhere to a strict policy of confidentiality to protect the victim’s identity and the locality of shelters. The Committee urges the State party to take steps towards enacting a legislation criminalizing sexual harassment.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

175.While noting the enactment in 2005 of a bill criminalizing the buying of sex from victims of human trafficking and procurement, the Committee regrets the lack of information and data on the prevalence of prostitution in Finland, including clandestine prostitution in massage parlours. The Committee is concerned at the proliferation of plans of action against trafficking and the lack of coordination among them.

176. The Committee requests the State party to provide in its next periodic report complete information and data as well as the result of an ongoing study on the exploitation of prostitution of women, including information on clandestine prostitution in massage parlours, and an assessment of the law’s implementation to date. The State party is encouraged to continue formulating strategies and programmes to prevent women from entering prostitution and to establish programmes of rehabilitation and support for women and girls who wish to discontinue their lives in prostitution, including providing them with information on and support in relation to alternative livelihood options. The Committee requests the State party to enhance cooperation among entities responsible for the monitoring of plans of actions against trafficking, including coordination with countries of origin and transit.

Stereotypes in media and advertising

177.The Committee is concerned that media and advertising in the State party are becoming increasingly pornographic, and that the over-sexualized depiction of women strengthens the existing stereotypes of women as sex object and girls’ low self-esteem.

178. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its strategies to combat pornography and sexualization in media and advertising and to report the results of the implementation in its next periodic report. It requests the State party to take proactive measures to ensure that media production and coverage are non-discriminatory and promote positive images of girls and women, as well as increase awareness of these issues among media proprietors and other relevant actors in the industry.

Equal participation in political and public life

179.While welcoming the increase in the number of women board directors in State-owned or partly State-owned companies as a result of the measures contained in the National Action Plan to Implement Equality, the Committee remains concerned at the low percentage of women in high-ranking positions, in particular in the private sector, academia and the diplomatic service. It notes the lack of statistics on the participation of migrant and minority women in political and public life and in academia.

180. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen its efforts to encourage an increase in the number of women in high-ranking posts, in particular in academia and the private sector. It recommends the adoption of proactive measures to encourage more women to apply for high-ranking posts and encourages the State party to employ and effectively implement temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate the realization of women’s de facto equality with men. It encourages the State party to ensure that the representation of women in political and public bodies reflects the full diversity of the population and includes migrant and minority women. The Committee requests the State party to provide data and information on the representation of women, including migrant and minority women, in political and public life, in academia and in diplomatic service, in its next periodic report.

Education

181.The Committee notes with concern the lack of a gender perspective in early childhood education and the overall gender neutrality of the educational curriculum and teaching materials. It also notes with concern the high rate of girls experiencing sexual harassment at school and the lack of adequate training for teachers to address such phenomenon.

182. The Committee requests the State party to undertake a comprehensive curricula review and to introduce gender-sensitive curricula and teaching methods that address the structural and cultural causes of discrimination against women. It also requests that gender issues and sensitivity training be made an integral and substantive component of all teachers’ training.

Employment

183.The Committee remains concerned about women’s disadvantaged situation in the labour market, as reflected in the significant vertical and horizontal occupational segregation between women and men in the labour market. It is also concerned about the persistence of a gender-based wage gap of 20 per cent, the predominance of women in fixed-term employment, illegal dismissal of women due to pregnancy and childbirth and the low rate of men who take parental leave.

184. The Committee urges the State party to prioritize the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market, so as to achieve full compliance with article 11 of the Convention. It recommends that the State party take concrete measures, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to eliminate both vertical and horizontal occupational segregation and close the gender-based wage gap between women and men, as well as measures to prevent the practice of illegal dismissal of women in cases of pregnancy and childbirth. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to ensure reconciliation of family and professional responsibilities and to promote equal sharing of domestic and family tasks between women and men, including by developing incentives to encourage more men to avail themselves of parental leave.

Health of girls

185.The Committee expresses its concern at the deteriorating mental health situation of girls, including depression, eating disorders, and increased alcohol and drug consumption. It is particularly concerned at the high suicide rate among girls.

186. The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary measures to address the deteriorating mental health situation of young girls, to prevent and combat the abuse of alcohol and use of drugs, and to prevent girls’ suicide. It also recommends awareness-raising and educational campaigns, in particular through the media, targeted at adolescent girls.

Immigrant women

187.The Committee is concerned that immigrant women continue to suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, including with respect to access to education, employment and health services. The Committee is particularly concerned at the high rate of unemployment among immigrant women. It is also concerned that immigrant women may be particularly vulnerable to poverty and various forms of violence, including domestic violence and female genital mutilation, and may encounter difficulties in obtaining employment in jobs that are commensurate with their level of education, experience and qualifications.

188. The Committee calls upon the State party to keep under review and carefully monitor the impact of its laws and policies on women immigrants, with a view to taking remedial measures that effectively respond to the needs of those women, including the clear adoption of a gender perspective in the action plan for immigrants. In addition, the Committee calls upon the State party to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on discrimination against immigrant women, to collect statistics on their situation in employment, education and health care and on forms of violence that they may experience, and to submit such information in its next periodic report.

Roma women

189.While noting the measures taken by the State party to enhance the awareness of Roma women of their rights and their integration into Finnish society, the Committee remains concerned that these women continue to face multiple forms of discrimination based on both their sex and their ethnic background, including a high rate of unemployment, difficulty in accessing services and discrimination within their own communities.

190. The Committee calls upon the State party to implement effective measures to eliminate discrimination against Roma women and to enhance their enjoyment of human rights. It encourages the State party to be proactive in its measures to prevent discrimination against Roma women, both within their communities and in society at large, to combat violence against them, and to increase their awareness of the availability of social services and legal remedies as well as to step up measures to familiarize them with their rights to equality and non-discrimination. The Committee requests the State party to provide, in its next periodic report, information on the situation of women from ethnic minority groups, including with regard to access to education, employment and health care, and on the impact of measures taken to enhance such access and results achieved, as well as trends over time.

Sami women

191.While acknowledging the increased supportive measures for Sami women regarding social and health services and the implementation programme drawn up by municipalities together with the Sami council, the Committee is concerned that Sami women continue to face multiple discrimination, including difficulty in accessing adequate health care due to lack of doctors in the northern part of Finland. The Committee notes in particular the absence of a gender perspective in Sami politics and the inadequate political representation of Sami women both in their communities and at the national level.

192. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that Sami women are provided with adequate social and health services, including reproductive health services. The Committee requests the State party to ensure that gender perspectives are mainstreamed in all policies and programmes regarding the Sami people. It encourages the State party to develop measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against Sami women, including engaging proactively with the Sami community and drawing up plans to increase women’s representation in both their community and in Finnish society at large.

Women with disabilities

193.The Committee is concerned that women with disabilities suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, including with respect to access to education, employment, health care and protection from violence, and that they are not seen as a particular group with particular needs. The Committee regrets the absence of sufficient information and data, including statistical data, on the impact of legislation and policies in the social sector on women with disabilities, as well as the lack of data on violence against those women.

194. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to eliminate discrimination against women with disabilities, to combat violence against them and to recognize them as a particular group with particular needs. The Committee calls upon the State party to take effective measures to integrate them into the Finnish labour market and to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on discrimination against them, collect statistics on their situation in employment, education and health and on all forms of violence that they may experience and submit such information in its next periodic report.

Parliament

195. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of these concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Follow-up to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals

196. The Committee urges the State party to continue to utilize, in implementing its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

197. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Ratification of other treaties

198. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Finland to consider ratifying the instruments to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Dissemination

199. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Finland of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee also requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Follow-up to the concluding observations

200. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, detailed written information on the implementation of the recommendations contained in paragraph 174 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next report

201. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, as scheduled, in October 2011.

Iceland

202.The Committee considered the fifth and sixth periodic reports of Iceland (CEDAW/C/ICE/5 and 6) at its 839th and 840th meetings, on 8 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.839 and 840). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/ICE/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of Iceland are contained in document CEDAW/C/ICE/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

203.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its fifth and sixth periodic reports, which generally follow the guidelines of the Committee (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.1/Add.2), but regrets that they do not provide information on the implementation of certain articles of the Convention and recommendations made in previous concluding observations of the Committee. The Committee also commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and responses to the questions posed by the Committee.

204.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for sending a delegation headed by the Head of the Department of Equality and Labour of the Ministry of Social Affairs, which included representatives of the Centre for Gender Equality and the Gender Equality Council. The Committee commends the State party for the constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee, which provided further information on the situation of women in Iceland and on the implementation of the Convention.

Positive aspects

205.The Committee commends the State party on the adoption, by the Parliament (Althingi), of the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men (Act No. 10/2008) as well as the acts amending provisions of the General Penal Code (No. 19/1940) on organized crime and trafficking in human beings (Act No. 40/2003), on domestic violence (Act No. 27/2006) and on sexual offences (Act No. 61/2007).

206.The Committee welcomes the adoption by the Parliament of a new action plan on gender equality for the period 2004-2008 which is guided by the principle of mainstreaming gender equality in public administration, including with regard to gender-based wage discrimination. The Committee notes with satisfaction the reappointment by the Government, in 2007, of the Committee on Violence against Women, the relaunch of the project “Male Responsibility” on domestic violence in 2006 and the plan of action on domestic and sexual violence.

207.The Committee notes with appreciation that women currently constitute 35.9 per cent of the members of local governments — 40 per cent in metropolitan areas — that 31.8 per cent of the members of Parliament and 36.5 per cent of ministers are women.

208.The Committee notes the adoption of measures aimed at accelerating gender equality, such as the “Equal Future for Boys and Girls” homepage and the appointment of a committee to make proposals on ways of increasing the number of women in senior management of Icelandic companies.

209.The Committee expresses its appreciation for the support the State party provides to the United Nations Development Fund for Women for its programmes to introduce gender equality considerations into government structures of several countries.

210.The Committee commends the State party for the acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, in May 2002.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

211. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention, and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority attention between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Definition of discrimination against women and incorporation of the Convention

212.While noting that the State party has complemented a general prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender contained in the Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men Act with definitions of direct and indirect discrimination contained in Regulation No. 47/2003 on the functions of the Centre for Gender Equality, the Committee remains concerned that article 1 of the Convention, which defines “discrimination against women”, is not fully reflected in the said Regulation. The Committee is also concerned that even though many provisions of the Convention are incorporated in the Act on Gender Equality, this is not done with respect to article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

213. In order to fully implement the Convention, the Committee calls upon the State party to give further consideration to the incorporation of the definition of discrimination against women contained in article 1 of the Convention in its national legislation. The Committee recommends that the State party provide a legal basis for employing and implementing temporary special measures, as provided for in article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

Visibility of the Convention and the Optional Protocol

214.The Committee is equally concerned at the lack of awareness, in general, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol and the Committee’s views on communications considered in the State party, especially in the judiciary. It notes that the decisions of the Supreme Court on discrimination against women do not refer to the Convention or to article 15 of Regulation 47/2003, which is said to be worded on article 1 of the Convention. It is also concerned at the lack of dissemination of the Committee’s general recommendations as well as of the previous concluding observations in respect of Iceland.

215. The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to raise awareness of the provisions of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s views on communications considered and its general recommendations among judges, prosecutors, lawyers and other legal professionals to ensure that the norms, objectives and provisions of the Convention become well-known and regularly used in judicial processes.

Stereotypes

216.While welcoming the State party’s efforts to address stereotypical attitudes and behaviour that discriminate against women and perpetuate inequality between women and men, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of stereotypical attitudes towards women, which threaten to undermine the full enjoyment of their rights on equal footing with men. It is particularly concerned at information suggesting that both women and men consider that a wage gender gap is acceptable.

217. The Committee calls upon the State party to take proactive and sustained measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to encourage the media to promote cultural change with regard to the roles and tasks traditionally considered suitable for women and men, as required by article 5 of the Convention. The Committee urges the State party to undertake in-depth research and studies on the impact of gender-role stereotypes on the implementation of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to undertake an assessment of the impact of current measures in this context in order to identify potential shortcomings and to adjust these measures accordingly.

Violence against women

218.While noting the adoption by the Director of Public Prosecution in September 2007 of new guidelines on the investigation of rape cases, the Committee remains concerned, as expressed in its previous concluding observations, at the light penalties for crimes of sexual violence, especially rape, and at the lack of updated detailed information, including statistics, on sentences imposed on perpetrators of crimes of sexual violence. In addition, the Committee is concerned that there is a significant disparity between the numbers of investigated cases of sexual offences, and the numbers of prosecutions and convictions.

219. The Committee recommends that, in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, the State party ensure that comprehensive legal and other measures are in place to address all forms of violence against women, especially domestic and sexual violence. It also recommends that the State party improve its research and data collection and analysis on the prevalence, causes and consequences of violence against women, including information on the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim in instances of violence and the potential causes of an unwillingness of victims to proceed with charges. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct comprehensive research on the functioning of the justice system with regard to violence against women and to consider, in the light of its results, to review its penal and penal procedure laws to ensure that perpetrators of acts of violence against women are always adequately prosecuted and convicted in accordance with the grave nature of their acts. Such review should include, if deemed necessary, the imposition of heavier penalties for such crimes. Special attention should be given to articles 45 and 112 of the Code of Criminal Procedure No. 19/1991 with regard to the broad competence of the Director of Public Prosecution. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that all women who are victims of violence have access to immediate and appropriate means of protection.

220.The Committee is concerned at the lack of updated detailed information on the use and effectiveness of restraining orders in cases of domestic and sexual violence in the State party, the possible conflicting competence between the police and the judicial authorities and the lack of adequate sensitization, especially of the judiciary and police, of the implementing guidelines and rules of Act No. 94/2000, which amended the Code of Criminal Procedure, with regard to restraining orders.

221. The Committee recommends that the State party improve its data collection on the use and effectiveness of restraining orders since the adoption of Act No. 94/2000, especially with regard to domestic and sexual violence. It also recommends that the State party raise the awareness of the judiciary and police about the use of such orders. It further recommends that the Althingi consider discussing further the adoption of a specific act on restraining orders, presented to it in November 2007.

222.While noting the National Action Plan against Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence and the work of the Emergency Reception Centre for Rape Victims, the Committee is concerned at the obstacles women victims of domestic and sexual violence face when bringing complaints and seeking protection. It is particularly concerned at the more precarious situation of immigrant women and women of vulnerable groups in this context which may prevent them from reporting cases of domestic and sexual violence.

223. The Committee recommends that the State party allocate sufficient financial resources to ensure that all women who are victims of violence have access to immediate and appropriate means of protection, including protection orders and access to safe and adequately funded shelters throughout the country, as well as to legal aid, if necessary. The State party should ensure that high-quality support services are provided to immigrant women, who represent 40 per cent of those staying in the State party’s one existing shelter, and women of vulnerable groups, in order for them to bring complaints, seek protection and redress, thus ensuring that women do not have to stay in violent or abusive relationships. In this respect, the State party should take the necessary measures to facilitate their reporting of domestic and sexual violence. The Committee recommends that the State party implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes throughout the country directed at these groups of vulnerable women.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

224.While acknowledging the specific geographic situation of Iceland and the preparation of the National Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings, the Committee is concerned about the lack of information provided by the State party on trafficking, especially of women and girls, as well as on the implementation of the 2003 Act on trafficking. The Committee is also concerned that the decriminalization of prostitution in 2007, unaccompanied by regulatory measures, and the existence of illegal “strip clubs”, may increase trafficking and exploitation of prostitution. It is further concerned that there is no victim and witness programme in place for trafficked persons, although several proposals in this regard, supported by the Icelandic Human Rights Centre, have been presented to the Althingi.

225. The Committee recommends that the State party monitor closely the implementation of Act No. 61/2007 on prostitution, reinforce existing measures to prevent and combat trafficking, especially in women and girls, and investigate thoroughly such cases, in accordance with article 6 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19. The Committee also recommends that the State party investigate the prevalence of illegal “strip clubs” by conducting research and surveys. It calls upon the State party to increase international cooperation efforts to prevent trafficking, to prosecute and punish traffickers in accordance with the gravity of their crime, ensure the protection of the human rights of women and girls who are victims of trafficking and establish a legal framework for victim and witness protection. The Committee calls upon the State party to ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. It also calls upon the State party to provide to the Committee, in line with paragraph 246 of the present concluding observations, statistical data related to trafficking and prostitution, including information on the impact of the decriminalization of prostitution on the enjoyment of women’s human rights.

Participation in public life and economic decision-making

226.The Committee remains concerned at the low percentage of women in high-ranking posts, in particular in diplomacy and the judiciary. While noting that women are the majority of university-educated professionals, it is concerned at the low number of women in academia, where their presence declines as they move up the professional academic ladder, so that they currently hold only 18 per cent of professorships in the University of Iceland, while they represent 32 per cent of associate professors and 54 per cent of instructors. The Committee is also concerned at the low representation of women in top management positions, with only 18 per cent of women as managing directors in 2004 and on boards of private companies and only 22 per cent of women as chairpersons of such boards in 2004. The Committee regrets that no temporary special measures are currently in place to encourage acceleration of the achievement of substantive equality between women and men in all areas of the Convention and, in particular, within the private employment sector.

227. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen its efforts to increase the number of women in high-ranking posts, in particular in academia. It recommends the adoption of measures to encourage more women to apply for high-ranking posts and encourages the State party to employ and implement effectively temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in all areas. The Committee requests that the State party monitor developments with regard to women’s participation in top management positions with a view to supporting further participation in these sectors through legislative or policy initiatives and to provide information on results achieved, including relevant disaggregated statistical data.

Employment

228.While noting the new measures adopted to prohibit wage non-disclosure clauses in contracts of employment, the Committee remains concerned at the persistent and significant wage-gap between women and men, which can mainly be explained as the result of direct discrimination. It is concerned that a 2006 study showed that men in Iceland have 16 per cent higher wages than women when age, job status, job experience, education and number of working hours have been taken into account.

229. The Committee recommends that the State party enforce without delay the legal provision requiring institutions or companies employing more than 25 persons to prepare gender equality programmes or to make special provisions regarding gender equality in their employment policies. It also recommends that the State party monitor closely such requirements, including through the collection and analysis of data disaggregated by sex, skills and sectors, as well as the impact of measures taken and results achieved.

230.While noting the explanation of the delegation with regard to the definition of part-time employment in the State party, as well as the amendment to the Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave Act No. 95/2000 by Act No. 90/2004, the Committee reiterates its concern that more women than men work part-time and that the survey on the importance of part-time employment and non-permanent jobs that are undertaken outside normal places of work has not been carried out. The Committee is concerned that traditional practices and stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society persist, and considers that this could be the root cause of the disadvantaged position of women in the labour market.

231. The Committee encourages the State party to strengthen its measures to change stereotypical attitudes about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in society, in order to promote the reconciliation of private and family life and work responsibilities between women and men, in accordance with articles 5 (a) and 11.1 (b) and (c) of the Convention. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake a survey on the root causes of unequal part-time employment and non-permanent jobs between women and men as well as to monitor closely the effects of the amendment introduced to the Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave Act.

232.The Committee is concerned that sex and gender-based discrimination may exist in the fishery industry, including in relation to business operations, access to grants and loans, and appropriate health and safety measures, which could explain the low representation of women in this sector.

233. The Committee recommends that the State party complete the comprehensive study on the root causes of low participation of women at all levels of the fishery industry and employ the necessary measures to promote women’s participation in this sector.

Health

234.The Committee is concerned at the level of consumption of alcohol by women and that the targets set for the reduction of alcohol consumption will not be met. The Committee is also concerned that, while affecting a reduced number of persons in Iceland, more women than men have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS since testing began in Iceland. The Committee is further concerned that general recommendation No. 24 has not yet been utilized in the formulation of health policies and services.

235. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct further surveys and research to discern the scope of these problems and understand their root causes and also to continue its efforts to improve health services and integrate a gender perspective into all health sector programmes, services and reforms in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures to address the deteriorating mental health situation of girls and women, to prevent and combat the abuse of alcohol and the use of drugs and to prevent suicide, and to allocate adequate financial resources for the effective implementation of such programmes. It also recommends that the State party adopt specific measures to target women, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups.

Economic consequences of divorce

236.The Committee is concerned that the State party’s current legislation on the distribution of assets, including intangible assets and potential future earnings as well as property, upon divorce may not adequately address gender-based economic disparities between spouses resulting from the existing sex segregation of the labour market and women’s greater share in unpaid work and potentially interrupted career patterns due to family responsibilities.

237. The Committee calls upon the State party to undertake research on the economic consequences of divorce on both spouses, with specific attention to the existence of enhanced human capital and earning potential of male spouses on the basis of their full-time and uninterrupted career patterns. The Committee recommends that the State party review its current legislation in the light of the outcome of this research and include information to this effect in its next periodic report.

Data collection and analysis

238. The Committee calls upon the State party to continue to improve the collection and analysis of statistical data, and to include in its next periodic report statistical data and analysis on the situation of women, disaggregated by age, metropolitan and rural areas, ethnicities and regions, in order to provide a clear picture of the situation of women in Iceland. It also calls upon the State party to indicate the impact of measures taken and the results achieved in the practical realization of women’s substantive equality.

National human rights institution

239. The Committee recommends that the State party consider the establishment of an independent national human rights institution, with a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights, including in particular the human rights of women and girls, in accordance with the Paris Principles contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 48/134, and encourage its accreditation to the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Parliament

240. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage the Althingi, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Preparation of the next report

241. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next periodic report, as well as to consult with NGOs during that phase. The Committee recommends that the next report, before its submission to the Committee, be adopted by the Government, as the obligations arising under the Convention must be met by the State party as a whole.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

242. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

243. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Committee calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Dissemination

244. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Iceland of the present concluding observations in order to make the people of Iceland, and in particular government administrators and politicians, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women and the further steps that are required in that regard. It also requests the Government to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Ratification of other treaties

245. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Iceland to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Follow-up to the concluding observations

246. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps undertaken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraph 225 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next report

247. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report to be submitted under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, which is due in July 2010, and its eighth periodic report, which is due in July 2014, in a combined report in 2014.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

2 The annex was made available to the members of the Committee in the language of submission.

248.The Committee considered the fifth and sixth periodic reports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (CEDAW/C/UK/5 and Add.1 and 2, CEDAW/C/UK/6 and annex,2 CEDAW/C/UK/5/Add.1 and annex2 and CEDAW/C/UK/5/Add.2) at its 843rd and 844th meetings, on 10 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.843 and 844). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/UK/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of the United Kingdom are contained in document CEDAW/C/UK/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

249.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its fifth and sixth periodic reports, which include information from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. While noting that the reports generally followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports, the Committee regrets the lack of uniformity in the format and content of the reports and the lack of reference to its previous concluding observations of 1999 and its general recommendations. The Committee also expresses its appreciation to the State party for its written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group. The Committee further expresses its appreciation to the State party for its oral presentation and the further clarifications given.

250.The Committee commends the State party for its large delegation which was headed by the Deputy Minister for Women and Equality and included representatives of various Government ministries, departments and offices, including of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and the Minister for Health and Human Services of the Turks and Caicos Islands, some of whom participated in the constructive dialogue via video-teleconference. The Committee appreciates the open and constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and members of the Committee.

251.The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention in December 2004.

252.The Committee notes that the United Kingdom maintains reservations to the Convention, including in respect of its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, where reservations to articles 1, 2, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16 are retained.

Positive aspects

253.The Committee welcomes the adoption of a number of legislative, judicial and administrative measures aimed at promoting gender equality and eliminating discrimination against women. Specific reference is made to the Equality Act (2006), which established the Equality and Human Rights Commission and introduced a Gender Equality Duty for all public authorities.

254.The Committee commends the setting up of a discrimination law review in 2005 to undertake a fundamental review of all equality legislation. It notes the proposed introduction of a new equality bill for England, Scotland and Wales to replace several different acts of Parliament. It also notes that the bill will apply to the public and private sectors and prohibit discrimination in such areas as employment and education. The Committee further notes the proposed introduction of a single equality legislation in Northern Ireland.

255.The Committee welcomes the introduction of gender equality public service agreements, which are aimed at producing improvements in such areas as women’s economic participation and women’s access to and experience of public service delivery.

256.The Committee also welcomes the State party’s recognition of the important role played by NGOs and other civil society groups in the promotion of women’s human rights and gender equality. The Committee notes the collaboration of non-governmental organizations with the State party, including through consultations and contribution to legislative processes and public policies. The Committee encourages the Government to develop such collaboration further.

257.The Committee welcomes the contributions of the State party to projects and programmes aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in the context of its international assistance and development cooperation programmes.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

258. The Committee welcomes the State party’s expressed intention to review regularly its remaining reservations to the Convention. It urges the State party to consider actively the withdrawal of its reservations, commencing with those that, in the opinion of the Committee, have the character of interpretive declarations or may no longer be necessary in the light of recent developments.

259. While recalling the obligation of the State party to implement all the provisions of the Convention systematically and continuously, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the priority attention of the State party. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, other government structures at all levels, including Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, to Parliament and the judiciary, in order to ensure their effective implementation.

Legal status of the Convention

260.Recalling its concluding observations of 1999 (A/54/38/Rev.1, part two, paras. 278–318), the Committee notes that no measures have been taken by the State party to fully incorporate the Convention into domestic law. The Committee also notes the absence of national legislation covering all aspects of the Convention. The Committee further notes, as expressed in its concluding observations of 1999, that while the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms has been incorporated into domestic law through the Human Rights Act (1998), the European Convention does not provide for the full range of women’s human rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, or for temporary special measures as set out in article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

261. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation and urges that, in the light of the proposed introduction of a new Equality Bill for England , Scotland and Wales , and single equality legislation covering all grounds of discrimination in Northern Ireland , the State party utilize this important opportunity to ensure the incorporation of all provisions of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to consult and collaborate with civil society organizations, in particular women’s and human rights organizations, and other stakeholders in the formulation of the new equality legislation with a view to raising awareness and broadening understanding of the Convention and of the principles of equality and non-discrimination.

Overseas Territories, visibility of the Convention and Optional Protocol

262.While cognizant of the State party’s structure of government, with devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and with separate governance structures in the State party’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, the Committee reiterates its concern, as expressed in its concluding observations of 1999, at the lack of a unified national strategy and policy for the implementation of all provisions of the Convention. The Committee is also concerned at the limited information provided by the State party on the implementation of the Convention in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies and regrets that no response was provided to its questions on the extension of the Optional Protocol to all Territories. While noting the existence of gender equality machineries and regulations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and in the Overseas Territories, the Committee is concerned that there are inadequate structures and mechanisms to ensure the effective coordination and monitoring of the application of the Convention in all Territories of the State party. The Committee notes that the provisions of the Convention and its Optional Protocol, as well as the recommendations of the Committee, are not sufficiently known among the general public or across all branches of Government. It also notes the State party’s own acknowledgement that the communications and inquiry procedures provided by the Optional Protocol and the views of the Committee are not widely known, or sufficiently utilized by women.

263. The Committee underlines that the principal responsibility for implementation of the Convention lies with the Government of the United Kingdom . Reiterating its recommendation of 1999, the Committee calls for the development and enactment of a unified, comprehensive and overarching national strategy and policy for the implementation of the Convention throughout the United Kingdom , including its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It calls upon the State party to undertake all necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of this strategy in a consistent and coherent manner across its territory, including through the establishment of an effective coordination and monitoring mechanism on implementation, and to provide comprehensive information on steps and measures taken in this regard in its next periodic report. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party provide adequate technical and financial assistance to its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies for the implementation of the Convention. In line with article 24 of the Convention and article 13 of its Optional Protocol, the Committee calls upon the State party to take concrete measures to make these two human rights instruments widely known. In this respect, the Committee requests the State party to undertake public awareness and training programmes on the Convention and its Optional Protocol, as well as on the Committee’s general recommendations. It also requests the State party to raise awareness among women of their rights under the Convention and the communications and inquiry procedures provided by its Optional Protocol. It further requests the State party to ensure that the Convention and its Optional Protocol, as well as the Committee’s general recommendations, and the views adopted on individual communications, are made an integral part of educational curricula, including for legal education and the training of judicial officers, judges, lawyers and prosecutors.

Principle of equality

264.The Committee welcomes the introduction of a Gender Equality Duty in April 2007 (pursuant to the Equality Act (2006)), by which all public authorities are required to draw up and publish gender equality schemes (with identified objectives and steps to implement them), as well as to conduct gender impact assessments of all new policies and laws, including on employment and service delivery. The Committee notes with appreciation the existence of a similar statutory equality duty in Northern Ireland (section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act). It notes with concern, however, that varying levels of public understanding of the concept of substantive equality have resulted only in the promotion of equality of opportunity and of same treatment, as well as of gender-neutrality, in the interpretation and implementation of the Gender Equality Duty. The Committee also notes with concern that many public bodies, including Government ministries, have faced difficulties in developing results-based and action-oriented equality schemes and in mainstreaming gender equality into all policies and processes.

265. The Committee encourages the State party to develop and implement awareness-raising and education campaigns, in particular in the public sector and across all branches of Government, to broaden understanding of the provisions of the Convention, and of the content and meaning of substantive equality that goes beyond equality of opportunity and same treatment. The Committee also encourages the State party to develop and implement a comprehensive, coordinated and unified Gender Equality Duty throughout its territory and at all levels of government and in its own offices. The Gender Equality Duty should aim to ensure the practical realization of the principle of equality between women and men as required under article 2 of the Convention, and not solely towards the achievement of equality of opportunity. The Committee also recommends the development of appropriate mechanisms and capacity to monitor implementation, evaluate results achieved and ensure accountability.

Women in prison

266.The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the State party to reduce the number of women in prison, including the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Group on Reducing Re-offending and a Criminal Justice Women’s Unit within the Ministry of Justice, as well as other measures taken to implement many of the recommendations made in the 2007 Corston report on women in the criminal justice system with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system. The Committee notes, however, that implementation of the Corston report is limited to England and Wales, and regrets the limited information provided on the situation and conditions of women in prison in Northern Ireland. Despite the various measures taken by the State party, the Committee expresses concern about the number of women in prison, which has increased since the consideration of the State party’s third and fourth periodic reports in 1999, and the large proportion of women who have been imprisoned for committing minor such offences as theft and the non-payment of television licences. The Committee is also concerned about the situation of women in prison, in particular in Northern Ireland. It notes the absence of a comprehensive policy for the management of women in prison, including with respect to family visits and childcare arrangements. As previously expressed in its concluding observations of 1999, the Committee notes with concern the holding of young female offenders in adult prisons in Northern Ireland, the inadequate educational, rehabilitative and resettlement programmes for women prisoners, and the location of prisons far from the families of women prisoners. The Committee also notes with concern the lack of adequate health facilities and services for women, including for mental health needs.

267. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to reduce the number of women in conflict with the law, including through targeted prevention programmes aimed at addressing the causes of women’s criminality. Recalling its previous recommendation, the Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to develop alternative sentencing and custodial strategies, including community interventions and services, for women convicted of minor offences. It also urges the State party to address the situation of women in prison through the development of comprehensive gender-sensitive policies, strategies and programmes. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that young female offenders are not held in adult prisons, to take further measures to increase and enhance educational, rehabilitative and resettlement programmes for women in prison and to ensure the provision of adequate health facilities and services, including mental health services, for women in prison. It also calls upon the State party to take further steps towards the establishment of small custodial units and community establishments, as well as separate women’s facilities, in particular in Northern Ireland .

Temporary special measures

268.The Committee expresses concern that although temporary special measures are provided for in some legislation, they are not systematically employed as a method of accelerating the achievement of de facto or substantive equality between women and men in all areas of the Convention.

269. The Committee encourages the State party to give consideration to the further implementation of temporary special measures, including through legislative and administrative measures, outreach and support programmes, the allocation of resources and the creation of incentives, targeted recruitment and the setting of time-bound goals and quotas, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate the realization of women’s de facto equality with men in all areas. It also recommends that the State party include in its equality legislation provisions to encourage the use of temporary special measures, in both the public and private sectors.

National machinery for the advancement of women

270.The Committee notes the establishment of new institutional structures and mechanisms, such as the Government Equalities Office (to replace the Women and Equality Unit) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (to replace and integrate the activities of the former Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission), with the responsibility for promoting equality issues more generally and for addressing multiple grounds of discrimination. While recognizing the important functions and activities of these institutions and mechanisms, the Committee is concerned that the issue of gender equality and discrimination against women, which is of a structural nature, may lose some of its visibility and therefore receive less attention.

271. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to ensure that national machinery for the promotion of equality continues to give priority attention to gender equality and discrimination against women. In this respect, sufficient resources, both human and financial resources, should be allocated in order to continue and strengthen gender-specific activities and programmes. The Committee also recommends the integration and mainstreaming of a gender perspective in all policies and programmes on broader equality and non-discrimination issues.

Non-governmental organizations

272.The Committee notes that changes in the allocation of Government funding from needs-based to “commissioning” frameworks, and the gender neutral interpretation of the Gender Equality Duty, have had a negative impact on funding to women’s organizations and the provision of “women-only” services, in particular domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centres. Despite the establishment by the Government of an interim short-term emergency fund, the Committee notes with concern the impending closure of a number of rape crisis centres, as well as of domestic violence shelters, women’s health organizations and black, minority and ethnic women’s organizations.

273. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that NGOs are able to effectively contribute to the continuing implementation of the Convention. It urges the State party to provide increased and sustained funding to NGOs and other civil society groups involved in the area of women’s rights. It recommends that the State party ensure that the interpretation and application of the Gender Equality Duty does not have a negative impact on the provision of “women-only” services or restrict the activities of women’s organizations. It also recommends that the State party conduct an impact assessment of its “commissioning” frameworks on the funding of women’s organizations. The Committee requests the State party to include information on the funding of NGOs and women’s organizations in its next periodic report.

Stereotypes and negative cultural practices

274.The Committee notes with concern the stereotyped media portrayals of women and of women’s roles in the family and in society, which contribute to women’s disadvantaged position in a number of areas, including in the labour market and in access to decision-making positions, and affect women’s choices in their studies and professions. The Committee also notes the lack of positive media portrayals of ethnic and minority women, elderly women and women with disabilities.

275. The Committee recommends that policies be strengthened and programmes implemented, including awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at women and men, and specifically at media and advertising agencies, to help ensure the elimination of stereotypes regarding the roles of women and men in society and in the family, in accordance with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. It also recommends that the media be encouraged to project a positive image of women, including ethnic and minority women, elderly women and women with disabilities, and to promote the value of gender equality for society as a whole. It calls upon the State party to review periodically the measures taken in order to assess their impact, to take appropriate action and to report thereon to the Committee in its next periodic report.

276.The Committee notes the various measures taken by the Government to prohibit forced marriage, including the enactment of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act (2007), the establishment of a Forced Marriage Unit and the issuance of guidelines on forced marriage for police, education, social service and health service personnel. It expresses concern, however, at the continuing practice of forced marriages, in particular in ethnic, minority and immigrant communities, the lack of targeted prevention strategies and programmes for women and girls at risk, and the lack of support services for victims. It also notes with concern that the minimum age at which an overseas spouse or fiancé can enter the State party’s territory for family reunification was raised from 16 to 18 years, and that there are proposals to further increase the minimum age to 21 years.

277. The Committee urges the State party to ensure the full implementation of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act (2007) and to utilize existing criminal measures to address this phenomenon. It urges the full implementation and wider dissemination of the guidelines on forced marriage. It recommends the expansion of public awareness-raising campaigns targeted in particular at communities most at risk. The Committee also recommends the establishment of additional counselling and other support services for victims, including shelters, and requests the State party to enhance its cooperation with and support for non-governmental organizations working in this area. The Committee invites the State party to assess the impact of the minimum age limit for overseas spouses or fiancés on the prevention of forced marriage and to review its policy in this regard.

278.While welcoming the enactment of the Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003) and the Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition (Scotland) Act (2005), the Committee is concerned that there have been no prosecutions under this legislation. The Committee is also concerned that the number of women and girls who have undergone or are at risk of female genital mutilation is on the rise.

279. The Committee urges the State party to ensure the full implementation of legislation to prohibit female genital mutilation, including prosecution of perpetrators, with a view to eliminating this harmful traditional practice. The Committee recommends the expansion of training activities and programmes for public officials, in particular law enforcement personnel and health-service providers, as well as the British Medical Association, so as to ensure that they are sensitized to the issue and can provide adequate support to victims. The Committee invites the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement targeted prevention strategies, as well as education and awareness ‑raising programmes involving community and religious leaders, women’s organizations and the general public.

Violence against women

280.The Committee is concerned about the continuing prevalence of violence against women and girls, including domestic and sexual violence, and about the low prosecution and conviction rates of sexual violence cases. While welcoming the various measures undertaken by the State party to combat and eliminate violence against women, such as the adoption of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004), which includes a range of protection and support measures for victims, the introduction of action plans on domestic and sexual violence, and the establishment of specialist domestic violence courts, the Committee remains concerned about the absence of a comprehensive national strategy and programme to combat all forms of violence against women and girls. The Committee notes with concern the lack of adequate support and services for victims, including shelters, which is compounded by the funding crisis facing NGOs working in the area of violence against women and the forced closures of a number of such organizations. The Committee also notes with concern that corporal punishment is lawful in the home and constitutes a form of violence against children, including the girl child.

281. The Committee urges the State party to accord priority attention to the adoption of comprehensive measures to address violence against women in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19 on violence against women. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure the full implementation of legislation on violence against women, as well as the prosecution and conviction of perpetrators. In line with its previous concluding observations of 1999, the Committee also calls upon the State party to adopt and implement a unified and multifaceted national strategy to eliminate violence against women and girls, which would include legal, education, financial and social components. The Committee recommends the expansion of training activities and programmes for parliamentarians, the judiciary and public officials, in particular law enforcement personnel and health-service providers, so as to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can provide adequate support to victims. It recommends the expansion of public awareness-raising campaigns on all forms of violence against women and girls. The Committee also recommends the establishment of additional counselling and other support services for victims of violence, including shelters, and requests the State party to enhance its cooperation with and support, in particular adequate and sustained funding support, for NGOs working in the area of violence against women. The Committee further recommends that the State party include in its legislation the prohibition of corporal punishment of children in the home.

Trafficking

282.The Committee welcomes the State party’s stated intention to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the end of 2008. The Committee also welcomes the recent announcement of a 45-day period of recovery and reflection for victims of trafficking, as well as the granting of temporary one-year visas. While acknowledging the measures taken by the State party to combat trafficking in women and children, including the adoption of the Sexual Offences Act (2003) and the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act (2004), the adoption of the United Kingdom Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, and the launching of national multi-agency police operations (Operation Pentameter I and II), the Committee is concerned by the continuing prevalence and extent of this problem.

283. The Committee urges the State party to continue to take all appropriate measures to combat all forms of trafficking in women and children in line with article 6 of the Convention. In this respect, the Committee also urges the State party not only to address criminal justice measures and the prosecution of traffickers but also the protection and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking victims. The Committee further urges the State party to ensure the provision of adequate support services to victims, including those who do not cooperate with the authorities, and invites the State party to give consideration to granting victims of trafficking indefinite leave to remain. The Committee calls upon the State party to increase its efforts at international, regional and bilateral cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination in order to prevent trafficking, to bring perpetrators to justice and to improve reintegration programmes to prevent victimization.

Political participation and participation in public life

284.While noting the efforts made to increase the number of women in both elective and appointed positions in public office, the diplomatic service and international organizations, the Committee is concerned that women continue to be underrepresented in political and public life, especially in leadership and decision-making positions. The Committee notes that women’s representation currently stands at 19.3 per cent in the House of Commons and 19.7 per cent in the House of Lords. It notes that the figures are higher, however, in Scotland (34.1 per cent) and Wales (46.7 per cent). The Committee is also concerned at the low representation of women in the judiciary in Northern Ireland. In view of its particular relevance to Northern Ireland, the Committee notes with regret the lack of information provided on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. It also notes the underrepresentation of women in public office, standing at 16.7 per cent in the Assembly, and in key institutions established directly as a result of the peace process.

285. The Committee calls upon the State party to take measures, with benchmarks and concrete timetables, to increase the number of women in political and public life, at all levels and in all areas, in the light of its general recommendation No. 23 on women in political and public life. It also recommends that the State party introduce temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and general recommendation No. 25, to strengthen its efforts to promote women to positions of leadership. To that end, the Committee urges the State party to increase the availability of training and capacity-building programmes for women wishing to enter or already in public office and to enhance its awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of women’s participation in political and public life. The Committee also calls for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) in Northern Ireland .

Employment

286.The Committee notes the various measures taken by the State party to support the participation of women in the labour market and facilitate the reconciliation of family and work life, including the adoption of the Work and Families Act (2006), which, inter alia, provides for flexible working arrangements, and extending the statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance from 26 to 39 weeks. It also notes the measures taken by the State party to narrow the gender pay gap, including the conduct of equal pay reviews by various Government department and agencies. The Committee continues to be concerned, however, about the persistence of occupational segregation between women and men in the labour market and the continuing pay gap, one of the highest in Europe, where current figures show that the average hourly earnings of full-time women employees amount to approximately 83 per cent of men’s earnings. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of available and affordable childcare.

287. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt appropriate measures to guarantee the implementation of all the provisions of article 11 of the Convention. The Committee urges the State party to ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market, including through the use of temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to take proactive and concrete measures to eliminate occupational segregation and to close the pay gap between women and men, including through the introduction of mandatory pay audits. The Committee also recommends that the State party continue its efforts to assist women and men to reconcile family and professional responsibilities and for its promotion of equal sharing of domestic and family tasks by providing, inter alia, more and improved childcare facilities. The Committee further recommends that the State party encourage men to share responsibility for childcare, including through awareness-raising activities and by taking parental leave.

Health

288.Recalling its concluding observations of 1999, the Committee continues to be concerned at the high rate of teenage pregnancies, which is among the highest in Europe. The Committee notes that the Abortion Act (1967) does not extend to Northern Ireland, where, with limited exceptions, abortion continues to be illegal, with detrimental consequences for women’s health.

289. The Committee urges the State party to continue its efforts to lower the rate of teenage pregnancies, including through improvements in the availability and affordability of sexual and reproductive health services, as well as family planning information and services. It recommends the adoption of measures to increase knowledge of, and access to, affordable contraceptive methods, and recommends that sex education be widely promoted and targeted at adolescent girls and boys. In line with its previous recommendation, the Committee reiterates its call to the State party to initiate a process of public consultation in Northern Ireland on the abortion law. In line with its general recommendation No. 24 on women and health and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Committee urges the State party to give consideration to amending the abortion law so as to remove punitive provisions imposed on women who undergo abortion. The Committee encourages the State party to monitor carefully the delivery of health services in order that it may respond in a gender-sensitive manner to all health concerns of women and in this regard invites the State party to utilize the Committee’s general recommendation No. 24 as a framework for action to ensure that all health policies and programmes integrate a gender perspective.

Economic consequences of divorce

290.The Committee expresses concern about the economic situation of women as a result of divorce and about the lack of specific regulations safeguarding the property rights of women in de facto unions.

291. The Committee requests the State party to study the effect of the application of the Family Law Act (1996) on the economic situation of women upon divorce and to assess the effectiveness of current regulations in protecting the property rights of women upon the break-up of marriage or of de facto unions. The Committee also requests the State party to include information on the research undertaken in this regard, as well as the results, in its next periodic report.

Vulnerable groups of women

292.The Committee is concerned that women of different ethnic and minority communities, including Traveller communities, continue to suffer from multiple discrimination, particularly in access to education, employment and health care. The Committee notes that ethnic and minority women are underrepresented in all areas of the labour market, in particular in senior or decision-making positions, have higher rates of unemployment and face a greater pay gap in their hourly earnings compared to men. Women of different ethnic and minority communities are also greatly underrepresented in political and public life. The Committee notes that women of Traveller communities experience high numbers of miscarriages and stillbirths, and have the highest maternal mortality rate among all ethnic groups.

293.It also notes that women of minority and ethnic communities suffer higher rates of depression and mental illness, while women of Asian descent have higher suicide and self-harm rates.

294. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to prevent and eliminate discrimination against ethnic and minority women. It encourages the State party to be proactive in its measures and to raise women’s awareness of the availability of social services and legal remedies. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to increase the participation of ethnic and minority women in the labour market, as well as in political and public life, including through the use of temporary special measures in line with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25. The Committee recommends that the State party take concrete measures to address the high maternal mortality rate in Traveller communities, including the allocation of adequate resources to increase access to affordable health services, in particular prenatal, post-natal and obstetric services, as well as other medical and emergency assistance. The Committee also recommends the adoption of targeted and culturally appropriate strategies and programmes, including preventive and interventional programmes, to address mental health issues faced by women of different ethnic and minority communities. It calls upon the State party to monitor the impact of measures taken and results achieved in both the public and private sectors and to report thereon in its next periodic report. In addition, the Committee calls upon the State party to conduct regular and comprehensive studies on intersectional discrimination against ethnic minority women, to collect statistics on their situation in employment, education, health and public life and to submit such information in its next periodic report.

295.The Committee is concerned at the situation of immigrant women and women asylum-seekers, who may be subject to multiple forms of discrimination with respect to education, health, employment and social and political participation. It notes that asylum on the grounds of gender-related persecution, including violence against women, is not frequently granted. It also notes that women in insecure immigration status are not allowed to access public funds, particularly health care services, public housing and social security benefits, with particularly negative consequences for victims of violence. The Committee is concerned that proposals to introduce pre-entry English-language tests for people applying for spouse visas may discriminate against certain groups of vulnerable refugees, in particular women.

296. The Committee calls upon the State party to keep under review and carefully monitor the impact of its laws and policies on women migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers with a view to taking remedial measures that effectively respond to the needs of those women. In this respect, the Committee urges the State party to review its “no recourse to public funds” policy to ensure the protection of and provision of support to victims of violence. The Committee also urges the State party to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against immigrant and refugee women, both in society at large and within their communities. It calls upon the State party to pay specific attention to the vulnerability of women asylum-seekers while their claims are under examination and to ensure the full implementation of the Asylum Gender Guidelines.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

297. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully, in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

298. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Ratification of other treaties

299. The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments 1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of the United Kingdom to ratify the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Dissemination of concluding observations

300. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in the United Kingdom, including in its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the measures that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in this regard. It also requests the State party to continue to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty ‑third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Parliament

301.While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Follow-up to concluding observations

302. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within one year, written information on the steps undertaken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 261 and 263. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next report

303. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, as scheduled, in May 2011.

5.Sixth periodic report

Nigeria

304.The Committee considered the sixth periodic report of Nigeria (CEDAW/C/NGA/6 and annex2) at its 836th and 837th meetings, on 3 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.836 and 837). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/NGA/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of Nigeria are contained in document CEDAW/C/NGA/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

305.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its sixth periodic report, which follows the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of periodic reports and takes into account the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Committee notes with appreciation the participatory process by which the report was prepared, including the holding of public consultations and the involvement of civil society organizations.

306.The Committee also expresses its appreciation to the State party for its written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group and for the oral presentation and further clarifications offered in response to the questions posed by the Committee.

307.The Committee commends the State party for its large delegation, which was headed by the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development and included representatives of various Government ministries, departments and agencies and members of the National Assembly, as well as representatives from civil society. The Committee appreciates the open and constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and members of the Committee.

308.The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention in November 2004.

Positive aspects

309.The Committee welcomes the adoption of the National Gender Policy in 2007, which constitutes a comprehensive framework for promoting gender equality and the advancement of women. The Committee encourages the State party to take the necessary measures to ensure its full implementation and operationalization. The Committee welcomes the adoption of a number of strategies, policies and programmes on such areas as education, health, reproductive health and nutrition since the consideration of Nigeria’s combined fourth and fifth periodic report in 2004.

310.The Committee notes with appreciation the close collaboration of the State party with NGOs and other civil society groups in the promotion of women’s human rights and gender equality, including through consultations, membership in task forces or committees, and contribution to legislative processes. The Committee encourages the Government to further develop such collaboration.

311.The Committee commends the State party on its ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

312. While taking cognizance of Nigeria’s federal structure, which establishes a three-tiered system of governance at the national, state and local levels, the Committee underlines that principal responsibility for implementation of the Convention lies with the federal Government and calls upon the State party to undertake all necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the Convention in a consistent and coherent manner across its territory.

313. While recalling the obligation of the State party to implement all the provisions of the Convention systematically and continuously, the Committee views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the priority attention of the State party. Consequently, the Committee calls upon the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It also calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the National and State Assemblies and the judiciary in order to ensure their effective implementation.

Legal status of the Convention

314.Noting the rejection by the National Assembly of a 2005 draft bill on full domestication of the Convention, the Committee expresses its concern that the Convention has yet to be fully domesticated as part of national law despite its ratification in 1985 without any reservations. As expressed in its concluding observations of 2004 (A/59/38, Part one, paras. 282-316), the Committee is concerned that without such domestication, the Convention is not a part of the national legal framework and its provisions are not justiciable and enforceable in Nigerian courts.

315. The Committee recalls its previous recommendation and urges the State party to place high priority on completing the process of full domestication of the Convention. It calls upon the State party to intensify its efforts to ensure the passage of the draft bill on the domestication of the Convention, including through the holding of consultations with government officials, political leaders and members of the National Assembly, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders, with a view to raising awareness and broadening understanding of the Convention, as well as building support for the draft bill.

Remaining discriminatory provisions and discriminatory laws

316.The Committee welcomes efforts undertaken by the State party in the area of legal reform, such as the publication of a study compiling all national, state and local laws, policies and practices relating to the status of women and children and the establishment of a Committee on Reform of Discriminatory Laws against Women. The Committee expresses serious concern, however, at discriminatory provisions in the Constitution, including section 26, paragraph 2, which does not allow a Nigerian woman to transmit her nationality to her foreign spouse on the same basis as a Nigerian man. The Committee also expresses serious concern at other discriminatory laws at both the federal and state levels, including those that allow wife battery as chastisement as long as grievous harm is not inflicted (section 55 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria), prohibit women from working at night in certain sectors of employment (section 55 of chapter 198 of the 1990 Labour Act of Nigeria), and classify sexual assault against female victims as a misdemeanour (section 360 of the Criminal Code). Further, the Committee notes that a draft bill entitled “Abolition of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Nigeria and Other Related Matters” was not approved by the National Assembly.

317. In line with its recommendation of 2004, the Committee calls upon the State party to set a concrete timetable for amending all provisions in the Constitution and in federal and state legislation that discriminate against women. The Committee urges the State party to accelerate and expand its efforts at legislative reform, including with respect to the laws identified in the above-mentioned study. It recommends that the State party repeal section 55 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria, section 55 of chapter 198 of the 1990 Labour Act of Nigeria and section 360 of the Criminal Code, and ensure that those responsible for the implementation of these laws and policies are made aware of their discriminatory contents. The Committee also recommends that awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns be developed and implemented, involving parliamentarians, civil society and the general public, including religious and traditional leaders, in order to enhance understanding of the provisions of the Convention and support for the principle of gender equality and the prohibition of discrimination. It calls upon the State party to ensure that the Convention and related domestic legislation are made an integral part of legal education and the training of judicial officers, including judges, lawyers and prosecutors, so as to firmly establish in the country a legal culture supportive of women’s equality and non-discrimination.

318.While welcoming the adoption by 18 states of the Child Rights Act, which sets the minimum age of marriage at 18 years, the Committee notes with concern section 29, paragraph 4, of the Constitution, which states that a woman is deemed to be of full age upon marriage, thereby lending support to early marriages.

319. The Committee urges the State party to repeal without delay section 29, paragraph 4, of the Constitution. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that those states that have not yet done so adopt the Child Rights Act without delay and to ensure its effective implementation.

320.The Committee expresses concern at contradictions and inconsistencies created by the application of statutory, customary and sharia laws in the State party’s tripartite legal system, in particular in the areas of marriage and family law. It notes with concern the existence of discriminatory provisions within these sources of law with regard to marriage, divorce, custody of children and inheritance. Recalling its concluding observations of 2004, the Committee reiterates that the tripartite legal system results in a lack of compliance by the State party with its obligations under the Convention and leads to continuing discrimination against women.

321. While noting the ongoing process of review of family laws by the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, the Committee urges the State party to accelerate and expand its efforts towards the harmonization of marriage and family laws in line with articles 2 and 16 of the Convention. The Committee requests the State party to report on the progress as well as outcomes achieved with regard to the above-mentioned process of review in its next periodic report.

Stereotypes and negative cultural practices

322.The Committee is concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes concerning women’s roles and responsibilities that discriminate against women and perpetuate their subordination within the family and society. It notes that such discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes constitute serious obstacles to women’s enjoyment of their human rights and the fulfilment of the rights enshrined in the Convention. The Committee is thus concerned by the lack of information in the State party’s report on the measures taken and programmes or strategies in place to combat and address such discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes. The Committee expresses serious concern about the persistence of entrenched harmful traditional and cultural norms and practices, including widowhood rites and practices.

323. In line with its recommendation of 2004, the Committee urges the State party to continue to take measures, including the enactment of national legislation, to modify or eliminate traditional and cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women in accordance with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. It also urges the State party to intensify cooperation in this regard with civil society organizations, women’s groups and community leaders, traditional and religious leaders, as well as teachers and the media. The Committee invites the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement long-term strategies, as well as education and awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men at all levels of society, with a view to creating an enabling environment for the elimination of stereotypes and practices that are discriminatory to women and allowing women to exercise their fundamental rights. It calls upon the State party to review periodically the measures taken in order to assess their impact, to take appropriate action and to report thereon to the Committee in its next periodic report.

324.The Committee notes the continued high incidence of female genital mutilation in some areas of the country. It notes with concern the absence of national legislation prohibiting this harmful traditional practice.

325. The Committee urges the State party to enact national legislation to prohibit female genital mutilation, including penalties for perpetrators, remedies and support for victims, with a view to eliminating this harmful practice. The Committee invites the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement long-term strategies, as well as education and awareness-raising programmes involving traditional and religious leaders, women’s organizations and the general public.

Violence against women

326.The Committee is concerned about the continuing prevalence of violence against women, including domestic violence. The Committee is also concerned by the absence of a comprehensive national law on violence against women and notes that a number of draft bills, such as the 2006 bill on elimination of violence in society and the 2003 bill on violence against women, remain pending before the National Assembly. While acknowledging the efforts made by the State party to address the issue, including awareness-raising measures, training programmes and the provision of support services to victims, the Committee remains concerned about the absence of a comprehensive national strategy and programme to combat all forms of violence against women. The Committee notes with concern that the majority of services for victims, including shelters, are provided by non‑governmental organizations with limited support, including financial support, from the State party.

327. The Committee urges the State party to accord priority attention to the adoption of comprehensive measures to address violence against women and girls in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19 on violence against women. The Committee calls upon the State party to enact comprehensive legislation on all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, as soon as possible. Such legislation should ensure that all forms of violence against women constitute a criminal offence, that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of redress and protection, and that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished. The Committee recommends the expansion of training activities and programmes for parliamentarians, the judiciary and public officials, in particular law enforcement personnel, and for health-service providers, so as to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can provide adequate support to victims. It also recommends the expansion of public awareness-raising campaigns on all forms of violence against women. The Committee further recommends the establishment of additional counselling and other support services for victims of violence, including shelters, and requests the State party to enhance its cooperation with and support for NGOs working in the area of violence against women. The Committee requests the State party to provide information in its next periodic report on the laws and programmes in place to deal with violence against women and on the impact of such measures, as well as data and trends on the prevalence of various forms of violence.

Trafficking

328.While acknowledging the measures taken by the State party to combat trafficking in women and children, including the adoption of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act of 2003, as amended in 2005, the establishment of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the various cooperation agreements reached with other countries, the Committee is concerned by the continuing prevalence and extent of this problem.

329. The Committee urges the State party to ensure the full implementation of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, including the prosecution and punishment of offenders. The Committee also urges the State party to give priority attention to the protection, including witness protection, counselling and rehabilitation of victims, especially girl children. The Committee calls upon the State party to enhance measures aimed at the prevention of trafficking, including economic measures to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls, as well as awareness-raising and information campaigns, in particular in communities most at risk. The Committee also calls upon the State party to intensify international, regional and bilateral cooperation with other countries of origin, transit and destination of trafficked women and girls.

Political participation and participation in public life

330.Recalling its concluding observations of 2004, and while noting the efforts made to increase the number of women in both elective and appointed positions in public office, in the diplomatic service and in international organizations, the Committee is concerned that women continue to be seriously underrepresented in political and public life, especially in leadership and decision-making positions. The Committee notes that women’s representation in the National Assembly currently stands at 6.9 per cent in the House of Representatives and 8.3 per cent in the Senate, far below the 35 per cent minimum representation stipulated in the National Gender Policy.

331. In line with its previous recommendation, the Committee calls upon the State party to take measures, with benchmarks and concrete timetables, to increase the number of women in political and public life, at all levels and in all areas, in the light of its general recommendation No. 23 on women in political and public life. It also recommends that the State party introduce temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to strengthen its efforts to promote women to positions of leadership. To that end, the Committee urges the State party to increase the availability of training and capacity-building programmes for women wishing to enter or already in public office and to enhance its awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of women’s participation in political and public life.

Employment

332.Recalling its concluding observations of 2004, the Committee notes with concern the persisting wage gap between men and women, women’s higher unemployment rate, and women’s concentration in certain sectors, namely agriculture, animal husbandry, and service. The Committee also notes that women are predominantly employed in the informal sector, resulting in their exclusion from formal social security programmes. The Committee expresses concern about the persistence of discriminatory legislation, administrative regulations and practices in the labour market. Specific reference is made in this regard to provisions of the Labour Act, which prohibit the employment of women in night work and in work underground, the Factories Act, which does not recognize the specific health and reproductive needs of women, and the Nigerian Police Regulations, which prohibit the enlistment of married women and require women officers to request permission to marry in writing. The Committee notes with concern discriminatory practices in the private sector, in particular in the banking sector, with respect to maternity and marital status. The Committee notes the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace and the absence of legislation and measures to address this.

333. The Committee recommends the adoption of measures to guarantee the implementation of all the provisions of article 11 of the Convention and the implementation of the relevant conventions of the International Labour Organization that have been ratified by Nigeria. The Committee urges the State party to ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market, including through the use of temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25. It recommends that the State party pay particular attention to the conditions of women workers in the informal sector with a view to ensuring their access to social services. The Committee urges the State party to review, as a matter of priority, discriminatory laws and regulations with a view to their repeal or amendment in accordance with article 11 of the Convention. The Committee also urges the State party to enact legislation prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace, including sanctions, civil remedies and compensation for victims. The Committee further urges the State party to establish an effective monitoring and regulatory mechanism on employment issues and practices in the private sector. Taking note of the existence of a draft labour standards bill, which, inter alia, prohibits discrimination in employment or occupation and guarantees the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value, the Committee requests the State party to include detailed information on the content, implementation and enforcement of such standards in its next periodic report.

Health

334.While commending the State party for the measures taken to strengthen the national health system, including the recent approval by the National Assembly of the National Health Bill, as well as the adoption of policies and programmes to address various health challenges, the Committee reiterates its serious concern at the precarious situation of women’s health, as well as the insufficient number and inadequate health-care facilities, particularly in rural areas. The Committee notes that responsibility for the provision of health services is currently divided across the three tiers of government, with local governments responsible for the primary health-care system. It notes with concern that primary health-care services and facilities are often inadequate in quality, number and funding. The Committee expresses concern about the high rates of malaria and HIV/AIDS affecting women and girls in the country.

335. The Committee urges the State party to continue its efforts to improve the country’s health infrastructure, particularly at the primary level, and to integrate a gender perspective into all health sector reforms. It also urges the State party to improve women’s access to quality and affordable health-care and health-related services, in particular at the primary level and in rural areas. It further urges the State party to introduce a holistic and life cycle approach to women’s health, taking into account its general recommendation No. 24 on women and health. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure the full implementation of policies and programmes to prevent and combat malaria and HIV/AIDS. It also calls upon the State party to implement awareness-raising campaigns to enhance women’s knowledge of health issues, with special attention paid to the prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.

336.The Committee is especially concerned at the very high maternal mortality rate, the second highest in the world, and regrets that there has been no progress in reducing the maternal mortality rate since the consideration of the State party’s combined fourth and fifth periodic report in 2004. The Committee notes the various contributing factors, such as unsafe abortions and inadequate post-abortion care, early and child marriages, early pregnancies, high fertility rates and inadequate family planning services, the low rates of contraceptive usage, leading to unwanted and unplanned pregnancies, and the lack of sex education, especially in rural areas. The Committee expresses concern about the lack of access by women and girls to adequate health-care services, including prenatal and post-natal care, obstetric services and family planning information, particularly in rural areas.

337. The Committee urges the State party to address, as a matter of priority, the high maternal mortality rate, including the allocation of adequate resources to increase women’s access to affordable health services, in particular prenatal, post-natal and obstetric services, as well as other medical and emergency assistance provided by trained personnel, in particular in rural areas. It calls upon the State party to improve the availability and affordability of sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning information and services. It recommends the adoption of measures to increase knowledge of, and access to, affordable contraceptive methods, so that women and men can make informed choices about the number and spacing of children. It calls upon the State party to assess the impact of its abortion law on the maternal mortality rate and to give consideration to its reform or modification. It also calls upon the State party to implement awareness-raising campaigns to enhance women’s knowledge of reproductive health issues and recommends that sex education be widely promoted and targeted at adolescent girls and boys. The Committee requests that the State party provide detailed information on the measures taken to reduce the maternal mortality rate, as well as their impact, in its next periodic report to the Committee.

Economic empowerment

338.While taking note of the State party’s comprehensive development and poverty reduction strategies implemented at the national, state and local levels, as well as initiatives to address women’s economic empowerment, such as the Women’s Fund for Economic Empowerment and the Business Development Fund for Women, the Committee is concerned that widespread poverty among women, in particular rural women and women head of households, as well as poor socio-economic conditions are among the causes of the violation of women’s human rights and discrimination against women. It notes with concern that discriminatory practices with regard to land ownership, administration of property and inheritance, limit women’s access to economic resources, as well as credit and loan facilities. The Committee is especially concerned about the situation of rural women, in particular in view of their precarious living conditions and lack of access to justice, health care, education, credit facilities, economic opportunities and community services.

339. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that the promotion of gender equality is an explicit component of its national, state and local development plans and programmes, in particular those aimed at poverty reduction and sustainable development. The Committee also urges the State party to pay special attention to the needs of rural women and women head of households, ensuring that they participate in decision-making processes and have full access to credit facilities. The Committee further urges the State party to ensure that rural women have access to health services, education, clean water, electricity, land, and income-generating projects. It recommends that the State party design and implement gender-sensitive rural development strategies and programmes, ensuring the full participation of rural women in their formulation and implementation.

Vulnerable groups of women

340.The Committee expresses concern about the situation of internally displaced women, including women with disabilities, displaced by violence and conflict, in particular in view of their precarious living conditions in camps where they are at increased risk of sexual and other forms of violence and lack access to health care, education and economic opportunities.

341. The Committee requests the State party to pay particular attention to the needs of internally displaced women, including women with disabilities, through the adoption of a national policy on displacement in line with Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), and the formulation and implementation of gender-sensitive plans and programmes for social reintegration, capacity-building and training of internally displaced persons. It recommends that the Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Gender and Peacekeeping pay particular attention to the situation of internally displaced women. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the protection of internally displaced women from violence and their access to immediate means of redress.

Article 20, paragraph 1

342. The Committee encourages the State party to accept, as soon as possible, the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

343. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully, in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

344. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Ratification of other treaties

345.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Nigeria to ratify the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Dissemination of concluding observations

346. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Nigeria of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including Government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the measures that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in this regard. It requests the State party to strengthen the dissemination, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Parliament

347.While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national parliament in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Follow-up to concluding observations

348. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 315, 317, 319 and 337 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of the next report

349. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, which is due in July 2010, and its eighth periodic report, which is due in July 2014, in a combined report in 2014.

Yemen

350.The Committee considered the sixth periodic report of Yemen (CEDAW/C/YEM/6) at its 832nd and 833rd meetings, on 1 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.832 and 833). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in document CEDAW/C/YEM/Q/6 and the responses of the Government of Yemen are contained in document CEDAW/C/YEM/Q/6/Add.1.

Introduction

351.The Committee commends the State party for the submission of its sixth periodic report but, while noting that the report partially follows the guidelines of the Committee (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.1/Add.2), regrets that it does not provide any information on the implementation of each recommendation made in the previous concluding observations of the Committee. The Committee acknowledges the State party’s written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group, but regrets the absence of clear and precise responses to several issues.

352.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its delegation, which was headed by the Permanent Representative of Yemen to the United Nations and included four representatives of the Women’s National Committee. The Committee commends the State party for the frank and constructive dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee, which provided clear insights into the situation of women in Yemen and on the implementation of the Convention.

Positive aspects

353.The Committee expresses its satisfaction at the work of the Women’s National Committee on its promotion of women’s rights in its role as a consultative body within the Government. It commends its recommendations to the Government, although not yet adopted by the Parliament, to amend the many remaining discriminatory laws, such as the Personal Status Law, the Crime and Penalty Law, the Election and Referendum Law, the Nationality Law, the Labour Code and the Prison Law.

354.The Committee notes with appreciation the ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in December 2004 and on the involvement of children in armed conflict in March 2007, in particular as these international instruments cover the human rights of the girl child.

355.The Committee also notes with satisfaction the adoption of Law No. 26 of 2003 amending the prisons regulations with regard to pregnant women in custody and Law No. 25 of 2003 on the obligation for public and private institutions that employ 50 or more female workers to provide a nursery for their children.

356.The Committee expresses its satisfaction at the State party’s signature of several memorandums of understanding with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2005, 2007 and 2008, with regard to HIV/AIDS, and its commitment to prepare a refugee law and promote it as well as to open permanent registration centre for Somali refugees.

357.The Committee takes note of the Government’s commitment to adopt temporary special measures in the form of programmes to narrow the gap between men and women in political and public life, and especially the recent tentative acceptance of a quota system which would be instituted for the next elections for the Parliament, through an amendment of the electoral law in order that women hold at least 15 per cent of parliamentary seats.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

358. The Committee recalls the obligation of the State party systematically and continuously to implement all the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to give priority attention to the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations between now and the submission of its next periodic report. The Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. The Committee calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, the Parliament and the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Principle of equality, incorporation of the Convention and its visibility

359.The Committee remains concerned that, although the Constitution guarantees that citizens are all equal in rights and duties, it does not enshrine the principle of equality between women and men in all spheres. It is also concerned that the State party’s legislation does not contain an explicit definition of the principle of equality between women and men or of discrimination on the basis of sex.

360. In order to implement the Convention fully, the Committee urges the State party to incorporate the principle of equality between women and men in its Constitution, or other appropriate legislation, in line with article 2 (a) of the Convention, and reflect fully the definition of discrimination contained in article 1 of the Convention in its national legislation. It calls upon the State party to enact and implement a comprehensive law on gender equality that is binding on both public and private sectors and inform women of their rights under such legislation.

361.The Committee is concerned at the lack of clarity of the status of international instruments, including the Convention, in the national legal system. It is also concerned that the Convention is not adequately disseminated among all stakeholders and that the relevant bodies of the administration and the judiciary are not effectively trained on its provisions.

362. The Committee recommends that the State party clearly establish the status of international conventions within its domestic legal framework, ensuring precedence of international instruments, including the Convention, over national laws, and conformity of this legislation with these instruments. The Committee also recommends that the State party disseminate the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations widely among all stakeholders, including Government ministries, parliamentarians, the judiciary, political parties, NGOs, the private sector and the general public.

Negative cultural practices and stereotypical attitudes

363.The Committee expresses concern that traditional discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society persist. These stereotypes present a significant impediment to the implementation of the Convention and are the root cause of the disadvantaged position of women in all areas, including in political and public life, in the labour market and negatively affecting women’s enjoyment of their rights and impeding the full implementation of the Convention.

364. The Committee encourages the State party to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men that perpetuate direct and indirect discrimination against women and girls in all areas of their lives. It calls upon the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men at all levels of society with a view to transforming stereotypical attitudes and negative cultural norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in the family and society, in accordance with article 5 (a) of the Convention. The Committee also recommends that the State party encourage religious authorities to promote positive images of women and the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in society.

Violence against women

365.While welcoming the first measures adopted to combat and prevent domestic violence and violence against women, such as the first National Conference on Combating Violence against Women, held in Sana’a in March 2004, and the study on domestic violence and family health survey devoted to the phenomenon of domestic violence carried out by the Women’s National Committee, as well as the establishment of the Yemeni network for fighting violence against women in 2003, the Committee remains deeply concerned that there is no specific or dedicated legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic and sexual violence. The Committee is also concerned with the difficulties women have in filing complaints and seeking redress with regard to violence against them.

366. The Committee urges the State party to enact without delay, in accordance with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19, legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, to ensure that all violence against women constitutes a criminal offence, that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of protection, including shelters, and redress and that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished adequately. The Committee calls upon the State party to amend, without delay, the Penal Code to ensure that marital rape is criminalized. The Committee recommends that the State party establish clear procedures for filing complaints on violence against women and establish female sections in police stations to deal with such complaints and investigations. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct detailed studies on the causes and extent of violence against women and girls, including sexual and domestic violence, collect disaggregated data on all forms of violence against women and provide information in its next periodic report on the laws and policies in place dealing with such violence and the impact of the measures taken.

Discriminatory provisions

367.The Committee remains concerned that several provisions of the Penal Code discriminate against women. It is particularly concerned at articles 273 and 275 identifying and criminalizing acts violating “public decency”, under which women are systematically prosecuted, as well as article 232 providing that a man, or any other male relative, who kills his wife, or a female member of the family suspected of adultery, is not prosecuted with murder.

368. The Committee urges the State party to repeal any discriminatory penal provisions of the Penal Code, including articles 273, 275 and, in particular, 232, as already proposed by the Women’s National Committee several years ago, to ensure that homicides committed against women by their husbands or male relatives are prosecuted and punished in the same way as any other murders.

Trafficking

369.The Committee is concerned about the lack of information on trafficking and smuggling provided by the State party, especially of women and girls, as well as on the concrete measures adopted to prevent such phenomena.

370. The Committee urges the State party to adopt comprehensive and effective measures to prevent and combat trafficking and smuggling in persons, especially women and girls, and investigate thoroughly such cases, in accordance with article 6 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19. It calls upon the State party to increase international cooperation efforts to prevent trafficking, to prosecute and punish traffickers in proportion to the gravity of their crime, and to ensure the protection of the human rights of women and girls who are victims of trafficking. The Committee also calls upon the State party to ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It further calls upon the State party to provide to the Committee, in its next periodic report, statistical data related to trafficking and smuggling, concrete interventions and their results.

Participation in political and public life

371.The Committee is concerned about the very low rate of representation of women in decision-making positions in all spheres, in particular in Parliament (0.3 per cent), the Government (1.82 per cent of commissioned ministers) and the judiciary (1.65 per cent), as well as in the public and private sectors, including in the public administration, the foreign service and academia.

372. The Committee urges that the State party take effective and sustained legal measures, including temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to increase the representation of women at all levels and spheres of politics, especially in decision-making positions. In this regard and in order to accelerate the representation of women, the Committee calls upon the State party to establish legal quotas for women for the coming elections to Parliament. It urges the State party to undertake awareness-raising campaigns about the importance of women’s participation in decision-making for society as a whole, including in the public and private sectors.

Education

373.While noting the State party’s several strategy plans on education, the Committee notes with concern the continuing high level of illiteracy of women and girls, in particular in rural areas, which manifests patterns of indirect discrimination under article 10 of the Convention. It is also concerned about the high dropout rate of girls from schools.

374. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party implement measures to ensure access to girls and women to all levels of education, including access to proper and dedicated toilets facilities, which have a direct impact on the realization of their right to education, especially in rural areas. The Committee also recommends that the State party adopt temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to ensure the access and retention of girls in school. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its efforts to improve the literacy level of girls and women through the adoption of comprehensive programmes of formal and non-formal education and training, and to increase training and employment of female teachers, the development of gender-sensitive educational materials and the monitoring and evaluation of progress achieved towards time-bound targets. The Committee urges the State party to raise general awareness of the importance of education as a human right and as a basis for the empowerment of women, and to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that perpetuate discrimination.

Employment

375.While noting the National Strategy for Working Women (2001-2011), the Committee is concerned about the very low number of women employed which amounts to less than 23 per cent of the total labour force, and the limited opportunities they have in the private and public labour market, their concentration in the agricultural sector where they are not paid and the strong occupational segregation in the public sector, where women represent only 17 per cent of the workforce, indicating an important gender gap in this sector.

376. The Committee recommends that the State party implement targeted policies and programmes, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to increase the number of women in the formal workforce, especially in the public sector. The Committee also recommends that the State party take measures to change stereotypical attitudes and negative cultural norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men, promoting the reconciliation of family and work responsibilities between women and men, and to design and implement awareness-raising programmes directed at all levels of society.

Health

377.While noting the existing health policies and programmes, including the Strategy for Development Women’s Health (2006-2010) and the National Strategy for Reproductive Health (2003-2005) and its updated strategy for 2006-2010, the Committee is concerned about the high rate of infant, child and maternal mortality in Yemen, and the limited access to health-care services and family planning, especially in rural areas.

378. The Committee calls upon the State party to increase women’s access to primary health-care services, especially in rural areas, including reproductive health care and means of family planning. In the light of its general recommendation No. 24, the Committee also recommends that the State party increase awareness campaigns on the importance of health care, including information on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS as well as on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies through family planning and sex education.

Early marriages

379.The Committee is extremely concerned at the amendment to Personal Status Law No. 20 of 1992 by Law No. 24 of 1999 and its negative consequences, which legalized the marriage of girl children below 15 years of age, with the consent of their guardian, which is a clear setback for women’s rights and the implementation of the provisions of the Convention in Yemen and a serious violation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention. The Committee remains deeply concerned at the “legality” of such early marriages of girl children, some as young as eight years of age, which amounts to violence against them, creates a serious health risk for those girls and also prevents them from completing their education.

380. The Committee urges the State party, reiterating its previous recommendations, to take urgent legislative measures to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls, in line with article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as being below the age of 18, and the provision on child marriage in article 16, paragraph 2, of the Convention, and stipulate that child marriages have no legal effect. The Committee urges the State party to enforce the requirement to register all marriages in order to monitor their legality and the strict prohibition of early marriages as well as to prosecute the perpetrators violating such provisions. The Committee recommends that the State party develop awareness-raising campaigns, with the support of civil society organizations and religious authorities, on the negative effects of early marriage on the well-being, health and education of girls. The Committee urges the State party to adopt, without delay, the Safe Motherhood Law recently presented to Parliament, which includes provisions prohibiting any practice that endangers women’s health, such as early marriages and female genital mutilation, in addition to ensuring the provision of contraceptives in all health centres. In this respect, the State party should ensure that such contraceptives are free or affordable.

Temporary marriages

381.The Committee is concerned with so-called “tourist marriages” or “temporary marriages” of young Yemeni girls, usually from poor families, to non-Yemenis, usually rich men from neighbouring countries, which have become more common in the past few years with the development of tourism.

382. The Committee urges the State party to adopt all necessary measures to prevent these negative phenomena and combat this form of sex tourism. The State party should actively consider the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee of Islamic jurisprudence legislators on this issue, such as amending the Personal Status Law, and prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. The Committee recommends that the State party develop awareness-raising campaigns, with the support of religious authorities and civil society organizations, on the negative implications of “temporary marriages” for the girls and their families.

Female genital mutilation

383.While welcoming the 2001 decree of the Ministry of Health banning the practice of female genital mutilation in all private and public health facilities or by public health servants, the Committee is concerned that female genital mutilation remains legal and, as expressed in its previous concluding observations, about its high incidence, especially in the coastal and rural areas, as well as with the State party’s reluctance to adopt measures aiming at eradicating this persistent harmful practice. The Committee notes with concern the serious health complications for girls and women arising out of this practice, which in some cases may lead to death, as well as with the impunity of perpetrators.

384. In the light of its general recommendations Nos. 14 and 19, as an act of violence against women inflicting physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, the Committee reiterates the recommendation that the State party adopt urgently legislation criminalizing female genital mutilation, and recommends that the State party enforce its prohibition through the prosecution and adequate punishment of offenders. It also recommends that the State party strengthen its awareness-raising and education efforts, targeted at both men and women, with the support of civil society organizations and religious authorities, in order to completely eliminate this practice and its underlying cultural justifications. The Committee encourages the State party to seek technical assistance from relevant United Nations agencies and bodies.

Rural women

385.In view of the fact that rural women constitute the majority of women in the State party and the workforce in the agricultural sector, the Committee is especially concerned about their situation in general and in particular their difficulty in accessing health care, public services, education, justice, clean water and electricity, which impairs seriously the enjoyment of their social, economic and cultural rights.

386. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to ensure that rural women enjoy their political, social, economic and cultural rights without any discrimination, especially with regard to access to education, public services, justice, health care and microfinancing.

Family relations

387.The Committee is concerned that the Personal Status Law of 1992 allows polygamy and prohibits the marriage of women without any guardianship and that a woman’s direct consent is not required for her guardian to conclude her marriage.

388. In accordance with article 16 of the Convention and in the light of the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21, the Committee urges the State party to amend the Personal Status Law to prohibit polygamy and to abolish the institution of guardianship, as they contravene women’s right to equality with men. It also urges the State party to repeal any other discriminatory provision against women in this Law.

389.The Committee notes with concern other discriminatory provisions in the Personal Status Law of 1992 and in the Citizenship Law of 1990 which affects women’s equal rights in matters relating to marriage, divorce, testimony, property, nationality, child custody and inheritance.

390. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure equal rights between women and men with regard to personal status, especially in marriage, divorce, testimony, property, nationality, child custody and inheritance. The Committee recommends that the State party amend all other discriminatory provisions, including the right of a child born to a Yemeni mother to acquire his or her mother’s nationality in the same circumstances he or she would acquire it from a Yemeni father. It also recommends that the State party grant the same five ‑year residency rights a non-Yemeni wife of a Yemeni husband has to a non ‑Yemeni husband of a Yemeni wife.

Women in detention

391.While welcoming the adoption of a decree on the occasion of Women’s Day in 2006 to release 71 female prisoners who had served their sentences but could not afford to post bail, the Committee is concerned that, according to the findings of several visits to female prisons and detention facilities, including the Public Freedoms Committee of the Parliament, prison conditions are not adapted for women, there are no female guards in female prisons with the exception of the Hajah detention centre, nor is there specific health care for women prisoners, including for pregnant women, or for their children. Women in detention are frequently harassed, humiliated and ill-treated by male guards, and female inmates frequently overstay their sentence due to the refusal of their guardian or family to receive them home after their sentences have been complete or they are unable to pay the blood money that has been assessed as payable. The Committee is concerned that the majority of women in prison have been sentenced for prostitution, adultery, alcoholism and unlawful or indecent behaviour, in a private or public setting.

392. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure equal rights between women and men in the justice and penitentiary systems and to eliminate all discriminatory measures against women in those sectors. The State party should ensure that women in detention are segregated from men and under the exclusive supervision of female guards, including during pre-trial detention, and that they have access to adequate health facilities and rehabilitation programmes to reintegrate them into the community, notwithstanding the refusal of the guardian or family to receive them. Special attention should also be given to children detained with their mother with regard to food, medicine and education.

Poverty

393.While noting the ranking of the State party in the Human Development Index and Yemen’s National Strategy for Poverty Reduction (2006-2010), with its gender perspective on education, health, nutrition and family planning, the Committee is still concerned that poverty is prevalent among women.

394. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures through its mainstreaming efforts and poverty reduction strategy to address the specific vulnerability of women in poverty, including efforts to ensure women’s representation in the participatory approaches taken in the management of poverty reduction programmes. The Committee urges the State party to utilize temporary special measures under article 4, paragraph 1, and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, to this effect.

Capacity to implement the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations

395.The Committee is especially concerned that, although Yemen ratified the Convention more than 24 years ago without reservations, the incorporation of most of the provisions of the Convention into its domestic legal order is still to be completed, substantial parts of its legal system remains in contradiction to the Convention, discrimination against women remains rampant, the development and advancement of women have not significantly improved and have even deteriorated with regard to certain issues, and the State party does not consider the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations fully. This raises the question of the capacity of the State party to implement its obligation under the Convention.

396. The Committee recommends that the State party consider carefully all recommendations made by the Committee and ensure that its obligations under the Convention, its religious principles and its cultural and social values are made compatible, in order to promote and protect fully the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Yemen’s women. It recommends that the State party avail itself of the technical cooperation and assistance from relevant United Nations agencies and bodies, such as the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the United Nations Population Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Health Organization, in order to implement de facto and de jure the provisions of the Convention and the Committee’s recommendations.

National machinery for the advancement of women

397. The Committee recommends that the State party transform the Women’s National Committee into a ministry within the Government in order for it to participate in the decision-making process, directly supporting its legislative proposal to the Parliament and mainstream women’s rights through the Government and the public administration, with sufficient budget allocation in order for it to carry out its mandate.

National human rights institution

398. The Committee recommends that the State party consider the establishment of an independent national human rights institution, with a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights, in accordance with the Paris Principles (General Assembly resolution 48/134, annex).

Cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

399. The Committee calls upon the State party to continue to strengthen its cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and adopt the draft refugee law, in compliance with the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol. The Committee also calls upon the State party to grant full access to UNHCR to detention centres for refugees, not to deport refugees without previous UNHCR verification of their status and to ensure refugees their right to security, especially for women and children due to their exposure to violence, including sexual violence.

Data collection and analysis

400. The Committee calls upon the State party to improve the collection and analysis of statistical data, and to include in its next periodic report statistical data and analysis on the situation of women, disaggregated by age, rural and urban areas, ethnicity and region, thus providing a clear picture of the situation of women in the State party. It also calls upon the State party to indicate the impact of measures taken and the results achieved in the practical realization of women’s substantive equality.

Optional Protocol

401. The Committee calls upon the State party to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and also invites the State party to accept the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

Parliament

402. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is accountable in particular for the full implementation of the State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and it invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.

Preparation of next report

403. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next periodic report, as well as to consult with non-governmental organizations during that phase.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

404. The Committee urges the State party to utilize fully in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

405. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Committee calls for the integration of a gender perspective and explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Dissemination

406. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Yemen of the present concluding observations in order to make the people of Yemen, and particularly government administrators and politicians, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure de jure and de facto equality for women and the future steps required in that regard. It requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty ‑third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Ratification of other treaties

407.The Committee notes that States’ adherence to the nine major international human rights instruments1 enhances the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government of Yemen to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Follow-up to concluding observations

408. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps undertaken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 368, 380, 384 and 388 above. The Committee also requests the State party to consider seeking technical cooperation and assistance, including advisory services, if necessary and when appropriate for implementation of the above recommendations.

Date of next report

409. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report to be submitted under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, which is due in May 2009, and its eighth periodic report, which is due in May 2013, in a combined report in 2013.

Chapter V

Activities carried out under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

410.Article 12 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women provides that the Committee shall include in its annual report under article 21 of the Convention a summary of its activities under the Optional Protocol.

A.Action taken by the Committee in respect of issues arising from article 2 of the Optional Protocol

411.The Committee continued consideration of matters arising in conjunction with its work under the Optional Protocol and decided to take action at its next session.

B.Action taken by the Committee in respect of issues arising from article 8 of the Optional Protocol

412.The Committee took no action in respect of issues arising under article 8 of the Optional Protocol.

Chapter VI

Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee

413.The Committee considered agenda item 6, ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee, at its 830th and 850th meetings on 30 June and 18 July 2008 and several closed meetings.

Action taken by the Committee under agenda item 6

Members of the pre-session working group for the forty-fourth session of the Committee

414.The Committee designated the following experts as members of the pre‑session working group for the forty-fourth session, which will meet from 10 to 14 November 2008:

Ferdous Ara BegumMeriem Belmihoub-ZerdaniPramila PattenGlenda P. SimmsDubravka ŠimonovićAnamah Tan

Dates of future sessions of the Committee

415.In accordance with the provisional calendar of conferences, the following dates are confirmed for the Committee’s forty-second and forty-third sessions, and proposed for the Committee’s forty-fourth session:

(a)Forty-second session: 20 October to 7 November 2008, Geneva, with parallel chambers;

(b)Thirteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 15 to 17 October 2008, Geneva;

(c)Pre-session working group for the forty-fourth session: 10 to 14 November 2008, Geneva;

(d)Forty-third session: 19 January to 6 February 2009, Geneva, with parallel chambers;

(e)Fourteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 9 to 13 February 2009, Geneva;

(f)Pre-session working group for the forty-fifth session: 9 to 13 February 2009, Geneva;

(g)Forty-fourth session: 20 July to 7 August 2009, New York, with parallel chambers;

(h)Fifteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 13 to 17 July 2009;

(i)Pre-session working group for the forty-sixth session: 10 to 14 August 2009.

Reports to be considered at future sessions of the Committee

416.The Committee confirmed that it would consider the reports of the following States parties at its forty-second and forty-third sessions. The Committee also made a preliminary selection of States parties that would be invited to present their reports at the forty-fourth session:

(a) Forty-second session

BahrainBelgiumCameroonCanadaEcuadorEl SalvadorKyrgyzstanMadagascarMongoliaMyanmarPortugalSloveniaUruguay

(b) Forty-third session

Armenia Bhutan Dominica Germany GuatemalaGuinea-BissauHaitiLiberiaLibyan Arab JamahiriyaRwanda

(c) Forty-fourth session

ArgentinaDenmark EgyptJapanLao People’s Democratic RepublicSpainSwitzerlandTimor-LesteTuvalu

Composition of parallel chambers at the forty-third session

417.The Committee decided to agree on the composition of its parallel chambers and the allocation of reports of States parties for its forty-third session, at its forty‑second session. The initial reports of Dominica, Haiti and Liberia would be considered in plenary, as would the consideration of implementation of the Convention in Guinea-Bissau.

Enhancing the Committee’s working methods under article 18 of the Convention

Concluding observations

418.The Committee reviewed its practices in relation to concluding observations. It concluded that in order to assist States parties to accelerate implementation of the Convention, it would strive to formulate detailed concluding observations, with concrete, achievable, but non-prescriptive recommendations. In order to achieve clarity, it also decided to include titles (subject headings) in its concluding observations. A list of titles, which would be used flexibly and as appropriate for the State party concerned, were agreed by the Committee and are included in annex X to part two of the present report.

Request for long-overdue reports

419.The Committee reviewed the status of submission of reports by States parties (CEDAW/C/2008/II/2), as well as steps aimed at encouraging States parties to submit long-overdue reports. It recalled that it had requested 12 States parties with long-overdue initial reports to submit all these reports as combined reports by a particular date for consideration by the Committee at identified future sessions. It also recalled that the Committee had decided that failing receipt of the reports within the suggested time frame, and as a last resort, it would proceed with consideration of the implementation of the Convention in the States parties concerned in the absence of a report (see A/62/38, part three, para. 675). Taking account of these decisions, the Committee decided to invite States parties whose initial reports have been overdue for more than five years to submit their overdue reports as a combined report within two years (Afghanistan, Djibouti and Solomon Islands) and States parties whose periodic reports have been overdue for more than 10 years to submit their overdue reports as a combined report within two years (Bulgaria, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal and Zimbabwe). Failing receipt of the reports within the suggested timeframe, and as a last resort, the Committee would proceed with consideration of the implementation of the Convention in those States parties in the absence of a report.

Exchange of views with States parties to the Convention

420.On 16 July 2008, the Committee held an exchange of views with States parties to the Convention on the Committee’s working methods, including its Convention-specific guidelines, relationship with national human rights institutions and steps taken by the Committee to encourage submission of long-overdue reports (see CEDAW/C/SR.849).

Chapter VII

Implementation of article 21 of the Convention

421.The Committee considered agenda item 5, on the implementation of article 21 of the Convention, at its 831st and 850th meetings, on 30 June and 18 July 2008, and at several closed meetings.

Action taken by the Committee under agenda item 5

General recommendation on migrant women

422.The Committee agreed that the working group on the general recommendation on migrant workers would present a revised draft of the general recommendation to the Committee at its forty-second session. The revised draft would take account of the comments of the Committee on Migrant Workers and All Members of Their Families on the current draft. The working group consists of: Ms. Arocha, Ms. Begum, Ms. Dairiam (Chairperson), Ms. Gabr, Ms. Gaspard, Ms. Pimentel, Ms. Shin and Ms. Tavares da Silva.

General recommendation on article 2

423.Mr. Flinterman, the Chairperson of the working group, agreed to circulate a revised draft of the general recommendation to the Committee by 29 August 2008.

Chapter VIII

Provisional agenda for the forty-second session

424.The Committee considered the draft provisional agenda for its forty-second session at its 850th meeting, on 18 July 2008, and approved the following provisional agenda for that session:

1.Opening of the session.

2.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

3.Report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the forty-first and forty-second sessions of the Committee.

4.Consideration of the report submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

5.Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

6.Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee.

7.Activities of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

8.Provisional agenda for the forty-third session.

9.Adoption of the report of the Committee on its forty-second session.

Chapter IX

Adoption of the report

425.The Committee considered the draft report on its forty-first session (CEDAW/C/2008/II/L.1 and addenda) at its 850th meeting, on 18 July 2008 (see CEDAW/C/SR.850) and adopted it, as orally revised during the discussion.

Annex I

States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as at 31 July 2008

States parties	Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession a , succession b	Date of entry into force
Afghanistan	5 March 2003	4 April 2003
Albania	11 May 1994a	10 June 1994
Algeria	22 May 1996a	21 June 1996
Andorra	15 January 1997a	14 February 1997
Angola	17 September 1986a	17 October 1986
Antigua and Barbuda	1 August 1989a	31 August 1989
Argentina	15 July 1985	14 August 1985
Armenia	13 September 1993a	13 October 1993
Australia	28 July 1983	27 August 1983
Austria	31 March 1982	30 April 1982
Azerbaijan	10 July 1995a	9 August 1995
Bahamas	8 October 1993a	7 November 1993
Bahrain	18 June 2002a	18 July 2002
Bangladesh	6 November 1984a	6 December 1984
Barbados	16 October 1980	3 September 1981
Belarus	4 February 1981	3 September 1981
Belgium	10 July 1985	9 August 1985
Belize	16 May 1990	15 June 1990
Benin	12 March 1992	11 April 1992
Bhutan	31 August 1981	30 September 1981
Bolivia	8 June 1990	8 July 1990
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1 September 1993b	1 October 1993
Botswana	13 August 1996a	12 September 1996
Brazil	1 February 1984	2 March 1984
Brunei Darussalam	24 May 2006a	23 June 2006
Bulgaria	8 February 1982	10 March 1982
Burkina Faso	14 October 1987a	13 November 1987
Burundi	8 January 1992	7 February 1992
Cambodia	15 October 1992a	14 November 1992
Cameroon	23 August 1994	22 September 1994
Canada	10 December 1981	9 January 1982
Cape Verde	5 December 1980a	3 September 1981
Central African Republic	21 June 1991a	21 July 1991
Chad	9 June 1995a	9 July 1995
Chile	7 December 1989	6 January 1990
China	4 November 1980	3 September 1981
Colombia	19 January 1982	18 February 1982
Comoros	31 October 1994a	30 November 1994
Congo	26 July 1982	25 August 1982
Cook Islands	11 August 2006a	10 September 2006
Costa Rica	4 April 1986	4 May 1986
Côte d’Ivoire	18 December 1995	17 January 1996
Croatia	9 September 1992b	9 October 1992
Cuba	17 July 1980	3 September 1981
Cyprus	23 July 1985a	22 August 1985
Czech Republicc	22 February 1993b	24 March 1993
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	27 February 2001a	29 March 2001
Democratic Republic of the Congod	17 October 1986	16 November 1986
Denmark	21 April 1983	21 May 1983
Djibouti	2 December 1998a	1 January 1999
Dominica	15 September 1980	3 September 1981
Dominican Republic	2 September 1982	2 October 1982
Ecuador	9 November 1981	9 December 1981
Egypt	18 September 1981	18 October 1981
El Salvador	19 August 1981	18 September 1981
Equatorial Guinea	23 October 1984a	22 November 1984
Eritrea	5 September 1995a	5 October 1995
Estonia	21 October 1991a	20 November 1991
Ethiopia	10 September 1981	10 October 1981
Fiji	28 August 1995a	27 September 1995
Finland	4 September 1986	4 October 1986
France	14 December 1983	13 January 1984
Gabon	21 January 1983	20 February 1983
Gambia	16 April 1993	16 May 1993
Georgia	26 October 1994a	25 November 1994
Germanye	10 July 1985	9 August 1985
Ghana	2 January 1986	1 February 1986
Greece	7 June 1983	7 July 1983
Grenada	30 August 1990	29 September 1990
Guatemala	12 August 1982	11 September 1982
Guinea	9 August 1982	8 September 1982
Guinea-Bissau	23 August 1985	22 September 1985
Guyana	17 July 1980	3 September 1981
Haiti	20 July 1981	3 September 1981
Honduras	3 March 1983	2 April 1983
Hungary	22 December 1980	3 September 1981
Iceland	18 June 1985	18 July 1985
India	9 July 1993	8 August 1993
Indonesia	13 September 1984	13 October 1984
Iraq	13 August 1986a	12 September 1986
Ireland	23 December 1985a	22 January 1986
Israel	3 October 1991	2 November 1991
Italy	10 June 1985	10 July 1985
Jamaica	19 October 1984	18 November 1984
Japan	25 June 1985	25 July 1985
Jordan	1 July 1992	31 July 1992
Kazakhstan	26 August 1998a	25 September 1998
Kenya	9 March 1984a	8 April 1984
Kiribati	17 March 2004a	16 April 2004
Kuwait	2 September 1994a	2 October 1994
Kyrgyzstan	10 February 1997a	12 March 1997
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	14 August 1981	13 September 1981
Latvia	14 April 1992a	14 May 1992
Lebanon	16 April 1997a	16 May 1997
Lesotho	22 August 1995	21 September 1995
Liberia	17 July 1984a	16 August 1984
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	16 May 1989a	15 June 1989
Liechtenstein	22 December 1995a	21 January 1996
Lithuania	18 January 1994a	17 February 1994
Luxembourg	2 February 1989	4 March 1989
Madagascar	17 March 1989	16 April 1989
Malawi	12 March 1987a	11 April 1987
Malaysia	5 July 1995a	4 August 1995
Maldives	1 July 1993a	31 July 1993
Mali	10 September 1985	10 October 1985
Malta	8 March 1991a	7 April 1991
Marshall Islands	2 March 2006a	1 April 2006
Mauritania	10 May 2001a	9 June 2001
Mauritius	9 July 1984a	8 August 1984
Mexico	23 March 1981	3 September 1981
Micronesia (Federated States of)	1 September 2004a	1 October 2004
Monaco	18 March 2005a	17 April 2005
Mongolia	20 July 1981	3 September 1981
Montenegro	23 October 2006d	22 November 2006
Morocco	21 June 1993a	21 July 1993
Mozambique	21 April 1997a	21 May 1997
Myanmar	22 July 1997a	21 August 1997
Namibia	23 November 1992a	23 December 1992
Nepal	22 April 1991	22 May 1991
Netherlands	23 July 1991	22 August 1991
New Zealand	10 January 1985	9 February 1985
Nicaragua	27 October 1981	26 November 1981
Niger	8 October 1999a	7 November 1999
Nigeria	13 June 1985	13 July 1985
Norway	21 May 1981	3 September 1981
Oman	7 February 2006a	9 March 2006
Pakistan	12 March 1996a	11 April 1996
Panama	29 October 1981	28 November 1981
Papua New Guinea	12 January 1995a	11 February 1995
Paraguay	6 April 1987a	6 May 1987
Peru	13 September 1982	13 October 1982
Philippines	5 August 1981	4 September 1981
Poland	30 July 1980	3 September 1981
Portugal	30 July 1980	3 September 1981
Republic of Korea	27 December 1984	26 January 1985
Republic of Moldova	1 July 1994a	31 July 1994
Romania	7 January 1982	6 February 1982
Russian Federation	23 January 1981	3 September 1981
Rwanda	2 March 1981	3 September 1981
Saint Kitts and Nevis	25 April 1985a	25 May 1985
Saint Lucia	8 October 1982a	7 November 1982
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	4 August 1981a	3 September 1981
Samoa	25 September 1992a	25 October 1992
San Marino	10 December 2003	9 January 2004
Sao Tome and Principe	3 June 2003	2 July 2003
Saudi Arabia	7 September 2000	7 October 2000
Senegal	5 February 1985	7 March 1985
Serbia	12 March 2001b	11 April 2001
Seychelles	5 May 1992a	4 June 1992
Sierra Leone	11 November 1988	10 December 1988
Singapore	5 October 1995a	4 November 1995
Slovakia	28 May 1993a	27 June 1993
Slovenia	6 July 1992b	5 August 1992
Solomon Islands	6 May 2002a	5 June 2002
South Africa	15 December 1995	14 January 1996
Spain	5 January 1984	4 February 1984
Sri Lanka	5 October 1981	4 November 1981
Suriname	1 March 1993a	31 March 1993
Swaziland	26 March 2004a	25 April 2004
Sweden	2 July 1980	3 September 1981
Switzerland	27 March 1997	26 April 1997
Syrian Arab Republic	18 March 2003a	17 April 2003
Tajikistan	26 October 1993a	25 November 1993
Thailand	9 August 1985a	8 September 1985
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	18 January 1994b	17 February 1994
Timor-Leste	16 April 2003a	16 May 2003
Togo	26 September 1983a	26 October 1983
Trinidad and Tobago	12 January 1990	11 February 1990
Tunisia	20 September 1985	20 October 1985
Turkey	20 December 1985a	19 January 1986
Turkmenistan	1 May 1997a	31 May 1997
Tuvalu	6 October 1999a	5 November 1999
Uganda	22 July 1985	21 August 1985
Ukraine	12 March 1981	3 September 1981
United Arab Emirates	6 October 2004a	5 November 2004
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	7 April 1986	7 May 1986
United Republic of Tanzania	20 August 1985	19 September 1985
Uruguay	9 October 1981	8 November 1981
Uzbekistan	19 July 1995a	18 August 1995
Vanuatu	8 September 1995a	8 October 1995
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)	2 May 1983	1 June 1983
Viet Nam	17 February 1982	19 March 1982
Yemenf	20 May 1984a	29 June 1984
Zambia	21 June 1985	21 July 1985
Zimbabwe	13 May 1991a	12 June 1991

aRatification or accession.

bSuccession.

cBefore becoming separate States on 1 January 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia formed part of Czechoslovakia, which had ratified the Convention on 16 February 1982.

dEffective 17 May 1997, Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

eWith effect from 3 October 1990, the German Democratic Republic (which ratified the Convention on 9 July 1980) and the Federal Republic of Germany (which ratified the Convention on 10 July 1985) united to form one sovereign State, which acts in the United Nations under the designation Germany.

fOn 22 May 1990, Democratic Yemen and Yemen merged to form a single State, which acts in the United Nations under the designation Yemen.

Annex II

States parties which have deposited with the Secretary-General instruments of acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, as at 31 July 2008

States parties	Acceptance date
Andorra	14 October 2002
Australia	4 June 1998
Austria	11 September 2000
Azerbaijan	25 May 2008
Bahamas	17 January 2003
Bangladesh	3 May 2007
Brazil	5 March 1997
Canada	3 November 1997
Chile	8 May 1998
China	10 July 2002
Cook Islands	27 November 2007
Croatia	24 October 2003
Cuba	7 March 2008
Cyprus	30 July 2002
Denmark	12 March 1996
Egypt	2 August 2001
Finland	18 March 1996
France	8 August 1997
Georgia	30 September 2005
Germany	25 February 2002
Grenada	12 December 2007
Guatemala	3 June 1999
Iceland	8 May 2002
Ireland	11 June 2004
Italy	31 May 1996
Japan	12 June 2003
Jordan	11 January 2002
Lesotho	12 November 2001
Liberia	16 September 2005
Liechtenstein	15 April 1997
Lithuania	5 August 1997
Luxembourg	1 July 2003
Madagascar	19 July 1996
Maldives	7 February 2002
Mali	20 June 2002
Malta	5 March 1997
Mauritius	29 October 2002
Mexico	16 September 1996
Mongolia	19 December 1997
Netherlandsa	10 December 1997
New Zealand	26 September 1996
Niger	1 May 2002
Norway	29 March 1996
Panama	5 November 1996
Philippines	12 November 2003
Portugal	8 January 2002
Republic of Korea	12 August 1996
Slovenia	10 November 2006
Sweden	17 July 1996
Switzerland	2 December 1997
Turkey	9 December 1999
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandb	19 November 1997
Uruguay	8 January 2004

aFor the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

bFor the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the British Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Annex III

States parties which have signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention, as at 31 July 2008

States parties	Date signed	Ratification, accession a
Albania		23 June 2003a
Andorra	9 July 2001	14 October 2002
Angola		1 November 2007
Antigua and Barbuda		5 June 2006a
Argentina	28 February 2000	20 March 2007
Armenia		14 September 2006a
Austria	10 December 1999	6 September 2000
Azerbaijan	6 June 2000	1 June 2001
Bangladeshb	6 September 2000	6 September 2000
Belarus	29 April 2002	3 February 2004
Belgium	10 December 1999	17 June 2004
Belizeb		9 December 2002a
Benin	25 May 2000
Bolivia	10 December 1999	27 September 2000
Bosnia and Herzegovina	7 September 2000	4 September 2002
Botswana		21 February 2007a
Brazil	13 March 2001	28 June 2002
Bulgaria	6 June 2000	20 September 2006
Burkina Faso	16 November 2001	10 October 2005
Burundi	13 November 2001
Cambodia	11 November 2001
Cameroon		7 January 2005a
Canada		18 October 2002a
Chile	10 December 1999
Colombiab	10 December 1999	23 January 2007
Cook Islands		27 November 2007
Costa Rica	10 December 1999	20 September 2001
Croatia	5 June 2000	7 March 2001
Cuba	17 March 2000
Cyprus	8 February 2001	26 April 2002
Czech Republic	10 December 1999	26 February 2001
Denmark	10 December 1999	31 May 2000
Dominican Republic	14 March 2000	10 August 2001
Ecuador	10 December 1999	5 February 2002
El Salvador	4 April 2001
Finland	10 December 1999	29 December 2000
France	10 December 1999	9 June 2000
Gabon		5 November 2004a
Georgia		1 August 2002a
Germany	10 December 1999	15 January 2002
Ghana	24 February 2000
Greece	10 December 1999	24 January 2002
Guatemala	7 September 2000	9 May 2002
Guinea-Bissau	12 September 2000
Hungary		22 December 2000a
Iceland	10 December 1999	6 March 2001
Indonesia	28 February 2000
Ireland	7 September 2000	7 September 2000
Italy	10 December 1999	22 September 2000
Kazakhstan	6 September 2000	24 August 2001
Kyrgyzstan		22 July 2002a
Lesotho	6 September 2000	24 September 2004
Liberia	22 September 2004
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya		18 June 2004a
Liechtenstein	10 December 1999	24 October 2001
Lithuania	8 September 2000	5 August 2004
Luxembourg	10 December 1999	1 July 2003
Madagascar	7 September 2000
Malawi	7 September 2000
Maldives		13 March 2006a
Mali		5 December 2000a
Mauritius	11 November 2001
Mexico	10 December 1999	15 March 2002
Mongolia	7 September 2000	28 March 2002
Montenegro		23 October 2006
Namibia	19 May 2000	26 May 2000
Nepal	19 December 2001	15 June 2007
Netherlandsc	10 December 1999	22 May 2002
New Zealandd	7 September 2000	7 September 2000
Niger		30 September 2004a
Nigeria	8 September 2000	22 November 2004
Norway	10 December 1999	5 March 2002
Panama	9 June 2000	9 May 2001
Paraguay	28 December 1999	14 May 2001
Peru	22 December 2000	9 April 2001
Philippines	21 March 2000	12 November 2003
Poland		22 December 2003a
Portugal	16 February 2000	26 April 2002
Republic of Korea		18 October 2006a
Republic of Moldova		28 February 2006a
Romania	6 September 2000	25 August 2003
Russian Federation	8 May 2001	28 July 2004
Saint Kitts and Nevis		20 January 2006a
San Marino		15 September 2005a
Sao Tome and Principe	6 September 2000
Senegal	10 December 1999	26 May 2000
Serbia		31 July 2003a
Seychelles	22 July 2002
Sierra Leone	8 September 2000
Slovakia	5 June 2000	17 November 2000
Slovenia	19 December 1999	23 September 2004
Solomon Islands		6 May 2002a
South Africa		18 October 2005a
Spain	14 March 2000	6 July 2001
Sri Lanka		15 October 2002a
Sweden	10 December 1999	24 April 2003
Switzerland	15 February 2007
Tajikistan	7 September 2000
Thailand	14 June 2000	14 June 2000
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	3 April 2000	17 October 2003
Timor-Leste		16 April 2003a
Turkey	8 September 2000	29 October 2003
Ukraine	7 September 2000	26 September 2003
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland		17 December 2004a
United Republic of Tanzania		12 January 2006a
Uruguay	9 May 2000	26 July 2001
Vanuatu		17 May 2007a
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)	17 March 2000	13 May 2002

aAccession.

bUpon ratification made a declaration in accordance with article 10 (1) of the Optional Protocol.

cFor the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

dWith a declaration to the effect that “consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account its commitment to the development of self-government through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory”.

Annex IV

Documents before the Committee at its fortieth and forty-first sessions

Document number	Title or description
A. Fortieth session
CEDAW/C/2008/I/1	Annotated provisional agenda
CEDAW/C/2008/I/2	Report of the Secretary-General on the status of submission of reports by States parties under article 18 of the Convention
CEDAW/C/2008/I/3	Note by the Secretary-General on reports provided by specialized agencies on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities
CEDAW/C/2008/I/3/Add.1	Report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
CEDAW/C/2008/I/3/Add.3	Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
CEDAW/C/2008/I/4	Report of the Secretariat on ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
CEDAW/C/2008/I/4/Add.1	Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Overview of the working methods of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Reports of States parties
CEDAW/C/SAU/2	Combined initial and second periodic report of Saudi Arabia
CEDAW/C/BOL/2-4	Combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Bolivia
CEDAW/C/BDI/4	Combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Burundi
CEDAW/C/LBN/3	Third periodic report of Lebanon
CEDAW/C/MAR/4	Combined third and fourth periodic report of Morocco
CEDAW/C/LUX/5	Fifth periodic report of Luxembourg
CEDAW/C/FRA/6	Sixth periodic report of France
CEDAW/C/SWE/7	Combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Sweden
B. Forty-first session
CEDAW/C/2008/II/1	Annotated provisional agenda
CEDAW/C/2008/II/2	Report of the Secretary-General on the status of submission of reports by States parties under article 18 of the Convention
CEDAW/C/2008/II/3	Note by the Secretary-General on reports provided by specialized agencies on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities
CEDAW/C/2008/II/3/Add.1	Report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
CEDAW/C/2008/II/3/Add.2	Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
CEDAW/C/2008/II/3/Add.4	Report of the International Labour Organization
CEDAW/C/2008/II/4	Report of the Secretariat on ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
Reports of States parties
CEDAW/C/LTU/3 and CEDAW/C/LTU/4	Third and fourth periodic reports of Lithuania
CEDAW/C/SVK/4	Combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Slovakia
CEDAW/C/TZA/6	Combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report of Tanzania
CEDAW/C/FIN/5 and CEDAW/C/FIN/6	Fifth and sixth periodic reports of Finland
CEDAW/C/ICE/5 and CEDAW/C/ICE/6	Fifth and sixth periodic reports of Iceland
CEDAW/C/UK/5 and Add.1 and 2 CEDAW/C/UK/6 and Add.1 and 2	Fifth and sixth periodic reports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
CEDAW/C/NGA/6	Sixth periodic report of Nigeria
CEDAW/C/YEM/6	Sixth periodic report of Yemen

Annex V

Membership of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Name of member	Country of nationality	Term of office expires on 31 December
Ferdous Ara Begum	Bangladesh	2010
Magalys Arocha Dominguez	Cuba	2008
Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani	Algeria	2010
Saisuree Chutikul	Thailand	2010
Dorcas Ama Frema Coker-Appiah	Ghana	2010
Mary Shanthi Dairiam	Malaysia	2008
Cornelis Flinterman	Netherlands	2010
Náela Gabr Mohemed Gabre Ali	Egypt	2010
Françoise Gaspard	France	2008
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari	Israel	2010
Yoko Hayashi	Japan	2010
Tiziana Maiolo	Italy	2008
Violeta Neubauer	Slovenia	2010
Pramila Patten	Mauritius	2010
Silvia Pimentel	Brazil	2008
Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling	Germany	2008
Heisoo Shin	Republic of Korea	2008
Glenda P. Simms	Jamaica	2008
Dubravka Šimonović	Croatia	2010
Anamah Tan	Singapore	2008
Maria Regina Tavares da Silva	Portugal	2008
Xiaoqiao Zou	China	2008

Annex VI

Status of submission and consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as at 31 July 2008

States parties	Date due a	Date of submission	Considered by Committee (session (year))
Afghanistan	4 April 2004
Albania
Initial report	10 June 1995	20 May 2002(CEDAW/C/ALB/1-2)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Second periodic report	10 June 1999	20 May 2002(CEDAW/C/ALB/1-2)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Third periodic report	10 June 2003
Fourth periodic report	10 June 2007
Algeria
Initial report	21 June 1997	1 September 1998(CEDAW/C/DZA/1) 1 December 1998(CEDAW/C/DZA/Add.1)	Twentieth (1999)
Second periodic report	21 June 2001	29 January 2003(CEDAW/C/DZA/2)	Thirty-second (2005)
Third periodic report	21 June 2005
Andorra
Initial report	14 February 1998	23 June 2000(CEDAW/C/AND/1)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Second periodic report	14 February 2002
Third periodic report	14 February 2006
Angola
Initial report	17 October 1987	2 May 2002(CEDAW/C/AGO/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Second periodic report	17 October 1991	2 May 2002(CEDAW/C/AGO/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Third periodic report	17 October 1995	2 May 2002(CEDAW/C/AGO/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fourth periodic report	17 October 1999	20 May 2004(CEDAW/C/AGO/4-5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fifth periodic report	17 October 2003	20 May 2004(CEDAW/C/AGO/4-5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	17 October 2008
Antigua and Barbuda
Initial report	31 August 1990	21 September 1994(CEDAW/C/ANT/1-3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Second periodic report	31 August 1994	21 September 1994(CEDAW/C/ANT/1-3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Third periodic report	31 August 1998	21 September 1994(CEDAW/C/ANT/1-3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	31 August 2002
Fifth periodic report	31 August 2006
Argentina
Initial report	14 August 1986	6 October 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.39)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	14 August 1990	13 February 1992(CEDAW/C/ARG/2) 27 May 1994(CEDAW/C/ARG/2/Add.1) 19 August 1994(CEDAW/C/ARG/2/Add.2)	Seventeenth (1997)
Third periodic report	14 August 1994	1 October 1996(CEDAW/C/ARG/3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	14 August 1998	18 January 2000(CEDAW/C/ARG/4)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	14 August 2002	15 January 2002(CEDAW/C/ARG/5)	Exceptional (2002)
Follow-up report	5 January 2004	29 January 2004(CEDAW/C/ARG/follow-up to CEDAW/C/ARG/5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	14 August 2006	30 June 2008(CEDAW/C/ARG/6)
Armenia
Initial report	13 October 1994	30 November 1994(CEDAW/C/ARM/1) 10 February 1997(CEDAW/C/ARM/1/Corr.1)	Seventeenth (1997)
Second periodic report	13 October 1998	23 August 1999(CEDAW/C/ARM/2)	Exceptional (2002)
Third periodic report	13 October 2002	28 December 2008(CEDAW/C/ARM/3-4)
Fourth periodic report	13 October 2006	28 December 2008(CEDAW/C/ARM/3-4)
Australia
Initial report	27 August 1984	3 October 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.40)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	27 August 1988	24 July 1992(CEDAW/C/AUL/2)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	27 August 1992	1 March 1995(CEDAW/C/AUL/3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	27 August 1996	29 January 2004(CEDAW/C/AUL/4-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	27 August 2000	29 January 2004(CEDAW/C/AUL/4-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	27 August 2004
Austria
Initial report	30 April 1983	20 October 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.17)	Fourth (1985)
Second periodic report	30 April 1987	18 December 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.27)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	30 April 1991	25 April 1997(CEDAW/C/AUT/3-4)	Twenty-third (2000)
Fourth periodic report	30 April 1995	25 April 1997(CEDAW/C/AUT/3-4)	Twenty-third (2000)
Fifth periodic report	30 April 1999	20 September 1999(CEDAW/C/AUT/5)	Twenty-third (2000)
Sixth periodic report	30 April 2003	11 October 2004(CEDAW/C/AUT/6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Seventh periodic report	30 April 2007
Azerbaijan
Initial report	9 August 1996	11 September 1996(CEDAW/C/AZE/1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	9 August 2000	7 January 2005(CEDAW/C/AZE/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Third periodic report	9 August 2004	7 January 2005(CEDAW/C/AZE/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Bahamas
Initial report	5 November 1994
Second periodic report	5 November 1998
Third periodic report	5 November 2002
Fourth periodic report	5 November 2006
Bahrain
Initial report	18 July 2003	4 October 2007(CEDAW/C/BHR/2)
Second report	18 July 2007	4 October 2007(CEDAW/C/BHR/2)
Bangladesh
Initial report	6 December 1985	12 March 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.34)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	6 December 1989	23 February 1990(CEDAW/C/13/Add.30)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	6 December 1993	27 March 1997(CEDAW/C/BGD/3-4)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	6 December 1997	27 March 1997(CEDAW/C/BGD/3-4)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fifth periodic report	6 December 2001	27 December 2002(CEDAW/C/BGD/5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	6 December 2005
Barbados
Initial report	3 September 1982	11 April 1990(CEDAW/C/5/Add.64)	Eleventh (1992)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	4 December 1991(CEDAW/C/BAR/2-3)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	4 December 1991(CEDAW/C/BAR/2-3)	Thirteenth (1994)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1995	24 November 2000(CEDAW/C/BAR/4)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1999
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2003
Belarus
Initial report	3 September 1982	4 October 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.5)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	3 March 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.5)	Eighth (1989)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	1 July 1993(CEDAW/C/BLR/3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	19 December 2002(CEDAW/C/BLR/4-6)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	19 December 2002(CEDAW/C/BLR/4-6)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	19 December 2002(CEDAW/C/BLR/4-6)	Thirtieth (2004)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Belgium
Initial report	9 August 1986	20 July 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.53)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	9 August 1990	9 February 1993(CEDAW/C/BEL/2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	9 August 1994	29 September 1998(CEDAW/C/BEL/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fourth periodic report	9 August 1998	29 September 1998(CEDAW/C/BEL/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	9 August 2002	9 May 2007(CEDAW/C/BEL/6)
Sixth periodic report	9 August 2006	9 May 2007(CEDAW/C/BEL/6)
Belize
Initial report	15 June 1991	19 June 1996(CEDAW/C/BLZ/1-2)	Twenty-first (1999)
Second periodic report	15 June 1995	19 June 1996(CEDAW/C/BLZ/1-2)	Twenty-first (1999)
Third periodic report	15 June 1999	5 August 2005(CEDAW/C/BLZ/3-4)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fourth periodic report	15 June 2003	5 August 2005(CEDAW/C/BLZ/3-4)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fifth periodic report	15 June 2007
Benin
Initial report	11 April 1993	27 June 2002(CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Second periodic report	11 April 1997	27 June 2002(CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Third periodic report	11 April 2001	27 June 2002(CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fourth periodic report	11 April 2005
Bhutan
Initial report	30 September 1982	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Second periodic report	30 September 1986	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	30 September 1990	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fourth periodic report	30 September 1994	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fifth periodic report	30 September 1998	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	30 September 2002	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6)(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6/Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Seventh periodic report	30 September 2006	3 August 2007(CEDAW/C/BTN/7)
Bolivia
Initial report	8 July 1991	8 July 1991(CEDAW/C/BOL/1) 26 August 1993(CEDAW/C/BOL/1/Add.1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Second periodic report	8 July 1995	16 December 2005(CEDAW/C/BOL/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Third periodic report	8 July 1999	16 December 2005(CEDAW/C/BOL/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Fourth periodic report	8 July 2003	16 December 2005(CEDAW/C/BOL/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Fifth periodic report	8 July 2007
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Initial report	1 October 1994	22 December 2004(CEDAW/C/BIH/1-3)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Second periodic report	1 October 1998	22 December 2004(CEDAW/C/BIH/1-3)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Third periodic report	1 October 2002	22 December 2004(CEDAW/C/BIH/1-3)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	1 October 2006
Botswana
Initial report	12 September 1997
Second periodic report	12 September 2001
Third periodic report	12 September 2005
Brazil
Initial report	2 March 1985	7 November 2002(CEDAW/C/BRA/1-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Second periodic report	2 March 1989	7 November 2002(CEDAW/C/BRA/1-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Third periodic report	2 March 1993	7 November 2002(CEDAW/C/BRA/1-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	2 March 1997	7 November 2002(CEDAW/C/BRA/1-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	2 March 2001	7 November 2002(CEDAW/C/BRA/1-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	2 March 2005	18 August 2006(CEDAW/C/BRA/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Brunei Darussalam
Initial report	23 June 2007
Bulgaria
Initial report	10 March 1983	13 June 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.15)	Fourth (1985)
Second periodic report	10 March 1987	6 September 1994(CEDAW/C/BGR/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	10 March 1991	6 September 1994(CEDAW/C/BGR/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	10 March 1995
Fifth periodic report	10 March 1999
Sixth periodic report	10 March 2003
Seventh periodic report	10 March 2007
Burkina Faso
Initial report	13 November 1988	24 May 1990(CEDAW/C/5/Add.67)	Tenth (1991)
Second periodic report	13 November 1992	11 December 1997(CEDAW/C/BFA/2-3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Third periodic report	13 November 1996	11 December 1997(CEDAW/C/BFA/2-3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fourth periodic report	13 November 2000	4 August 2003(CEDAW/C/BFA/4-5)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fifth periodic report	13 November 2004	4 August 2003(CEDAW/C/BFA/4-5)	Thirty-third (2005)
Burundi
Initial report	7 February 1993	1 June 2000(CEDAW/C/BDI/1)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Second periodic report	7 February 1997	29 September 2006(CEDAW/C/BDI/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Third periodic report	7 February 2001	29 September 2006(CEDAW/C/BDI/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Fourth periodic report	7 February 2005	29 September 2006(CEDAW/C/BDI/2-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Cambodia
Initial report	14 November 1993	11 February 2004(CEDAW/C/KHM/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Second periodic report	14 November 1997	11 February 2004(CEDAW/C/KHM/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Third periodic report	14 November 2001	11 February 2004(CEDAW/C/KHM/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	14 November 2005
Cameroon
Initial report	22 September 1995	9 May 1999(CEDAW/C/CMR/1)	Twenty-third (2000)
Second periodic report	22 September 1999	28 March 2007(CEDAW/C/CMR/3)
Third periodic report	22 September 2003	28 March 2007(CEDAW/C/CMR/3)
Fourth periodic report	22 September 2007
Canada
Initial report	9 January 1983	15 July 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.16)	Second (1985)
Second periodic report	9 January 1987	20 January 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.11)	Ninth (1990)
Third periodic report	9 January 1991	9 September 1992(CEDAW/C/CAN/3)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	9 January 1995	2 October 1995(CEDAW/C/CAN/4)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fifth periodic report	9 January 1999	2 April 2002(CEDAW/C/CAN/5) 17 December 2002(CEDAW/C/CAN/5/Add.1)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	9 January 2003	4 May 2007(CEDAW/C/CAN/7)
Seventh periodic report	9 January 2007	4 May 2007(CEDAW/C/CAN/7)
Cape Verde
Initial report	3 September 1982	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	29 June 2005(CEDAW/C/CPV/1-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Central African Republic
Initial report	21 July 1992
Second periodic report	21 July 1996
Third periodic report	21 July 2000
Fourth periodic report	21 July 2004
Chad
Initial report	9 July 1996
Second periodic report	9 July 2000
Third periodic report	9 July 2004
Chile
Initial report	6 January 1991	3 September 1991(CEDAW/C/CHI/1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Second periodic report	6 January 1995	9 March 1995(CEDAW/C/CHI/2)	Twenty-first (1999)
Third periodic report	6 January 1999	1 November 1999(CEDAW/C/CHI/3)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fourth periodic report	6 January 2003	17 May 2004(CEDAW/C/CHI/4)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	6 January 2007
China
Initial report	3 September 1982	25 May 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.14)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	22 June 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.26)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	29 May 1997(CEDAW/C/CHN/3-4) 31 August 1998(CEDAW/C/CHN/3-4/Add.1 and Add.2)	Twentieth (1999)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	29 May 1997(CEDAW/C/CHN/3-4) 31 August 1998(CEDAW/C/CHN/3-4/Add.1 and Add.2)	Twentieth (1999)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	4 February 2004(CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6 and Add.1 and Add.2)	Twenty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	4 February 2004(CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6 and Add.1 and Add.2)	Twenty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Colombia
Initial report	18 February 1983	16 January 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.32)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	18 February 1987	14 January 1993(CEDAW/C/COL/2-3) 2 September 1993(CEDAW/C/COL/2-3/Rev.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	18 February 1991	14 January 1993(CEDAW/C/COL/2-3) 2 September 1993(CEDAW/C/COL/2-3/Rev.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Fourth periodic report	18 February 1995	8 July 1997(CEDAW/C/COL/4) 13 October 1998(CEDAW/C/COL/4/Add.1)	Twentieth (1999)
Fifth periodic report	18 February 1999	6 March 2005(CEDAW/C/COL/5-6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Sixth periodic report	18 February 2003	6 March 2005(CEDAW/C/COL/5-6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Comoros
Initial report	30 November 1995
Second periodic report	30 November 1999
Third periodic report	30 November 2003
Congo
Initial report	25 August 1983	8 April 2002(CEDAW/C/COG/1-5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Second periodic report	25 August 1987	8 April 2002(CEDAW/C/COG/1-5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Third periodic report	25 August 1991	8 April 2002(CEDAW/C/COG/1-5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	25 August 1995	8 April 2002(CEDAW/C/COG/1-5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	25 August 1999	8 April 2002(CEDAW/C/COG/1-5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	25 August 2003
Seventh periodic report	25 August 2007
Cook Islands
Initial report	10 September 2007	28 August 2006(CEDAW/C/COK/1)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Costa Rica
Initial report	4 May 1987	10 July 2001(CEDAW/C/CRI/1-3)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Second periodic report	4 May 1991	10 July 2001(CEDAW/C/CRI/1-3)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Third periodic report	4 May 1995	10 July 2001(CEDAW/C/CRI/1-3)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	4 May 1999	21 November 2002(CEDAW/C/CRI/4)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	4 May 2003
Sixth periodic report	4 May 2007
Côte d’Ivoire
Initial report	17 January 1997
Second periodic report	17 January 2001
Third periodic report	17 January 2005
Croatia
Initial report	9 October 1993	10 January 1995(CEDAW/C/CRO/1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	9 October 1997	17 October 2003(CEDAW/C/CRO/2-3)	Thirty-second (2005)
Third periodic report	9 October 2001	17 October 2003(CEDAW/C/CRO/2-3)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fourth periodic report	9 October 2005
Cuba
Initial report	3 September 1982	27 September 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.4)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	13 March 1992(CEDAW/C/CUB/2-3) 30 November 1995(CEDAW/C/CUB/2-3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	13 March 1992(CEDAW/C/CUB/2-3) 30 November 1995(CEDAW/C/CUB/2-3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	27 September 1999(CEDAW/C/CUB/4)	Twenty-third (2000)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	18 January 2005(CEDAW/C/CUB/5-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	18 January 2005(CEDAW/C/CUB/5-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Cyprus
Initial report	22 August 1986	2 February 1994(CEDAW/C/CYP/1-2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Second periodic report	22 August 1990	2 February 1994(CEDAW/C/CYP/1-2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	22 August 1994	4 March 2004(CEDAW/C/CYP/3-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	22 August 1998	4 March 2004(CEDAW/C/CYP/3-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	22 August 2002	4 March 2004(CEDAW/C/CYP/3-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	22 August 2006
Czech Republic
Initial report	24 March 1994	30 October 1995(CEDAW/C/CZE/1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	24 March 1997	10 March 2000(CEDAW/C/CZE/2)	Exceptional (2002)
Third periodic report	24 March 2001	31 August 2004(CEDAW/C/CZE/3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	24 March 2005
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Initial report	27 March 2002	11 September 2002(CEDAW/C/PRK/1)	Thirty-third (2005)
Second periodic report	27 March 2006
Democratic Republic of the Congob
Initial report	16 November 1987	1 March 1994(CEDAW/C/ZAR/1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Second periodic report	16 November 1991	24 October 1996(CEDAW/C/ZAR/2) 27 August 1998(CEDAW/C/ZAR/2/Add.1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Third periodic report	16 November 1995	18 June 1999(CEDAW/C/COD/3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fourth periodic report	16 November 1999	11 August 2004(CEDAW/C/COD/4-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	16 November 2003	11 August 2004(CEDAW/C/COD/4-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Denmark
Initial report	21 May 1984	30 July 1984(CEDAW/C/5/Add.22)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	21 May 1988	2 June 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.14)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	21 May 1992	7 May 1993(CEDAW/C/DEN/3)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	21 May 1996	9 January 1997(CEDAW/C/DEN/4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	21 May 2000	13 June 2000(CEDAW/C/DEN/5)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
		10 October 2001(CEDAW/C/DEN/5/Add.1)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Sixth periodic report	21 May 2004	28 July 2004(CEDAW/C/DEN/6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	21 May 2008	9 June 2008(CEDAW/C/DEN/7)
Djibouti
Initial report	2 January 2000
Second periodic report	2 January 2004
Dominica
Initial report	3 September 1982
Second periodic report	3 September 1986
Third periodic report	3 September 1990
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Dominican Republic
Initial report	2 October 1983	2 May 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.37)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	2 October 1987	26 April 1993(CEDAW/C/DOM/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	2 October 1991	26 April 1993(CEDAW/C/DOM/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	2 October 1995	29 October 1997(CEDAW/C/DOM/4)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fifth periodic report	2 October 1999	11 April 2003(CEDAW/C/DOM/5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	2 September 2003
Ecuador
Initial report	9 December 1982	14 August 1984(CEDAW/C/5/Add.23)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	9 December 1986	28 May 1990(CEDAW/C/13/Add.31)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	9 December 1990	23 December 1991(CEDAW/C/ECU/3)	Thirteenth (1994)
Fourth periodic report	9 December 1994	8 January 2002(CEDAW/C/ECU/4-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	9 December 1998	8 January 2002(CEDAW/C/ECU/4-5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	9 December 2002	23 February 2007(CEDAW/C/ECU/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	9 December 2006	23 February 2007(CEDAW/C/ECU/6-7)
Egypt
Initial report	18 October 1982	2 February 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.10)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	18 October 1986	19 December 1986(CEDAW/C/13/Add.2)	Ninth (1990)
Third periodic report	18 October 1990	30 January 1996(CEDAW/C/EGY/3)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	18 October 1994	30 March 2000(CEDAW/C/EGY/4-5)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	18 October 1998	30 March 2000(CEDAW/C/EGY/4-5)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Sixth periodic report	18 October 2002	27 February 2008(CEDAW/C/EGY/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	18 October 2006	27 February 2008(CEDAW/C/EGY/6-7)
El Salvador
Initial report	18 September 1982	3 November 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.19)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	18 September 1986	18 December 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.12)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	18 September 1990	26 July 2001(CEDAW/C/SLV/3-4)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	18 September 1994	26 July 2001(CEDAW/C/SLV/3-4)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	18 September 1998	26 July 2001(CEDAW/C/SLV/5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	18 September 2002	2 November 2002(CEDAW/C/SLV/6)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Seventh periodic report	18 September 2006	15 March 2007(CEDAW/C/SLV/7)
Equatorial Guinea
Initial report	22 November 1985	16 March 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.50)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	22 November 1989	6 January 1994(CEDAW/C/GNQ/2-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Third periodic report	22 November 1993	6 January 1994(CEDAW/C/GNQ/2-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fourth periodic report	22 November 1997	22 January 2004(CEDAW/C/GNQ/4-5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fifth periodic report	22 November 2001	22 January 2004(CEDAW/C/GNQ/4-5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	22 November 2005
Eritrea
Initial report	5 October 1996	8 January 2004(CEDAW/C/ERI/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Second periodic report	5 October 2000	8 January 2004(CEDAW/C/ERI/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Third periodic report	5 October 2004	8 January 2004(CEDAW/C/ERI/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Estonia
Initial report	20 November 1992	14 June 2001(CEDAW/C/EST/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Second periodic report	20 November 1996	14 June 2001(CEDAW/C/EST/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Third periodic report	20 November 2000	14 June 2001(CEDAW/C/EST/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fourth periodic report	20 November 2004	5 October 2005(CEDAW/C/EST/4)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Ethiopia
Initial report	10 October 1982	22 April 1993(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3) 16 October 1995(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Second periodic report	10 October 1986	22 April 1993(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3) 16 October 1995(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	10 October 1990	22 April 1993(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3) 16 October 1995(CEDAW/C/ETH/1-3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Fourth periodic report	10 October 1994	25 September 2002(CEDAW/C/ETH/4-5)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fifth periodic report	10 October 1998	25 September 2002(CEDAW/C/ETH/4-5)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	10 October 2002
Seventh periodic report	10 October 2006
Fiji
Initial report	27 September 1996	29 February 2000(CEDAW/C/FJI/1)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Second periodic report	27 September 2000
Third periodic report	27 September 2004
Finland
Initial report	4 October 1987	16 February 1988(CEDAW/C/5/Add.56)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	4 October 1991	9 February 1993(CEDAW/C/FIN/2)	Fourteenth (1995)
Third periodic report	4 October 1995	28 January 1997(CEDAW/C/FIN/3)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	4 October 1999	23 November 1999(CEDAW/C/FIN/4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	4 October 2003	23 February 2004(CEDAW/C/FIN/5)	Fortieth (2008)
Sixth periodic report	4 October 2007	6 November 2007(CEDAW/C/FIN/6)	Fortieth (2008)
France
Initial report	13 January 1985	13 February 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.33)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	13 January 1989	10 December 1990(CEDAW/C/FRA/2)(CEDAW/C/FRA/2/Rev.1)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	13 January 1993	5 October 1999(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4)(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4/Corr.1)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	13 January 1997	5 October 1999(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4)(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4/Corr.1)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	13 January 2001	27 August 2002(CEDAW/C/FRA/5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	13 January 2005	17 March 2006(CEDAW/C/FRA/6)	Fortieth (2008)
Gabon
Initial report	20 February 1984	19 June 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	20 February 1988	4 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GAB/2-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Third periodic report	20 February 1992	4 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GAB/2-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fourth periodic report	20 February 1996	4 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GAB/2-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fifth periodic report	20 February 2000	4 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GAB/2-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Sixth periodic report	20 February 2004
Gambia
Initial report	16 May 1994	4 April 2003(CEDAW/C/GMB/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Second periodic report	16 May 1998	4 April 2003(CEDAW/C/GMB/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Third periodic report	16 May 2002	4 April 2003(CEDAW/C/GMB/1-3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fourth periodic report	16 May 2006
Georgia
Initial report	25 November 1995	9 March 1998(CEDAW/C/GEO/1) 6 April 1999(CEDAW/C/GEO/1/Add.1) 1 May 1999(CEDAW/C/GEO/1/Add.1/Corr.1)	Twenty-first (1999)
Second periodic report	25 November 1999	16 April 2004(CEDAW/C/GEO/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Third periodic report	25 November 2003	16 April 2004(CEDAW/C/GEO/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Germany
Initial report	9 August 1986	15 September 1988(CEDAW/C/5/Add.59)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	9 August 1990	8 October 1996(CEDAW/C/DEU/2-3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Third periodic report	9 August 1994	8 October 1996(CEDAW/C/DEU/2-3)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fourth periodic report	9 August 1998	27 October 1998(CEDAW/C/DEU/4)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fifth periodic report	9 August 2002	28 January 2003(CEDAW/C/DEU/5)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	9 August 2006	19 September 2007(CEDAW/C/DEU/6)
Ghana
Initial report	1 February 1987	29 January 1991(CEDAW/C/GHA/1-2)	Eleventh (1992)
Second periodic report	1 February 1991	29 January 1991(CEDAW/C/GHA/1-2)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	1 February 1995	23 February 2005(CEDAW/C/GHA/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	1 February 1999	23 February 2005(CEDAW/C/GHA/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	1 February 2003	23 February 2005(CEDAW/C/GHA/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	1 February 2007
Greece
Initial report	7 July 1984	5 April 1985(CEDAW/C/5/Add.28)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	7 July 1988	1 March 1996(CEDAW/C/GRC/2-3)	Twentieth (1999)
Third periodic report	7 July 1992	1 March 1996(CEDAW/C/GRC/2-3)	Twentieth (1999)
Fourth periodic report	7 July 1996	19 April 2001(CEDAW/C/GRC/4-5)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	7 July 2000	19 April 2001(CEDAW/C/GRC/4-5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	7 July 2004	2 June 2005(CEDAW/C/GRC/6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Grenada
Initial report	29 September 1991
Second periodic report	29 September 1995
Third periodic report	29 September 1999
Fourth periodic report	29 September 2003
Guatemala
Initial report	11 September 1983	2 April 1991(CEDAW/C/GUA/1-2) 7 April 1993(CEDAW/C/GUA/1-2/Amend.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	11 September 1987	2 April 1991(CEDAW/C/GUA/1-2) 7 April 1993(CEDAW/C/GUA/1-2/Amend.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	11 September 1991	20 March 2001(CEDAW/C/GUA/3-4)	Exceptional (2002)
Fourth periodic report	11 September 1995	20 March 2001(CEDAW/C/GUA/3-4)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	11 September 1999	15 January 2002(CEDAW/C/GUA/5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	11 September 2003	7 January 2004(CEDAW/C/GUA/6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	11 September 2007	29 December 2007(CEDAW/C/GUA/7)
Guinea
Initial report	8 September 1983	4 August 2000(CEDAW/C/GIN/1-3)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Second periodic report	8 September 1987	4 August 2000(CEDAW/C/GIN/1-3)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Third periodic report	8 September 1991	4 August 2000(CEDAW/C/GIN/1-3)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	8 September 1995	4 August 2005(CEDAW/C/GIN/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fifth periodic report	8 September 1999	4 August 2005(CEDAW/C/GIN/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Sixth periodic report	8 September 2003	4 August 2005(CEDAW/C/GIN/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Guinea-Bissau
Initial report	22 September 1986
Second periodic report	22 September 1990
Third periodic report	22 September 1994
Fourth periodic report	22 September 1998
Fifth periodic report	22 September 2002
Sixth periodic report	22 September 2006
Guyana
Initial report	3 September 1982	23 January 1990(CEDAW/C/5/Add.63)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	20 September 1999(CEDAW/C/GUY/2)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	27 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GUY/3-6)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	27 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GUY/3-6)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	27 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GUY/3-6)	Thirty-third (2005)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	27 June 2003(CEDAW/C/GUY/3-6)	Thirty-third (2005)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Haiti
Initial report	20 September 1982	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Second periodic report	20 September 1986	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Third periodic report	20 September 1990	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Fourth periodic report	20 September 1994	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Fifth periodic report	20 September 1998	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Sixth periodic report	20 September 2002	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Seventh periodic report	20 September 2006	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)
Honduras
Initial report	2 April 1984	3 December 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.44)	Eleventh (1992)
Second periodic report	2 April 1988	28 October 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.9)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	2 April 1992	31 May 1991(CEDAW/C/HON/3)	Eleventh (1992)
Fourth periodic report	2 April 1996	31 January 2006(CEDAW/C/HON/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fifth periodic report	2 April 2000	31 January 2006(CEDAW/C/HON/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Sixth periodic report	2 April 2004	31 January 2006(CEDAW/C/HON/4-6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Hungary
Initial report	3 September 1982	20 September 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.3)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	29 September 1986(CEDAW/C/13/Add.1)	Seventh (1988)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	4 April 1991(CEDAW/C/HUN/3) 3 November 1995(CEDAW/C/HUN/3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	19 September 2000(CEDAW/C/HUN/4-5)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	19 September 2000(CEDAW/C/HUN/4-5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	24 May 2006(CEDAW/C/HUN/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Iceland
Initial report	18 July 1986	5 May 1993(CEDAW/C/ICE/1-2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Second periodic report	18 July 1990	5 May 1993(CEDAW/C/ICE/1-2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	18 July 1994	15 July 1998(CEDAW/C/ICE/3-4)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fourth periodic report	18 July 1998	15 July 1998(CEDAW/C/ICE/3-4)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fifth periodic report	18 July 2002	14 November 2003(CEDAW/C/ICE/5)	Forty-first (2008)
Sixth periodic report	18 July 2006	4 December 2007(CEDAW/C/ICE/6)	Forty-first (2008)
India
Initial report	8 August 1994	2 February 1999(CEDAW/C/IND/1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Second periodic report	8 August 1998	18 October 2005(CEDAW/C/IND/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Third periodic report	8 August 2002	18 October 2005(CEDAW/C/IND/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fourth periodic report	8 August 2006
Indonesia
Initial report	13 October 1985	17 March 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.36)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	13 October 1989	6 February 1997(CEDAW/C/IDN/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	13 October 1993	6 February 1997(CEDAW/C/IDN/2-3)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	13 October 1997	20 June 2005(CEDAW/C/IDN/4-5)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fifth periodic report	13 October 2001	20 June 2005(CEDAW/C/IDN/4-5)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Sixth periodic report	13 October 2005
Iraq
Initial report	12 September 1987	16 May 1990(CEDAW/C/5/Add.66/Rev.1)	Twelfth (1993)
Second periodic report	12 September 1991	13 October 1998(CEDAW/C/IRQ/2-3)	Twenty-third (2000)
Third periodic report	12 September 1995	13 October 1998(CEDAW/C/IRQ/2-3)	Twenty-third (2000)
Fourth periodic report	12 September 1999
Fifth periodic report	12 September 2003
Ireland
Initial report	22 January 1987	18 February 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.47)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	22 January 1991	7 August 1997(CEDAW/C/IRL/2-3)	Twenty-first (1999)
Third periodic report	22 January 1995	7 August 1997(CEDAW/C/IRL/2-3)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fourth periodic report	22 January 1999	10 June 2003(CEDAW/C/IRL/4-5)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fifth periodic report	22 January 2003	10 June 2003(CEDAW/C/IRL/4-5)	Thirty-third (2005)
Sixth periodic report	22 January 2007
Israel
Initial report	2 November 1992	7 April 1997(CEDAW/C/ISR/1-2)	Seventeenth (1997)
Second periodic report	2 November 1996	7 April 1997(CEDAW/C/ISR/1-2)	Seventeenth (1997)
Third periodic report	2 November 2000	22 October 2001(CEDAW/C/ISR/3)	Thirty-third (2005)
Fourth periodic report	2 November 2004	1 June 2005(CEDAW/C/ISR/4)
Italy
Initial report	10 July 1986	20 October 1989(CEDAW/C/5/Add.62)	Tenth (1991)
Second periodic report	10 July 1990	1 November 1996(CEDAW/C/ITA/2)	Seventeenth (1997)
Third periodic report	10 July 1994	9 June 1997(CEDAW/C/ITA/3)	Seventeenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	10 July 1998	22 December 2003(CEDAW/C/ITA/4-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fifth periodic report	10 July 2002	22 December 2003(CEDAW/C/ITA/4-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Sixth periodic report	10 July 2006
Jamaica
Initial report	18 November 1985	12 September 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.38)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	18 November 1989	17 February 1998(CEDAW/C/JAM/2-4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Third periodic report	18 November 1993	17 February 1998(CEDAW/C/JAM/2-4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	18 November 1997	17 February 1998(CEDAW/C/JAM/2-4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	18 November 2001	13 February 2004(CEDAW/C/JAM/5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	18 November 2005
Japan
Initial report	25 July 1986	13 March 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.48)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	25 July 1990	21 February 1992(CEDAW/C/JPN/2)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	25 July 1994	28 October 1993(CEDAW/C/JPN/3)	Thirteenth (1994)
Fourth periodic report	25 July 1998	24 July 1998(CEDAW/C/JPN/4)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	25 July 2002	13 September 2002(CEDAW/C/JPN/5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	25 July 2006	30 April 2008(CEDAW/C/JPN/6)
Jordan
Initial report	31 July 1993	27 October 1997(CEDAW/C/JOR/1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Second periodic report	31 July 1997	19 November 1999(CEDAW/C/JOR/2)	Twenty-second (2000)
Third periodic report	31 July 2001	12 December 2005(CEDAW/C/JOR/3-4)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Fourth periodic report	31 July 2005	12 December 2005(CEDAW/C/JOR/3-4)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Kazakhstan
Initial report	25 September 1999	26 January 2000(CEDAW/C/KAZ/1)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Second periodic report	25 September 2003	3 March 2005(CEDAW/C/KAZ/2)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Kenya
Initial report	8 April 1985	4 December 1990(CEDAW/C/KEN/1-2)	Twelfth (1993)
Second periodic report	8 April 1989	4 December 1990(CEDAW/C/KEN/1-2)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	8 April 1993	5 January 2000(CEDAW/C/KEN/3-4)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	8 April 1997	5 January 2000(CEDAW/C/KEN/3-4)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	8 April 2001	14 March 2006(CEDAW/C/KEN/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Sixth periodic report	8 April 2005	14 March 2006(CEDAW/C/KEN/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Kiribati
Initial report	16 April 2005
Kuwait
Initial report	2 October 1995	29 August 2002(CEDAW/C/KWT/1-2)	Thirtieth (2004)
Second periodic report	2 October 1999	29 August 2002(CEDAW/C/KWT/1-2)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	2 October 2003
Kyrgyzstan
Initial report	12 March 1998	26 August 1998(CEDAW/C/KGZ/1)	Twentieth (1999)
Second periodic report	12 March 2002	25 September 2002(CEDAW/C/KGZ/2)(CEDAW/C/KGZ/2/Add.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	12 March 2006	27 February 2007(CEDAW/C/KGZ/3)
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Initial report	13 September 1982	3 February 2003(CEDAW/C/LAO/1-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Second periodic report	13 September 1986	3 February 2003(CEDAW/C/LAO/1-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Third periodic report	13 September 1990	3 February 2003(CEDAW/C/LAO/1-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fourth periodic report	13 September 1994	3 February 2003(CEDAW/C/LAO/1-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fifth periodic report	13 September 1998	3 February 2003(CEDAW/C/LAO/1-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Sixth periodic report	13 September 2002	25 May 2008(CEDAW/C/LAO/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	13 September 2006	25 May 2008(CEDAW/C/LAO/6-7)
Latvia
Initial report	14 May 1993	13 June 2003(CEDAW/C/LVA/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Second periodic report	14 May 1997	13 June 2003(CEDAW/C/LVA/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Third periodic report	14 May 2001	13 June 2003(CEDAW/C/LVA/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fourth periodic report	14 May 2005
Lebanon
Initial report	21 May 1998	12 November 2003(CEDAW/C/LBN/1)	Thirty-third (2005)
Second periodic report	16 May 2002	12 February 2005(CEDAW/C/LBN/2)	Thirty-third (2005)
Third periodic report	16 May 2006	6 July 2006(CEDAW/C/LBN/3)	Fortieth (2008)
Lesotho
Initial report	21 September 1996
Second periodic report	21 September 2000
Third periodic report	21 September 2004
Liberia
Initial report	16 August 1985
Second periodic report	16 August 1989
Third periodic report	16 August 1993
Fourth periodic report	16 August 1997
Fifth periodic report	16 August 2001
Sixth periodic report	16 August 2005
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Initial report	15 June 1990	18 February 1991(CEDAW/C/LIB/1) 4 October 1993(CEDAW/C/LIB/1/Add.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	15 June 1994	14 December 1998(CEDAW/C/LBY/2)
Third periodic report	15 June 1998
Fourth periodic report	15 June 2002
Fifth periodic report	15 June 2006
Liechtenstein
Initial report	21 January 1997	4 August 1997(CEDAW/C/LIE/1)	Twentieth (1999)
Second periodic report	21 January 2001	June 2001(CEDAW/C/LIE/2)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Third periodic report	21 January 2005	13 July 2006(CEDAW/C/LIE/3)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Lithuania
Initial report	17 February 1995	4 June 1998(CEDAW/C/LTU/1)	Twenty-third (2000)
Second periodic report	17 February 1999	4 April 2000(CEDAW/C/LTU/2)	Twenty-third (2000)
Third periodic report	17 February 2003	16 May 2005(CEDAW/C/LTU/3)	Forty-first (2008)
Fourth periodic report	17 February 2007	14 December 2007(CEDAW/C/LTU/4)	Forty-first (2008)
Luxembourg
Initial report	4 March 1990	13 November 1996(CEDAW/C/LUX/1)	Seventeenth (1997)
Second periodic report	4 March 1994	8 April 1997(CEDAW/C/LUX/2)	Seventeenth (1997)
Third periodic report	4 March 1998	12 March 1998(CEDAW/C/LUX/3) 17 June 1998(CEDAW/C/LUX/3/Add.1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Fourth periodic report	4 March 2002	12 March 2002(CEDAW/C/LUX/4)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Fifth periodic report	4 March 2006	23 February 2006(CEDAW/C/LUX/5)	Fortieth (2008)
Madagascar
Initial report	16 April 1990	21 May 1990(CEDAW/C/5/Add.65) 8 November 1993(CEDAW/C/5/Add.65/Rev.2)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	16 April 1994	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)
Third periodic report	16 April 1998	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)
Fourth periodic report	16 April 2002	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)
Fifth periodic report	16 April 2006	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)
Malawi
Initial report	11 April 1988	15 July 1988(CEDAW/C/5/Add.58)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	11 April 1992	11 June 2004(CEDAW/C/MWI/2-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Third periodic report	11 April 1996	11 June 2004(CEDAW/C/MWI/2-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	11 April 2000	11 June 2004(CEDAW/C/MWI/2-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	11 April 2004	11 June 2004(CEDAW/C/MWI/2-5)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Malaysia
Initial report	4 August 1996	22 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MYS/1-2)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Second periodic report	4 August 2000	22 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MYS/1-2)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Third periodic report	4 August 2004
Maldives
Initial report	1 July 1994	28 January 1999(CEDAW/C/MDV/1)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Second periodic report	1 July 1998	25 May 2005(CEDAW/C/MDV/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Third periodic report	1 July 2002	25 May 2005(CEDAW/C/MDV/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fourth periodic report	31 July 2006
Mali
Initial report	10 October 1986	13 November 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.43)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	10 October 1990	17 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MLI/2-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Third periodic report	10 October 1994	17 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MLI/2-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	10 October 1998	17 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MLI/2-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	10 October 2002	17 March 2004(CEDAW/C/MLI/2-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	10 October 2006
Malta
Initial report	7 April 1992	1 August 2002(CEDAW/C/MLT/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Second periodic report	7 April 1996	1 August 2002(CEDAW/C/MLT/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Third periodic report	7 April 2000	1 August 2002(CEDAW/C/MLT/1-3)	Thirty-first (2004)
Fourth periodic report	7 April 2004
Marshall Islands
Initial report	1 April 2007
Mauritania
Initial report	9 June 2002	11 May 2005(CEDAW/C/MRT/1)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	9 June 2002
Mauritius
Initial report	8 August 1985	23 February 1992(CEDAW/C/MAR/1-2)	Fourteenth (1995)
Second periodic report	8 August 1989	23 January 1992(CEDAW/C/MAR/1-2)	Fourteenth (1995)
Third periodic report	8 August 1993	17 November 2004(CEDAW/C/MAR/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	8 August 1997	17 November 2004(CEDAW/C/MAR/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	8 August 2001	17 November 2004(CEDAW/C/MAR/3-5)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	8 August 2005
Mexico
Initial report	3 September 1982	14 September 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.2)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	3 December 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.10)	Ninth (1990)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	7 April 1997(CEDAW/C/MEX/3-4) 9 July 1997(CEDAW/C/MEX/3-4/Add.1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	7 April 1997(CEDAW/C/MEX/3-4) 9 July 1997(CEDAW/C/MEX/3-4/Add.1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	1 December 2000(CEDAW/C/MEX/5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	18 January 2006(CEDAW/C/MEX/6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Initial report	1 October 2005
Monaco
Initial report	17 April 2006
Mongolia
Initial report	3 September 1982	18 November 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.20)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	17 March 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.7)	Ninth (1990)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	8 December 1998(CEDAW/C/MNG/3-4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	8 December 1998(CEDAW/C/MNG/3-4)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	23 March 2007(CEDAW/C/MNG/7)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	23 March 2007(CEDAW/C/MNG/7)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	23 March 2007(CEDAW/C/MNG/7)
Montenegro
Morocco
Initial report	21 July 1994	14 September 1994(CEDAW/C/MOR/1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Second periodic report	21 July 1998	29 February 2000(CEDAW/C/MOR/2)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Third periodic report	21 July 2002	18 August 2006(CEDAW/C/MAR/3-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Fourth periodic report	21 July 2006	18 August 2006(CEDAW/C/MAR/3-4)	Fortieth (2008)
Mozambique
Initial report	21 May 1998	5 May 2005(CEDAW/C/MOZ/1-2)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	21 May 2002	5 May 2005(CEDAW/C/MOZ/1-2)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Third periodic report	21 May 2006
Myanmar
Initial report	21 August 1998	14 March 1999(CEDAW/C/MMR/1)	Twenty-second (2000)
Second periodic report	21 August 2002	15 June 2007(CEDAW/C/MMR/2-3)
Third periodic report	21 August 2006	15 June 2007(CEDAW/C/MMR/2-3)
Namibia
Initial report	23 December 1993	4 November 1996(CEDAW/C/NAM/1)	Seventeenth (1997)
Second periodic report	23 December 1997	24 March 2005(CEDAW/C/NAM/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Third periodic report	23 December 2001	24 March 2005(CEDAW/C/NAM/2-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fourth periodic report	23 December 2005
Nepal
Initial report	22 May 1992	16 November 1998(CEDAW/C/NPL/1)	Twenty-first (1999)
Second periodic report	22 May 1996	26 November 2002(CEDAW/C/NPL/2-3)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	22 May 2000	26 November 2002(CEDAW/C/NPL/2-3)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fourth periodic report	22 May 2004
Netherlands
Initial report	22 August 1992	19 November 1992(CEDAW/C/NET/1) 17 September 1993(CEDAW/C/NET/1/Add.1) 20 September 1993(CEDAW/C/NET/1/Add.2) 9 October 1993(CEDAW/C/NET/1/Add.3)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	22 August 1996	10 December 1998(CEDAW/C/NET)(CEDAW/C/NET/2/Add.1)(CEDAW/C/NET/2/Add.2)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Third periodic report	22 August 2000	13 November 2000(CEDAW/C/NET/3) 8 November 2000(CEDAW/C/NET/3/Add.1)(CEDAW/C/NET/3/Add.2)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	22 August 2004	24 January 2005(CEDAW/C/NLD/4) 9 May 2005(CEDAW/C/NLD/4/Add.1)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
New Zealand
Initial report	9 February 1986	3 October 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.41)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	9 February 1990	3 November 1992(CEDAW/C/NZL/2) 27 October 1993(CEDAW/C/NZL/2/Add.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	9 February 1994	2 March 1998(CEDAW/C/NZL/3-4) 15 April 1998(CEDAW/C/NZL/3-4/Add.1)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	9 February 1998	2 March 1998(CEDAW/C/NZL/3-4) 15 April 1998(CEDAW/C/NZL/3-4/Add.1)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fifth periodic report	9 February 2002	7 October 2002(CEDAW/C/NZL/5)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	9 February 2006	20 April 2006(CEDAW/C/NZL/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Nicaragua
Initial report	26 November 1982	22 September 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.55)	Eighth (1989)
Second periodic report	26 November 1986	16 March 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.20)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	26 November 1990	15 October 1992(CEDAW/C/NIC/3)	Twelfth (1993)
Fourth periodic report	26 November 1994	16 June 1998(CEDAW/C/NIC/4)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	26 November 1998	2 September 1999(CEDAW/C/NIC/5)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Sixth periodic report	26 November 2002	15 June 2005(CEDAW/C/NIC/6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Seventh periodic report	26 November 2006
Niger
Initial report	8 November 2000	19 July 2005(CEDAW/C/NER/1-2)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	8 November 2004	19 July 2005(CEDAW/C/NER/1-2)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Nigeria
Initial report	13 July 1986	1 April 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.49)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	13 July 1990	13 February 1997(CEDAW/C/NGA/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	13 July 1994	13 February 1997(CEDAW/C/NGA/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	13 July 1998	23 January 2003(CEDAW/C/NGA/4-5)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fifth periodic report	13 July 2002	23 January 2003(CEDAW/C/NGA/4-5)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	13 July 2006	4 October 2006(CEDAW/C/NGA/6)	Forty-first (2008)
Norway
Initial report	20 June 1982	3 September 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.7)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	20 June 1986	23 June 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.15)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	20 September 1990	25 January 1991(CEDAW/C/NOR/3)	Fourteenth (1995)
Fourth periodic report	20 September 1994	1 September 1994(CEDAW/C/NOR/4)	Fourteenth (1995)
Fifth periodic report	20 September 1998	23 March 2000(CEDAW/C/NOR/5)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Sixth periodic report	20 September 2002	5 June 2002(CEDAW/C/NOR/6)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Seventh periodic report	20 September 2006	31 October 2006(CEDAW/C/NOR/7)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Oman
Initial report	9 March 2007
Pakistan
Initial report	11 June 1997	28 July 2005(CEDAW/C/PAK/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	11 June 2001	28 July 2005(CEDAW/C/PAK/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Third periodic report	11 June 2005	28 July 2005(CEDAW/C/PAK/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Panama
Initial report	28 November 1982	12 December 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.9)	Fourth (1985)
Second periodic report	28 November 1986	17 January 1997(CEDAW/C/PAN/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	28 November 1990	17 January 1997(CEDAW/C/PAN/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	28 November 1994	25 June 2008(CEDAW/C/PAN/4-7)
Fifth periodic report	28 November 1998	25 June 2008(CEDAW/C/PAN/4-7)
Sixth periodic report	28 November 2002	25 June 2008(CEDAW/C/PAN/4-7)
Seventh periodic report	28 November 2006	25 June 2008(CEDAW/C/PAN/4-7)
Papua New Guinea
Initial report	11 February 1996
Second periodic report	11 February 2000
Third periodic report	11 February 2004
Paraguay
Initial report	6 May 1988	4 June 1992(CEDAW/C/PAR/1‑2) 23 August 1995(CEDAW/C/PAR/1-2/Add.1) 20 November 1995(CEDAW/C/PAR/1-2/Add.2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Second periodic report	6 May 1992	4 June 1992(CEDAW/C/PAR/1‑2) 23 August 1995(CEDAW/C/PAR/1-2/Add.1) 20 November 1995(CEDAW/C/PAR/1-2/Add.2)	Fifteenth (1996)
Third periodic report	6 May 1996	28 August 2003(CEDAW/C/PAR/3-4)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fourth periodic report	6 May 2000	28 August 2003(CEDAW/C/PAR/3-4)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fifth periodic report	6 May 2004	25 May 2004(CEDAW/C/PAR/5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Peru
Initial report	13 October 1983	14 September 1988(CEDAW/C/5/Add.60)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	13 October 1987	13 February 1990(CEDAW/C/13/Add.29)	Fourteenth (1995)
Third periodic report	13 October 1991	25 November 1994(CEDAW/C/PER/3-4)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	13 October 1995	25 November 1994(CEDAW/C/PER/3-4)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fifth periodic report	13 October 1999	21 July 2000(CEDAW/C/PER/5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	13 October 2003	3 February 2004(CEDAW/C/PER/6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Philippines
Initial report	4 September 1982	22 October 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.6)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	4 September 1986	12 December 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.17)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	4 September 1990	20 January 1993(CEDAW/C/PHI/3)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	4 September 1994	22 April 1996(CEDAW/C/PHI/4)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fifth periodic report	4 September 1998	27 July 2004(CEDAW/C/ PHI/5-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	4 September 2002	26 July 2004(CEDAW/C/ PHI/5-6)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	4 September 2006
Poland
Initial report	3 September 1982	10 October 1985(CEDAW/C/5/Add.31)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	17 November 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.16)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	22 November 1990(CEDAW/C/18/Add.2)	Tenth (1991)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	29 November 2004(CEDAW/C/POL/4-5)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	29 November 2004(CEDAW/C/POL/4-5)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	29 November 2004(CEDAW/C/POL/6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Portugal
Initial report	3 September 1982	19 July 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.21)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	18 May 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.22)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	10 December 1990 (CEDAW/C/18/Add.3)	Tenth (1991)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	23 November 1999(CEDAW/C/PRT/4)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	13 June 2001(CEDAW/C/PRT/5)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	15 May 2006(CEDAW/C/PRT/6)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	28 January 2008(CEDAW/C/PRT/7)
Republic of Korea
Initial report	26 January 1986	13 March 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.35)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	26 January 1990	19 December 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.28)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	26 January 1994	8 September 1994(CEDAW/C/KOR/3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	26 January 1998	27 March 1998(CEDAW/C/KOR/4)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fifth periodic report	26 January 2002	23 July 2003(CEDAW/C/KOR/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Sixth periodic report	26 January 2006	23 July 2006(CEDAW/C/KOR/6)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Republic of Moldova
Initial report	31 July 1995	26 October 1998(CEDAW/C/MDA/1)	Twenty-third (2000)
Second periodic report	31 July 1999	1 October 2004(CEDAW/C/MDA/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Third periodic report	31 July 2003	1 October 2004(CEDAW/C/MDA/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	31 July 2007
Romania
Initial report	6 February 1983	14 January 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.45)	Twelfth (1993)
Second periodic report	6 February 1987	19 October 1992(CEDAW/C/ROM/2-3)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	6 February 1991	19 October 1992(CEDAW/C/ROM/2-3)	Twelfth (1993)
Fourth periodic report	6 February 1995	10 December 1998(CEDAW/C/ROM/4-5)	Twenty-third (2000)
Fifth periodic report	6 February 1999	10 December 1998(CEDAW/C/ROM/4-5)	Twenty-third (2000)
Sixth periodic report	6 February 2003	10 December 2003(CEDAW/C/ROM/6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Seventh periodic report	6 February 2007
Russian Federation
Initial report	3 September 1982	2 March 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.12)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	10 February 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.4)	Eighth (1989)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	24 July 1991(CEDAW/C/USR/3)	Fourteenth (1995)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	31 August 1994(CEDAW/C/USR/4)	Fourteenth (1995)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	3 March 1999(CEDAW/C/USR/5)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Rwanda
Initial report	3 September 1982	24 May 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.13)	Third (1984)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	7 March 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.13)	Tenth (1991)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	18 January 1991(CEDAW/C/RWA/3)	Twelfth (1993)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	25 October 2006(CEDAW/C/RWA/4-6)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	25 October 2006(CEDAW/C/RWA/4-6)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	25 October 2006(CEDAW/C/RWA/4-6)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Initial report	25 May 1986	18 January 2002(CEDAW/C/KNA/1-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Second periodic report	25 May 1990	18 January 2002(CEDAW/C/KNA/1-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Third periodic report	25 May 1994	18 January 2002(CEDAW/C/KNA/1-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fourth periodic report	25 May 1998	18 January 2002(CEDAW/C/KNA/1-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	25 May 2002
Sixth periodic report	25 May 2006
Saint Lucia
Initial report	7 November 1983	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Second periodic report	7 November 1987	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Third periodic report	7 November 1991	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	7 November 1995	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	7 November 1999	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	7 November 2003	7 September 2005(CEDAW/C/LCA/1-6)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Initial report	3 September 1982	27 September 1991(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3) 28 July 1994(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3/Add.1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	27 September 1991(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3) 28 July 1994(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3/Add.1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	27 September 1991(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3) 28 July 1994(CEDAW/C/STV/1-3/Add.1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006
Samoa
Initial report	25 October 1993	2 May 2003(CEDAW/C/WSM/1-3)	Thirty-second (2005)
Second periodic report	25 October 1997	2 May 2003(CEDAW/C/WSM/1-3)	Thirty-second (2005)
Third periodic report	25 October 2001	2 May 2003(CEDAW/C/WSM/1-3)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fourth periodic report	25 October 2005
San Marino
Initial report	9 January 2005
Sao Tome and Principe
Initial report	3 July 2004
Saudi Arabia
Initial report	7 October 2001	12 September 2006(CEDAW/C/2006)	Fortieth (2008)
Second periodic report	7 October 2005	12 September 2006(CEDAW/C/2006)	Fortieth (2008)
Senegal
Initial report	7 March 1986	5 November 1986(CEDAW/C/5/Add.42)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	7 March 1990	23 September 1991(CEDAW/C/SEN/2)(CEDAW/C/SEN/2/Amend.1)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	7 March 1994
Fourth periodic report	7 March 1998
Fifth periodic report	7 March 2002
Sixth periodic report	7 March 2006
Serbia
Initial report	11 April 2002	4 May 2006(CEDAW/C/SGC/1)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	11 April 2006
Seychelles
Initial report	4 June 1993
Second periodic report	4 June 1997
Third periodic report	4 June 2001
Fourth periodic report	4 June 2005
Sierra Leone
Initial report	11 December 1989	14 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SLE/1-5)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	11 December 1993	14 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SLE/1-5)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Third periodic report	11 December 1997	14 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SLE/1-5)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Fourth periodic report	11 December 2001	14 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SLE/1-5)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Fifth periodic report	11 December 2005	14 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SLE/1-5)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Singapore
Initial report	4 November 1996	1 December 1999(CEDAW/C/SGP/1)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Second periodic report	4 November 2000	16 April 2001(CEDAW/C/SGP/2)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Third periodic report	4 November 2004	1 November 2004(CEDAW/C/SGP/3)	Thirty-ninth (2007)
Slovakia
Initial report	27 June 1994	29 April 1996(CEDAW/C/SVK/1) 11 May 1998(CEDAW/C/SVK/1/Add.1)	Nineteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	27 June 1998	27 February 2007(CEDAW/C/SVK/2-4)	Forty-first (2008)
Third periodic report	27 June 2002	27 February 2007(CEDAW/C/SVK/2-4)	Forty-first (2008)
Fourth periodic report	27 June 2006	27 February 2007(CEDAW/C/SVK/2-4)	Forty-first (2008)
Slovenia
Initial report	5 August 1993	23 November 1993(CEDAW/C/SVN/1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Second periodic report	5 August 1997	26 April 1999(CEDAW/C/SVN/2)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Third periodic report	5 August 2001	4 December 2002(CEDAW/C/SVN/3)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	5 August 2005	10 August 2006(CEDAW/C/SVN/4)
Solomon Islands
Initial report	6 June 2003
Second periodic report	6 June 2007
South Africa
Initial report	14 January 1997	5 February 1998(CEDAW/C/ZAF/1)	Nineteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	14 January 2001
Third periodic report	14 January 2005
Spain
Initial report	4 February 1985	20 August 1985(CEDAW/C/5/Add.30)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	4 February 1989	9 February 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.19)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	4 February 1993	20 May 1996(CEDAW/C/ESP/3)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fourth periodic report	4 February 1997	20 October 1998(CEDAW/C/ESP/4)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fifth periodic report	4 February 2001	11 April 2003(CEDAW/C/ESP/5)	Thirty-first (2004)
Sixth periodic report	4 February 2005	21 April 2008(CEDAW/C/ESP/6)
Sri Lanka
Initial report	4 November 1982	7 July 1985(CEDAW/C/5/Add.29)	Sixth (1987)
Second periodic report	4 November 1986	29 December 1988(CEDAW/C/13/Add.18)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	4 November 1990	7 October 1999(CEDAW/C/LKA/3-4)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fourth periodic report	4 November 1994	7 October 1999(CEDAW/C/LKA/3-4)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fifth periodic report	4 November 1998
Sixth periodic report	4 November 2002
Seventh periodic report	4 November 2006
Suriname
Initial report	31 March 1994	13 February 2002(CEDAW/C/SUR/1-2)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Second periodic report	31 March 1998	13 February 2002(CEDAW/C/SUR/1-2)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Third periodic report	31 March 2002	26 April 2005(CEDAW/C/SUR/3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fourth periodic report	31 March 2006
Swaziland
Initial report	25 April 2005
Sweden
Initial report	3 September 1982	22 October 1982(CEDAW/C/5/Add.8)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	10 March 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.6)	Seventh (1988)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	3 October 1990(CEDAW/C/18/Add.1)	Twelfth (1993)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	21 May 1996(CEDAW/C/SWE/4)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	8 December 2000(CEDAW/C/SWE/5)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	5 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SWE/6-7)	Fortieth (2008)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	5 December 2006(CEDAW/C/SWE/6-7)	Fortieth (2008)
Switzerland
Initial report	26 April 1998	20 February 2002(CEDAW/C/CHE/1-2)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Second periodic report	26 April 2002	20 February 2002(CEDAW/C/CHE/1-2)	Twenty-eighth (2003)
Third periodic report	26 April 2006	18 April 2008(CEDAW/C/CHE/3)
Syrian Arab Republic
Initial report	27 April 2004	25 August 2005(CEDAW/C/SYR/1)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Tajikistan
Initial report	25 October 1994	5 May 2005(CEDAW/C/TJK/1-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Second periodic report	25 October 1998	5 May 2005(CEDAW/C/TJK/1-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Third periodic report	25 October 2002	5 May 2005(CEDAW/C/TJK/1-3)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fourth periodic report	25 October 2006
Thailand
Initial report	8 September 1986	1 June 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.51)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	8 September 1990	3 March 1997(CEDAW/C/THA/2-3)	Twentieth (1999)
Third periodic report	8 September 1994	3 March 1997(CEDAW/C/THA/2-3)	Twentieth (1999)
Fourth periodic report	8 September 1998	7 October 2003(CEDAW/C/THA/4-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	8 September 2002	7 October 2003(CEDAW/C/THA/4-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	8 September 2006
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Initial report	17 February 1995	26 May 2004(CEDAW/C/MCD/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Second periodic report	17 February 1999	26 May 2004(CEDAW/C/MCD/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Third periodic report	17 February 2003	26 May 2004(CEDAW/C/MCD/1-3)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	17 February 2007
Timor-Leste
Initial report	16 May 2004	22 April 2008(CEDAW/C/TLS/1)
Second periodic report	16 May 2008
Togo
Initial report	26 October 1984	11 March 2004(CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Second periodic report	26 October 1988	11 March 2004(CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Third periodic report	26 October 1992	11 March 2004(CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	26 October 1996	11 March 2004(CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	26 October 2000	11 March 2004(CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	26 October 2004
Trinidad and Tobago
Initial report	11 February 1991	23 January 2001(CEDAW/C/TTO/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Second periodic report	11 February 1995	23 January 2001(CEDAW/C/TTO/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Third periodic report	11 February 1999	23 January 2001(CEDAW/C/TTO/1-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Third periodic report	17 February 2003
Fourth periodic report	17 February 2007
Tunisia
Initial report	20 October 1986	17 September 1993(CEDAW/C/TUN/1-2)	Fourteenth (1995)
Second periodic report	20 October 1990	17 September 1993(CEDAW/C/TUN/1-2)	Fourteenth (1995)
Third periodic report	20 October 1994	27 July 2000(CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fourth periodic report	20 October 1998	27 July 2000(CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	20 October 2002
Sixth periodic report	20 October 2006
Turkey
Initial report	19 January 1987	27 January 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.46)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	19 January 1991	3 September 1996(CEDAW/C/TUR/2-3) 23 December 1996(CEDAW/C/TUR/2/Corr.1)	Sixteenth (1997)
Third periodic report	19 January 1995	3 September 1996(CEDAW/C/TUR/2-3)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	19 January 1999	31 July 2003(CEDAW/C/TUR/4-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Fifth periodic report	19 January 2003	31 July 2003(CEDAW/C/TUR/4-5)	Thirty-second (2005)
Sixth periodic report	19 January 2007
Turkmenistan
Initial report	31 May 1998	3 November 2004(CEDAW/C/TKM/1-2)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Second periodic report	31 May 2002	3 November 2004(CEDAW/C/TKM/1-2)	Thirty-fifth (2006)
Third periodic report	31 May 2006
Tuvalu
Initial report	6 November 2000	2 July 2008(CEDAW/C/TUV/1-2)
Second periodic report	6 November 2004	2 July 2008(CEDAW/C/TUV/1-2)
Uganda
Initial report	21 August 1986	1 June 1992(CEDAW/C/UGA/1-2) 13 September 1994(CEDAW/C/UGA/1-2/Add.1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Second periodic report	21 August 1990	1 June 1992(CEDAW/C/UGA/1-2) 13 September 1994(CEDAW/C/UGA/1-2/Add.1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Third periodic report	21 August 1994	22 May 2000(CEDAW/C/UGA/3)	Exceptional (2002)
Fourth periodic report	21 August 1998
Fifth periodic report	21 August 2002
Sixth periodic report	21 August 2006
Ukraine
Initial report	3 September 1982	2 March 1983(CEDAW/C/5/Add.11)	Second (1983)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	13 August 1987(CEDAW/C/13/Add.8)	Ninth (1990)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	31 May 1991(CEDAW/C/UKR/3) 21 November 1995(CEDAW/C/UKR/3/Add.1)	Fifteenth (1996)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	2 August 1999(CEDAW/C/UKR/4-5)(CEDAW/C/UKR/4-5/Corr.1)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	2 August 1999(CEDAW/C/UKR/4-5)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	16 July 2008(CEDAW/C/UKR/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	16 July 2008(CEDAW/C/UKR/6-7)
United Arab Emirates
Initial report	5 November 2005
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Initial report	7 May 1987	25 June 1987(CEDAW/C/5/Add.52)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	7 May 1991	11 May 1991(CEDAW/C/UK/2)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	7 May 1995	16 August 1995(CEDAW/C/UK/3) 7 August 1997(CEDAW/C/UK/3/Add.1) 14 July 1998(CEDAW/C/UK/3/Add.2)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fourth periodic report	7 May 1999	19 January 1999(CEDAW/C/UK/4 and Add.1-4)	Twenty-first (1999)
Fifth periodic report	7 May 2003	7 August 2003(CEDAW/C/UK/5)(CEDAW/C/UK/5/Add.1 and Add.2)	Forty-first (2008)
Sixth periodic report	7 May 2007	1 May 2007(CEDAW/C/UK/6)(CEDAW/C/UK/6/Add.1 and Add.2)	Forty-first (2008)
United Republic of Tanzania
Initial report	19 September 1986	9 March 1988(CEDAW/C/5/Add.57)	Ninth (1990)
Second periodic report	19 September 1990	25 September 1996(CEDAW/C/TZA/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Third periodic report	19 September 1994	25 September 1996(CEDAW/C/TZA/2-3)	Nineteenth (1998)
Fourth periodic report	19 September 1998	8 February 2007(CEDAW/C/TZA/4-6)	Forty-first (2008)
Fifth periodic report	19 September 2002	8 February 2007(CEDAW/C/TZA/4-6)	Forty-first (2008)
Sixth periodic report	19 September 2006	8 February 2007(CEDAW/C/TZA/4-6)	Forty-first (2008)
Uruguay
Initial report	8 November 1982	23 November 1984(CEDAW/C/5/Add.27)	Seventh (1988)
Second periodic report	8 November 1986	8 February 1999(CEDAW/C/URY/2-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Third periodic report	8 November 1990	8 February 1999(CEDAW/C/URY/2-3)	Twenty-sixth (2002)
Fourth periodic report	8 November 1994	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)
Fifth periodic report	8 November 1998	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)
Sixth periodic report	8 November 2002	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)
Seventh periodic report	8 November 2006	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)
Uzbekistan
Initial report	18 August 1996	19 January 2000(CEDAW/C/UZB/1)	Twenty-fourth (2001)
Second periodic report	18 August 2000	11 October 2004(CEDAW/C/UZB/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Third periodic report	18 August 2004	11 October 2004(CEDAW/C/UZB/2-3)	Thirty-sixth (2006)
Fourth periodic report	18 August 2008	19 July 2008(CEDAW/C/UZB/4)
Vanuatu
Initial report	8 October 1996	2 March 2005(CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	8 October 2000	2 March 2005(CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Third periodic report	8 October 2004	2 March 2005(CEDAW/C/VUT/1-3)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Venezuela ( Bolivarian Republic of)
Initial report	1 June 1984	27 August 1984(CEDAW/C/5/Add.24)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	1 June 1988	18 April 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.21)	Eleventh (1992)
Third periodic report	1 June 1992	8 February 1995(CEDAW/C/VEN/3)	Sixteenth (1997)
Fourth periodic report	1 June 1996	25 June 2004(CEDAW/C/VEN/4-6)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Fifth periodic report	1 June 2000	25 June 2004(CEDAW/C/VEN/4-6)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Sixth periodic report	1 June 2004	25 June 2004(CEDAW/C/VEN/4-6)	Thirty-fourth (2006)
Viet Nam
Initial report	19 March 1983	2 October 1984(CEDAW/C/5/Add.25)	Fifth (1986)
Second periodic report	19 March 1987	2 November 1999(CEDAW/C/VNM/2)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Third periodic report	19 March 1991	6 October 2000(CEDAW/C/VNM/3-4)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fourth periodic report	19 March 1995	6 October 2000(CEDAW/C/VNM/3-4)	Twenty-fifth (2001)
Fifth periodic report	19 March 1999	15 June 2005(CEDAW/C/VNM/5-6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Sixth periodic report	19 March 2003	15 June 2005(CEDAW/C/VNM/5-6)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Seventh periodic report	19 March 2007
Yemen
Initial report	29 June 1985	23 January 1989(CEDAW/C/5/Add.61)	Twelfth (1993)
Second periodic report	29 June 1989	8 June 1989(CEDAW/C/13/Add.24)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	29 June 1993	13 November 1992(CEDAW/C/YEM/3)	Twelfth (1993)
Fourth periodic report	29 June 1997	8 March 2000(CEDAW/C/YEM/4)	Exceptional (2002)
Fifth periodic report	29 June 2001	January 2002(CEDAW/C/YEM/5)	Exceptional (2002)
Sixth periodic report	29 June 2005	5 December 2006(CEDAW/C/YEM/6)	Forty-first (2008)
Zambia
Initial report	21 July 1986	6 March 1991(CEDAW/C/ZAM/1-2)	Thirteenth (1994)
Second periodic report	21 July 1990	6 March 1991(CEDAW/C/ZAM/1-2)	Thirteenth (1994)
Third periodic report	21 July 1994	12 August 1999(CEDAW/C/ZAM/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fourth periodic report	21 July 1998	12 August 1999(CEDAW/C/ZAM/3-4)	Twenty-seventh (2002)
Fifth periodic report	21 July 2002
Sixth periodic report	21 July 2006
Zimbabwe
Initial report	12 June 1992	28 April 1996(CEDAW/C/ZWE/1)	Eighteenth (1998)
Second periodic report	12 June 1996
Third periodic report	12 June 2000
Fourth periodic report	12 June 2004
Reports submitted on an exceptional basis
Bosnia and Herzegovina		1 February 1994(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.253)	Thirteenth (1994)
Democratic Republic of the Congo	16 January 1997(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.317)	Sixteenth (1997)
Croatia		6 December 1994(CEDAW/C/CRO/SP.1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Rwanda		31 January 1996(oral report)(CEDAW/C/SR.306)	Fifteenth (1996)
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)	2 December 1993(CEDAW/C/YUG/SP) 12 February 1994(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.254)	Thirteenth (1994)

aOne year prior to the due date, the Secretary-General invites the State party to submit its report.

bEffective 17 May 1997, Zaire was renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Annex VII

States parties which submitted their observations on the concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

The following States parties submitted observations on the concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women during the period 10 August 2007 (the closing date of the thirty-ninth session) and 18 July 2008 (closing date of the forty-first session): Republic of Korea and Lebanon.

Annex VIII

Report of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on its eleventh session

1.The Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women held its eleventh session from 9 to 11 January 2008. All members attended the session.

2.The Working Group adopted its agenda as set out in the appendix to the present annex.

3.The Working Group discussed correspondence that had been received since its tenth session and reviewed the status of six pending communications. It decided to appoint Pramila Patten as Case Rapporteur for communication No. 16/2007.

4.The Working Group discussed its working methods in relation to the handling of correspondence addressed to the Committee, in the light of the transfer of the servicing of the Committee and the Working Group to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. It stressed the importance, where appropriate, of the Secretariat sending individualized contact letters to complainants in order to seek further clarification and information on the complaints, together with the model complaint form.

5.The Working Group was briefed by the Follow-Up Rapporteurs Ms. Patten and Anamah Tan, on the follow-up to the Committee’s views in communication No. 4/2004, A.S. v. Hungary.

6.The Working Group discussed the formulation and format of dissenting and concurring opinions to decisions and views adopted by the Committee, based on a note prepared by the secretariat, drawing upon the experience of other treaty bodies. The Working Group agreed to submit the note to the Committee for further discussion.

7.The Working Group discussed the issue of reservations to the Convention and their impact on the consideration of communications considered pursuant to the Optional Protocol.

8.The Working Group discussed possible lessons learned from the experience of the consideration of communication No. 7/2005, Cristina Muñoz-Vargas y Sainz de Vicuña v. Spain.

Action taken

9.The Working Group:

(a)Decided that its twelfth session would be held in New York from 21 to 23 July 2008 and adopted the provisional agenda for that session;

(b)Requested that its secretariat facilitate a meeting between a representative of the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations Office at Geneva and the Follow-Up Rapporteurs, Ms. Patten and Ms. Tan, relating to the follow-up to the views of the Committee on communication 4/2004, A.S. v. Hungary, with a view to reporting to the Committee on the outcome of the meeting during its fortieth session;

(c)Requested that its secretariat provide information on the practice of other treaty bodies relating to voting during the adoption of decisions and views relating to communications, as well as the practice of the signing of attendance sheets by Committee members at the beginning and during the discussions leading to the adoption of decisions and views relating to communications;

(d)Request that its secretariat allow some time during the third week of the Committee plenary to discuss the issue of reservations to the Convention and, in particular, the impact of reservations on the consideration of communications;

(e)Decided to register a new case against Brazil (as communication No. 17/2008), and appointed Magalys Arocha Dominguez as Case Rapporteur, and a new case against the Philippines (as communication No. 18/2008), and appointed Cornelis Flinterman as Case Rapporteur;

(f)Decided that the Working Group might submit alternative proposals for the determination of complaints to the Committee plenary if it deemed it appropriate.

10.The Working Group welcomed the listing produced by its secretariat of academic and scholarly articles on the work of the Committee, and recommended that the practice be continued and that the articles be distributed to the other members of the Committee.

11.The Working Group submitted to the Committee for its consideration and decision the following issues:

(a)The suggestion that the Committee discuss the formulation and format of dissenting and concurring opinions to decisions and views adopted by the Committee, drawing upon the experience of other treaty bodies, and based on a note prepared by its secretariat and agreed by the Working Group;

(b)The recommendation that the Committee consider for adoption the annexed drafts as the Committee’s decisions on admissibility in communication No. 12/2007 (G.D. and S.F. v. France) and communication No. 13/2007 (M.D. and others v. France);

(c)The recommendation that the Committee consider discontinuing the examination of communication No. 9/2005 (L.H. v. The Netherlands), in the light of the submissions made by the State party and the author’s counsel, which suggest that the claims of violations of the Convention advanced have become moot;

(d)The recommendation that the Committee set aside more time for plenary consideration of communications under the Optional Protocol;

(e)The suggestion that if the Committee plenary is divided over the determination of a complaint, it may refer the draft decision or views before it back to the Working Group, for further discussion and the provision of an alternative draft recommendation, where appropriate, reflecting the views expressed by members of the Committee;

(f)The recommendation that the Committee request the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to budget for outreach and training activities on the Optional Protocol procedure and allocate sufficient human and financial resources to carry out capacity-building activities on the submission of communications for relevant stakeholders, including women’s organizations, lawyers’ associations and other interested civil society actors, in particular from the African, Asia-Pacific, the Latin American and Caribbean, and the Eastern European and Central Asian regions.

Appendix

Agenda of the eleventh session of the Working Group

1.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

2.Review of steps and activities undertaken since the last session.

3.Discussion of working methods.

4.Review of draft recommendations.

5.Update of communications.

6.Any other matters.

7.Adoption of the provisional agenda and dates for the twelfth session of the Working Group, and of the report of the Working Group on its eleventh session.

Annex IX

Formulation and format of individual opinions on Committee decisions

Background note by the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol to the Convention adopted on 10 January 2008

1.At its thirty-ninth session, in response to a suggestion made by the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol to the Convention during its tenth session, the Committee requested its Working Group to prepare a discussion note on the formulation and the format of future individual (concurring and/or dissenting) opinions. On 9 and 10 January 2008, the Working Group discussed and adopted a draft background note prepared by its secretariat and decided to transmit it to the plenary for further discussion.

2.Committee members who wish to submit an individual opinion on a decision should inform the Committee plenary of their intention during the discussion of the recommendation or at the time the Committee adopts its decision on admissibility or its views on the merits.

3.Committee members wishing to submit individual opinions should, in their separate dissenting or concurring opinion, address the issue(s) on which they did not agree with the Committee majority or on which they wish further to elaborate. The individual opinion should refrain from addressing other, unrelated, issues.

4.Individual opinions should be submitted to the secretariat within a deadline of two weeks from the time that the final text of the decision or the views becomes available to the Committee member who wishes to submit an individual opinion in one of the official working languages of the United Nations. A deadline of two to three weeks has been practised by other treaty bodies. Longer deadlines are problematic in that they unduly delay the transmittal of the Committee’s final decision — the transmittal of decisions or views several months after adoption has been criticized by the parties to the case and also deprives any potential press releases of their newsworthiness. The Human Rights Committee recently decided that individual opinions submitted after the deadline would not be accepted or appended to the text of the decision or views. Subject to further experience with respect to deadlines for submission of individual opinions, an amendment to the rules of procedure may be appropriate.

5.Committee members who have not been present during the debate on a recommendation in the Committee plenary or its Optional Protocol Working Group will not be eligible to submit an individual opinion. Committee members who have been present and participated in the discussion of a recommendation in the Committee plenary or its Optional Protocol Working Group but who are not present at the moment of adoption of the final decision will remain eligible to submit an individual opinion if they so wish.

6.In the event of a vote on a decision, the opinion of a Committee member present during the discussion of a recommendation but absent during the vote should be counted, if she or he notifies the Chair and the secretariat of her or his position in writing.

7.Individual opinions received by the secretariat will be circulated by electronic means or by fax to any other Committee members who have expressed the intent to submit an individual opinion. The members concerned may then decide whether or not to join the individual opinion submitted by another member, or coordinate and synchronize the text of their respective individual opinions.

8.A Committee member may not undersign more than one individual opinion appended to any given decision or views of the Committee. If a Committee member subscribes to the legal reasoning of more than one individual opinion, she or he should formulate this in her or his own individual opinion.

9.The language of individual opinions (concurring or dissenting) should avoid giving the impression that the individual opinion is that of the Committee plenary. If the latter is the case, the secretariat is authorized to edit the individual opinion accordingly.

10.The Committee’s decision or views will be transmitted to the parties together with the individual opinion(s) submitted by one or several Committee members. The individual opinion(s) will become an integral part of the Committee’s decision or views and will be published jointly with the decision, on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the Committee’s annual report or any future volume of selected decisions of the Committee. Individual opinions to admissibility decisions, though communicated to the parties, will be published only after the Committee has adopted its views on the communication in question.

11.The Committee’s decision or views will be made public at the same time as any individual (concurring or dissenting) opinions. Any press release relating to a decision or views of the Committee under the Optional Protocol shall, where applicable, not only refer to the text of the final decision but also to the individual opinion(s).

Annex X

Subject headings (titles) to be used in concluding observations

•Legal status of the Convention, definition of equality, Federal States, Overseas Territories

•Visibility of the Convention and the Optional Protocol

•Reservations (including declarations amounting to reservations)

•National machinery for the advancement of women

•Discriminatory laws/provisions (compatibility, repeal)

•Temporary special measures (article 4, para. 1)

•Stereotypes, cultural practices

•Violence against women

•Trafficking

•Exploitation of prostitution

•Political participation and participation in public life

•Education

•Employment

•Economic empowerment

•Health

•Rural women

•Minority women

•Vulnerable groups of women

•Family relations

•Economic consequences of divorce

•National human rights institution

•Non-governmental organizations

•Data collection and analysis

•Parliament

•Preparation of the next report

•Follow-up to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals

•Dissemination

•Ratification of other treaties

•Technical assistance

•Follow-up to concluding observations

08-45840 (E) 241008

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•Date of the next report