His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moonSecretary-General of the United NationsNew York

Letter of transmittal

29 July 2009

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 forty-second session from 20 October to 7 November 2008 and its forty-third session from 19 January to 6 February 2009 at the United Nations Office at Geneva. It adopted its reports on the sessions at the 866th meeting, on 7 November 2008, and the 886th meeting, on 6 February 2009, respectively. These two reports of the Committee are herewith submitted to you for transmission to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session.

(Signed) Naéla GabrChairpersonCommittee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Part One

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

20 October-7 November 2008

Chapter I

Matters brought to the attention of the States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Decision 42/I

The Committee adopted general recommendation No. 26, on women migrant workers. (See annex I to part one of the present report.)

Decision 42/II

The Committee adopted a statement on the commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (See annex II to part one of the present report.)

Chapter II

Organizational and other matters

A.States parties to the Convention and to the Optional Protocol

1.As at 7 November 2008, the closing date of the forty-second 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 were required to accept the amendment in order for the acceptance by two thirds of the States parties to be achieved, thereby bringing the amendment into force.

2.As at the same date, there were 93 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 its article 16, the Optional Protocol entered into force on 22 December 2000.

3.A list of the States parties to the Convention as at 30 June 2009, a list of the States parties having accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention as at 30 June 2009 and a list of the States parties having signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention as at 30 June 2009 are contained in annexes III to V to part one of the present report.

B.Opening of the session

4.The Committee held its forty-second session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 20 October to 7 November 2008. The Committee held 15 plenary meetings (851st-866th). The Committee also held nine meetings to discuss agenda items 5 to 8. A list of the documents before the Committee at its forty-second and forty-third sessions is contained in annex VI to part one of the present report.

5.The session was opened by the Chairperson, Dubravka Šimonović. The Chief of the Human Rights Treaties Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed the Committee at its 851st meeting. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights met with the Committee at its 866th meeting.

C.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work

6.The Committee adopted the provisional agenda for the forty-second session (CEDAW/C/2008/III/1) at its 851st meeting.

D.Report of the pre-session working group

7.The report of the pre-session working group, which had met from 4 to 8 February 2008, was presented by its Chairperson, Pramila Patten, at the 851st meeting.

E.Organization of work

8.A representative of the Secretariat presented reports submitted under agenda item 5, Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/2008/III/3 and Add.1 and 2), and agenda item 6, Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee (CEDAW/C/2008/III/4).

9.On 20 October, the Committee held a closed meeting with representatives of specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations and 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 20 and 27 October, the Committee held informal public meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations, who provided information on the implementation of the Convention in the 12 States parties reporting to the Committee at its forty-second session. On 27 October, the Committee held an informal public meeting with a national human rights institution that provided country-specific information on the implementation of the Convention in El Salvador.

F.Membership of the Committee

11.With the exception of Tiziana Maiolo, all members attended the forty-second session. Dorcas Coker-Appiah attended from 20 to 28 October, Naéla Gabr from 21 October to 7 November, Ruth Halperin-Kaddari from 22 October to 6 November and Xiaoqiao Zou from 27 October to 7 November. The Committee noted that South Africa had not yet nominated a member to replace Hazel Gumede Shelton, who had resigned from the Committee in 2007. A list of the members of the Committee as at 31 December 2008, indicating the duration of their terms of office, is contained in annex VII to part one of the present report.

Chapter III

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

12.At the 851st meeting, the Chairperson presented a report on the activities she had undertaken since the forty-first session.

Chapter IV

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

13.At its forty-second session, the Committee considered the reports of 12 States parties submitted under article 18 of the Convention: the combined initial and second periodic report of one State party; the combined second and third periodic report of one State party; the third periodic report of one State party; the fourth periodic report of one State party; the combined fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of one State party; the fifth periodic report of one State party; the combined fifth and sixth periodic report of one State party; the combined fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of one State party; the sixth and seventh periodic reports of one State party; the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of two State parties; and the seventh periodic report of one State party. Information on the status of submission and consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention as at 30 June 2009 is provided in annex VIII to part one of the present report.

14.The Committee prepared concluding observations on each of the reports considered. Those observations are available through the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org/) under the symbols indicated below:

Bahrain	(CEDAW/C/BHR/CO/2)
Belgium	(CEDAW/C/BEL/CO/6)
Cameroon	(CEDAW/C/MMR/CO/3)
Canada	(CEDAW/C/CAN/CO/7)
Ecuador	(CEDAW/C/ECU/CO/7)
El Salvador	(CEDAW/C/SLV/CO/7)
Kyrgyzstan	(CEDAW/C/KGZ/CO/3)
Madagascar	(CEDAW/C/MDG/CO/5)
Mongolia	(CEDAW/C/MNG/CO/7)
Portugal	(CEDAW/C/PRT/CO/7)
Slovenia	(CEDAW/C/SVN/CO/4)
Uruguay	(CEDAW/C/URY/CO/7)

Information on States parties having submitted observations on concluding observations of the Committee at the end of the forty-second session is provided in annex IX to part one of the present report.

Chapter V

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

15.Article 12 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention provides that the Committee shall include in its annual report a summary of its activities carried out under the Optional Protocol.

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

16.The Committee endorsed the reports of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol on its twelfth and thirteenth sessions (see annexes X and XI to part one of the present report).

17.The Committee decided to discontinue the examination of communications No. 14/2007 and No. 16/2007.

18.The Committee took action on communication No. 15/2007, deciding that the communication was inadmissible under article 4, paragraph 1, of the Optional Protocol on the basis that all available domestic remedies had not yet been exhausted; a dissenting opinion was included with the decision (CEDAW/C/42/D/15/2007).

B.Follow-up to views of the Committee on individual communications

19.The Committee considered and adopted a report on the follow-up to its views on individual communications. The report compiled in summary form all the information received up to the end of the forty-third session (see annex XII to part one of the present report). The Committee decided that an updated report would be prepared for each subsequent session and reflected in the present section of its annual report.

Chapter VI

Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee

20.The Committee considered agenda item 6, Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee, at its 851st and 868th meetings, on 20 October and 7 November, and in several closed meetings.

Members of the pre-session working group for the forty-fifth session of the Committee

21.The Committee designated the following experts as members of the pre‑session working group for the forty-fifth session, which would meet from 9 to 13 February 2009:

Ferdous Ara Begum

Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani

Dates of future sessions of the Committee

22.In accordance with the provisional calendar of conferences, the following dates were confirmed for the Committee’s forty-third and forty-fourth sessions and related meetings:

(a)Forty-third session: 19 January-6 February 2009, Geneva;

(b)Fourteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 9-13 February 2009, Geneva;

(c)Pre-session working group for the forty-fifth session: 9-13 February, 2009, Geneva;

(d)Forty-fourth session: 20 July-7 August 2009, New York, with parallel chambers;

(e)Fifteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 8-15 July 2009;

(f)Pre-session working group for the forty-sixth session: 10-14 August 2009.

Reports to be considered at future sessions of the Committee

23.The Committee confirmed that it would consider the reports of the following States parties at its forty-third and forty-fourth sessions:

Forty-third session:

ArmeniaCameroonDominicaGermanyGuatemalaHaitiLibyan Arab JamahiriyaRwanda

Forty-fourth session:

AzerbaijanBhutanDenmarkGuinea-BissauJapanLao People’s Democratic RepublicLiberiaSpainSwitzerlandTimor-LesteTuvalu

The Committee also made a preliminary selection of the following States parties that would be invited to present their reports at the forty-fifth session:

BotswanaEgyptMalawiNetherlandsPanamaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistan

24.The Committee decided to consider in plenary meeting the reports of States parties during its forty-third session, and to establish task forces to lead the consideration of the reports.

Request for long-overdue reports

25.The Committee reviewed the status of submission of reports by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (CEDAW/C/2008/III/2), as well as steps aimed at encouraging States parties to submit long-overdue reports. It recalled that it had requested 20 States parties with long-overdue initial reports to submit all those reports as combined reports by a particular date for consideration by the Committee at identified future sessions. The Committee also recalled that it 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., Taking account of those decisions, the Committee decided to invite three States parties whose periodic reports were overdue for more than 10 years to submit their overdue reports as a combined report within two years (Iraq, Sri Lanka and Uganda). Failing receipt of the reports within the suggested time frame, 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.

Parliaments and the Convention and its Optional Protocol

26.The Committee decided to establish at its forty-third session a working group to finalize the draft paper prepared by Françoise Gaspard on the role of parliaments with respect to the Convention and its Optional Protocol.

Non-governmental organizations

27.The Committee decided to establish at its forty-second session a working group to finalize the paper prepared by Mary Shanthi Dairiam on the role of non‑governmental organizations with respect to the Convention and its Optional Protocol.

Chapter VII

Implementation of article 21 of the Convention

28.The Committee considered agenda item 5, Implementation of article 21 of the Convention, at its 851st and 868th meetings, on 20 October and 7 November, and in several closed meetings.

General recommendation on article 2 of the Convention

29.Cornelis Flinterman, the Chairperson of the working group on the draft general recommendation on article 2 of the Convention, agreed to circulate a revised draft of the general recommendation to the Committee by 30 November 2008. A further revised draft, integrating comments of Committee members, would be discussed by the Committee at its forty-third session.

Long-term programme of work on general recommendations

30.The Committee reviewed its long-term programme of work on general recommendations, taking account of proposals made by Committee members.

31.The Committee established a working group on a general comment on the rights of older women. The Committee requested the working group — made up of Ferdous Ara Begum (Chairperson), Naéla Gabr, Yoko Hayashi and Violeta Neubauer — to prepare a working paper on the proposed general recommendation for discussion by the Committee at its forty-third session.

32.The Committee agreed to establish at its forty-third session a working group on a general comment on the economic consequences of divorce. The working group would be requested to prepare a background paper on the proposed general recommendation for discussion by the Committee at its forty-fourth session.

Mechanism for follow-up instruments regarding the elimination of laws that directly or indirectly discriminate against women

33.Based on its experience with the newly established follow-up procedures, the Committee revisited its views expressed in 2005 with regard to a special mechanism or special rapporteur on discriminatory legislation.

34.The Committee discussed two possible options:

(a)The creation of a standing working group within the Committee with appropriate time and financial resources allocated to it in order to follow up with States parties on concluding observations regarding legislation that directly or indirectly discriminated against women;

(b)The creation of an independent special mechanism that would build on the concluding observations of the Committee and follow up on them with States parties but would also address States not parties to the Convention.

35.The first option would allow the Committee to better fulfil its mandate under the Convention by assisting States parties in performing their obligation to eliminate all legislation that directly or indirectly discriminates against women. The innovative feature would be that current as well as former members of the Committee, drawn from all regions, would be involved in the activities of the standing working group. The Committee would thus benefit from the expertise of members from different cultures and legal systems. The establishment of such a working group would also enhance the visibility of best practices identified by the Committee.

36.The standing working group would follow the working methods of the other standing working groups of the Committee.

37.Under the second option, the special mechanism would be closely connected to the Committee but, as an innovative feature of its mandate, it would also report to the Human Rights Council and to the Commission on the Status of Women. It would similarly build on the Committee’s concluding observations as well as on independent information received. Such a mechanism would neither request States to submit reports nor would it receive communications regarding alleged individual or systematic human rights violations under legislation that discriminates directly or indirectly against women.

38.With either option, working with States parties would entail:

(a)Raising awareness about the issue of discriminatory legislation and exploring in a transparent manner with Government officials and with parliamentarians, the judiciary, academia and civil society the nature of the obstacles impeding the elimination of directly or indirectly discriminatory legislation and the use of gender impact analyses to prevent such legislation;

(b)Identifying partners for financial and technical cooperation whenever necessary and coordinating such assistance and cooperation.

39.The Committee discussed both options but did not reach a decision on a preference for one or the other.

Chapter VIII

Provisional agenda for the forty-third session

40.The Committee considered the draft provisional agenda for its forty-third session at its 868th meeting, on 7 November, and approved the following provisional agenda for that session:

1.Opening of the session.

2.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

3.Solemn declaration by the new members of the Committee.

4.Report of the Chairperson on the activities undertaken between the forty-second and forty-third sessions of the Committee.

5.Election of officers.

6.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

7.Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

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

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

10.Provisional agenda for the forty-fourth session of the Committee.

11.Adoption of the report of the Committee on its forty-third session.

Chapter IX

Adoption of the report

41.The Committee considered the draft report on its forty-second session (CEDAW/C/2008/III/L.1) at its 867th meeting, on 7 November, and adopted it, as orally revised during the discussion (see CEDAW/C/SR.867).

Annex I

Decision 42/I

General recommendation No. 26, on women migrant workers *

Introduction

1.The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, affirming that migrant women, like all women, should not be discriminated against in any sphere of their life, decided at its thirty-second session, pursuant to article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to issue a general recommendation on some categories of women migrant workers who may be at risk of abuse and discrimination.

2.This general recommendation intends to contribute to the fulfilment of the obligations of States parties to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of women migrant workers, alongside the legal obligations contained in other treaties, the commitments assumed under the plans of action of world conferences and the important work of migration-focused treaty bodies, especially the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. While the Committee notes that the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families protects individuals, including migrant women, on the basis of their migration status, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women protects all women, including migrant women, against sex- and gender-based discrimination. While migration presents new opportunities for women and may be a means for their economic empowerment through wider participation, it may also place their human rights and security at risk. Hence, the present general recommendation aims to elaborate on the circumstances that contribute to the specific vulnerability of many women migrant workers and their experiences of sex- and gender-based discrimination as a cause and consequence of the violations of their human rights.

3.While States are entitled to control their borders and regulate migration, they must do so in full compliance with their obligations as parties to the human rights treaties they have ratified or acceded to. That includes the promotion of safe migration procedures and the obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of women throughout the migration cycle. Those obligations must be undertaken in recognition of the social and economic contributions of women migrant workers to their own countries and to the countries of destination, including through caregiving and domestic work.

4.The Committee recognizes that migrant women may be classified into various categories relating to the factors compelling migration, the purposes of migration and accompanying tenure of stay, the vulnerability to risk and abuse, their status in the country to which they have migrated and their eligibility for citizenship. The Committee also recognizes that such categories are fluid and overlapping, and that therefore it is sometimes difficult to draw clear distinctions between them. Accordingly the scope of the present general recommendation is limited to addressing the situations of the following categories of migrant women, who, as workers, are in low-paid jobs, may be at high risk of abuse and discrimination and may never acquire eligibility for permanent stay or citizenship, unlike professional migrant workers in the country of employment. As such, in many cases, these women may not enjoy the protection of the law of the countries concerned, at either the de jure or de facto level. These categories of migrant women are:

(a)Women migrant workers who migrate independently;

(b)Women migrant workers who join their spouses or other members of their families who are also workers;

(c)Undocumented women migrant workers who may fall into either of the above categories.

The Committee, however, emphasizes that all categories of women migrants fall within the scope of the obligations of States parties to the Convention and must be protected against all forms of discrimination, under the Convention.

5.Although both men and women migrate, migration is not a gender-neutral phenomenon. The position of female migrants is different from that of male migrants in terms of legal migration channels, the sectors into which they migrate and the forms of abuse they suffer and the consequences thereof. To understand the specific ways in which women are impacted, female migration should be studied from the perspective of gender inequality, traditional female roles, a gendered labour market, the universal prevalence of gender-based violence and the worldwide feminization of poverty and labour migration. The integration of a gender perspective is, therefore, essential to the analysis of the position of female migrants and the development of policies to counter discrimination, exploitation and abuse.

Applying principles of human rights and gender equality

6.All women migrant workers are entitled to the protection of their human rights, which include the right to life, the right to personal liberty and security, the right not to be tortured, the right to be free of degrading and inhumane treatment, the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, cultural particularities, nationality, language, religion or other status, the right to be free from poverty, the right to an adequate standard of living, the right to equality before the law and the right to benefit from the due processes of the law. These rights are provided for in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the many human rights treaties ratified or acceded to by States Members of the United Nations.

7.Women migrant workers are also entitled to protection from discrimination on the basis of the Convention, which requires States parties to take all appropriate measures without delay to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and to ensure that they will be able to exercise and enjoy de jure and de facto rights on an equal basis with men in all fields.

Factors influencing women’s migration

8.Women currently make up about one half of the world’s migrant population. Various factors, such as globalization, the wish to seek new opportunities, poverty, gendered cultural practices and gender-based violence in countries of origin, natural disasters or wars and internal military conflicts determine women’s migration. These factors also include the exacerbation of sex-specific divisions of labour in the formal and informal manufacturing and service sectors in countries of destination, as well as a male-centred culture of entertainment, the latter creating a demand for women as entertainers. A significant increase in the number of women migrating alone as wage earners has been widely noted as part of this trend.

Sex- and gender-based human rights concerns related to migrant women

9.Because violations of the human rights of women migrant workers occur in countries of origin, countries of transit and countries of destination, the present general recommendation will address all three situations in order to facilitate the use of the Convention, further the rights of women migrant workers and advance substantive equality of women and men in all spheres of their lives. It is also recalled that migration is an inherently global phenomenon, requiring cooperation among States at the multilateral, bilateral and regional levels.

In countries of origin before departure

10.Even before they leave home, women migrant workers face myriad human rights concerns, including complete bans or restrictions on women’s outmigration based on sex or sex combined with age, marital status, pregnancy or maternity status, occupation-specific restrictions or requirements that women must have written permission from male relatives to obtain a passport to travel or migrate. Women are sometimes detained by recruiting agents for training in preparation for departure, during which time they may be subject to financial, physical, sexual or psychological abuse. Women may also suffer the consequences of restricted access to education, training and reliable information on migration, which may lead to increased vulnerability in relation to employers. Exploitative fees may be charged by employment agents, which sometimes cause women, who generally have fewer assets than men, to suffer greater financial hardships and make them more dependent, for example, if they need to borrow from family, friends or moneylenders at usurious rates.

In countries of origin upon return

11.Women migrant workers may face sex- and gender-based discrimination, including compulsory HIV/AIDS testing for women returnees, moral “rehabilitation” for young women returnees and increased personal and social costs compared with men, without adequate gender-responsive services. For example, men may return to a stable family situation, whereas women may find disintegration of the family upon their return, with their absence from home regarded as the cause of such disintegration. There may also be a lack of protection against reprisals from exploitative recruiting agents.

In countries of transit

12.Women migrant workers may face a variety of human rights concerns when transiting through foreign countries. When travelling with an agent or escort, women migrants may be abandoned if the agent encounters problems in transit or upon arrival in the country of destination. Women are also vulnerable to sexual and physical abuse by agents and escorts when travelling in countries of transit.

In countries of destination

13.Once they reach their destinations, women migrant workers may encounter multiple forms of de jure and de facto discrimination. There are countries whose Governments sometimes impose restrictions or bans on women’s employment in particular sectors. Whatever the situation, women migrant workers face additional hazards compared with men because of gender-insensitive environments that do not allow mobility for women and that give them little access to relevant information about their rights and entitlements. Gendered notions of appropriate work for women result in job opportunities that reflect familial and service functions ascribed to women or that are in the informal sector. Under such circumstances, occupations in which women dominate are, in particular, domestic work or certain forms of entertainment.

14.In addition, in countries of destination, such occupations may be excluded from legal definitions of work, thereby depriving women of a variety of legal protections. In such occupations, women migrant workers have trouble obtaining binding contracts concerning terms and conditions of work, causing them sometimes to work for long hours without overtime payment. Moreover, women migrant workers often experience intersecting forms of discrimination, suffering not only sex- and gender-based discrimination but also xenophobia and racism. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, cultural particularities, nationality, language, religion or other status may be expressed in sex- and gender-specific ways.

15.Because of discrimination on the basis of sex and gender, women migrant workers may receive lower wages than do men, or experience non-payment of wages, payments that are delayed until departure or transfer of wages into accounts that are inaccessible to them. For example, employers of domestic workers often deposit the worker’s wages into an account in the employer’s name. If a woman and her spouse both have worker status, her wages may be paid into an account in the name of her spouse. Workers in female-dominated sectors may not be paid for weekly days of rest or national holidays. Or, if they are heavily burdened by debt from recruitment fees, women migrant workers may not be able to leave abusive situations since they have no other way to repay those debts. Such violations may of course be faced by non-migrant local women in similar female-dominated jobs. However, non-migrant local women have better job mobility. They have the choice, however limited, of leaving an oppressive job situation and obtaining another job, whereas, in some countries, a woman migrant worker may become undocumented the minute she leaves her job. Non-migrant local women workers may, moreover, have some economic protection by way of family support if they are unemployed, but women migrant workers may not have such protection. Women migrant workers thus face hazards on the basis of sex and gender, as well as on the basis of their migrant status.

16.Women migrant workers may be unable to save or transmit savings safely through regular channels due to isolation (for domestic workers), cumbersome procedures, language barriers or high transaction costs. This is a great problem since in general they earn less than men. Women may further face familial obligations to remit all their earnings to their families to a degree that may not be expected of men. For example, single women may be expected to support even extended family members at home.

17.Women migrant workers often suffer from inequalities that threaten their health. They may be unable to access health services, including reproductive health services, because insurance or national health schemes are not available to them, or they may have to pay unaffordable fees. As women have health needs different from those of men, this aspect requires special attention. They may also suffer from a lack of arrangements for their safety at work, or provisions for safe travel between the worksite and their place of accommodation. Where accommodation is provided, especially in female-dominated occupations such as factory, farm or domestic work, living conditions may be poor and overcrowded, without running water or adequate sanitary facilities, or they may lack privacy and hygiene. Women migrant workers are sometimes subjected to sex-discriminatory mandatory HIV/AIDS testing or testing for other infections without their consent, followed by notification of test results to agents and employers rather than to the worker herself. This may result in loss of employment or deportation if test results are positive.

18.Discrimination may be especially acute in relation to pregnancy. Women migrant workers may face mandatory pregnancy tests followed by deportation if the test is positive; coercive abortion or lack of access to safe reproductive health and abortion services, when the health of the mother is at risk, or even following sexual assault; or absence of, or inadequate, maternity leave and benefits and absence of affordable obstetric care, resulting in serious health risks. Women migrant workers may also face dismissal from employment upon detection of pregnancy, sometimes resulting in irregular immigration status and deportation.

19.Women migrant workers may be subjected to particularly disadvantageous terms regarding their stay in a country. They are sometimes unable to benefit from family reunification schemes, which may not extend to workers in female-dominated sectors, such as domestic workers or those in entertainment. Permission to stay in the country of employment may be severely restricted, especially for women migrant workers in domestic work when their time-fixed contracts end or are terminated at the whim of the employer. If they lose their immigration status, they may be more vulnerable to violence by the employer or others who want to abuse the situation. If they are detained, they may be subject to violence perpetrated by officials in detention centres.

20.Women migrant workers are more vulnerable to sexual abuse, sexual harassment and physical violence, especially in sectors where women predominate. Domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to physical and sexual assault, food and sleep deprivation and cruelty by their employers. Sexual harassment of women migrant workers in other work environments, such as on farms or in the industrial sector, is a problem worldwide (see E/CN.4/1998/74/Add.1). Women migrant workers who migrate as spouses of male migrant workers or along with family members face an added risk of domestic violence from their spouses or relatives if they come from a culture that values the submissive role of the women in the family.

21.Access to justice may be limited for women migrant workers. In some countries, restrictions are imposed on the use of the legal system by women migrant workers to obtain remedies for discriminatory labour standards, employment discrimination or sex- and gender-based violence. Further, women migrant workers may not be eligible for free government legal aid, and there may be other impediments, such as unresponsive and hostile officials and, at times, collusion between officials and the perpetrator. In some cases, diplomats have perpetrated sexual abuse, violence and other forms of discrimination against women migrant domestic workers while enjoying diplomatic immunity. In some countries, there are gaps in the laws protecting women migrant workers. For example, they may lose their work permits once they make a report of abuse or discrimination and then they cannot afford to remain in the country for the duration of the trial, if any. In addition to these formal barriers, practical barriers may prevent access to remedies. Many do not know the language of the country and do not know their rights. Women migrant workers may lack mobility because they may be confined by employers to their worksites or living sites, prohibited from using telephones or banned from joining groups or cultural associations. They often lack knowledge of their embassies or of services available, due to their dependence on employers or spouses for such information. For example, it is very difficult for women migrant domestic workers who are scarcely ever out of sight of their employers to even register with their embassies or file complaints. As such, women may have no outside contacts and no means of making a complaint, and they may suffer violence and abuse for long periods of time before the situation is exposed. In addition, the withholding of passports by employers or the fear of reprisal if the woman migrant worker is engaged in sectors that are linked to criminal networks may prevent them from making a report.

22.Undocumented women migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse because of their irregular immigration status, which exacerbates their exclusion and the risk of exploitation. They may be exploited as forced labour, and their access to minimum labour rights may be limited by fear of denouncement. They may also face harassment by the police. If they are apprehended, they are usually prosecuted for violations of immigration laws and placed in detention centres, where they are vulnerable to sexual abuse, and then deported.

Recommendations to States parties

Common responsibilities of countries of origin and destination

23.Common responsibilities of countries of origin and destination include:

(a)Formulating a comprehensive gender-sensitive and rights-based policy: States parties should use the Convention and the general recommendations to formulate a gender-sensitive, rights-based policy on the basis of equality and non‑discrimination to regulate and administer all aspects and stages of migration, to facilitate access of women migrant workers to work opportunities abroad, promoting safe migration and ensuring the protection of the rights of women migrant workers (articles 2 (a) and 3);

(b)Active involvement of women migrant workers and relevant non‑governmental organizations: States parties should seek the active involvement of women migrant workers and relevant non-governmental organizations in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (article 7 (b));

(c)Research, data collection and analysis: States parties should conduct and support quantitative and qualitative research, data collection and analysis to identify the problems and needs faced by women migrant workers in every phase of the migration process in order to promote the rights of women migrant workers and formulate relevant policies (article 3).

Responsibilities specific to countries of origin

24.Countries of origin must respect and protect the human rights of their female nationals who migrate for purposes of work. Measures that may be required include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)Lifting of discriminatory bans or restrictions on migration: States parties should repeal sex-specific bans and discriminatory restrictions on women’s migration on the basis of age, marital status, pregnancy or maternity status. They should lift restrictions that require women to get permission from their spouse or male guardian to obtain a passport or to travel (article 2 (f));

(b)Education, awareness-raising and training with standardized content: States parties should develop an appropriate education and awareness-raising programme in close consultation with concerned non-governmental organizations, gender and migration specialists, women workers with migration experience and reliable recruiting agencies. In that regard, States parties should (articles 3, 5, 10 and 14):

(i)Deliver or facilitate free or affordable gender- and rights-based predeparture information and training programmes that raise prospective women migrant workers’ awareness of potential exploitation, including recommended content of labour contracts, legal rights and entitlements in countries of employment, procedures for invoking formal and informal redress mechanisms, processes by which to obtain information about employers, cultural conditions in countries of destination, stress management, first aid and emergency services and measures including emergency telephone numbers of home embassy, information about safety in transit including airport and airline orientations, and information on general and reproductive health including HIV/AIDS prevention. Such training programmes should be targeted to women who are prospective migrant workers through an effective outreach programme and held in decentralized training venues so that they are accessible to women;

(ii)Provide a list of authentic, reliable recruitment agencies and create a unified information system on available jobs abroad;

(iii)Provide information on methods and procedures for migrating to work for women workers who wish to migrate independently of recruitment agencies;

(iv)Require recruitment agencies to participate in awareness-raising and training programmes and sensitize them on the rights of women migrant workers, the forms of sex- and gender-based discrimination, the exploitation women could experience and the responsibilities of recruitment agencies towards women;

(v)Promote community awareness-raising concerning the costs and benefits of all forms of migration for women and conduct cross-cultural awareness-raising activities addressed to the general public, which should highlight the risks, dangers and opportunities of migration, the entitlement of women to their earnings in the interest of ensuring their financial security and the need to maintain a balance between women’s familial responsibility and their responsibility to themselves. Such an awareness-raising programme could be carried out through formal and informal educational programmes;

(vi)Encourage the media, information and communication sectors to contribute to awareness-raising on migration issues, including on the contributions women migrant workers make to the economy, women’s vulnerability to exploitation and discrimination and the various sites at which such exploitation occurs;

(c)Regulations and monitoring systems, as follows:

(i)States parties should adopt regulations and design monitoring systems to ensure that recruiting agents and employment agencies respect the rights of all women migrant workers. States parties should include in their legislation a comprehensive definition of irregular recruitment along with a provision on legal sanctions for breaches of the law by recruitment agencies (article 2 (e));

(ii)States parties should also implement accreditation programmes to ensure good practices among recruitment agencies (article 2 (e));

(d)Health services: States parties should ensure the provision of standardized and authentic health certificates if required by countries of destination and require prospective employers to purchase medical insurance for women migrant workers. All required predeparture HIV/AIDS testing or predeparture health examinations must be respectful of the human rights of women migrants. Special attention should be paid to voluntariness, the provision of free or affordable services and to the problems of stigmatization (articles 2 (f) and 12);

(e)Travel documents: States parties should ensure that women have equal and independent access to travel documents (article 2 (d));

(f)Legal and administrative assistance: States parties should ensure the availability of legal assistance in connection with migration for work. For example, legal reviews should be available to ensure that work contracts are valid and protect women’s rights on a basis of equality with men (articles 3 and 11);

(g)Safeguarding remittances of income: States parties should establish measures to safeguard the remittances of women migrant workers and provide information and assistance to women to access formal financial institutions to send money home and to encourage them to participate in savings schemes (articles 3 and 11);

(h)Facilitating the right to return: States parties should ensure that women who wish to return to their countries of origin are able to do so free of coercion and abuse (article 3);

(i)Services to women upon return: States parties should design or oversee comprehensive socio-economic, psychological and legal services aimed at facilitating the reintegration of women who have returned. They should monitor service providers to ensure that they do not take advantage of the vulnerable position of women returning from work abroad, and should have complaint mechanisms to protect the women against reprisals by recruiters, employers or former spouses (articles 2 (c) and 3);

(j)Diplomatic and consular protection: States parties must properly train and supervise their diplomatic and consular staff to ensure that they fulfil their role in protecting the rights of women migrant workers abroad. Such protection should include quality support services available to women migrants, including timely provision of interpreters, medical care, counselling, legal aid and shelter when needed. Where States parties have specific obligations under customary international law or treaties such as the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, those obligations must be carried out in full in relation to women migrant workers (article 3).

Responsibilities specific to countries of transit

25.States parties through which migrant women travel should take all appropriate steps to ensure that their territories are not used to facilitate the violation of the rights of women migrant workers. Measures that may be required include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)Training, monitoring and supervision of Government agents: States parties should ensure that their border police and immigration officials are adequately trained, supervised and monitored for gender-sensitivity and non‑discriminatory practices when dealing with women migrants (article 2 (d));

(b)Protection against violations of women migrant workers’ rights that take place under their jurisdiction: States parties should take active measures to prevent, prosecute and punish all migration-related human rights violations that occur under their jurisdiction, whether perpetrated by public authorities or private actors. States parties should provide or facilitate services and assistance in situations where women travelling with an agent or escort have been abandoned and should make all attempts to trace perpetrators and take legal action against them (articles 2 (c) and (e)).

Responsibilities specific to countries of destination

26.States parties in countries where migrant women work should take all appropriate measures to ensure non-discrimination and the equal rights of women migrant workers, including in their own communities. Measures that may be required include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)Lifting of discriminatory bans or restrictions on immigration: States parties should repeal outright bans and discriminatory restrictions on women’s immigration. They should ensure that their visa schemes do not indirectly discriminate against women by restricting permission to women migrant workers to be employed in certain job categories where men predominate, or by excluding certain female-dominated occupations from visa schemes. Further, they should lift bans that prohibit women migrant workers from getting married to nationals or permanent residents, becoming pregnant or securing independent housing (article 2 (f));

(b)Legal protection for the rights of women migrant workers: States parties should ensure that constitutional and civil law and labour codes provide to women migrant workers the same rights and protection that are extended to all workers in the country, including the right to organize and freely associate. They should ensure that contracts for women migrant workers are legally valid. In particular, they should ensure that occupations dominated by women migrant workers, such as domestic work and some forms of entertainment, are protected by labour laws, including wage and hour regulations, health and safety codes and holiday and vacation leave regulations. The laws should include mechanisms for monitoring workplace conditions of migrant women, especially in the kinds of jobs where they dominate (articles 2 (a), (f) and 11);

(c)Access to remedies: States parties should ensure that women migrant workers have the ability to access remedies when their rights are violated. Specific measures include, but are not limited to, the following (articles 2 (c), (f) and 3):

(i)Promulgate and enforce laws and regulations that include adequate legal remedies and complaints mechanisms, and put in place easily accessible dispute resolution mechanisms, protecting both documented and undocumented women migrant workers from discrimination or sex-based exploitation and abuse;

(ii)Repeal or amend laws that prevent women migrant workers from using the courts and other systems of redress. These include laws on loss of work permit, which results in loss of earnings and possible deportation by immigration authorities when a worker files a complaint of exploitation or abuse and while pending investigation. States parties should introduce flexibility into the process of changing employers or sponsors without deportation in cases where workers complain of abuse;

(iii)Ensure that women migrant workers have access to legal assistance and to the courts and regulatory systems charged with enforcing labour and employment laws, including through free legal aid;

(iv)Provide temporary shelters for women migrant workers who wish to leave abusive employers, husbands or other relatives and provide facilities for safe accommodation during trial;

(d)Legal protection for the freedom of movement: States parties should ensure that employers and recruiters do not confiscate or destroy travel or identity documents belonging to women migrants. States parties should also take steps to end the forced seclusion or locking in the homes of women migrant workers, especially those working in domestic service. Police officers should be trained to protect the rights of women migrant workers from such forms of abuse (article 2 (e));

(e)Non-discriminatory family reunification schemes: States parties should ensure that family reunification schemes for migrant workers are not directly or indirectly discriminatory on the basis of sex (article 2 (f));

(f)Non-discriminatory residency regulations: when residency permits of women migrant workers are premised on the sponsorship of an employer or spouse, States parties should enact provisions relating to independent residency status. Regulations should be made to allow for the legal stay of a woman who flees her abusive employer or spouse or is fired for complaining about abuse (article 2 (f));

(g)Training and awareness-raising: States parties should provide mandatory awareness-raising programmes concerning the rights of women migrant workers and gender sensitivity training for relevant public and private recruitment agencies and employers and relevant State employees, such as criminal justice officers, border police, immigration authorities, and social service and health-care providers (article 3);

(h)Monitoring systems: States parties should adopt regulations and design monitoring systems to ensure that recruiting agents and employers respect the rights of all women migrant workers. States parties should closely monitor recruiting agencies and prosecute them for acts of violence, coercion, deception or exploitation (article 2 (e));

(i)Access to services: States parties should ensure that linguistically and culturally appropriate gender-sensitive services for women migrant workers are available, including language and skills training programmes, emergency shelters, health-care services, police services, recreational programmes and programmes designed especially for isolated women migrant workers, such as domestic workers and others secluded in the home, in addition to victims of domestic violence. Victims of abuse must be provided with relevant emergency and social services, regardless of their immigration status (articles 3, 5 and 12);

(j)The rights of women migrant workers in detention, whether they are documented or undocumented: States parties should ensure that women migrant workers who are in detention do not suffer discrimination or gender-based violence, and that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers as well as women in ill health have access to appropriate services. They should review, eliminate or reform laws, regulations or policies that result in a disproportionate number of women migrant workers being detained for migration-related reasons (articles 2 (d) and 5);

(k)Social inclusion of women migrant workers: States parties should adopt policies and programmes with the aim of enabling women migrant workers to integrate into the new society. Such efforts should be respectful of the cultural identity of women migrant workers and protective of their human rights, in compliance with the Convention (article 5);

(l)Protection of undocumented women migrant workers: the situation of undocumented women needs specific attention. Regardless of the lack of immigration status of undocumented women migrant workers, States parties have an obligation to protect their basic human rights. Undocumented women migrant workers must have access to legal remedies and justice in cases of risk to life and of cruel and degrading treatment, or if they are coerced into forced labour, face deprivation of fulfilment of basic needs, including in times of health emergencies or pregnancy and maternity, or if they are abused physically or sexually by employers or others. If they are arrested or detained, States parties must ensure that undocumented women migrant workers receive humane treatment and have access to due process of the law, including through free legal aid. In that regard, States parties should repeal or amend laws and practices that prevent undocumented women migrant workers from using the courts and other systems of redress. If deportation cannot be avoided, States parties need to treat each case individually, with due consideration of the gender-related circumstances and risks of human rights violations in the country of origin (articles 2 (c), (e) and (f)).

Bilateral and regional cooperation

27.Measures that are required in the area of bilateral and regional cooperation include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)Bilateral and regional agreements: States parties that are sending or receiving and transit countries should enter into bilateral or regional agreements or memorandums of understanding protecting the rights of women migrant workers as elaborated in the present general recommendation (article 3);

(b)Best practices and sharing of information, as follows:

(i)States parties are encouraged to share their experience of best practices and relevant information to promote the full protection of the rights of women migrant workers (article 3);

(ii)States parties should cooperate on providing information on perpetrators of violations of the rights of women migrant workers. When provided with information regarding perpetrators within their territory, States parties should take measures to investigate, prosecute and punish them (article 2 (c)).

Recommendations concerning monitoring and reporting

28.With regard to monitoring and reporting, States parties should include in their reports information about the legal framework, policies and programmes they have implemented to protect the rights of women migrant workers, taking into consideration the sex- and gender-based human rights concerns listed in paragraphs 10 to 22 and guided by the recommendations given in paragraphs 23 to 27 of the present general recommendation. Adequate data should be collected on the enforcement and effectiveness of laws, policies and programmes and the de facto situation of women migrant workers, so that the information in the reports is meaningful. This information should be provided under the most appropriate articles of the Convention, guided by the suggestions given in respect of all the recommendations.

Ratification of or accession to relevant human rights treaties

29.States parties are encouraged to ratify all international instruments relevant to the protection of the human rights of women migrant workers, in particular the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Annex II

Decision 42/II

Statement by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1.When in 1945 the peoples of the United Nations stressed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women, a new era started in the history of humankind. At the time, the gap between those words and the reality on the ground was enormous, but a first, significant step had been taken on the road towards full equality of women and men and it would prove to be irreversible.

2.On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly, then composed of 56 States, adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which further elaborated and substantiated the general references to human rights and fundamental freedoms contained in the Charter of the United Nations. The Declaration is based on the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace around the world; the message of the Declaration was and is that human rights are universal and inclusive. Thirty years later, however, the Assembly expressed its concern that, despite the Declaration and the two United Nations covenants of 1966 that also embodied an obligation for all States parties to ensure the equal right of men and women to enjoy all economic, social, cultural, political and civil rights, extensive discrimination against women around the world continued to exist. The Assembly therefore decided in 1979 to adopt the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

3.As of 2008, the Convention had been ratified by 185 States parties. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is entrusted with the supervision of the implementation of the Convention by the States parties. There is no doubt that, in 2008, full equality, both formal and substantive, of women and men around the world had not yet been achieved. Nevertheless, the Committee is convinced that the principle of equality of women and men in the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms not only constitutes a crucial treaty obligation, but it is also emerging as a principle of customary international law. All States can be held accountable for complying with this principle, which can be seen as the cornerstone of all human rights. This important achievement would not have been possible without the vision of those who, representing different cultures and religions, drafted and adopted the Declaration and the Convention.

4.The Committee is resolved to continue its work under the Convention and the related Optional Protocol and to monitor the practical realization of the principle of equality of women and men in the spirit of the Declaration in the years ahead. In this context, the Committee invites those States not yet parties to the Convention or its Optional Protocol to consider ratification or accession without delay.

5.The Committee further calls upon all other human rights treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council and all organs, entities and agencies of the United Nations system to continue to strengthen their contribution to the full realization of the principle of equality of women and men in the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Annex III

States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women as at 30 June 2009

State party	Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession (a) or 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 (Plurinational State of)	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 2006	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
Qatar	29 April 2009	29 May 2009
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
Slovakiac	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 IV

States parties having deposited with the Secretary-General instruments of acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention as at 30 June 2009

State party	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
Costa Rica	27 April 2009
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 V

States parties having signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention as at 30 June 2009

State party	Date signed	Date of ratification or 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 (Plurinational State of)	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
Turkmenistan		20 May 2009
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 VI

Documents before the Committee at its forty-second and forty-third sessions

Document number	Title or description
A. Forty-second session
CEDAW/C/2008/III/1	Annotated provisional agenda
CEDAW/C/2008/III/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/III/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/III/3/Add.1	Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
CEDAW/C/2008/III/3/Add.2	Report of the International Labour Office
CEDAW/C/2008/III/4	Report of the Secretariat on ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
Reports of States parties
CEDAW/C/BHR/2	Combined initial and second periodic report of Bahrain
CEDAW/C/BEL/6	Combined fifth and sixth periodic report of Belgium
CEDAW/C/CAN/7	Combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Canada
CEDAW/C/ECU/7	Combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Ecuador
CEDAW/C/SLV/7	Seventh periodic report of El Salvador
CEDAW/C/KGZ/3	Third periodic report of Kyrgyzstan
CEDAW/C/MDG/5	Fifth periodic report of Madagascar
CEDAW/C/MNG/7	Combined fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of Mongolia
CEDAW/C/MMR/3	Combined second and third periodic report of Myanmar
CEDAW/C/PRT/6 andCEDAW/C/PRT/7	Sixth and seventh periodic reports of Portugal
CEDAW/C/SVN/4	Fourth periodic report of Slovenia
CEDAW/C/URY/7	Combined fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of Uruguay
B. Forty-third session
CEDAW/C/2009/I/1 and Corr.1	Annotated provisional agenda
CEDAW/C/2009/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/2009/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/2009/I/3/Add.4	Report of the International Labour Organization
CEDAW/C/2009/I/4	Report of the Secretariat on ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
Reports of States parties
CEDAW/C/ARM/4	Combined third and fourth periodic report of Armenia
CEDAW/C/CMR/3	Combined second and third periodic report of Cameroon
CEDAW/C/DEU/6	Sixth periodic report of Germany
CEDAW/C/GUA/7	Seventh periodic report of Guatemala
CEDAW/C/HTI/7	Combined initial, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of Haiti
CEDAW/C/LBY/5	Combined second, third, fourth and fifth periodic report of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
CEDAW/C/RWA/6	Combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report of Rwanda

Annex VII

Membership of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women as at 31 December 2008

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
Naéla 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 VIII

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 30 June 2009

State party	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	22 October 2008(CEDAW/C/ALB/3)
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	22 June 2009(CEDAW/C/DZA/3-4)
Fourth periodic report	21 June 2009	22 June 2009(CEDAW/C/DZA/3-4)
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)	Forty-third (2008)
Fourth periodic report	13 October 2006	28 December 2008(CEDAW/C/ARM/3-4)	Forty-third (2008)
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	16 December 2008(CEDAW/C/AUL/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	27 August 2008	16 December 2008(CEDAW/C/AUL/6-7)
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)
Fourth periodic report	9 August 2008	29 July 2008(CEDAW/C/AZE/4)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Second report	18 July 2007	4 October 2007(CEDAW/C/BHR/2)	Forty-second (2008)
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
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2007
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	1 July 2009(CEDAW/C/BLR/7)
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Sixth periodic report	9 August 2006	9 May 2007(CEDAW/C/BEL/6)	Forty-second (2008)
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
Fifth periodic report	11 April 2009
Bhutan
Initial report	30 September 1982	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Second periodic report	30 September 1986	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	30 September 1990	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fourth periodic report	30 September 1994	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Fifth periodic report	30 September 1998	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Sixth periodic report	30 September 2002	2 January 2003(CEDAW/C/BTN/1-6 and Corr.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Seventh periodic report	30 September 2006	3 August 2007(CEDAW/C/BTN/7)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Bolivia ( Plurinational State of)
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	10 September 2008(CEDAW/C/BOT/1-3)
Second periodic report	12 September 2001	10 September 2008(CEDAW/C/BOT/1-3)
Third periodic report	12 September 2005	10 September 2008(CEDAW/C/BOT/1-3)
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)
Seventh periodic report	2 March 2009
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)
Sixth periodic report	13 November 2008	10 March 2009(CEDAW/C/BFA/6)
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)	Forty-third (2008)
Third periodic report	22 September 2003	28 March 2007(CEDAW/C/CMR/3)	Forty-third (2008)
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Seventh periodic report	9 January 2007	4 May 2007(CEDAW/C/CAN/7)	Forty-second (2008)
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
Fifth periodic report	21 July 2008
Chad
Initial report	9 July 1996
Second periodic report	9 July 2000
Third periodic report	9 July 2004
Fourth periodic report	9 July 2008
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)
Seventh periodic report	18 February 2007
Comoros
Initial report	30 November 1995
Second periodic report	30 November 1999
Third periodic report	30 November 2003
Fourth periodic report	30 November 2008
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
Fourth periodic report	17 January 2009
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	23 April 2009(CEDAW/C/CZE/4-5)
Fifth periodic report	24 March 2009	23 April 2009(CEDAW/C/CZE/4-5)
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)
Sixth periodic report	16 November 2007
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Djibouti
Initial report	2 January 2000
Second periodic report	2 January 2004
Third periodic report	2 January 2008
Dominica
Initial report	3 September 1982	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Second periodic report	3 September 1986	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Third periodic report	3 September 1990	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Fourth periodic report	3 September 1994	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	In the absence of a report	Forty-third (2008)
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
Seventh periodic report	2 September 2008
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Seventh periodic report	9 December 2006	23 February 2007(CEDAW/C/ECU/6-7)	Forty-second (2008)
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)	Forty-second (2008)
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)
Fourth periodic report	5 October 2008
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)
Fifth periodic report	20 November 2008
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	14 January 2009(CEDAW/C/FJI/2-4)
Third periodic report	27 September 2004	14 January 2009(CEDAW/C/FJI/2-4)
Fourth periodic report	27 September 2008	14 January 2009(CEDAW/C/FJI/2-4)
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/Rev.1)	Twelfth (1993)
Third periodic report	13 January 1993	5 October 1999(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4 and Corr.1)	Twenty-ninth (2003)
Fourth periodic report	13 January 1997	5 October 1999(CEDAW/C/FRA/3-4 and 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)
Seventh periodic report	13 January 2009
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
Seventh periodic report	20 February 2008
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)
Fourth periodic report	25 November 2008
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)	Forty-third (2008)
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)
Seventh periodic report	7 July 2008
Grenada
Initial report	29 September 1991
Second periodic report	29 September 1995
Third periodic report	29 September 1999
Fourth periodic report	29 September 2003
Fifth periodic report	29 September 2008
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)	Forty-third (2008)
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)
Seventh periodic report	8 September 2008
Guinea-Bissau
Initial report	22 September 1986	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Second periodic report	22 September 1990	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Third periodic report	22 September 1994	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Fourth periodic report	22 September 1998	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Fifth periodic report	22 September 2002	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Sixth periodic report	22 September 2006	30 October 2008(CEDAW/C/GNB/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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)	Forty-third (2008)
Second periodic report	20 September 1986	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
Third periodic report	20 September 1990	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
Fourth periodic report	20 September 1994	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
Fifth periodic report	20 September 1998	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
Sixth periodic report	20 September 2002	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
Seventh periodic report	20 September 2006	20 June 2008(CEDAW/C/HTI/1-7)	Forty-third (2008)
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)
Seventh periodic report	2 April 2008
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
Sixth periodic report	12 September 2008
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)
Fifth periodic report	2 November 2008	4 May 2009(CEDAW/C/ISR/5)
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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)
Third periodic report	25 September 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)
Seventh periodic report	8 April 2009	1 July 2009 (CEDAW/C/KEN/7)
Kiribati
Initial report	16 April 2005
Second periodic report	16 April 2009
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
Fourth periodic report	2 October 2007
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 and Add.1)	Thirtieth (2004)
Third periodic report	12 March 2006	27 February 2007(CEDAW/C/KGZ/3)	Forty-second (2008)
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Seventh periodic report	13 September 2006	25 May 2008(CEDAW/C/LAO/6-7)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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
Fifth periodic report	14 May 2009
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
Fourth periodic report	21 September 2008
Liberia
Initial report	16 August 1985	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Second periodic report	16 August 1989	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Third periodic report	16 August 1993	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Fourth periodic report	16 August 1997	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Fifth periodic report	16 August 2001	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Sixth periodic report	16 August 2005	30 September 2008(CEDAW/C/LBR/1-6)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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)	Forty-third (2008)
Third periodic report	15 June 1998	4 December 2008(CEDAW/C/LBY/5)	Forty-third (2008)
Fourth periodic report	15 June 2002	4 December 2008(CEDAW/C/LBY/5)	Forty-third (2008)
Fifth periodic report	15 June 2006	4 December 2008(CEDAW/C/LBY/5)	Forty-third (2008)
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)
Fourth periodic report	21 January 2009
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Third periodic report	16 April 1998	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)	Forty-second (2008)
Fourth periodic report	16 April 2002	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)	Forty-second (2008)
Fifth periodic report	16 April 2006	13 August 2007(CEDAW/C/MDG/2-5)	Forty-second (2008)
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)
Sixth periodic report	11 April 2008	9 October 2008(CEDAW/C/MWI/6)
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
Fourth periodic report	4 August 2008
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	18 May 2009(CEDAW/C/MLT/4)
Fifth periodic report	7 April 2008
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 2006
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	23 March 2007(CEDAW/C/MNG/7)	Forty-second (2008)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	23 March 2007(CEDAW/C/MNG/7)	Forty-second (2008)
Montenegro
Initial report	22 November 2007
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)	Forty-second (2008)
Third periodic report	21 August 2006	15 June 2007(CEDAW/C/MMR/2-3)	Forty-second (2008)
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
Fifth periodic report	22 May 2008
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 and Add.1 and 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 and 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) 4 May 2009(CEDAW/C/NLD/4/Add.2)	Thirty-seventh (2007)
Fifth periodic report	22 August 2008	15 August 2008(CEDAW/C/NLD/5) 1 July 2009(CEDAW/C/NLD/5/Add.1) 4 May 2009(CEDAW/C/NLD/5/Add.2)
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)
Third periodic report	8 November 2008	21 March 2009(CEDAW/C/NER/3-4)
Fourth periodic report	8 November 2012	21 March 2009(CEDAW/C/NER/3-4)
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)
Fourth periodic report	11 June 2009
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	20 February 2009(CEDAW/C/PNG/1-3)
Second periodic report	11 February 2000	20 February 2009(CEDAW/C/PNG/1-3)
Third periodic report	11 February 2004	20 February 2009(CEDAW/C/PNG/1-3)
Fourth periodic report	11 February 2008
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)
Sixth periodic report	6 May 2008
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)
Seventh periodic report	13 October 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)	Forty-second (2008)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	28 January 2008(CEDAW/C/PRT/7)	Forty-second (2008)
Qatar
Initial report	29 May 2010
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	16 February 2009(CEDAW/C/USR/6-7)
Seventh periodic report	3 September 2006	16 February 2009(CEDAW/C/USR/6-7)
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/6)	Forty-third (2008)
Fifth periodic report	3 September 1998	25 October 2006(CEDAW/C/RWA/6)	Forty-third (2008)
Sixth periodic report	3 September 2002	25 October 2006(CEDAW/C/RWA/6)	Forty-third (2008)
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)
Seventh periodic report	7 November 2007
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
Second periodic report	9 January 2009
Sao Tome and Principe
Initial report	3 July 2004
Second periodic report	3 July 2008
Saudi Arabia
Initial report	7 October 2001	12 September 2006(CEDAW/C/SAU/2)	Fortieth (2008)
Second periodic report	7 October 2005	12 September 2006(CEDAW/C/SAU/2)	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 and 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
Fifth periodic report	4 June 2009
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)
Fourth periodic report	4 November 2008	25 March 2009(CEDAW/C/SGP/4)
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)	Forty-second (2008)
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	2 July 2009(CEDAW/C/ZAF/2-4)
Third periodic report	14 January 2005	2 July 2009(CEDAW/C/ZAF/2-4)
Fourth periodic report	14 January 2009	2 July 2009(CEDAW/C/ZAF/2-4)
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Seventh periodic report	4 February 2009
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
Second periodic report	25 April 2009
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Syrian Arab Republic
Initial report	27 April 2004	25 August 2005(CEDAW/C/SYR/1)	Thirty-eighth (2007)
Second periodic report	27 April 2008
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
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
Seventh periodic report	26 October 2008
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	27 April 2009(CEDAW/C/TUN/5-6)
Sixth periodic report	20 October 2006	27 April 2009(CEDAW/C/TUN/5-6)
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	24 October 2009(CEDAW/C/TUR/6)
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)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Second periodic report	6 November 2004	2 July 2008(CEDAW/C/TUV/1-2)	Forty-fourth (2009)
Third periodic report	6 November 2008
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	19 March 2009(CEDAW/C/UGA/4-7)
Fifth periodic report	21 August 2002	19 March 2009(CEDAW/C/UGA/4-7)
Sixth periodic report	21 August 2006	19 March 2009(CEDAW/C/UGA/4-7)
Seventh periodic report	21 August 2010	19 March 2009(CEDAW/C/UGA/4-7)
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 and 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	8 August 2008(CEDAW/C/ARE/1)
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 and Add.1 and Add.2)	Forty-first (2008)
Sixth periodic report	7 May 2007	1 May 2007(CEDAW/C/UK/6 and 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)	Forty-second (2008)
Fifth periodic report	8 November 1998	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)	Forty-second (2008)
Sixth periodic report	8 November 2002	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)	Forty-second (2008)
Seventh periodic report	8 November 2006	8 June 2007(CEDAW/C/URY/7)	Forty-second (2008)
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)
Fourth periodic report	8 October 2008
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)
Seventh periodic report	1 June 2008
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)
Seventh periodic report	29 June 2009	3 June 2009(CEDAW/C/YEM/7)
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
Fifth periodic report	12 June 2008
Reports submitted on an exceptional basis
Bosnia and Herzegovina		1 February 1994(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.253)	Thirteenth (1994)
Croatia		6 December 1994(CEDAW/C/CRO/SP.1)	Fourteenth (1995)
Democratic Republic of the Congo	16 January 1997(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.317)	Sixteenth (1997)
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)
Rwanda		31 January 1996(oral report; see CEDAW/C/SR.306)	Fifteenth (1996)

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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Annex IX

States parties having submitted observations on concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

The following States parties submitted observations on concluding observations of the Committee at the end of the forty-second session: Ecuador and Madagascar.

The following States parties submitted observations on concluding observations of the Committee at the end of the forty-third session: Bahrain and Rwanda.

Annex X

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 twelfth 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 twelfth session from 21 to 23 July 2008. All members attended the session.

2.The Working Group adopted its agenda as set out in the appendix to the present report.

3.The Working Group discussed correspondence that had been received by the secretariat since its eleventh session and reviewed the status of seven pending communications.

4.The Working Group continued a discussion initiated at its eleventh session on its working methods in relation to the handling of correspondence addressed to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 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 (OHCHR) in Geneva. The Working Group emphasized the importance of staff from the OHCHR petitions unit, in particular the officer performing the login service dealing with correspondence, being fully aware of the scope of the Convention.

5.The Working Group reiterated the importance of the provision of translation and interpretation services in the working languages of all its members in order to allow it to function properly.

6.The Working Group discussed the practice of other treaty bodies with regard to voting during the adoption of decisions and views relating to communications, as well as the practice of the signing of attendance sheets, based on a note prepared by the secretariat, which drew upon the experience of other treaty bodies.

7.The Working Group discussed a report prepared by the secretariat on follow-up to views reflecting the practice and format used by other treaty bodies in their follow-up progress reports.

8.The Working Group discussed cases No. 14/2007 and No. 16/2007, which had been proposed for discontinuation. Cees Flinterman did not participate in the discussion of discontinuation in respect of case No. 14/2007 pursuant to rule 60 (1) c of the Committee’s rules of procedure.

9.The Working Group discussed proposals to revise the Committee’s model communication form.

10.The Working Group was briefed by the secretariat on activities carried out by OHCHR to promote awareness of various human rights instruments, including the Convention and its communications and inquiry procedures under the Optional Protocol.

Action taken

11.The Working Group:

(a)Decided that its thirteenth session would be held in Geneva from 15 to 17 October 2008 and adopted the provisional agenda for that session;

(b)Requested that its secretariat facilitate a meeting at the beginning of the thirteenth session between a representative of the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations (Geneva) and the Follow-up Rapporteurs relating to the follow-up to the views of the Committee on communication No. 4/2004 (A.S. v. Hungary), with a view to reporting to the Committee at its forty-second session on the outcome of the meeting;

(c)Recommended that the staff of the OHCHR petitions unit attend the thirteenth session of the Working Group. The agenda would include short presentations by experts on relevant topics intended to facilitate the unit’s handling of correspondence;

(d)Requested that more information be provided in relation to correspondence received, in particular correspondence classified as failing to meet admissibility requirements;

(e)Decided to keep its current rules of procedure relating to voting rights and to maintain its current practice with regard to the signing of attendance sheets at the time of adoption of decisions and views relating to communications;

(f)Registered a new case against Canada (communication No. 19/2008) and appointed Dorcas Coker-Appiah as Case Rapporteur;

(g)Requested its secretariat to prepare, for the thirteenth session, a draft model complaint form on the basis of the one used by the Human Rights Committee, the Committee against Torture and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with a view to further harmonizing practice with that of other treaty bodies;

(h)Decided to circulate summaries of registered cases to the members of the Committee pursuant to rule 59 (1) of the Committee’s rules of procedure.

12.The Working Group submitted the following matters for the Committee’s consideration and decision:

(a)A recommendation that the Committee consider discontinuing the examination of communication No. 14/2007 (L.P.H. v. the Netherlands), in the light of the information provided by the author’s counsel;

(b)A recommendation that the Committee consider discontinuing the examination of communication No. 16/2007 (B.I. v. Canada), in the light of the submissions made by the State party concerned;

(c)A recommendation that the Committee consider making follow-up reports on views a part of its annual report in accordance with rule 73 (7) of its rules of procedure.

Appendix

Agenda of the twelfth session of the Working Group

1.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

2.Review of steps and activities undertaken since the eleventh session.

3.Discussion of working methods, in particular the practice with regard to voting and the signing of attendance sheets for the adoption of decisions or views.

4.Discussion on follow-up procedures.

5.Discussion on communications No. 14/2007 and No. 16/2007 recommended for discontinuation.

6.Discussion on communication No. 15/2007.

7.Discussion on possible registration of a new communication.

8.Discussion on communications No. 17/2008 and No. 18/2008.

9.Discussion on proposals to revise the model communication form of the Committee.

10.Other business.

11.Adoption of the report of the Working Group on its twelfth session.

Annex XI

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 thirteenth 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 thirteenth session from 15 to 17 October 2008. All members attended the session.

2.The Working Group adopted its agenda as set out in the appendix to the present report.

3.The Working Group discussed correspondence that had been received by the secretariat since its twelfth session. Eight letters from individuals and organizations had been received. Three pieces of correspondence were in relation to States not parties to the Optional Protocol and three pieces of correspondence failed to meet other prima facie admissibility requirements. The secretariat was seeking further information from the authors in relation to two pieces of correspondence.

4.The Working Group, following the recommendation made at its twelfth session, held a fruitful debate with staff from the petitions unit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) about the routing and handling of correspondence received by the Office.

5.The Working Group was briefed by the secretariat on the practice of other treaty bodies relating to the examination of communications, in particular the criteria used to decide whether the admissibility of a communication should be examined prior to the submission of observations on the merits by the State party concerned.

6.The Working Group considered draft recommendations relating to three communications prepared by the respective Case Rapporteurs and reviewed the status of three other communications.

7.The Working Group considered the registration of a case against Cyprus but decided to postpone deciding on registration to allow the author time to provide further clarification. The secretariat informed the Working Group that a new communication had been received during the thirteenth session; a decision on registration would therefore be taken intersessionally after a summary had been prepared by the secretariat.

8.The Working Group was briefed by the Follow-up Rapporteurs to the views of the Committee on communication No. 4/2004 on their meeting with a representative of the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations (Geneva).

Action taken

9.The Working Group:

(a)Decided that its fourteenth session would be held in Geneva from 9 to 13 February 2009;

(b)Decided to maintain in its current format rule of procedure No. 69, relating to the handling of admissibility and merits, and to discuss it again once the Committee had built up more jurisprudence;

(c)Requested that an interactive dialogue with the OHCHR petitions unit be held once a year.

10.The Working Group submitted the following matters for the Committee’s consideration and decision:

(a)A recommendation that the Committee allocate more time during its sessions for its activities under the Optional Protocol in order to facilitate an in‑depth exchange of views between Committee members on individual cases;

(b)Draft recommendations relating to communications No. 12/2007, No. 13/2007 and No. 15/2007.

Appendix

Agenda of the thirteen session of the Working Group

1.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.

2.Review of steps and activities undertaken since the twelfth session.

3.Discussion of working methods, in particular the practice of “split requests” at other treaty bodies.

4.Discussion on cases No. 12/2007 and No. 13/2007.

5.Discussion on communication No. 15/2007.

6.Discussion on possible registration of a new communication.

7.Discussion on communications No. 17/2008 and No. 18/2008.

8.Other business.

9.Adoption of the report of the Working Group on its thirteenth session.

Annex XII

Report of the Committee under the Optional Protocol on follow-up to views of the Committee on individual communications

1.Under paragraphs 4 and 5 of article 7 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (General Assembly resolution 54/4, annex), States parties are obliged to give due consideration to the views and recommendations of the Committee, if any, and to submit follow-up information within six months. Further information may also be sought from the State party, including in its subsequent reports. Rule 73 of the Committee’s rules of procedure relates to the procedure for follow-up on its views, in particular the designation and functions of the rapporteur or working group on follow-up. Rule 74a states that information on follow-up, including the decisions of the Committee on follow-up, shall not be confidential unless otherwise decided by the Committee.

2.During its eighth session, held from 2 to 4 August 2006, prior to the thirty-sixth session of the Committee, the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol discussed the first ad hoc mechanism established by the Committee in the area of follow-up to views, namely the designation of two rapporteurs on follow-up to the Committee’s views on A.T. v. Hungary (communication No. 2/2003). The Working Group recommended that the Committee (a) refrain from setting up a permanent follow-up mechanism for the time being and instead, in conformity with rule 73 of its rules of procedure, continue to undertake follow-up on an ad hoc basis; (b) entrust the Working Group with follow-up activities for the time being; (c) continue to appoint two rapporteurs on follow-up to views, preferably the case rapporteur, when feasible, and a member of the Working Group; and (d) once it had deemed that satisfactory follow-up information had been received from the State party concerned, and in accordance with article 7, paragraph 5, of the Optional Protocol, invite that State party to submit further information about any measures taken in its subsequent reports under article 18 of the Convention, and relieve the follow-up rapporteurs of their duties and reflect such action in its annual report.

3.During its ninth session, held from 5 to 7 February 2007, prior to the thirty-seventh session of the Committee, the Working Group recommended that the Committee appoint Anamah Tan and Pramila Patten as rapporteurs on follow-up to the views of the Committee on A.S. v. Hungary (communication No. 4/2004). During its tenth session, held from 18 to 20 July 2007, the Follow-up Rapporteurs briefed the Working Group on the latest submission of the State party submitted in response to the Committee’s request for further information. During the eleventh session, held from 9 to 11 January 2008, the Follow-up Rapporteurs briefed the Committee on the follow-up to the Committee’s views on communication No. 4/2004, and requested the Secretariat to facilitate a meeting between them and a representative of the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations (Geneva).

4.During its twelfth session, held from 21 to 23 July 2008, as part of the harmonization process and for the purposes of ensuring consistency with other treaty bodies, which all now implement follow-up procedures and issue follow-up reports, the Working Group recommended to the Committee that it adopt follow-up reports on views at each session. Such an approach was considered even more relevant for the Committee in the light of the fact that it is the first committee to have, as mentioned above, codified States parties’ obligations in the treaty itself (rather than simply in the rules of procedure) to give due consideration to the Committee’s views and provide information thereon. The publication of these reports in the annual report, which would include summaries of follow-up responses, would highlight the importance of this part of the Committee’s work and allow other stakeholders access to information on follow-up. The Working Group recalled that, as mentioned above, under its rules of procedure information on follow-up shall not be confidential unless otherwise decided by the Committee. This is also the approach taken by other treaty bodies.

5.The Working Group recommended that a follow-up report containing information received from the States parties and/or authors since the previous session should be prepared under the direction of the rapporteur(s) on follow-up or the Working Group for each session of the Committee. The three interim follow-up reports would then be compiled and published in the Committee’s annual report. The reports should adopt a format similar to that adopted by the other treaty bodies, providing, inter alia, a summary of the information provided by the State party, any information provided by the author and a “decision” of the Committee. In situations where the Committee does not make a final decision on the nature of a State party’s response, it should state that “the dialogue is ongoing”. Where a satisfactory response has been received, the case should be closed, as the Committee has already done in the case of A.T. v. Hungary (communication No. 2/2003). The Committee agreed to the Working Group’s recommendations and adopted, at its forty-second session, a follow-up report submitted to it by the Working Group and, at its forty-third session, an oral follow-up report.

6.The contents of those two reports are set out below and consist of a summary of all information received by the Committee on follow-up to its views from the authors and States parties up to the end of the forty-third session. Each subsequent annual report will contain a section compiling information from the follow-up reports.

State party	Austria
Case	Sahide Goekce (deceased), 5/2005
Views adopted on	6 August 2007
Issues and violations found	Right to life and physical and mental integrity: article 2 (a) and (c) through (f), and article 3 of the Convention, in conjunction with article 1
Remedy recommended	(a)Strengthen implementation and monitoring of the Federal Act for the Protection against Violence within the Family and related criminal law by acting with due diligence to prevent and respond to such violence against women and adequately providing for sanctions for the failure to do so;
	(b)Vigilantly and in a speedy manner prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence in order to convey to offenders and the public that society condemns domestic violence; ensure that criminal and civil remedies are utilized in cases where the perpetrator in a domestic violence situation poses a dangerous threat to the victim; and also ensure that in all action taken to protect women from violence, due consideration is given to the safety of women, emphasizing that the perpetrator’s rights cannot supersede women’s human rights to life and to physical and mental integrity;
	(c)Ensure enhanced coordination among law enforcement and judicial officers and also ensure that all levels of the criminal justice system (police, public prosecutors and judges) routinely cooperate with non-governmental organizations that work to protect and support women victims of gender-based violence;
	(d)Strengthen training programmes and education on domestic violence for judges, lawyers and law enforcement officials, including on the Convention, the Optional Protocol thereto and general recommendation No. 19 of the Committee.
Due date for State party response	20 February 2008
Date of reply	27 January 2009 (the State party had responded on 14 March 2008)
State party response	On 14 March 2008, the State party informed the Committee of the establishment of intervention centres that must be informed of any police action in cases of domestic violence. The role of the centres is to establish contact with the victim to whom they offer support. The State party has increased the financial resources allocated to these centres from €3,368,324.97 in 2006 to €5,459,208 in 2007 and €5,630,740 in 2008. These centres, in conjunction with the University of Vienna, are conducting a study on domestic violence.
	The State party submitted that, in the area of criminal justice, amendments had been made to the Code of Criminal Procedure and came into effect on 1 January 2008;victims exposed to violence had the right to free psychosocial and legal expertise throughout criminal proceedings; the obligation to interrogate victims of violence in a way that minimizes their distress had been extended to include the trial itself; instead of arresting a perpetrator pending further investigation,“more lenient means”might be employed, such as pledges and orders to refrain from contacting the victim or returning to the family home; pretrial detention might be imposed if the offender contravened the order or pledge; victims had the right to be informed of the release of the defendant from pretrial detention; the requirement that a victim had to give her authorization for criminal prosecution was eliminated as of 1 July 2006 to relieve victims of the pressure exerted by their families to withdraw their authorization for criminal prosecution; and there was a requirement that criminal proceedings be speeded up. In addition, specifically trained public prosecutors would process cases on domestic violence; the heads of all prosecutor’s offices and public prosecution directorates were informed in detail of the Committee’s views; and a working group and round-table discussions had been set up in line with the Committee’s recommendation on improving cooperation between the public prosecution authorities and non-governmental organizations. The State party reminded the Committee of various articles of the Police Act relating to barring and protection orders and the options open to the public prosecutor on how to deal with an alleged abuser prior to trial. Improvements relating to the intervention of public prosecution authorities and the courts in domestic violence cases included broadening of the decision-making basis in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of each case of domestic violence and establishing the facts and past histories so that the public prosecutor had a complete picture of all the known facts, including whether any other authority had reacted to the incident. With regard to further training, the particular relevance of the right to protection against violence was emphasized during the preparatory period for bar exams and further training was planned for members of the legal profession, as were seminars and workshops for training police officers, many of which were carried out with the cooperation of non‑governmental organizations, and initiatives toraise awareness among boys and youths of the importance of combating violence. In addition, an attempt was being made to hire individuals with a migrant background for the police service and to create awareness among the public about the helpline for victims of violence. An unofficial German translation of the viewshad been published, including on the homepage of the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of Justice. On 27 January 2009, the State party responded to the Committee’s questions and the authors’ arguments as follows: it informed the Committee of a federal bill on a Second Act for the Protection against Violence within the Family currently being considered by the Austrian National Council. The aim of the bill was to eliminate gaps left by the first Act (in particular with respect to injunctions) but notably to grant victims the same rights in civil proceedings as they already had in criminal proceedings including the same psychosocial and legal support throughout civil proceedings, the right to be questioned separately and the right not to disclose their domicile. The bill also stipulated that repeated acts of violence be defined as a separate offence under the heading “continued use of violence” pursuant to Section 107(b) of the Penal Code. On the issue of more lenient means, the State party referred to the principle of the presumption of innocence and submitted that the advantage of more lenient means as compared to other measures of law enforcement or temporary injunctions lay in the fact that non-compliance with obligations imposed on the perpetrator could be sanctioned by his immediate pretrial detention. The request that such detention should be automatically ordered if the perpetrator failed to meet the conditions imposed on him would not be appropriate and should be decided upon on a case-by-case basis taking into account inter aliathe principle of proportionality. On the issue of data and statistical recording, the State party agreed with many of the author’s points and submitted that the transfer of personal data to suitable victim protection facilities, such as intervention centres, was permissible provided that it was necessary to protect the individuals at risk and that all police interventions in the cases of domestic violence were registered in the official statistics on protection against violence. The State party acknowledged that it was not currently possible to have an accurate statistical record of crimes against women in their immediate social surroundings. In the light of this, a working party was set up by the Federal Ministry in May 2007 and entrusted with the task of improving data collection and processing for the criminal justice system. The State party also stated that special units of specially trained public prosecutors had been set up in 10 locations by 1 June 2008 and that 90 more were due to be set up. The State party then described various training courses that had taken place since then. In addition, an advanced training course to judges and public prosecutors had been held in 2008 on victim protection and domestic violence and another such programme would be held in 2009. Training courses for police officers had also been held, and the goal had been set to post at least one male and one female law enforcement officer with a migration background in each of the 98 Vienna police inspectorates by the end of 2012. The State party also described several conferences and exhibitions that had been organized on the issue of domestic violence.
Author ’ s response	The State party’s response was sent to the author’s counsel on 28 March 2008, with a deadline for comment of 28May 2008. The author’s counsel subsequently stated that it would not be able to provide its comments until 18June.
	On 17 June 2008, the counsel provided very detailed comments on the State party’s response, welcoming all the efforts made by the State party to implement the decision, including the amendments to the Criminal Code, except the measure of “more lenient means”for the accused perpetrator. The counsel was concerned about the effectiveness of that measure in protecting women victims of violence from violent acts and referred to the facts of the two cases in point as examples of situations where such measures had resulted in the death of the victims. The counsel made several recommendations in this regard, including the following: if there are legal grounds for pretrial detention, they should be applied to guarantee the safety of the victim; if “more lenient means” are applied, a swift information exchange between all agencies should be guaranteed; detention should be imposed immediately in the event that the more lenient measure is breached; and a breach of civil law protection orders should be made a criminal offence.
	The counsel also stressed the urgent need for the systematic collection of data and the yearly publication of statistics as the only means of evaluating the implementation level and effectiveness of legal measures to prevent violence and protect victims. While recognizing the steps taken by the State party to increase the financial resources of the intervention centres, further resources would be needed in the next few years to improve support for high-risk victims who needed intensive help and assistance, especially when trying to leave the perpetrator. The police should be obliged to report all cases of police intervention in domestic violence to the regional intervention centres so as to prevent gaps in effective victim protection. The counsel suggested that the study planned by the Ministry of the Interior should be researched by independent research institutions with expertise in the area of violence against women. While welcoming the regulation issued by the Ministry of Justice stipulating that the public prosecutor’s offices must assign cases of violence in the immediate social environs to one (or more) specialized prosecutor, that regulation had not yet been implemented. The counsel also noted that the meetings of the working group and the “roundtable” had not yet taken place; that, in any event, they needed to have clear goals and structures to make them efficient; and that meetings of the proposed working group should take place two or three times a year and they should be evaluated after three years. The counsel regretted that the working group had not focused on violence against women but rather on domestic violence and recommended the setting up of a regular inter-ministerial and interdisciplinary working group focusing on violence against women, to be coordinated by the Minister for Women, with the goal of developing and implementing a coordinated policy on the elimination of violence against women. The counsel appreciated the efforts made to introduce training on the issue of violence against women for actors in the criminal justice system and suggested a standard number of hours of training necessary per profession. The author’s counsel also recommended that specialized police officers rather than prevention officers deal with domestic violence cases and considered that it was unfortunate that the magistrates, judges, police and other relevant State agencies had not been informed of the Committee’s recommendations and suggested other places where the Committee’s decisions should be published.
Committee ’ s d ecision	The Committee considers the dialogue ongoing.

State party	Austria
Case	Fatma Yildirim (deceased), 6/2005
Views adopted on	6 August 2007
Issues and violations found	Right to life and physical and mental integrity: article 2 (a) and (c) through (f), and article 3 of the Convention, read in conjunction with article 1
Remedy recommended	(a)Strengthen implementation and monitoring of the Federal Act for the Protection against Violence within the Family and related criminal law by acting with due diligence to prevent and respond to such violence against women and adequately providing for sanctions for the failure to do so;
	(b)Vigilantly and in a speedy manner prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence in order to convey to offenders and the public that society condemns domestic violence; ensure that criminal and civil remedies are utilized in cases where the perpetrator in a domestic violence situation poses a dangerous threat to the victim; and also ensure that in all action taken to protect women from violence, due consideration is given to the safety of women, emphasizing that the perpetrator’s rights cannot supersede women’s human rights to life and to physical and mental integrity;
	(c)Ensure enhanced coordination among law enforcement and judicial officers, and also ensure that all levels of the criminal justice system (police, public prosecutors, judges) routinely cooperate with non-governmental organizations that work to protect and support women victims of gender-based violence;
	(d)Strengthen training programmes and education on domestic violence for judges, lawyers and law enforcement officials, including on the Convention, the Optional Protocol thereto and general recommendation No. 19 of the Committee.
Due date for State party response	20 February 2008
Date of reply	14 March 2008
State party response	See State party response to Sahide Goekce (5/2005)
Author ’ s comments	The State party’s response was sent to the author’s counsel on 28 March 2008 with a deadline for comments of 28 May 2008. The author’s counsel subsequently stated that it would not be able to provide its comments until 18 June.
	On 17 June 2008, the counsel provided very detailed comments on the State party’s response, welcoming all the efforts made by the State party to implement the decision, including the amendments to the Criminal Code, except the measure of “more lenient means” for the accused perpetrator. The counsel was concerned about the effectiveness of that measure in protecting women victims of violence from violent acts and referred to the facts of the two cases in point as examples of situations where such measures had resulted in the death of the victims. The counsel made several recommendations in this regard, including the following: if there are legal grounds for pretrial detention, they should be applied to guarantee the safety of the victim; if “more lenient means” are applied, a swift information exchange between all agencies should be guaranteed; detention should be imposed immediately in the event that the more lenient measure is breached; and a breach of civil law protection orders should be made a criminal offence.
	The counsel also stressed the urgent need for the systematic collection of data and the yearly publication of statistics as the only means of evaluating the implementation level and effectiveness of legal measures to prevent violence and protect victims. While recognizing the steps taken by the State party to increase the financial resources of the intervention centres, further resources would be needed in the next few years to improve support for high-risk victims who needed intensive help and assistance, especially when trying to leave the perpetrator. The police should be obliged to report all cases of police interventionin domestic violence to the regional intervention centres so as to prevent gaps in effective victim protection. The counsel suggested that the study planned by the Ministry of the Interior should be researched by independent research institutions with expertise in the area of violence against women. While welcoming the regulation issued by the Ministry of Justice stipulating that the public prosecutor’s offices must assign cases of violence in the immediate social environs to one (or more) specialized prosecutor, that regulation had not yet been implemented. The counsel also noted that the meetings of the working group and the “round table” had not yet taken place; that, in any event, they needed to have clear goals and structures to make them efficient; and that meetings of the proposed working group should take place two or three times a year and they should be evaluated after three years. The counsel regretted that the working group had not focused on violence against women but rather on domestic violence and recommended the setting up of a regular inter-ministerial and interdisciplinary working group focusing on violence against women, to be coordinated by the Minister for Women, with the goal of developing and implementing a coordinated policy on the elimination of violence against women. The counsel appreciated the efforts made to introduce training on the issue of violence against women for actors in the criminal justice system and suggested a standard number of hours of training necessary per profession. The author’s counsel also recommended that specialized police officers rather than prevention officers deal with domestic violence cases and considered that it was unfortunate that the magistrates, judges, police and other relevant State agencies had not been informed of the Committee’s recommendations and suggested other places where the Committee’s decisions should be published.
Committee ’ s decision	The Committee considers the dialogue ongoing.

State party	Hungary
Case	A.S., 4/2004
Views adopted on	14 August 2006
Issues and violations found	Failure to provide information and advice on family planning, to ensure that full informed consent was received for sterilization and permanent deprivation of the reproductive cycle: articles 10 (h), 12 and 16, paragraph 1 (e), of the Convention
Remedy recommended	(a)Provide appropriate compensation to A.S. commensurate with the gravity of the violations of her rights;
	(b)Take further measures to ensure that the relevant provisions of the Convention and the pertinent paragraphs of the Committee’s general recommendations Nos. 19, 21 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;
	(c)Review domestic legislation on the principle of informed consent in cases of sterilization and ensure that it is in conformity with international human rights and medical standards, including the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine (“the Oviedo Convention”) and World Health Organization guidelines. In that connection, consider amending the provision in the Public Health Act whereby a physician is allowed to deliver the sterilization without the information procedure generally specified when it seems to be appropriate in given circumstances;
	(d)Monitor public and private health centres, including hospitals and clinics, that perform sterilization procedures so as to ensure that fully informed consent is given by the patient before any sterilization procedure is carried out, with appropriate sanctions in place in the event of a breach.
Due date for State party response	22 February 2007
Date of reply	12 April and 17 July 2007
State party response	On 12 April 2007, the State party informed the Committee that, on 22 September 2006, an interdepartmental working group had been set up by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health to consider how to implement the Committee’s views.
	On the issue of compensation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs requested the Public Foundation for the Rights of Patients Welfare Recipients and Children, a body established by the Government, to advise on the amount of compensation to be given and to meet the requirements as set out in the Committee’s recommendation.
	The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health would organize a joint seminar on drafting a methodology circular. A package of informational documents, including on the Committee and its general recommendations, would be delivered to the gynaecological wards in all county hospitals. As to the request to amend its legislation, the State party argued that its domestic statutes were in conformity with its international commitments and that no amendment was required.
	On the recommendation to monitor health centres, the State party submitted that inspection of sterilization procedures would henceforth be arranged and included in the annual workplan; the Health Department and Health Authority would elaborate and issue a common guideline; the National Professional Oversight Methodological Centre would also integrate in its 2007 workplan for the professional monitoring of health-care institutions the inspection of occurrences relating to discrimination against women; and the Health Department would elaborate a recommendation emphasizing women’s human rights and target future employees of health-care institutions.
	On 17 July 2007, the State party responded to the Committee’s note verbale of 6 June 2007 (see below), providing detailed responses to the Committee’s questions. It submitted that the issue of compensation fell outside the scope of the work of the Public Foundation for the Rights of Patients, Welfare Recipients and Children, as the case had already gone through the court system. It also stated, inter alia that the national seminar, which was to be held in October-November 2007, would be the basis for the drafting of the methodological letter and a recommendation to physicians on the human rights of women; the information packages had been distributed to all county hospitals; health documentation, including that relating to sterilizations, would be kept for at least 30 years; and medical education included courses connected with the health of women. It also provided detailed information on the role of national medical supervisors and the operation of institutions representing patients’ rights. Finally, the State party reiterated that there was no need to amend its legislation arguing, inter alia, that the general provisions on information were also applicable for sterilizations performed for health reasons and that, therefore, special information was not necessary. As to the discretionary powers of physicians, the State party argued that the conditions must be concurrent, i.e., that there would be a direct threat to the life or physical soundness of the mother or a high probability of a serious deficiency in the child to be born and that no other method of contraception was possible or recommended. For the State party, the discretionary powers were thus very limited.
Author ’ s response	On 31 July 2007, the author provided a detailed commentary on the State party’s submission, maintaining that the measures outlined by the State party were not sufficient for the implementation of the Committee’s views. The author argued, inter alia, that the compensation provided should be commensurate with the violation suffered and suggested a figure of 3 million Hungarian forints (approximately 12,000 euros); the measures taken by the State party to ensure that the relevant provisions of the Convention and the Committee’s views were known and adhered to by all relevant personnel were vague and inadequate and that they had not reached many important stakeholders; the Ethical Code should be amended; the text of the Convention and recommendations of the Committee were not easily accessible and should be distributed more widely; medical ethics and reproductive rights should have a higher priority in the medical curriculum; existing mechanisms for redress should be strengthened; standard rules on counselling should be laid down; there should be appropriate sanctions in cases of forced sterilization; and the Public Health Act should be amended in line with the Committee’s recommendation on informed consent. The author provided suggestions for several amendments to the Public Health Act, including information on the permanent nature of the operation. She denied that sterilization ever has a “life-saving” function, as argued by the State party, and was concerned that the special information procedure and waiting period were not required when the sterilization had a “medical indication” based on the opinion of the doctor. The State party’s view that it was obvious that it was not necessary to inform the applicant on other alternatives of contraception, as the medical indication presupposed that the patient could not use other methods of contraception for health reasons, disregarded the contraceptive options of the male partner. She recommended that the compulsory waiting period for sterilization for family planning reasons should be reduced; the chance of withdrawing the request for sterilization at any time should once again be part of national law; and the concept of medical indications for sterilization should be reconsidered, as such a justification had often been abused and thus removed from the legal provisions of many countries. It was never appropriate for a doctor to make this decision for another person. She also requested a public apology from the State party.
Further action taken or required	On 5 June 2007, the Rapporteurs met with a representative of the State party at United Nations Headquarters.
	Following that meeting, the Rapporteurs sent a note verbale, dated 6 June 2007, on behalf of the Committee to the State party requesting further information, including whether advice had been given on the amount of compensation to be given to the author and whether she had received it; the proposed date for the seminar; the timetable for the drafting of the methodology circular; and the development of the recommendation to introduce a component on women’s health issues into medical training; the timeline for the issuance of the common protocol by the Health Department and the Health Authority as well as for the elaboration of the recommendation on women’s human rights; and whether the package of documents would be distributed to public and private institutions, including hospitals and clinics.
	The Committee reiterated its recommendation that consideration be given to amending paragraph 187 (a) of the Public Health Act, whereby, according to the Com mittee, a physician is allowed to deliver the sterilization without the information procedure generally specified when it seems to be appropriate in given circumstances; and recommended that records of all sterilization procedures conducted in both public and private health institutions be kept on a regular basis. It commended the State party on the efforts made to better monitor sterilization procedures.
	On 25 January 2008, the R apporteurs met with a representative of the State party at the United Nations Office at Geneva, during which the R apporteurs were informed that the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health were actively consulting on the provision of compensation for the author of the communication.
	Following that meeting, a note verbale, dated 31 January 2008, was sent to the State party requesting it to ensure that the compensation be commensurate with the gravity of the violations of the author ’ s rights. On 16 June, the Secretariat contacted the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations ( Geneva ) with a view to following up on the note verbale. The Permanent R epresentative stated that she would contact her capital to see if any updated information could be provided to the Committee before its session in July. On 15 October 2008, the Rapporteurs met again with the State party representative, during the forty-second session of the Committee. The representative provided the Rapporteurs with oral information on the follow-up to this case, in particular on further amendments to legislation arising from the Committee’s decision, as well as information on the development of a legal framework to enable the State party inter alia to provide compensation to complainants following violations of their rights under the Covenant. He also informed the Rapporteurs about the provision of psychiatric support for the author. During that meeting, the Rapporteurs indicated that the State party had already paid compensation following judgements of the European Court of Human Rights apparently without the necessity of a legal framework; the State party representative requested copies of such decisions. Those decisions were subsequently forwarded to the Permanent Mission with a request for a written update on the follow-up to this case.
Committee ’ s decision	The Committee considers the dialogue ongoing.

State party	Hungary
Case	A.T., 2/2003
Views adopted on	26 January 2005
Issues and violations found	Domestic violence: article 2 (a), (b) and (e) and article 5 (a), in conjunction with article 16 of the Convention
Remedy recommended	Take immediate and effective measures to guarantee the physical and mental integrity of A.T. and her family; ensure that A.T. is given a safe home in which to live with her children, including appropriate child support and legal assistance, and that she receives reparation proportionate to the physical and mental harm undergone and to the gravity of the violations of her rights; respect, protect, promote and fulfil women’s human rights, including their right to be free from all forms of domestic violence, including intimidation and threats of violence; assure victims of domestic violence the maximum protection of the law by acting with due diligence to prevent and respond to such violence against women; take all necessary measures to ensure that the national strategy for the prevention and effective treatment of violence within the family is promptly implemented and evaluated; take all necessary measures to provide regular training on the provisions of the Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto for judges, lawyers and law enforcement officials; implement expeditiously and without delay the Committee’s concluding comments of August 2002 on the combined fourth and fifth periodic report of Hungary in respect of violence against women and girls, in particular the Committee’s recommendation that a specific law be introduced prohibiting domestic violence against women that would provide for protection and exclusion orders as well as support services, including shelters; investigate promptly, thoroughly, impartially and seriously all allegations of domestic violence and bring the offenders to justice in accordance with international standards; provide victims of domestic violence with safe and prompt access to justice, including free legal aid where necessary, to ensure them available, effective and sufficient remedies and rehabilitation; and provide offenders with rehabilitation programmes and programmes on non-violent conflict resolution methods.
Due date for State party response	3 August 2005
Date of reply	5 August 2005
State party response	The State party submitted that the question of the ownership of the dwelling in which the author resided and owned jointly with F.L. would be settled by the court and that the review of such a court decision could not be undertaken by any other branch of the State. The author was offered a public rented flat, which she refused, in the State party’s view, for unacceptable reasons, including the fact that it was not suitable for her disabled son. According to the State party, the author’s current residence, which was on the third floor, was not fully accessible to her son either. It submitted that the author was in receipt of all of the services and benefits she was entitled to in view of her income and financial position. As to compensation, this was an issue of private law to be dealt with by the court, i.e. whether the author’s rights had been breached by F.L. The State party informed the Committee that restraining orders were being introduced into its national law and that the bill should enter into force on 1 January 2006. Since January 2004, crisis service centres had been set up to provide assistance to women victims of violence who had suffered or were threatened with domestic family violence. In December 2004, a 24-hour crisis telephone service was set up, as well as a child protection system, accommodation for victims of violation without children and a secret closed shelter.
	On 10 July 2006, the State party responded to the Committee’s note verbale of 6 June 2006. It reiterated the information previously provided and informed the Committee of its understanding that the author’s housing problems had been solved. Her flat had been sold and the sum received divided between herself and L.F. She currently lived in a rented flat with her children and L.F. was obliged to pay maintenance. After entry into force of Act LXXX of 2003, the author had the right to free legal aid although the State party was unaware of whether she had applied for it. The State party also referred to the adoption of new legislation, including the Equal Treatment Act CXXV of 2003, adopted on 22 December 2003, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, marital status and pregnancy; Act CXXXII of 2004, which amended the Criminal Procedures Act XIX of 1998 and introduced the urgency procedure that also concerns the subject of domestic violence; Act XCI of 2005 amending Act IV of 1978 on the Criminal Code, which introduced the restraining order as a rule of conduct under the supervision of the probation officer; an amendment to Act XIX of 1998 on criminal procedure, adopted on 13 February 2006, which includes the restraining order as a new coercive measure; and Act CXXXVI of 2004, which amended Act XXXI of 1997, on the protection of children by which the prohibition of child abuse has been incorporated into the Hungarian legal system. The State party stated that as the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act concerning restraining orders had only entered into force on 1 July 2006, it had no available data on the application of the legislation at that stage. The State party also provided further information on the measures relating to shelters, the training of professionals and the implementation of the national strategy on prevention and effective treatment of domestic violence.
Author ’ s response	On 9 January 2006, the author commented on the State party’s submission, stating that she had refused public housing since, because it was only being offered as a temporary placement until the ownership of her own flat was resolved, there would have been no possibility of returning to her own flat if she had left and the public flat was not accessible for her disabled son, unlike her current flat which had a ramp and a lift. The author claimed that this had been agreed at the meeting with the Ministry; that, furthermore, she had not been provided with any legal aid; that, other than a free ride once a week to his institution, her son’s situation had not been resolved; and that she had not been paid any compensation. She also claimed that the restraining order was limited, and not linked with domestic violence, and that there was no legislation defining domestic violence and stalking. The existing services for battered women were limited and the establishment of one crisis centre and a Government-operated hotline service was inadequate for 10 million inhabitants. The State party did not consider domestic violence as a gender-based problem, and had limited collaboration with expert non-governmental organizations in the field.
Further action taken or required	On 31 May 2006, the R apporteurs met with a representative of the State party at United Nations Headquarters.
	Following the meeting, the Rapporteurs sent a note verbale, dated 6 June 2006, on behalf of the Committee to the State party requesting further information, including information on the measures that had been put in place to guarantee the safety of the author and her children; whether the author had been or would be compensated for the violations of her rights; whether restraining orders had been issued under Act XVI of 2005 vis-à-vis convicted perpetrators of domestic violence against women; and the specific circumstances in which such restraining and protection orders could be issued against non-convicted perpetrators of domestic violence against women and whether such orders had even been issued.
Committee ’ s decision	At its thirty-sixth session, the Committee decided to bring the conside ration of the follow-up to its v iews on this case to a close and that any further information on follow-up to the v iews on this communication would be requested under the reporting procedure of the Convention.

Part Two

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

19 January-6 February 2009

Chapter I

Matters brought to the attention of the States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Decision 43/I

At its forty-third session, the Committee elected its Chairperson for the period 2009-2010 from the African Group, on the understanding that the next regional group in the rotation would be the Latin American and Caribbean Group, for the period 2011-2012. Thereafter, when electing the Chairperson, due consideration should be given, wherever possible, to the principle of rotation among the regional groups in the following order: Western European and Others Group, Asian Group, Eastern European Group, African Group and Latin American and Caribbean Group.

Decision 43/II

The Committee adopted a statement on the international financial crisis and its consequences for the human rights of women and girls. (See annex I to part two of the present report.)

Decision 43/III

The Committee adopted a statement on the situation in Gaza. (See annex II to part two of the present report.)

Chapter II

Organizational and other matters

A.States parties to the Convention and to the Optional Protocol

1.As at 6 February 2009, the closing date of the forty-third 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. Fifty-three States parties had accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the Committee’s meeting time. A further 70 States parties were required to accept the amendment in order for the acceptance by two thirds of the States parties to be achieved, thereby bringing the amendment into force.

2.As at the same date, there were 96 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention.

3.A list of the States parties to the Convention as at 30 June 2009, a list of the States parties having accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention as at 30 June 2009, and a list of the States parties having signed, ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention as at 30 June 2009 are contained in annexes III to V to part one of the present report.

B.Opening of the session

4.The Committee held its forty-third session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 19 January to 6 February 2009. The Committee held 19 plenary meetings (868th-886th). The Committee also held closed meetings to discuss agenda items 6 to 8. A list of the documents before the Committee at its forty-second and forty-third sessions is contained in annex VI to part one of the present report.

5.The session was opened by the Chairperson, Dubravka Šimonović. The Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaties Division of that Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) addressed the Committee at its 868th meeting.

C.Adoption of the agenda and organization of work

6.The Committee adopted at its 868th meeting the provisional agenda for the forty-third session (CEDAW/C/2009/I/1), as amended to consider the report of Rwanda on 4 February.

D.Solemn declaration by the new members of the Committee

7.At the opening meeting of the forty-third session (868th meeting) and before assuming their functions, the members elected at the fifteenth meeting of States parties to the Convention, on 30 July 2008, made the solemn declaration provided for in rule 15 of the Committee’s rules of procedure. The new members were Nicole Ameline, Violet Awori, Barbara Bailey, Niklas Bruun, Indira Jaising, Soledad Murillo de la Vega, Victoria Popescu and Zohra Rasekh.

E.Election of officers

8.At its 868th meeting, on 20 January, the Committee, in accordance with article 19 of the Convention, elected by acclamation the following officers to serve for a term of two years: Naéla Gabr (Chairperson); Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Silvia Pimentel and Xiaoqiao Zou (Vice-Chairpersons); and Violeta Neubauer (Rapporteur).

F.Report of the pre-session working group

9.The report of the pre-session working group, which had met from 21 to 25 July 2008, was presented by its Chairperson, Violeta Neubauer, at the 868th meeting.

G.Organization of work

10.The Chief a.i. of the Human Rights Treaties Branch of OHCHR presented reports submitted under agenda item 7, Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/2009/I/3 and Add.1), and agenda item 8, Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee (CEDAW/C/2009/I/4).

11.On 19 and 26 January, the Committee held informal public meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations, who provided information about the implementation of the Convention in the States parties reporting to the forty-third session. The Committee also met in closed meetings with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, a representative of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and a representative of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

H.Membership of the Committee

12.All members attended the forty-third session. Nicole Ameline attended from 19 to 23 January and from 27 January to 5 February; Fardous Begum from 4 to 13 February; Saisuree Chutikul on 19 January and from 26 January to 6 February; Ruth Halperin-Kaddari from 19 to 29 January and from 2 to 6 February; and Yoko Hayashi from 23 January to 6 February. The Committee recalled that South Africa had not yet nominated a member to replace Hazel Gumede Shelton, who had resigned from the Committee in 2007. A list of the members of the Committee as at 1 January 2009, indicating the duration of their terms of office, is contained in annex III to part two of the present report.

I.Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol

13.The following members were appointed to serve on the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol for a term of two years: Magalys Arocha Dominguez, Cornelis Flinterman, Yoko Hayashi, Pramila Patten and Dubravka Šimonović.

Chapter III

Report of the Chairperson on the activities undertaken between the forty-second and forty-third sessions

14.At the 868th meeting, the Chairperson presented a report on the activities she had undertaken since the forty-second session.

Chapter IV

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

15.At its forty-third session, the Committee considered the reports of eight States parties submitted under article 18 of the Convention: the combined initial second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh periodic report of one State party; the combined second and third periodic report of one State party; the combined second, third, fourth and fifth 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 sixth periodic report of one State party; and the seventh periodic report of one State party. One State party was considered in the absence of a report. Information on the status of submission and consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention as at 30 June 2009 is provided in annex VIII to part one of the present report.

16.The Committee prepared concluding observations on each of the reports considered. Those observations are available through the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org/) under the symbols indicated below:

Armenia	(CEDAW/C/ARM/CO/4/Rev.1)
Cameroon	(CEDAW/C/CMR/CO/3)
Dominica	(CEDAW/C/DMA/CO/AR)
Germany	(CEDAW/C/DEU/CO/6)
Guatemala	(CEDAW/C/GUA/CO/7)
Haiti	(CEDAW/C/HTI/CO/7)
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	(CEDAW/C/LBY/CO/5)
Rwanda	(CEDAW/C/RWA/CO/6)

Information on States parties having submitted observations on concluding observations of the Committee at the end of the forty-third session is provided in annex IX to part one of the present report.

Chapter V

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

17.Article 12 of the Optional Protocol provides that the Committee shall include in its annual report a summary of its activities carried out under the Optional Protocol.

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

18.The Committee discussed activities carried out but took no action in respect of issues arising under article 2 of the Optional Protocol.

B.Follow-up to views of the Committee on individual communications

19.The Committee considered follow-up information on its views on individual communications. That information, as well as any decisions taken by the Committee in that regard, is contained in annex XII to part one of the present report.

Chapter VI

Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee

20.The Committee considered agenda item 8, Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee, at its 868th and 886th meetings, on 20 January and 6 February, and in several closed meetings.

Members of the pre-session working group for the forty-sixth session of the Committee

21.The Committee designated the following experts as members of the pre‑session working group for the forty-sixth session, which would meet from 10 to 14 August 2009:

Nicole AmelineBarbara BaileyMeriem Belmihoub-ZerdaniIndira JaisingVioleta Neubauer

Dates of future sessions of the Committee

22.In accordance with the calendar of conferences, the following dates were confirmed for the Committee’s forty-fourth session and related meetings:

(a)Forty-fourth session: 20 July-7 August 2009, New York, with parallel chambers;

(b)Fifteenth session of the Working Group on Communications under the Optional Protocol: 8-15 July 2009;

(c)Pre-session working group for the forty-sixth session: 10-14 August 2009.

Reports to be considered at future sessions of the Committee

23.The Committee confirmed that it would consider the reports of the following States parties at its forty-fourth and forty-fifth sessions:

Forty-fourth session:

AzerbaijanBhutanDenmarkGuinea-BissauJapanLao People’s Democratic RepublicLiberiaSpainSwitzerlandTimor-LesteTuvalu

Forty-fifth session:

BotswanaEgyptMalawiNetherlandsPanamaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistan

The Committee also made a preliminary selection of the States parties that would be invited to present their reports at the forty-sixth session.

Composition of parallel chambers at the forty-fourth session

24.The Committee decided on the following composition of its parallel chambers for the forty-fourth session:

Chamber A	Chamber B
Magalys Arocha Dominguez	Nicole Ameline
Ferdous Ara Begum	Violet Tsisiga Awori
Saisuree Chutikul	Barbara Evelyn Bailey
Dorcas Ama Frema Coker-Appiah	Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani
Cornelis Flinterman	Niklas Bruun
Naéla Gabr	Soledad Murillo de la Vega
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari	Violeta Neubauer
Yoko Hayashi	Pramila Patten
Indira Jaising	Zohra Rasekh
Silvia Pimentel	Dubravka Šimonović
Victoria Popescu	Xiaoqiao Zou

25.With regard to the allocation of the reports of States parties, the Committee decided that the periodic reports of Bhutan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Spain and Switzerland would be considered in chamber A; the periodic reports of Azerbaijan, Denmark and Japan would be considered in chamber B; and the initial reports of Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu would be considered in plenary meeting.

Procedure for follow-up on concluding observations

26.The Committee requested the secretariat to provide, for consideration at the forty-fourth session, detailed information on the practices of other committees in relation to their procedures for follow-up to concluding observations.

Parliaments and the Convention and its Optional Protocol

27.The Committee established a working group comprising Ms. Ameline, Ms. Murillo de la Vega and Ms. Popescu to finalize the draft paper on the role of parliaments with respect to the Convention and its Optional Protocol.

Non-governmental organizations

28.The Committee established a working group comprising Ms. Awori, Ms. Coker-Appiah, Ms. Patten and Ms. Šimonović to finalize the draft paper on the role of non-governmental organizations with respect to the Convention and its Optional Protocol.

Inter-committee meeting of the human rights treaty bodies

29.The Committee appointed Ms. Halperin-Kaddari and Ms. Pimentel to attend, with the Chairperson, the ninth inter-committee meeting of the human rights treaty bodies, which would be held in Geneva from 29 June to 1 July 2009. That meeting would be followed by the twenty-first meeting of chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies, to be held in Geneva on 2 and 3 July.

Chapter VII

Implementation of article 21 of the Convention

30.The Committee considered agenda item 7, Implementation of article 21 of the Convention, at its 868th and 886th meetings, on 20 January and 6 February, and in several closed meetings.

General recommendation on article 2 of the Convention

31.The Committee agreed that comments on the draft general recommendation on article 2 of the Convention circulated by the Chairperson, Cornelis Flinterman, on 4 February 2009, should be submitted to him by 20 March 2009, following which a revised draft reflecting the comments of members would be circulated for final comments. A final revised draft would be submitted by Mr. Flinterman on 15 April 2009 for processing by the secretariat, and that draft would be finalized by the Committee at its forty-fourth session.

General recommendation on the rights of older women

32.The Committee established a working group on a general comment on the rights of older women. The Committee requested the working group — made up of Ms. Begum (Chairperson), Ms. Bailey, Ms. Chutikul, Ms. Gabr, Ms. Hayashi and Ms. Neubauer — to prepare a working paper on the proposed general recommendation for discussion by the Committee at its forty-fourth session. The Committee agreed to convene, during its forty-fourth session, an open meeting with United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to discuss the proposed general recommendation.

General recommendation on the economic consequences of divorce

33.The Committee established a working group on a general comment on the economic consequences of divorce. The Committee requested the working group — made up of Ms. Halperin-Kaddari (Chairperson), Ms. Ameline, Ms. Awori, Ms. Jaising, Ms. Patten, Ms. Pimentel and Ms. Popescu — to prepare a background paper on the proposed general recommendation for discussion by the Committee at its forty-fourth session. The Committee agreed to convene, during its forty-fourth session, an open meeting with United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to discuss the proposed general recommendation.

Media strategy

34.The Committee established a working group — made up of Ms. Ameline, Mr. Flinterman and Ms. Rasekh — to prepare a draft media strategy for consideration by the Committee at its forty-fourth session.

Chapter VIII

Provisional agenda for the forty-fourth session

35.The Committee considered the draft provisional agenda for its forty-fourth session at its 886th meeting, on 6 February, 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‑third and forty-fourth 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-fifth session of the Committee.

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

Chapter IX

Adoption of the report

36.The Committee considered the draft report on its forty-third session at its 886th meeting, on 6 February, and adopted it, as orally revised during the discussion (see CEDAW/C/SR.886).

Annex I

Decision 43/II

Statement by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the international financial crisis and its consequences for the human rights of women and girls

1.The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expresses its concern at the effects of the current international financial and economic crisis and the impact of the crisis upon the full realization of the human rights of women and girls worldwide. While the scale of the current crisis is still largely unmeasured, it is expected that women and girls in both developed and developing countries will be particularly affected by the potential social and economic consequences, such as unemployment, increase of responsibilities both at work and at home, decrease of income and potential increase in societal and domestic violence.

2.In such a context, it is necessary to identify and respond to the specific needs of women and girls. Gender perspectives should be taken into account in relation to the impacts of the crisis on both a long- and short-term basis, including in relation to education, health, security and livelihoods. Particular attention must be paid to providing women with access to programmes aimed at immediately alleviating poverty and hunger, with a view to guaranteeing that national and international efforts effectively reach those most in need and that funding of programmes for women’s empowerment is not eroded.

3.The Committee underscores the importance of recognizing the unique contribution that women can make to the timely resolution of the crisis. It calls upon States parties to include women in the dialogue and decision-making processes around these issues. The Committee also urges States parties to comply with all their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in spite of the global financial crisis.

Annex II

* In the light of its earlier practice concerning consideration of States parties ( d ecision 18/III) and communications ( r ule 60 of the Committee ’ s r ules of procedure), the Committee decided that the expert from the State party concerned should not take part in the decision-making on the present statement.

Decision 43/III

Statement by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the situation in Gaza *

1.The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is deeply concerned about the recent military engagement (January 2009) in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which resulted in heavy civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the killing and injuring of many women and children.

2.The Committee calls upon the parties to the conflict to fully implement the current ceasefire and to comply with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009).

3.The Committee recalls that international human rights and humanitarian law apply in all circumstances and at all times and to all parties involved and that the right to life should be respected even in the course of hostilities. The Committee notes with deep concern that the human rights of women and children in Gaza, in particular the right to peace and security, free movement, livelihood and health, have been seriously violated during this military engagement.

4.Recalling the preamble to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which reaffirms that the cause of peace requires the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields, the Committee urges the parties to the conflict to involve women, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), in the decision-making process on the promotion and maintenance of peace and security at all levels.

5.The Committee also calls upon all States parties to the Convention to support international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza and, especially, to facilitate the provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including food and medical treatment, especially to women and children.

Annex III

Membership of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women as at 1 January 2009 a

Name of member	Country of nationality	Term of office expires on 31 December
Nicole Ameline	France	2012
Ferdous Ara Begum	Bangladesh	2010
Magalys Arocha Dominguez	Cuba	2012
Violet Tsisiga Awori	Kenya	2012
Barbara Evelyn Bailey	Jamaica	2012
Meriem Belmihoub-Zerdani	Algeria	2010
Niklas Bruun	Finland	2012
Saisuree Chutikul	Thailand	2010
Dorcas Ama Frema Coker-Appiah	Ghana	2010
Cornelis Flinterman	Netherlands	2010
Naéla Gabr Mohemed Gabre Ali	Egypt	2010
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari	Israel	2010
Yoko Hayashi	Japan	2010
Indira Jaising	India	2012
Soledad Murillo de la Vega	Spain	2012
Violeta Neubauer	Slovenia	2010
Pramila Patten	Mauritius	2010
Silvia Pimentel	Brazil	2012
Victoria Popescu	Romania	2012
Zohra Rasekh	Afghanistan	2012
Dubravka Šimonović	Croatia	2010
Xiaoqiao Zou	China	2012

aHazel Gumede Shelton (South Africa) was elected at the fourteenth meeting of States parties, in June 2006, to serve on the Committee until 31 December 2010. As Ms. Shelton resigned in 2007, another expert will be appointed by South Africa in accordance with article 17, paragraph 7, of the Convention.

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