CEDAW

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979. Entry into force on 3 September 1981, in accordance with article 27(1). With regard to migrant workers: see article 11.

Status of ratification, reservations and declarations  

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women’s Treaty Monitoring body is the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

CEDAW’s main issues of concern regarding women migrants are trafficking and sexual exploitation. The Committee provides a detailed analysis of the causes of vulnerability of women to traffickers and of the various measures to combat trafficking, punish perpetrators and protect victims, lists minimal labour rights women migrants should enjoy, analyzes the causes of migration and the measures towards respect of the human rights of women migrants. For further information on the topic see The UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies and Migrants Workers: a Samizdat.

Main CEDAW’s General Comments concerning migrants:

• CEDAW General Comment N. 21 (1994), Equality in marriage and family relations, states: “Migrant women who live and work temporarily in another country should be permitted the same rights as men to have their spouses, partners and children join them.”
• CEDAW General Comment N. 24 (1999), Women and health, affirms that “special attention should be given to the health needs and rights of women belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, such as migrant women, refugee and internally displaced women, the girl child and older women, women in prostitution, indigenous women and women with physical or mental disabilities.”

Documents and links:

- Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)