Convention on

the Elimination
of All Forms of
Discrimination
against Women

(CEDAW)
Discussion in a nutshell:

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CEDAW at a Glance
📌 What is CEDAW?
📌 What is CEDAW’s basis of existence?
📌 What is CEDAW’s history?
📌 Why is CEDAW important?
What is CEDAW?
- is an international legal
instrument that requires
countries to eliminate
discrimination against women
in all areas and promotes
women’s equal rights. CEDAW
is often described as the
international bill of rights for
women
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What is CEDAW’s
basis/rationale of existence?

CEDAW’s basis/rationale of existence is the

Article 27 (1) of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights:

Article 27 (1) Everyone has the right

freely to participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts and to share in
scientific advancement and its benefits.
📖
5
What is CEDAW’s history?
Declaration on the
Elimination of
Commission on
CEDAW was
Discrimination against
the Status of Women was adopted Extensive signed at the
Women (CSW) by the Genral Assembly delibration of Copenhagen
was established. (GA). CEDAW. Conference.

September 3,
1946 1949-1965 1967 1976 1977-1979 1979 1980
1981

The CSW The preparation of

the drafting of
CEDAW was CEDAW
elaborated various adopted by the
treaties that Convention on the entered
Elimination of all General
protect and
Forms of Assembly. into force
promote the
Discrimination against
rights of women Women (CEDAW),
began. 6
Why is CEDAW important?

CEDAW seeks to achieve ‘substantive equality’ or

‘equality of results’, which stresses that there
should be equal access, equal opportunities, and
equal results for women and girls.

It entails that countries are obligated to take all

necessary actions that may be required to make
sure women and girls actually experience equality
in their lives. 📖
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CEDAW Core
Provisions and
Principles
📌 Non-discrimination
📌 State obligation
📌 Substantive equality
📌 CEDAW Articles
Non-discrimination
CEDAW takes a broad view of
discrimination that includes both
actions and failure to act, whether
the action or omission has the intent
or purpose to discriminate or simply
has the effect of discriminating
against women.
📖
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State obligation
CEDAW requires that states:
● actively condemn discrimination against
women and work to eliminate discrimination in
laws, policies, and practices, whether
committed by state or private actors;
● actively promote equality between men and
women; and
● put in place ‘temporary special measures that
can help address historical discrimination and
accelerate actual equality. 📖
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Substantive equality
CEDAW’s vision of equality goes beyond the
formal approach, which treats normal people
identically regardless of background. CEDAW
advocates both equality of opportunity – where
women are given equal opportunities and access
to those opportunities, and this is insured by laws,
policies, and institutions – and equality of results –
where women can actually experience equality
with men in their private and public lives.
📖
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CEDAW Articles
CEDAW includes 30 articles which
ratifying countries are obliged to
undertake.

Articles 1-6 cover these core principles

of States to achieve non-discrimination
and substantive equality.

Articles 7-16 cover specific issues

related to areas of public and private
lives where women face discrimination.

Articles 17-30 establish the CEDAW

Committee and outline the mechanisms
through which the Convention
operates. 📖
📖
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CEDAW Optional
Protocol Mechanisms
📌 Description
📌 Communication Procedure
📌 Inquiry Procedure
The Optional Protocol
(OP-CEDAW)
The Optional Protocol is an additional human
rights treaty that complements CEDAW. It
established two mechanisms that enable
women to seek redress for violations of
CEDAW through the communication
procedure and the inquiry procedure. These
provisions are available for the state parties
that have ratified CEDAW and the OP-
CEDAW can employ these provisions. 📖
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Communication Procedure
The communications procedure is a
mechanism set up under OP-CEDAW
through which an individual or a group
of individuals from within the jurisdiction
of a state party to the CEDAW
Convention and the OP-CEDAW can
bring an alleged violation of the CEDAW
Convention to the attention of the
CEDAW Committee. 📖
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Inquiry Procedure
The Inquiry Procedure is a mechanism set up
under OP-CEDAW through which the
CEDAW Committee can issue comments
and recommendations on grave or
systematic violations of rights in the CEDAW
Convention. Alternatively, the CEDAW
Committee may decide to initiate an inquiry
that addresses grave and systematic
violations resulting from the action or
inaction of the state party concerned. 📖
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Philippine
participation on
CEDAW
📌 Brief History
📌 Philippine Magna Carta of Women
📌 Legal Mandates
📌 Other Laws

Status of Ratification Interactive Dashboard

Brief History
● Before CEDAW came into effect on September 3,
1981, the Philippines has signed it on July 15, 1980
and ratified it on August 5, 1981, the first ASEAN
country to do so. The Philippines also ratified the
Optional Protocol to the CEDAW on November 12,
2003.
● In co-sponsorship with Russian delegate Tatiana
Nikolaeva, Philippines’ Leticia Ramos-Shahani
prepared the first draft of CEDAW adopted by the
United Nations as a basic working paper. 📖
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Philippine Magna Carta of
Women (RA 9710)
● a comprehensive women’s human rights law
that seeks to eliminate discrimination
against women by recognizing, protecting,
fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino
women, especially those in the marginalized
sectors.
● The Magna Carta of Women was enacted on
August 14, 2009 and took effect on
September 15, 2009. 📖
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Trivia Questions:

● What month do we celebrate our

National Women’s Month?

● What is the theme of the 2017-2022

National Women’s Month Celebration?

📖
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Trivia Questions:

● What month do we celebrate our National

Women’s Month?
Answer: March
● What is the theme of the 2017-2022 National
Women’s Month Celebration?
Answer: We Make Change Work For Women

📖
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2017 2018

2019 2020
2021

📖
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Legal Mandates
The passage of the following laws
serves as the legal bases for the
celebration of the National Women’s
Month:

○ Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988

○ Proclamation No, 227 s. 1988
○ R.A. 6949 s. 1990
📖
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Other Laws
The Philippines have also several other laws,
measures and instruments that protect women from
discrimination and violence including:

• RA 7877 Anti-Sexual Harassment Act

• RA 8353 Anti-Rape Law
• RA 8505 Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act
• RA 9208 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act
• RA 9262 Anti-Violence against Women and their Children
Act
• Family Code
• Women’s and Children’s Desks and Services in
Government Agencies 📖
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Status of Ratification Interactive Dashboard

https://indicators.ohchr.org/26
 “
“I do not wish them [women] to
have power over men; but over
themselves.”
― Mary Wollstonecraft,

A Vindication of the Rights of

Woman

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References
● Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women. OHCHR | Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women
● Equal Rights for Women Worldwide. Equal rights for women
worldwide_ What are the core principles and provisions of
CEDAW_.pdf
● Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women. OHCHR | Optional Protocol
CEDAW
● Republic of the Philippines National Commission on Human Rights.
https://pcw.gov.ph/2021-national-womens-month/
● Status of Ratification Interactive Dashboard.
https://indicators.ohchr.org/ 📖
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