General Disc.Women in conflict & post-conflict sit.s

The 49th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women being held from 11-29 July 2011 will include a general discussion on the protection of women in conflict and post-conflict situations in the context of the following provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Register:

For further information on the general discussion, kindly contact the Secretariat of the Committee: gmendozasolorio@ohchr.org / jiskakova@ohchr.org.

If you would like to participate please fill out a Conference Registration Form and send a scanned copy by 4 July 2011 to the following email address:cedaw@ohchr.org.

Topics:

Articles 2 on the core obligations of States parties to the Convention;
Article 4 on temporary special measures;
Article 5(a) on the modification of social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women; Article 6 on the suppression of trafficking and exploitation of women;
Article 7 & 8 on women’s participation in political and public life and their representation in government and at the international level;
Article 9 on women’s rights to a nationality;
Article 10 on the right to education;
Article 11 on the right to work;
Article 12 on the right to health;
Article 15 (1) on women’s equality with men before the law.

The purpose of the general discussion is to commence the Committee's process of elaborating a General Recommendation on Women in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations. The purpose of the general recommendation is to provide appropriate and authoritative guidance to States Parties on the measures to be adopted to ensure full compliance with their obligations to protect, respect and fulfil women's human rights during times of armed conflict and in all peace-building processes, which includes the immediate aftermath of conflict and long-term post-conflict reconstruction.

The general discussion will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Conference Room 3, located on the first floor of the North Lawn Building, on 18 July 2011, from 10:00am to 1:00pm. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women invites United Nations specialised entities and bodies, United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms, non-governmental organizations and other interested organizations and individuals to participate in the general discussion and to provide written submissions.

If you would like to participate please fill out a Conference Registration Form and send a scanned copy by 4 July 2011 to the following email address: cedaw@ohchr.org.

Further information
For further information on the general discussion, kindly contact the Secretariat of the Committee: gmendozasolorio@ohchr.org / jiskakova@ohchr.org.  The report attached us by IWRAW Asia Pacific and partners working on the General Recommendation which may be useful for background information. They hope that the substance of the report will directly contribute to deepen and enhance discussions the CEDAW Committee will be initiating in its work to elaborate on a General Recommendation on women and conflict.

For more information, go to Awid