CEDAW
The Convention on the Elimination of ALL Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations
General Assembly.
Described as an international bill of rights for women,
Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles,
It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and
Sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.
It was instituted on 3 September 1981 and has been ratified by 189 states.
The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women defines
discrimination against women as “…any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the
basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition,
enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of
men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic,
social, cultural, civil or any other field.“
By accepting the Convention, States commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to
end discrimination against women in all forms, including:
to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system,
abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination
against women;
to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of
women against discrimination; and
to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons,
organizations or enterprises.
The Convention is structured in six parts with 30 articles total.
Part I (Articles 1-6) focuses on non-discrimination, sex stereotypes, and sex
trafficking.
Part II (Articles 7-9) outlines women’s rights in the public sphere with an
emphasis on political life, representation, and rights to nationality.
Part III (Articles 10-14) describes the economic and social rights of women,
particularly focusing on education, employment, and health. Part III also includes
special protections for rural women and the problems they face.
Part IV (Article 15 and 16) outlines women’s right to equality in marriage and family
life along with the right to equality before the law.
Part V (Articles 17-22) establishes the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women as well as the states parties’ reporting procedure.
Part VI (Articles 23-30) describes the effects of the Convention on other treaties, the
commitment of the state’s parties and the administration of the Convention.
India & Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women
Steps Taken by India:-
1. Article 14 of the Indian constitution, Equality before Law, states, “the State shall
not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws
within the territory of India”
2. Article 15 Prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or
place of birth (nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special
provision for women and children)
3. In 1994, India ratified the Convention of the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) treaty.
4. The purpose, as outlined in Article 1 of the treaty, is to focus on the forms of
discrimination that women face and to help eliminate discrimination that either
intends to, or has the effect of, limiting women from participating equally in
public life.
5. To control female feticide, the Government of India enacted the Prenatal Diagnostic
Techniques Act (PNDT) in 1994, which restricts the determination and revelation of
gender of the foetus through amniocentesis as well as specifies the code of conduct
for medical practitioners.
6. Under the PNDT Act, an individual/ institution found guilty of advertising prenatal
determination of gender in any form is subject to imprisonment and/or a fine.
7. The PNDT Act was amended to Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic
Techniques (PCNDT) in 2002 and 2003, owing to innovation in technologies for sex
determination through ultra sounds that impede the implementation of the Act.
8. Section 318 in The Indian Penal Code. Concealment of birth by secret disposal of
dead body. — “Whoever, by secretly burying or otherwise disposing of the death
body of a child whether such child die before or after or during its birth, intentionally
conceals or endeavours to conceal the birth of such child, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with
fine, or with both”.
9. In 1956 India passed the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) which has
severe penalties ranging from seven years’ to life imprisonment.
10. From a national level, in 1992, India established the National Commission for
Women, which is the national mediator for women.
11. In 1997 India established a parliamentary committee on the empowerment of
women, and in January 2001, India announced its commitment to the empowerment
of women through the launching of a new National Policy on Women’s
Empowerment.
