The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is an international human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1979. Often described as the international bill of rights for women, CEDAW was the culmination of decades of international efforts, through the work of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to advance women’s equality and bring a specific focus on women’s rights within the broader international human rights framework.
Australia formally ratified CEDAW on 28 July 1983.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
The United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the Committee) is a body of 23 independent experts on women’s and girls’ human rights from around the world, who monitor States Parties’ implementation of CEDAW. The Committee reviews periodic reports submitted by States Parties, considers information from civil society and other stakeholders, and engages in constructive dialogue with governments.
Natasha Stott Despoja AO was re-elected to the Committee in June 2024 as an independent member for the 2025–2028 term. When first elected in 2020, Ms Stott Despoja was the first Australian to have served on the Committee in almost 30 years, following the Hon Elizabeth Evatt AC. Ms Stott Despoja is the only independent member serving on the Committee from the Oceania region. Her nomination and election to the Committee was supported by the Australian Government.
Australia’s ninth periodic report to the Committee
As a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Australia has an obligation to periodically report to the Committee on measures Australia has adopted to implement commitments under CEDAW.
In 2023, the Committee issued Australia with a ‘list of issues prior to reporting’ concerning the experiences of women and girls in Australia as they relate to articles under CEDAW. The list of issues reflect the Committee’s ‘simplified reporting procedure’ which Australia agreed to in 2022 under the UN General Assembly resolution 68/268 on strengthening and enhancing the effective function of human rights treaty body systems.
The Office for Women prepared Australia’s ninth periodic report in response to these questions, following extensive consultation with Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies, and a period of public consultation in September 2024. The periodic report reflects the significant legislative, policy and structural reforms implemented in Australia since the eighth periodic report which was submitted in 2016.
Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women, Minister for Finance and Minister for the Public Service, formally submitted Australia’s ninth periodic report to the Committee.
Following submission of the periodic report, Australia will be invited to appear before the Committee in 2027 to speak to the report and respond to any further questions. The Committee will then issue concluding observations on Australia’s implementation of, and reporting on, progress under CEDAW. Australia’s ninth periodic report and the Committee’s concluding observations will be published on the official CEDAW website.
As part of Australia’s long-standing commitment to transparency, the Australian Government has funded an independent ‘shadow report’ which was prepared by Australia’s National Women’s Alliances, led by the National Rural Women’s Coalition.