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.