XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 13-19, 2014)

July 13 - 19, 2014

549

A Cross-National Comparative Approach to CEDAW As an Instrument to Effect Women's Rights and Gender Equality

RC32 Women in Society (host committee)

Language: English

The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, dubbed the “international bill of rights for women”, has been adopted and ratified by 187 of 193 countries. The US – surprisingly to some but not to all - stands out as one of the few countries, together with Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Palau, and Tonga, that have not ratified the Convention. By ratifying CEDAW, countries commit to end de jure as well as de facto discrimination against Women. Nevertheless, besides the usual gaps found between policy making and implementation, there are other issues that lead to a debate about the extent to which CEDAW has been an effective instrument to foster women’s rights and gender equality. On the one hand, the Convention has been used by women’s and feminist movements worldwide in order to demand the establishment of institutional mechanisms for monitoring and implementing gender equality policies, plans and programs in critical areas of women's lives. On the other hand, several countries have ratified CEDAW with “reservations” that, arguably, directly or indirectly clash with the object and purpose of the Convention. This session’s objective is to allow for a cross-country comparative approach to the varied ways the Convention has been promoted – or not – by the women’s movements and governments throughout the world as a key tool to effect institutional change leading to gender equality. How - and to what extent - has CEDAW been implemented in the countries where it was ratified? Why have some countries – and notably the US - not ratified the Convention? What are the implications of that domestically and internationally? In sum, what can we learn by an international dialogue about the Convention, comparing the different contexts in which CEDAW was ratified or not, effectively implemented or not?