UN WOMEN’S RIGHT EXPERTS CONCLUDE VISIT TO LUXEMBOURG

4 October 2008

Three experts of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Ms. Dubravka Simonovic (Chairperson), Ms. Françoise Gaspard (Vice-Chairperson) and Ms. Regina Tavares da Silva, concluded an official visit to Luxembourg on 3 October 2008. The objective of the three-day visit, conducted at the invitation of the Government, was to follow-up implementation of the conclusions adopted by the Committee after its consideration of Luxembourg’s fifth report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 23 January 2008.

Experts met with Minister of Equal Opportunities, as well as officials from that Ministry, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour. They also held meetings with the inter-ministerial Committee on Equality between Women and Men, the Committee on Women’s Labour, and the Commissioner for Foreigners. They exchanged views with parliamentarians, stressing the role of parliament in the implementation of the Convention and other human rights instruments. They met with judges and lawyers to discuss how the Convention and the Committee’s output can be used in their work. They also met with civil society representatives and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

The visit was the first follow-up visit conducted by the Committee since its establishment in 1982. It provided an opportunity for the Government to explain what measures it had taken or was planning to take to implement the Committee’s recommendations. It also raised the visibility of the Convention and its Optional Protocol, which provides the Committee with competence to receive and consider petitions and conduct inquiries.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol were ratified by Luxembourg on 2 February 1989 and 1 July 2003 respectively. Its reservations entered on ratification were withdrawn in January 2008.