UN Committee to review Albania’s record on women’s rights

GENEVA (5 July 2016)  – Albania’s record on women’s rights will be examined by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 12 July. Albania has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and so is reviewed regularly by the Committee on how it is implementing the Convention. 

Among the possible issues for discussion between CEDAW and a delegation from the Albanian Government are: 
·    Access to justice for women seeking redress for discrimination based on sex and gender;
·    Measures to tackle gender stereotyping;
·    Steps to challenge harmful practices, including forced marriage and killings in name of so-called honour;
·    Prevalence of gender-based violence in the home, measures to encourage women to report sexual abuse committed within the family;
·    Policies to tackle trafficking in persons;
·    Efforts to encourage girls to stay in school:
·    Situation of Roma and Egyptian women;
·    Situation of women with disabilities;
·    Situation of secluded women, reportedly living in isolation imposed by blood feuds.

The review will take place in Room XVIII at Palais des Nations in Geneva from 10:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 - 17:00 and be webcast live at www.treatybodywebcast.org

The Committee will also hear from NGO representatives. More information about the review, including Albania’s written report, here:
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1019&Lang=en

The Committee’s findings, officially known as concluding observations, on Albania and the other countries being reviewed – the Philippines, Myanmar, France, Turkey, Uruguay, Mali, and Trinidad and Tobago – will be published on 25 July here:
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1019&Lang=en

ENDS

Media requests: Liz Throssell +41 (0) 22 917 9466/ +41 79 752 0488 ethrossell@ohchr.org

Media accreditation for the Palais des Nations:   http://unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpPages)/70991F6887C73B2280256EE700379C58?OpenDocument

Background
CEDAW is composed of 23 independent human rights experts drawn from around the world. They serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty. More information:
http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/cedaw/pages/cedawindex.aspx

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