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

GENEVA (4 July 2016)– France’s record on women’s rights will be examined by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 8 July. France 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 French Government are: 
·     Measures to eliminate discriminatory stereotypes, including in media, culture, sport, public administration, education;
·     Situation of Roma women and women of immigrant origin;
·     Measures to tackle violence against women, spousal violence, impact on children;
·     Promotion of equality in the jobs market;
·     Measures to close wage and pension gaps;
·     Measures to tackle discrimination against women from racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities amid increasing racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic acts;
·     Challenges faced by indigenous women and girls in France's overseas territories;
·     Protection of fundamental rights of and provision of basic services for refugee and asylum- seeking women and girls.

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 here: http://www.treatybodywebcast.org

The Committee will also hear from NGO representatives. More information about the review, including France’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 France and the other countries being reviewed – the Philippines, Myanmar, Albania, 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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