More than four decades after its adoption, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women remains an essential and ambitious guide for achieving gender equality across the board – from the family and the classroom to executive boards and political leadership roles. Despite considerable progress since the Convention came into force, no country can yet claim to have fully  achieved gender equality. This revised edition of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol: Handbook for Parliamentarians is a joint collaboration undertaken by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Twenty years after the publication of the first edition, this updated edition seeks to provide parliamentarians with detailed and practical guidance, relying on the important recommendations and good practices developed by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in translating the Convention into concrete action that addresses all forms of discrimination and gender-based violence against women and girls. It also builds on the indispensable contribution of parliaments in advancing gender equality as a fundamental element of sustainable development and peace, as well as on the perspectives of civil society and government as key allies to this work. The handbook aims to highlight the importance of women’s rights and gender equality in overcoming global challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, to armed conflict and displacement, and the rise of authoritarianism. It also reinforces the significance of the Convention as a solid foundation for building a more resilient world and more inclusive societies.