30th Anniversary of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which was established by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to monitor the implementation of the Convention by States parties, held its first session in October 1982. This year the Committee is celebrating 30 years of dedicated work in assisting States parties in complying with their international treaty obligations under the Convention to protect and promote women's rights.

To mark this important occasion, the Committee will be holding a panel discussion on "Women's Political Participation and Leadership", during its 52nd session, on 9 July 2012, from 11:00 am to 13:00 pm in conference room 3 of the North Lawn Building at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The Committee invites the diplomatic community, United Nations staff members as well as those of the agencies, programmes and funds, non-governmental organizations and other interested individuals to join the celebration. Please fill out a Conference Registration Form  (http://goo.gl/I6396) and send a scanned copy by 4 July 2012 to the following email address: cedaw@ohchr.org.

Fifty-second session

• Programme of the 30th anniversary event
• Chairpersons of the CEDAW Committee
• Biographies of participants
• Commemorative publication: 30 years working for women's rights
  E | F | S
• Statements:
  • Statement by the Chairperson of the Committee
  • Statement by Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
  • Statement by Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women
  • Statement by Ms. Eleonora Menicucci de Oliveira, Minister of State of Brazil of Public Policies for Women
  • Statement by Ms. Shanti Dairiam, Member, Board of Directors, IWRAW Asia Pacific

Fifty-third session

• Programme
• Statements:
  • Welcome remarks by the Chairperson of the Committee F
  • Welcome remarks by Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner
  • Welcome remarks by Mr. Ridha Bouabid, Permanent Observer of the OIF
  • Statement by Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict
  • Statement by Ms. Pramila Patten, CEDAW Expert
  • Statement by Mr. Denis Mukwege
  • Statement by Ms. Oumou Touré
  • Statement by Ms. Nicole Ameline, CEDAW Expert
  • Statement by Mr. Michel Forst
  • Statement by Mr. Chaloka Beyani
  • Concluding remarks by Ms. Dilek Elveren

  Special Meeting Istanbul (1 to 3 November 2012)

• Statements:
  • Statement by Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner
  • Statement by Ms. Silvia Pimentel, Chairperson of the Committee
  • Statement by Ms. Feride Acar, CEDAW Expert
  • Presentation by Ms. Jane Connors, Chief of the Special Procedures Division, OHCHR
  • Statement by Ms. Naéla Gabr, CEDAW Expert
  • Statement by Ms. Victoria Popescu, CEDAW Expert
  • Statement by Ms. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, CEDAW Expert
  • Statement by Ms. Patricia Schulz, CEDAW Expert

Feature stories

• Working towards more women leaders