2008 CEDAW COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

CEDAW Committee elections will take place on 30th July 2008, during the 15th Meeting of States parties to the CEDAW Convention.

ABOUT THE ELECTION PROCESS

Members of the CEDAW Committee are elected pursuant to article 17 of the CEDAW Convention by States parties from among nationals of that country. The procedure can be obtained here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/mandate.htm

It is important to note that these members serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of that States party. Members are elected for a term of 4 years. States parties nominate only ONE individual from among its nationals. The nominated candidate must be of “high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention”.

Each CEDAW Committee member has the potential of advocating for women's rights at three levels:
1) To uphold the notion that States are accountable to women;
2) To continuously further rights contained in the CEDAW Convention along feminist principles;
3) To ensure that women's NGOs are included in CEDAW-related processes.

TIMELINE FOR THE ELECTIONS PROCESS

Now until April 30, 2008: States parties to the Convention can nominate candidates. Each State party can nominate only ONE individual.

April 30 2008: Deadline for submission of nominations from States Parties as decided by the UN Secretary General. States parties send the name of the ONE individual they are seeking to elect or re-elect from their own nationals.

Between April - July 2008: List of Nominees is released.

30th July 2008: CEDAW States Parties Meeting - where States parties will vote through secret ballot to either re-elect committee members whose terms expire in 2008 or elect new members.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS TERMS EXPIRING AT THE END OF 2008

The Committee members who will continue to serve until their terms expire on 31 December 2008 are:
- Magalys Arocha Dominguez (Cuba)
- Mary Shanthi Dairiam (Malaysia)
- Françoise Gaspard (France)
- Tiziana Maiolo (Italy)
- Silvia Pimentel (Brazil)
- Hanna Beate Schöpp-Schilling (Germany)
- Heisoo Shin (Republic of Korea)
- Glenda P. Simms (Jamaica)
- Anamah Tan (Singapore)
- Maria Regina Tavares da Silva (Portugal)
- Xiaoqiao Zou (China).

WHAT NGOs CAN DO

It is very important for women's groups and women's rights advocates to continue advocating for the inclusion of independent feminist experts in the CEDAW Committee. As you may already know, the CEDAW Convention is the only UN human rights treaty that focuses on gender issues. In this regard, it is important that the twenty-three experts of the CEDAW Committee have an understanding of the realities of women's lives.

What to do:

Before April 30th 2008:
• Time for women's groups to lobby their own governments and suggest names of good candidates from their own country to be elected to the Committee. You should propose names of women's activists and feminists for the election with your government. Obtain their support for your candidate by creating publicity and support for her candidacy. Remember that only one name can be nominated by your government so you should decide who you want to put forward.

• States wishing to nominate a candidate should send the relevant form (which can be downloaded on the website of the OHCHR at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/CVForm.doc) and submit it to Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland and in electronic version to jconnors@ohchr.org, copy to stolainimolatte@ohchr.org.

You may wish to facilitate this process by reminding the relevant office in your government of the deadline, and forwarding the form and contact details.

Once the list of nominees have been released (after April 30, 2008):
• NGOs can lobby their governments and other governments to vote for/support candidates on the nominations list that best represent the criteria for CEDAW Committee member. NGOs can lobby for support of new members or seek re-election of current members.

• If you are in contact with progressive representatives of your government in your home country or in New York, please contact them and let them know that women's groups and women's rights advocates globally want independent experts from all over the world to be elected to the Committee. Let them know that they are responsible for ensuring that the CEDAW Committee process continues to strengthen national efforts towards the realisation of women's rights. In some cases, it would be useful to send a letter stating what you know of the existing nominees and give reasons as to why you are recommending specific names to be considered (both in your region and in others).

For official information on the CEDAW nominations go to: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/elections.htm

In solidarity,
IWRAW Asia Pacific

2004 CEDAW COMMITTEE ELECTIONS…

We would like to call to your attention the need for women's groups and women's rights advocates to continue advocating for the inclusion of independent feminist experts in the CEDAW Committee. As you may already know, the CEDAW Convention is the only UN human rights treaty that focuses on gender issues. In this regard, it is important that the twenty-three experts of the CEDAW Committee have an understanding of the realities of women's lives.

Each CEDAW Committee member has the potential of advocating for women's rights at three levels:

1) To uphold the notion that States are accountable to women;
2) To continuously further rights contained in the CEDAW Convention along feminist principles;
3) To ensure that women's NGOs are included in CEDAW-related processes.

THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS:

On August 5, 2004, official representatives of all the States parties to CEDAW will be electing 11 members of the Committee that will serve from January 2005 to December 2008. This is important to note because the next elections won't take place until 2006, and there is a risk that unless women's groups get involve now, conservative states might do their best to ensure that partial experts are elected to the Committee.

The reason why some states parties to CEDAW are not keen in nominating experts that are "too independent" from the government may be that:
1) Some States Parties (particular those influenced by the Holy See and its allies) do not want the CEDAW Committee to be too progressive, particularly regarding issues around culture, religion as well as reproductive and sexual rights; and
2) Some States feel the Committee's review process "shames" them in the international arena.

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

You should be aware that this year there are 25 persons nominated and only 11 vacancies. Of the 11 members of the Committee whose terms are expiring in 2004, two are from Asia-Pacific, five are from Europe, two are from Latin America and the Caribbean, and two are from Africa. This will give you a rough idea as to the distribution of vacancies, and how, in this regard, more advocacy will be required in some regions.

The present CEDAW Committee members that seek to be re-elected to the CEDAW Committee and have already shown their commitment to women's rights are: Ayse Faride Acar (Turkey), Sjamsiah Achmad (Indonesia), Francoise Gaspard (France), Fatimah Kwaku (Nigeria), Goran Melander (Sweden), Hanna Beate Schopp Schilling (Germany), Heisoo Shin (Republic of Korea) and Maria Regina Tavares da Silva (Portugal).

Of the remaining list of candidates, we are attaching information on three feminist experts that have been very active in their regions as well as in the international women's movements. They are Alda Facio (Costa Rica), Silvia Pimentel (Brazil) and Shanthi Dairiam (Malaysia).

The rest of the nominees are: Doris Acevedo (Venezuela)l Magalys Arocha Dominguez (Cuba), Natalya Drozd (Belarus), Antonia Guvava (Zimbabwe), Ressolguessida Clemence Ilboudo/Sawadogo (Burkina Faso); Maria Das Dores Lima Gomes (Cape Verde); Hope Mwesigye (Uganda), Maria Jesus Nkawa Owono Nse (Equatorial Guinea), Glenda Simms (Jamaica), Anamah Tan (Singapore); Taufa Vakatale O.F (Fiji) and Zou Xiaoqiao (China). Unfortunately, we do not have details on these candidates.

Further information on all candidates to be considered this year (CVs) can be found at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/statesmeeting/CEDAW-SP-2004-3.pdf

For further information about the election process, go to:
http://www.iwraw-ap.org/committee/election.htm

For general information on the CEDAW Committee go to:
http://www.iwraw-ap.org/committee.htm

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

If you are in contact with progressive representatives of your government in your home country or in New York, please contact them and let them know that women's groups and women's rights advocates globally want independent experts from all over the world to be elected to the Committee. Please let them know that they are responsible for ensuring that the CEDAW Committee process continues to strengthen national efforts towards the realisation of women's rights.

In some cases, it would be useful to send a letter stating what you know of the existing nominees and give reasons as to why you are recommending specific names to be considered (both in your region and in others).

We hope you find the information we have included in this message useful.

Best regards,

Maria Herminia Graterol
Programme Officer
IWRAW Asia Pacific

Back to top

This page was last updated on April 10, 2008

“IWRAW Asia Pacific is an independent, non-profit, NGO in Special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.”
©IWRAW Asia Pacific
Contact Us | Site Map