The Procedural and Political Impact of Recommendations

In providing detailed guidance to governments as to the nature of their obligations under the CEDAW Convention and how these obligations might be met, the CEDAW Committee, through comments, views and recommendations, would develop improved understanding of the rights and obligations in the convention. Recommendations made under the OP-CEDAW, in creating an avenue for the CEDAW Committee to interpret the CEDAW Convention in greater detail, would constitute, for example, guidance as to where the amendment of legislation would be required to stop discriminatory practices and where the implementation of affirmative action measures would be appropriate.

Through issuing recommendations in response to concrete allegations, the CEDAW Committee will set tangible and identifiable standards of non-discrimination, equality and State obligation. In turn, this will encourage the domestic implementation of the provisions of the CEDAW Convention by addressing specific views and recommendations to particular impediments to the full domestic implementation of this treaty.