UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and in Practice: Call for Inputs

In accordance with its mandate, the UN Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice will prepare a compendium on “good practices” in eliminating discrimination and empowering women. Given the centrality of the law to the Working Group’s mandate, the report will focus on the processes by which laws that support women’s equality and enjoyment of human rights come into being and are implemented in ways that support women’s enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In this regard, the UN Working Group would like to invite stakeholders to contribute to its research by submitting information as per the following questionnaire available in English, French and Spanish.

The questionnaire intends to solicit information on how  a specific law aimed at addressing discrimination against women and promoting women’s substantive equality has come into being, was effectively implemented (I), and what impacts the law has had for women on the ground (II).

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) clearly establishes State obligation to respect, protect and fulfill women’s human rights, ensuring the de facto enjoyment of those rights by women.  CEDAW’s framework is founded on the principle of substantive equality, which requires States to take active measures to not only eliminate laws and practices that directly discriminate against women, but to create an environment in which women’s rights can be fulfilled.  Good practices in the promotion of women’s human rights thus require a holistic approach that addresses both the causes and consequences of discrimination, and aim at social transformation.

Recognizing the aspiration of the Working Group to better understand the processes and elements which contribute to build “good practices” in legislation and its implementation the Working Group requests that you provide detailed information on at least one law adopted in a State that has been successfully implemented in that it has had a notably substantial impact on eliminating discrimination against women in the specific area related to that law and  has enhanced women’s enjoyment of their human rights in your national context, such that you consider it a “good practice.”  Processes of substantive change often take place over a period of many years, so the law need not be new: this survey should focus on a law whose impact has been substantiated and the impacts of which are still being seen.

The UN Working Group notes that various individuals and organizations may wish to develop documents and reports of consultations for submission for consideration. In accordance with the established practice of mandate-holders, the UN Working Group welcomes all relevant submissions that NGOs and other stakeholders may wish to present for its consideration. These submissions should be sent towgdiscriminationwomen@ohchr.org.

The deadline for submissions is 12 September 2016.