NOW - Women Need a Strong CEDAW, Not One with Disabling RDUs

Legislative Alerts and Updates

•

Current Legislation

•

Key Votes

•

Capitol Hill Basics

Action Alert


Women Need a Strong CEDAW, Not One with Disabling RDUs

Soon the U.S. Senate will be reviewing an international treaty that could dramatically advance women's rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The U.S. is one of the very few countries that have not ratified this treaty since it was introduced some three decades ago. Known as the "women's treaty," CEDAW addresses many areas where women are denied equal treatment and opportunity.

Unfortunately, a set of conditions have been attached to CEDAW -- known as Reservations, Declarations and Understandings (RDUs) -- which place severe restrictions on various parts of the treaty as it would be applied in the U.S. Currently, the treaty and its attached conditions are being reviewed by various executive agencies. Send a message to President Obama urging that all unnecessary, undesirable and objectionable RDUs be eliminated before the treaty is sent to the Senate for their advice and consent.

BACKGROUND:

One of the most important human rights treaties, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), is increasingly being used in countries -- rich and poor -- around the world to improve conditions for women. The United States, along with Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau and Tonga, has failed to ratify CEDAW over the 30 years since the United Nations first adopted the document.

Some women's organizations have avoided talking about the damaging Reservations, Declarations and Understandings and have dismissed their potential effect on women's rights. The National Organization for Women disagrees. Ratifying CEDAW with nearly a dozen disabling restrictions is a pointless exercise; worse, it sends a message to the international community that the U.S. does not want to abide by international norms and will not take action to assure equal treatment and opportunity for women. NOW and others believe that we must address the RDUs head-on and demand that they be removed at the outset.

Take action NOW!

More Information:

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Text of CEDAW and other information

Center for Reproductive Rights, CEDAW: The Importance of US Ratification: CEDAW Advances Women's Human Rights

The Nation Magazine, A Clean CEDAW

Take Action

1	Compose Message

Message Recipients:

Barack Obama (D), President

Delivery Method:

Printed Letter

Subject:

Required text:

(this text will appear at the beginning of your message)

I am a supporter of the National Organization for Women and would like to urge your administration to soon complete its interagency review of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and to withdraw all disabling and unnecessary Reservations, Declarations and Understandings (RDUs).

Editable text:

(edit or add your own text - 8715 characters left)

Tip: Cutting-and-pasting? Save as plain text first.

Required text:

(this text will appear at the end of your message)

I will be following closely your administration's actions on CEDAW.

Your Closing:

Your Name:

2	Sender Information

This system requires that you provide your name and contact information so that you can be identified to the recipient. A copy of your message will be sent to NOW. Privacy Policy: NOW will not sell, rent or exchange your name, email address, or any other information you provide, under any circumstances.

Your Contact Information:

Prefix (required by some officials)

First*

Last*

Email*

Address*

City*

State*

ZIP*

ZIP + 4

Phone (required by some recipients)

	Remember Me! (what's this?)
A copy of your message will be sent to the e-mail address entered above.

SEE ME

Show your letter recipients who you are by uploading a photo and writing a comment about the photo. A link to your photo and comment will be included in your letter; you will be able to view SEE ME information posted by you and other people after you send your message.
Warning: Please do not post any sensitive information about yourself - your photo and comment will be accessible by the public.