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News Releases
January 20, 2003
CANADA TO APPEAR BEFORE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE
Ottawa -- The Government of Canada will present Canada's Fifth periodic report to the United Nations (UN) on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The Canadian delegation, led by Florence Ievers, Coordinator, Status of Women Canada, will appear before the UN CEDAW Committee on January 23, 2003 to present the Fifth Report, which provides information on Canada's progress on gender equality under the Convention between 1994 and 1998. The delegation will also present information contained in an Advance Paper for the next periodic report which highlights initiatives undertaken by governments in Canada since 1998, to demonstrate concrete, ongoing progress towards gender equality and women's human rights.
"CEDAW is an integral component of the UN's guiding framework of human rights and is unique in bringing together a wide range of human rights standards that are essential to women and girls in public and private life," said the Honourable Jean Augustine, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women). Canada has been a party to CEDAW since 1981. Countries that are party to CEDAW are required to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women and ensure the full development and advancement of women in all aspects of society, including in the civil, cultural, economic, political and social areas; this is to ensure that women exercise and enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with men. Canada further demonstrated its commitment to women's human rights by acceding to the Optional Protocol to CEDAW in October 2002.
Canada's Fifth Report and the Advance Report, as well as additional information on CEDAW are available at:
http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/pdp-hrp/docs/cedaw_e.cfm
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