Women's Human Rights Resources Database

This article demonstrates how CEDAW can be used to protect displaced and stateless women and girls who are vulnerable to violence and discrimination. The article provides an overview of the role of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and describes the structures in place that support it in this role. The article discusses the lack of formal structures supporting the UNHCR in its function of overseeing implementation of statelessness conventions. The article suggests that CEDAW can be used to complement the role of the UNHCR by monitoring the implementation of human rights obligations in respect of displaced and stateless women.

This chapter monitors and interprets femicide in both armed conflict and in the domestic sphere, finding that more than half of all femicides occur in the domestic sphere, a result of intimate partner violence. Despite the underdiagnostic effect of the scarcity of data, the study concludes that femicide correlates strongly with intimate partner violence. This study disaggregates actors, causes and circumstances to show that the place where women are most unsafe is often in their own homes. The chapter finds that hidden forms of both lethal and non-lethal violence against women must be documented and reported in order to effectively map strategies for its prevention. To this end, the aggregation of data tracking the distribution of violence against women is a crucial factor in undertaking cross-national and sub-national initiatives to confront the problem.

This report provides an overview of ways in which the US-led invasion into Iraq has impacted that countrys respect for human rights, focusing on the rights of women and girls, freedom of expression, the torture of detainees, and marginalized communities. The report reveals that, while progress has been made, Iraqs transition to a functioning and sustainable democracy is far from over. The first section of the report, which addresses the rights of women and girls, describes how the invasion into Iraq caused the deterioration of security in that country, which resulted in a rise in tribal customs and religiously-inflicted political extremism. The report describes that it is common for militias, insurgents, Iraqi security forces, and multinational forces to rape and kill women and girls. The report further notes that women and girls are not safe in their own homes either, as they are regularly physically punished and sometimes killed by their own fathers, brothers and husbands for actions that allegedly shame the family, and that they are unable to seek protection from the all-male police and other security forces as that would likely result in further harassment and abuse.

Focussing on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), this paper highlights the general undertakings of states under CEDAW, such as positive and negative obligations and state responsibility. Concluding comments and general recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee are outlined as well, regarding, for example, minimum age requirements and registration of marriages. The author also provides information about other human rights instruments that are applicable to the right to decide if, when and whom to marry. [Descriptors:Marriage - International] Presented at the National Consultation on Women's Right to Choose If, When and Whom to Marry, March 22-24, 2003, Lucknow, India.

This document explores international laws against slavery and describes modern forms of slavery, including ones that affect the human rights of women and girls with regard to marriage. Forced labour, trafficking in women and children, prostitution, forced marriage, mail-order brides, and child servitude are among the forms of slavery explained that persist today. The authors stress that these practices are in fact slavery because they commodify women as possessions to be owned and controlled by others, thereby violating their human rights, including marriage rights. [Descriptors: Marriage - International]

This recommendation explores the articles of the Convention concerning older women and recognizes CEDAW as an important tool for protecting their human rights. The recommendation identifies multiple forms of discrimination faced by older women, outlines States Parties obligations under the Convention in relation to that discrimination, and recommends that the concerns of older women be addressed through national strategies, development initiatives and positive action. The recommendation also calls on state parties to collect information and statistics specific to older women, and to include that data in their reports to the Committee.

This information sheet briefly discusses the prevalence of child marriage and measures that can be taken to build a protective environment for children, such as legislation and enforcement, attitudinal change, and empowering girls. [Descriptors: Marriage - International]

This study provides an overview of the context and structural causes of violence against women, describes the types and forms of violence experienced, and its consequences and costs. The study discusses States responsibilities to address violence against women and identifies gaps in the implementation of international standards. The study describes promising practices currently in action as well as challenges in implementation of law and services for the prevention of violence against women. Lastly, the report calls on states to prioritize efforts to eradicate violence against women at the local, national and international levels

This fact sheet acknowledges that although harmful traditional practices such as early marriage and early child bearing violate international human rights laws, "such practices persist because they are not questioned and take on an aura of morality in the eyes of those practicing them." It is argued that these practices persist in environments where women and female children have unequal access to education, wealth, health and employment. Part I identifies and analyses the causes and consequences of harmful traditional practices, while Part II reviews actions taken by United Nations agencies, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Conclusions highlight the drawbacks in the implementation of the practical steps identified by the United Nations, NGOs and women's organizations. Annexed to this fact sheet is a "Plan of Action for the Elimination of Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children." [Descriptors: Marriage, International]