Freeman, Marsha A.

This article explores the tension between the standards in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and identity-based legal regimes on family law, which often discriminates against women. The authors use the CEDAW Committee's initiative to adopt a General Recommendation on the Economic Consequences of Marriage and De Facto Relationships and Their Dissolution as a case study. This Recommendation aims to address women's rights in the context of the gendered and unequal economic consequences of family relations and their

This article focuses on the work of the CEDAW Committee and the essential role played by NGOs in the CEDAW reporting process. It explores the history of how NGOs became involved in the process of submitting state reports and contributing to general recommendations prepared by the Committee. Today, many NGOs submit shadow reports during the review process of a particular state and they even present information directly to the Committee. They also play a crucial role in assisting individuals in submitting complaints to the Committee. The author

This article begins with a review of the value of using law and legal systems to improve women's status. The second section examines issues involved in developing the human rights construct in domestic legal systems. These issues include establishing the principle of nondiscrimination, using nationally based definitions of human rights, invoking constitutional human rights norms, and referring to international instruments and legal developments in other countries.