The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Role of Civil Society in Implementing International Women's Human Rights Norms

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 argues that the participation of these NGOs in the reporting process is essential in making sure states implement and comply with the decisions made by the Committee of CEDAW.