The Optional Protocol to the Women's Convention: An Argument for Ratification

This article examines the significance of the Optional Protocol in securing the human rights of women. It starts by looking at the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the Women's Convention) and the rights secured by it. The author then turns to the articles of the Optional Protocol and examines these provisions whilst comparing them to the existing individual complaints procedures used by the other major treaty bodies. The final sections of the article detail existing mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the Women's Convention and discuss why the Optional Protocol is essential in the pursuit of securing women's rights internationally.