Citation

Karube K. St. Andrews Univ. Sociol. Rev. 2001; 35(2): 83-103.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, St. Andrew's University)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This essay reviews activities of the 25th session of the U. N. Committee of the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (hereinafter "the Commitee"), which lasted from 2 July through 20 July 2001 at the U. N. Headquarters in New York. This Commitee monitors domestic implementation of the U. N. Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (hereinafter "the Convention") by considering reports submitted by States parties under Article 18. According to this article, States parties are required to submit their reports within a year after their ratification of the Convention becomes effective and every four year after they submit their initial reports. First, this essay reviews the agenda for the 25th session, which includes opening of the session, adoption of the agenda and organization of work for this session, and consideration of the reports submitted by the States parties under Article 18 of the Convention. The States parties whose reports were considered during this session were as follows: Andora, Guinea, Guyana, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Singapore, Sweden, and Vietnam. Other agenda includes the implementation of Article 21 of the Convention, ways and means of the Committee, provisional agenda for the 26th session scheduled in the winter of 2002, and the adoption of the report of the Committee on the 25th session. This essay summarizes interesting points among each report of States parties and examines concluding comments (advance unedited version) made by the Committee. Second, this essay critically examines the significance of the ratification of the Convention by all the states in the Latin American and Caribbean area. There are several States parties, which made general reservations to the Convention, and which made reservations to Article 29. This article stipulates how to solve disputes regarding interpretation and implemention of the Convention. These reservations suggest that such States parties may not implement the Convention fully and faithfully. Finally, this essay highlights two problems shared by States parties regardless of their areas, languages, or religions. The first is the gap between de jure equality and de fact equality, a gap that is created by traditional values, customs, and religions. Indeed, it is very difficult how to draw lines between religious practices and discrimination against women. The second problem shared by States parties is violence against women, such as domestic violence by husbands and partners.