A Review of the 25th Session of the U. N. Committee of the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

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