Can One Unanimous UN Resolution Pave The Way for CEDAW Ratification?

Established in the United Nations Charter, way back in that post-war year of 1946, the Division for the Advancement of Women firmly rooted the drive towards gender equality in the international agenda. Sixty-four years later, gender equality and the empowerment of women remain on the forefront of the UN agenda, as shown by the recent creation of the new agency: UN Women. This historic, and unanimous, step that was taken by the UN General Assembly on July 2nd of this year stood proof as both a testament to the agenda of advancing gender equality, and also to the necessity of reform throughout the organizations multi-faceted body.

UN Women will encompass four previous UN agencies, including the Division for the Advancement of Women, the International Research and training Institute for the Advancement of Women, the Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, and the United Nations Development Fund for Women. The responsibilities of these organizations will not be forgotten, but rather consolidated and streamlined under UN Women's singular governing structure.

The work of UN Women will be guided by prior principles of promoting gender equality worldwide, as described in two prior landmark international conventions - the Beijing Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW. The agency will support inter-governmental bodies, civil society groups, and nonprofit organizations in their formulation of policy and global norms. Additionally, the agency will assist in the implementation of these standards and norms when help is requested by Member States. In the words of   Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, "UN Women will give women and girls the strong, unified voice they deserve on the world stage. I look forward to seeing this new entity up and running so that we — women and men — can move forward together in our endeavour to achieve the goals of equality, development and peace for all women and girls, everywhere."

Interestingly enough, UN Women was unanimously agreed to by all UN member States in a general assembly vote, although the BBC has reported that there were lengthy negotiations.  This is somewhat ironic given the United States' prominence within the United Nations and its own dubious distinction of being part of only 7 countries out of all 193 that have not yet ratified CEDAW. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has made gender equality and the empowerment of women a top priority - will the Unites States Senate rise to the occasion?

CEDAW is a landmark international agreement that affirms principles of fundamental human rights and equality for women and girls. Much like the recent General Assembly vote, it  will not affect the actual laws of the United States. There are no additional costs or appropriations needed in order to ratify CEDAW - only the support of two thirds of the Senate, or 67 Senators. A vote for CEDAW is not only a vote for women, but a vote to strengthen the United States' position as a global leader in standing up for the inalienable rights of women and girls. Click here to tell president Obama now is the time to prioritize CEDAW.