The bumper sticker on my wife’s car reads, “Well-behaved women seldom make history!” I believe proponents of CEDAW, the Women’s Treaty, have been minding their manners a bit too much.  CEDAW is the most important international mechanism for women’s equality, and provides a universal standard for women’s human rights. The treaty is a basic framework for ending violence against women, ensuring girls access to education, and promoting economic opportunity and political participation for women.

US ratification is an opportunity for our nation to be a global leader in standing up for the rights of women and girls in countries around the world.  The United States is the world’s only democracy and one of seven nations including Iran, Sudan, and Somalia that has not ratified the treaty. And until we do so, our country cannot credibly demand that others live up to their obligations under the treaty. ?

While both President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton support adoption, their rhetoric must be turned into actions.  For the last 30 years, the US has sat on the sidelines while CEDAW has been used around the world by to protect women and girls from discrimination.  Unfortunately, it looks as if the November mid-term elections could make it more difficult to secure the 67 votes needed in the Senate for passage.  The clock is ticking.  

Ratification is not about policy, it’s about politics.  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed the treaty twice on a bipartisan basis.  There is clear support on both sides of the aisle for ratification now.  But there is only one way the White House and Senate leadership will only allow CEDAW its moment on the Senate floor this year.  They must hear loud and clear from you that failure to move CEDAW is a failure to support human rights for women. They need to know you believe it is worth fighting for.

If you are reading this, you are probably already hooked into the action alerts, call-ins, and other attention getting efforts. Taking these simple steps is crucial. Sharing information that you gather from your Senators is equally important. (So act now if you haven't already done so!)

But push it even further.  Don’t just call your Senators office.  Ask for the staff person who handles foreign affairs and let them know how important this is to you.  Contact campaign committees, and tell them that what happens to CEDAW this summer will impact how much you will contribute and volunteer. Send them $10,000 checks with “VOID UNTIL CEDAW PASSES” written over the front.   It’s time to misbehave, get loud, and make history!

Don Kraus is the CEO of Citizens for Global Solutions and co chairs the CEDAW Task Force of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

As hopefully everyone remembered, Sunday was Mother’s Day!

This weekend, Citizens for Global Solutions held its May Partners Call, a nationwide conference call with CGS members and expert speakers on nuclear security issues. This call, we focused on the New START Treaty with Russia that will cut back strategic nuclear weapons in each country by almost one-third. During the call, we learned quite a bit about the prospects of the New START treaty being ratified by the Senate as well as the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review conference that is going on right now. 

You might wonder why I’m talking about nuclear weapons in reference to Mother’s Day. As I learned this weekend from one of our members in Cincinnati, Fr. Ben Urmston, Mother’s Day was originally founded as a Women’s Day for peace and disarmament in 1870. Julia Ward Howe is famously quoted as saying “From the bosom of the devastated earth, a voice goes up with our own. It says, "Disarm, Disarm!" Of course these women weren’t talking about nuclear disarmament, but the quote is certainly prophetic.

In memory of the women that pioneered Mother's Day in the name of disarmament, let's continue to celebrate our mothers and grandmothers today.

We know that women and girls around the world face violence and discrimination daily. We also know that CEDAW, the Women's Treaty, helps women and girls to go to school, to own and inherit property, to take part in public life, and to fight violence and oppression. We need Senate action on the CEDAW Treaty (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) to give the U.S. greater clout to help women worldwide win these basic rights. Let's stand together for women and girls around the world. Click here to ask your Senators to support CEDAW today. 

Hear Don Kraus, CEO, and Abby Long, Programs Coordinator, talk about why CEDAW is so important:

Here Don Kraus, CEO, and Abby Long, Programs Coordinator, talk about why CEDAW is so important:

We know that women and girls around the world face violence and discrimination daily. We also know that CEDAW, the Women's Treaty, helps women and girls to go to school, to own and inherit property, to take part in public life, and to fight violence and oppression. We need Senate action on the CEDAW Treaty (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) to give the U.S. greater clout to help women worldwide win these basic rights.
 
This Mother's Day, Citizens for Global Solutions is working with dozens of national partners to ensure that we ratify CEDAW now. Please CLICK HERE to ask your Senators to celebrate Mother's Day by showing their support for the CEDAW Treaty.
 
While we celebrate our own mothers and grandmothers today (Happy Mother's Day, Mom!), let's stand together for women and girls around the world.  Click here to ask your Senators to support CEDAW today.

Ann Lewis, a director of communications for President Clinton, and Susan Molinari, former Republican Congresswoman for New York, wrote that "investment in women and girls’ education and empowerment is increasingly recognized as a linch-pin to advancing social, economic and political progress in most poor countries... Girls with just one year of formal education are less likely to suffer from illness or hunger...and their children are less likely to die in infancy." This reasoning was implemented in Pakistan where the U.S. supported education in the country towards a goal of addressing illiteracy.  The U.S. stated that this formed part of efforts to stabilize Pakistan and to weaken the influence of Al Qaeda and the Taliban; arguing that nations that are stable and democratic are far less likely to engage in war or host terrorist organizations. Thus, it has been argued that supporting women and girls through agricultural development and improvements health-care is a worthwhile investment.  Indeed, there is broad bipartisan support in the idea that investing in programs that build healthy, educated societies are a big part of making the U.S. and the world safer.  

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her speech today referred to U.S. policy towards women: "Today, the United States is making women a cornerstone of foreign policy because we think it’s the right thing to do, but we also believe it’s the smart thing to do as well. Investing in the potential of the world’s women and girls is one of the surest ways to achieve global economic progress, political stability, and greater prosperity for women — and men — the world over."

Dana Perino, a former White House press secretary noted the grave problems that need to be dealt with around the globe: "One in every 22 African mothers dies in child-birth, more than 200 times the rate in the U.S.  In Sierra Leone, it’s 1 in 8." Nonetheless, Perino wrote that she continues to work with organizations aimed at improving the lives of women and has seen the influence that they have already had: "I have seen our aid money is being well-spent.  They stretch every dollar, spending in innovative ways…Together, we can pool our power to connect, take action and help shape a better, more profitable future."

Women's issues can be approached from many angles, the Convenor of the  Coalition for the International Criminal Court, William R. Pace, recalled the importance of the Rome Statute as a powerful instrument for preventing immunity for crimes committed against women: "The Rome Statute’s provisions by targeting sexual crimes represent a historic advance for international justice: the Statute is one of the first international treaties to extensively address gender-based crimes as crimes against humanity, war crimes, and in some instances, genocide...Countries are strongly encouraged to bring their national laws in line with the standards enshrined in the Rome Statute, both in terms of criminalizing the serious crimes contained in the Statute and by assuring that laws make full cooperation with the Court possible."

Act Now in Support of CEDAW

Yesterday afternoon Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe was confirmed as the first ever United States Ambassador to the Council.

We want to thank Citizens for Global Solutions activists who sent over 1200 letters to 94% of the Senate demanding that Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe be confirmed as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council. 

Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe is an Affiliated Scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.  Her research has focused on norms on use of force, UN reform, and the international rule of law.  Previously, Ms. Donahoe was a litigation associate at Fenwick & West in Silicon Valley. Prior to that, she was a teaching fellow at Stanford Law School and law clerk to the Honorable William H. Orrick.  Ms. Donahoe has also worked with various human rights organizations.

The U.S. recognises the controversial history of the Human Rights Council, but hopes to see the Council follow its goals of protecting human rights.  Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero stated on Monday that: "the Human Rights Council was established to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. Our expectations should be nothing less and the United States will continue to strongly advocate that the Council meet these expectations."

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International Women’s Day is next Monday (March 8th); here are some events for those of you in the DC area:

The International Center for Research on Women is hosting the 2010 Champions for Change: Innovation Empowers Women Awards Cocktail Reception. For more information CLICK HERE

The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum is hosting a partnership evening event with Women's Information Network (WIN) and Emerge Global, featuring a short program, networking reception, and artisan bazaar. For more information CLICK HERE

The Washington D.C. Independent Film Festival is showing a series of films by or about women. For more information CLICK HERE

Enough is organizing a peace march across the Arlington Bridge to support Congo's women in particular as they continue to face violence related to the conflict mineral trade. For more information CLICK HERE

An event will be held at Café Citron from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday March 11.  This event is cosponsored by AIUSA (Amnesty International USA Mid-Atlantic Region) and UNA-NCA (United Nations Association of the National Capital Area). RSVP to Brittany Jacoby at 330-310-4937 or bmjacoby@gmail.com  

For those of you in New York:

CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action – Empowering Women March 11, 2010 will be held at 777 UN Plaza from 2:00-3:30 PM. RSVP to Jessica Hartl, 202-462-3446 x12 or jhartl@unausa.org

International Association of Women Judges and the National Association of Women will host a reception, and screening of the film "Courting Justice". For more information CLICK HERE

Looking for an icebreaker at your next holiday dinner party? How about asking guests what the United States has in common with Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Nauru, Palau, and Tonga? It's not weather or cuisine, and it certainly isn't number of Starbucks; it's the fact that none of these countries have ratified the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (also known as CEDAW). CEDAW came into force on December 18, 1979 which is 30 years ago today and then President of the United States Jimmy Carter signed the Convention. Even today, as the rights of women around the world and in the United States suffer, the United States has not ratified the treaty.

Trafficking in women, maternal mortality, rape as a weapon of war, bride burning, acid burning, and female infanticide are a few of the many issues that plague the women of the world every day, yet these issues barely make waves on the world agenda. One way to get these problems noticed is to get the United States to ratify CEDAW. This is your chance to help in this effort. Click here to get started.

Human Rights Day 2009 is this Thursday!  The focus this year will be on non-discrimination.  Specifically, the main objection will be the promotion of discrimination-free societies throughout the world.  Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated the following, “Discrimination lies at the roots of many of the world’s most pressing human rights problems.  No country is immune from the scourge.  Eliminating discrimination is a duty of the highest order.”

On past Human Rights Day, the Secretary of State gave a speech highlighting the ideals of the day.   A similar speech this year would be the perfect occasion to promote American support of the United Nations’ Treaty CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).  As the title suggests, this treaty focuses on eliminating discrimination against women on an international level.  This fits perfectly with this year’s Human Rights Day theme of non-discrimination.  Additionally, CEDAW’s 30th anniversary is next week, making the topic even more timely for the Secretary of State’s speech.

CEDAW was passed by the UN General Assembly in 1970 and was signed by President Carter in 1980.  However, the US has failed to ratify CEDAW and is keeping company with known human rights violators such as Sudan, Somalia, and Iran.  The speech on Human Rights Day is the perfect opportunity for the US to express our support for CEDAW and that we are willing to work towards ratification.

For more information on Human Rights Day, click here.

For more information on CEDAW, click here.

In a monumental effort to raise the status of women, Nicholas Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn have authored a book titled, "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide." One of the many goals of the book is to end discrimination against women and release them into society so they can make valuable economic contributions and ameliorate global poverty. Kristof and WuDunn argue that the greatest unexploited resource in the world are the women and girls. The book can be bought on September 8th. It details women's stories of success after receving microfinance loans and being given the opportunity to contribute to the economy.

You can buy the book HERE

To learn more about the work Citizens for Global Solutions is doing to help women around the world, CLICK HERE

"There's a growing recognition among everyone from the World Bank to the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to aid organizations like CARE that focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism. That's why foreign aid is increasingly directed to women. The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren't the problem; they're the solution."

A terrific article was published August 17th, 2009 in the New York Times by Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.  The article focuses on the importance of empowering women in the developing world.

Photo Courtesy of the U.N.

Yesterday the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Susan Rice, delivered a strong and promising speech on the U.S.’s position towards the United Nations and global cooperation. Many of her statements reflected progress on issues that we at Citizens for Global Solutions have been working hard to further.

Rice commended U.N. operations that have helped to rebuild shattered societies, including missions in Haiti where deadly gangs have been defeated and local police have been trained, and missions in Congo that have allowed the first democratic elections in the country to be held. Promising to improve U.S. support to U.N. peacekeeping, Rice pledged more U.S. military staff officers, military observers, civilian police, and other civilian personnel.

Working towards nuclear non-proliferation, Rice recalled U.S. work to have the Security Council condemn North Korea’s nuclear weapons tests, and ongoing efforts to constructively engage Iran in the non-proliferation process. She also said that the U.S. is aiming to achieve a successful NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] Review Conference next year.

Referring to the U.S.’s new seat on the Human Rights Council- another action we have championed-  Rice acknowledged the need for the U.S. to be involved with such institutions to increase their effectiveness and scope, and to help address their shortcomings.

Elaborating on other causes that we support, Rice said, “We no longer oppose mentions of… the International Criminal Court. We no longer balk at… the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women [CEDAW]. And we’re forging a new path on climate change commensurate with our global responsibilities.” She also mentioned the importance of the U.S. paying its dues to the U.N., and noted that the U.S. cleared its accumulated debt to the U.N. earlier this year through Congress- a goal that we pushed hard to achieve.

Rice neatly summarized our philosophy here at Citizens for Global Solutions: “We face an extraordinary array of global challenges: poorly guarded nuclear weapons and material, a global financial meltdown, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran and North Korea building their nuclear weapons capabilities, al-Qaeda and its affiliates, genocide and mass atrocities, cyber attacks on our digital infrastructure, international crime and drug trafficking, pandemics, and a climate that is warming by the day. These are transnational security threats that cross national borders as freely as a storm. By definition, they cannot be tackled by any one country alone.”

Read the speech here