Take action
NOW!
Urge President Obama to Lead in Ratifying CEDAW,
Women's Rights Treaty
Action Needed:
Ask President Obama to take leadership to ratify CEDAW, the critically
important women's rights treaty. President Obama should call upon the
U.S. Senate to conduct hearings and finalize ratification of CEDAW.
Sign our petition (to be delivered at the end of March, Women's History
Month) or use our talking points in the background section to call the
White House at (202) 456-1111 or fax them at (202) 456-2461.
On this International Women's Day, March 8, we are reminded that much
remains to be done to advance the basic human rights of women in the
United States and around the world. There is no Equal Rights Amendment in
the U.S. Constitution and for more than 30 years the U.S. has failed to
ratify CEDAW -- the most complete international agreement advancing basic
human rights for women. Today, the National Organization for Women and
NOW Foundation launch our campaign, RATIFY WOMEN!
Take action NOW!
Background:
CEDAW stands for The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all
forms of Discrimination Against Women and the convention (or treaty) has
been ratified by 185 nations. Despite our 30 years of foot-dragging, the
United States was one of the key leaders in drafting this treaty which
was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979. Yet today we stand
outside of the mainstream international community and are no longer a
world leader in human rights by our failure to ratify the Women's Rights
Treaty. The United States is the only industrialized nation to not have
ratified CEDAW and, as a result, joins with such objectionable outliers
as Sudan, Iran and Somalia.
Failure by the largest, most powerful and wealthiest nation in the world
to ratify this critically-important Women's Rights Treaty is absolutely
shameful. NOW, NOW Foundation and our Global Feminist Issues and
Strategies Committee want you to turn up the pressure on the
Administration by asking President Obama to take leadership in getting
CEDAW ratified.
There are many websites that provide information on CEDAW.
You can read
the text of the treaty, its history and more about how other
nations use CEDAW.
Take action NOW!
Below are a number of talking points from our RATIFY WOMEN! Campaign for
you to stress in advocating for ratification
Why It's Important
- CEDAW is the most comprehensive international agreement on the basic
human rights of women and girls
- U.S. ratification would lend weight to the treaty and the principle
that human rights of women are universal across all cultures, nations and
religions and worthy of being guaranteed through international human
rights standards
- Until the U.S. ratifies CEDAW, it can neither credibly demand that
others live up to their obligations under the treaty, nor that it is a
leader in the global human rights community
What CEDAW Has Helped Achieve in Other Countries
- Reducing the sexual enslavement and trafficking of women and girls
- Securing basic legal recourse to women and girls against violence and
abuses of their human rights
- Freeing access to primary education and health care where it had
previously been denied
- Saving lives during pregnancy and childbirth
- Acknowledging the basic right to own and inherit property, including
helping to secure essential development loans to poor women
Ratifying CEDAW is a Pledge to do the Right Thing for Women
- Take concrete action to improve the status of women in the U.S. and
around the world
- Take measures to ensure that women enjoy basic human rights and
fundamental freedoms
- Establish judicial procedures to ensure the effective protection of
the rights of women
- Take appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women
by individuals, organizations and enterprises
- Submit national reports every four years on actions taken to comply
with the treaty's pledge to protect and promote the rights of women and
girls in the U.S.
Now is the time to act. The year 2010 marks the 15th anniversary of the
Beijing Platform for Action, and with International Women's Day on March
8, this is the perfect opportunity to raise your voice. We need you to
tell President Obama that we have waited long enough. Ask the President
to make it known to Senate leaders that the U.S. should ratify CEDAW
NOW!
and then