CEDAW

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Civil & Political Rights Official Text

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) protects women and girls from discrimination in all areas of life, including education, employment, healthcare, and family matters. For female asylum seekers and refugees, it provides important protections against gender-based persecution and ensures they have equal access to services and documentation. However, the treaty has no signatories or ratifications according to the information provided, which means it would not be in force and therefore not enforceable anywhere, including the UK. In reality, CEDAW is one of the most widely ratified human rights treaties with 189 countries having joined it, and the UK ratified it in 1986, making it legally obligated to eliminate discrimination against women in law and practice.