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Woolsey Leads House Colleagues in Fight for Women's Rights Treaty

6/12/02


Who:


Senator Barbara Boxer

Rep. Lynn Woolsey

Rep. Connie Morella

Rep. Juanita Millendar-McDonald

Rep. Carolyn Maloney

What:

Press Conference regarding CEDAW

(CEDAW to be heard in Senate Foreign Relations

Committee after press conference)

When:

Thursday, June 13, 2002

9:00 AM

Where:

Senate Swamp

Women around the world suffer from violence, poverty and malnutrition. The root cause of this suffering is the discrimination that women face in regards to property rights, access to education, work opportunities and civil rights. The United States can help women by ratifying the United Nation’s “Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women” (CEDAW).

169 countries have ratified CEDAW; the United States is the only industrialized country that has not. Since taking office in 1993, Rep. Woolsey has introduced a resolution every Congress calling on the Senate to ratify CEDAW; the resolution has 119 bi-partisan sponsors. In 1999, Rep. Woolsey led her Congressional colleagues in risking arrest by Senator Helms, in order to deliver a letter expressing congressional support for CEDAW.

“If we want to be regarded as a world leader and champion of human rights, we must teach by example and ratify CEDAW,” said Rep. Woolsey. “As part of our war against terrorism, the U.S. overthrew the Taliban and gave the people of Afghanistan a real opportunity to establish a democratic country. The inclusion and acceptance of Afghan women in this new Afghan government is critical. CEDAW can help show them the way.”

CEDAW was first adopted by the United Nations 20 years ago. It formally codifies women’s equality and promotes women’s inclusion in business, government and other economic and social sectors. It provides a universal definition of discrimination and establishes clear guidelines to nations practicing discrimination against women. The treaty does not provide for the right to an abortion and does not include same-sex marriage.

Marin, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties and the cities of San Francisco and Santa Rosa have passed resolutions calling for CEDAW ratification.