ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

WHEREAS, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women formulated a document titled The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); and

WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly adopted The Convention and opened it for signature in December 1979; and

WHEREAS, The Convention, sometimes called an international Bill of Rights for women, obligates those countries that have ratified or acceded to it to take all appropriate measures to ensure the full development and advancement of women in all spheres - political, educational, employment, health care, economic, social, legal, marriage and family relations - as well as to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women to eliminate prejudice, customs and all other practices based on the idea of the inferiority or superiority of either sex; and

WHEREAS, 52 countries, including the United States, signed The Convention during the 1980 Mid-Decade Conference for Women in Copenhagen, Denmark; and

WHEREAS, The Convention entered into force on September 3, 1981; and

WHEREAS, to date 161 countries representing more than three-quarters of the countries of the world have now ratified or acceded to The Convention; and

WHEREAS, the United States has not yet ratified or acceded to The Convention:

RESOLVED, that the AFT go on record in support of United States ratification or accession to The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, with a copy to the Secretary of State and to each member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee urging immediate action begin on The Convention and support for the United States ratification or accession to The Convention; and

RESOLVED, a copy of this resolution be sent to each member of the U.S. Senate accompanied by a letter of support.