Anti-discrimination committee takes up ICPD issues
ICPD 94 newsletter of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994(13): 5
1994
PMID: 12178988 Document Number: 242065
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has made a number of recommendations as a contribution to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). At CEDAW's Thirteenth Session, from 17 January to 4 February, 1994, a working group was set up to provide follow-up to the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights and input to ICPD. The working group's report was adopted by the Committee, and argued that population and development policies need to address the vicious cycle of women's illiteracy, poverty, fertility rates, and discrimination in employment. It stated that eliminating social, cultural, economic, and political discrimination against women is a prerequisite for achieving sound population policies. The report called for special measures to address the specific needs of an increased number of female-headed households. It emphasized that a main objective of ICPD is to eliminate discrimination against girls, eliminate the causes of son-preference, strengthen girls' self-esteem and improve their status, especially with regard to health, nutrition, and education. The report recommended that, in the formulation of sustainable development policies, the needs and tasks of women, especially in terms of their impact on natural resources, should be recognized, and that women should participate in governmental and non-governmental decision-making processes on these issues. CEDAW is a 23-member expert committee that reports annually on countries progress in implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The Convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, is a statement of women's human rights as well as a framework for women's participation in the development process.