Women’s Issues Committee

Fall 2007
Still Working on CEDAW   
By Sheila DeLany

The Valley Women’s Club has been working since its inception to insure that women and girls are protected against all forms of discrimination, and to empower women as individuals and as leaders.  We have actively worked to have CEDAW, (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women -- see BACKGROUND at website), or its principals, adopted by our local, State and Federal governments.  As a result of the commitment of women throughout the county, Santa Cruz County has endorsed the principals of the Convention and voted to press for ratification at the national level. Sheila DeLany represents the 5th District on the SCC Women’s Commission, which is working on a local CEDAW Ordinance.  To this end they have been compiling a report on the Status of Women and Girls in SCC (SOWAG) (see website).

However, after all these years, the US Congress has not ratified the Treaty.  Not giving up, VWC Women’s Issues’ Chair, Sheila DeLany, and VWC Education Chair, Donna Ziel, attended the CEDAW Summit on June 30.  In an effort to have the Treaty for Rights of Women ratified by Congress, an “Umbrella Petition” has been established.  The umbrella symbolizes the protection afforded by ratification of the treaty.  We are urging you all, as an individual or with a group of family, friends or organizations, to gather under an umbrella and take a picture with an attached message placard requesting ratification.  Photos, with the names of those pictured, may be sent to the VWC via email or to the VWC, PO Box 574, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.  You may have your photo taken for this at the VWC’s Fall Meet & Greet at Highlands Park on Sunday, September 30th!  The photographs will be gathered together and delivered to Senators as part of a larger action during the course of the campaign.

Background:
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly.  It is often described as an international bill of rights for women. Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. 185 countries have ratified the Convention. The US has not!

The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."

By accepting the Convention, States commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including:

• to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;
  
  
• to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and
  
  
• to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.

Related article: STATUS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS REPORT (SOWAG)