Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The UK became a signatory to CEDAW in 1981 and ratified the Convention in April 1986.

In line with the obligations of the Convention, States undertake to submit periodic reports to the CEDAW Committee (the expert body that monitors States parties' compliance with the Convention) every four years. These reports provide progress information on the situation of women in all the areas of discrimination detailed within the Convention, as well as to the UN CEDAW Committee’s previous Recommendations.

The government submitted the UK's 7th Periodic CEDAW Report to the United Nations on 10 June 2011.

The Report set out progress over the last four years, outlining significant legislative, judicial and administrative measures adopted to give effect to the Convention since the submission of our last report.

It details developments in areas covered by the Convention, such as health, employment, education, representation, social and economic benefits, sex role stereotyping, trafficking and marriage and family law. It responds to recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee in 2008 following the UK’s last periodic report which covered issues such as forced marriage, trafficking and teenage pregnancy.

The report also provides an update on the situation of women in the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories to which CEDAW has been extended.  These reports are provided as separate annexes.

The Government engaged with women and women's organisations throughout the reporting process to discuss the UK's progress and to seek views on potential areas of concerns.  Interested Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have further opportunity to be involved in the whole committee process.
We work across government to ensure coordinated follow-up action to address the recommendations of the Committee.

More information on the CEDAW articles.

What's next?

The submission of the State periodic report is usually followed by an in depth one-day oral examination of the State Party by the UN's CEDAW Committee.  The CEDAW Committee is the overseeing body comprised of independent experts on women's issues from around the world.

The UK government's oral examination of the Seventh Report is expected to take place in July 2013.

NGOs can submit independent or "shadow" reports detailing concerns about progress on women's rights in the UK, up to two weeks before the oral examination to the CEDAW Committee. The Committee considers these reports as part of the oral examination process.

Following the examination, the CEDAW Committee will publish a set of Concluding Observations which outlines concerns and makes Recommendations to the UK.

Previous UK Reports

On 1 May 2007 the UK submitted its 6th Periodic Report to the CEDAW Committee; The report is available on the UN CEWAW website.

The UK was orally examined on its 5th and 6th national reports in July 2008.  The CEDAW Committee published the subsequent 'Concluding Observations' which included a number of follow-up Recommendations for the UK. One of these was that the UK submit within one year of its examination, a report on what the UK is doing to address several of the recommendations made by the Committee.  The UK submitted this One Year On report to the UN on 30 July 2009.

More information on the Concluding Observations of the 2008 examinations.