“This paper on the concept of equality as enshrined in the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has been commissioned by UN Women to provide a resource for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-governmental Human Rights Commission (AICHR). While under the ASEAN Charter an ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children has also been established, AICHR should remain the primary mechanism for the promotion and protection of the human rights of all people, women included. Hence it needs to develop a capability in using the standards of CEDAW for equality and non-discrimination in carrying out its mandate. All ASEAN countries have ratified CEDAW and with the exception of Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, have no reservations to CEDAW’s substantive Articles. All of these countries have undertaken binding obligations to promote and protect the human rights of women according to the standards of CEDAW. All of these countries with the exception of Brunei have reported to the CEDAW Committee, many of them more than once. So they have the Concluding Observations of the Committee to guide them in their task and be able to show increased levels of compliance with the standards of CEDAW.
This paper aims to provide guidance to AICHR in its purpose of engaging ASEAN governments in using international standards for the promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girl children in furthering the fulfillment of their obligations under CEDAW.”
