CEDAW (CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN)

  

CEDAW (CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN) 

The incidents of violence against women are increasing at an alarming rate. With the emerging technologies and digital world, the issue of violence on women still persists at showing not much good indication of coming down. 

According to the report of Indian express the day we begin the celebration of CEDAW week a Kerala women got murdered with LPG cylinder on the morning of 24 November (Monday) in Kerala by a man. On 25th of November by the source of times of India with the second day a woman in Rajkot beaten to death with an iron rod by her husband (Rajkot factory owner). Moving on to the next day on 26th former miss India of India Celina Jaitley filed a complaint of domestic violence by her husband according to the sources of economic times.  

But why we are counting all these? Because the day of celebration of CEDAW does not bring the positive impact only it comes with a new challenge of tackling the issues in this digital world where online sexual abuse, blackmailing, torturing, digital rape, threat to identity is being considered as common and part of life.  

The data of UN WOMEN of one in every three women have experienced the sexual harassment or violence reflects the condition of society. This show how the issues of women is deeply penetrated in the society, non–availability of legal as well as religious laws to women, indiscriminate power to men behind closed doors and prevalence of violence at a major level of society.it simultaneously questions the authorities, law-maker and implementer about their basic right to live with dignity and right to life, privacy, and protection (which are core rights of a human being). 

CEDAW (convention on elimination of discrimination against women) which came on 18 December 1979 by united nation general assembly brings the issue on a global platform. The law came into force in 1981 which includes right to life, equality before law, right to life with dignity. All the countries who are part of CEDAW should have to submit the annual reports on women’s issues such as domestic violence  

INDIA’S STANCE ON CEDAW– India signed the CEDAW on 30 July 1980 and ratified it on 9 July 1993. If we look at the data of NCW (NATIONAL COMISSION OF WOMEN) OF 2023–24 brought in light 25,743 cases of domestic violence only. Data shows an immediate need of implementation of laws, speedy redressal of pending cases and strict punishment to the wrongdoers. 

This 2025 CEDAW marks the 30th anniversary of CEDAW in Beijing which is concluded on the points that it remains active in 2025, added new themes such as digital violence, climate justice and women’s rights and so on. We hope that next year we achieve the targeted result of expanding awareness and decrease the number of cases in domestic violence.