What is CEDAW?

Have you ever heard about CEDAW and what it has to do with women’s rights? CEDAW stands for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It was adopted by the UN in 1979. It sets out what governments must do to end discrimination against women and girls in many areas. From education and employment to health, family life, and political participation. Almost every country in the world has ratified CEDAW. This means each State commits to taking real steps towards equality for women and girls. States also agree that their progress, both positive and negative, is reviewed regularly. Ireland ratified CEDAW in 1985. Since then, the UN Committee has repeatedly flagged issues. These include access to reproductive healthcare, gender-based violence, women’s economic inequality, and the rights of Traveller and Roma women, migrant women, and disabled women, among others. CEDAW considers each Member State report and responds with its concerns and recommendations. These are called Concluding Observations. Civil society organisations – like the National Women’s Council – can take part in this process. They can also make submissions in advance of a state examination. This helps the Committee Members focus their questions and write their final observations. The participation of civil society groups is particularly important to highlight gaps in the rights of minority and marginalised women. In June 2025, Ireland was examined again to see how well the State was keeping its commitments. The CEDAW Concluding Observations for Ireland must now create a roadmap for our Government to address urgent issues across women’s equality in areas such as political and public life, education, employment, health, economic and social life, and combating gender-based violence. For women and civil society in Ireland, CEDAW is an important tool to shine a light on the barriers to equality that remain and hold our Government to account. Because CEDAW is more than just words on paper – it’s about making women’s rights a reality in everyday life.