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Global CEDAW 30th Anniversary Celebration Event

Event Type: Special Day or Anniversary
Date: 03.12.09
Time: 15:00–17:00 (GMT-0500)
Location: United Nations, New York – ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York, NY

On 3 December 2009, the United Nations held a global celebration for the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The event brought together speakers from around the world who shared examples of how the Convention has been used to implement women’s human rights and achieve gender equality in their country. Participants jeard how CEDAW has been applied to law, policy and judicial decisions, heralding and securing greater human rights for women and girls. Attendees will also learn how the Optional Protocol to the Convention — which celebrates its 10th year in 2009 — has succeeded to raise awareness about the Convention and bring justice to individual women.

These examples, plus opening remarks by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and a live performance from Sarah Jones, will inspire attendees, including Member States, non-governmental organizations, women’s rights activists and the United Nations system alike to increase their efforts to implement the Convention in their home countries and through the work of their organizations.

The celebration event can be viewed on UN Webcast:  http://www.un.org/webcast/2009.html 
Scroll down to the entry, "3 December 09, “Special Event: Special event on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women<http://www.unifem.org/cedaw30/events_calendar/event.php?EventID=3>. With remarks by the Secretary-General.”

For media coverage of the event read:

RIGHTS: Women's Treaty a Powerful Force for Equality
Inter Press Service - Liza Jansen - ‎Dec 4, 2009‎
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 4 (IPS) - Activists and UN officials celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shulamith-koenig/equal-access-to-full-huma_b_377927.html

Women still suffer discrimination 30 years after global treaty banned it – UN ...
UN News Centre - ‎Dec 3, 2009‎
3 December 2009 – Thirty years after an international treaty banning discrimination against women came into force, women and girls are still suffering from ... http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33140&Cr=women&Cr1=

For more details, visit the website.

Sponsored by: A working group of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), composed of OHCHR and UNIFEM (co-chairs), UNICEF, UN-DAW, UNDP and UNFPA.

Contact: Jessica Hughes,, +1 917 484 8080

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