Against All Evidence, CEDAW Chair Denies CEDAW Committee Calls for Abortion

By Samantha Singson

     (NEW YORK — C-FAM) The chairman of the controversial compliance committee of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) told a group of UN NGOs this week that she was proud of the wide scope of the CEDAW treaty. She also said she looked forward to the day when international treaties were “self-executing”, that is that they become immediately enforceable law upon countries that ratify it.

    Chairman Dubravka Siminovic characterizing the CEDAW convention as “flexible”, and said that NGOs have an important opportunity not only to push their national governments to implement the convention but also to influence the interpretation of the treaty’s terms. The CEDAW Committee has come under pressure in recent years for reinterpreting the document as including abortion.

    Siminovic also told NGOs that while 185 states have ratified the CEDAW convention there has been a lack of political will on behalf of states to fulfill their treaty obligations. Acknowledging a gap between international and national law, Siminovic expressed disappointment at the lack of systematic implementation by states parties. To combat this problem, Siminovic asserted that if international treaties were “self-executing”, then national legal systems would be able to cite the articles of the treaty directly as they would immediately become part of national law upon ratification.

    Siminovic called for strengthening the impact of compliance committee recommendations saying she hoped that one day the various human rights treaty bodies could issue “joint general recommendations” on cross-cutting issues, such as women and children’s rights.  

    In response to a query from the audience about CEDAW and abortion, Siminovic asserted that "[In CEDAW] there is nothing about abortion. The CEDAW Committee is very careful because there are 185 states parties and it really is up to the state parties to implement the convention.”  Her response is surprising since her committee has directed 37 countries to legalize their laws on abortion precisely because of the CEDAW document.

    During the Commission on the Status of Women, CSW, many radical feminist organizations from all over the world have vociferously criticized the United States for not ratifying the CEDAW convention. During the question and answer period following the panel presentation, an audience member asked Siminovic which seven nations had not ratified the convention. To the great amusement of the audience, Siminovic answered with a smile, “I don’t know all seven, but I can definitely name one.” 

Friday Fax    March 1, 2007 | Volume 10, Number 11

Copyright 2007 - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute). Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.

 Austin Ruse, President of C-FAM comments: "Remarkable; when she was asked at the UN this week about CEDAW and abortion, the Chairman of the compliance committee denied that CEDAW has anything to do with abortion. This even though her own committee has told 37 countries to legalize abortion."

RARTL Updated April, 2007