Highlights of CEDAW’s Work on Women Peace and Security

On the occasion of the CEDAW Committee’s 40th anniversary Bandana Rana, Chair of the Task Force on Afghanistan and the Committee’s focal point on Women Peace and Security, congratulated all the State Parties for the work and supporting the committee. Rana said, "I take this opportunity to also thank the SPs for their continuous efforts in accelerating the Women Peace and Security agenda in line with Security Council resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions on women, peace, and security."

She talked about the primary aim and purpose of the general recommendation is to provide authoritative guidance to States parties to protect women’s rights at all times, advancing substantive gender equality before, during, and after conflict and ensuring that women’s diverse experiences are fully integrated into all peacebuilding, peacemaking, and reconstruction processes.  

Presently, the Committee is closely monitoring two ongoing armed conflicts - in Afghanistan and Ukraine, through two separate dedicated Task Forces and their State reporting procedure. In November 2021, the Committee established the Task Force on Afghanistan and subsequently requested the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit an exceptional report on the situation of women and girls in the country since 15 August 2021, in accordance with article 18, paragraph 1 (b), of the Convention. This was the first interaction by a human rights treaty body with the Afghan de facto authorities. In April, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem and myself, undertook a joint technical visit to Kabul on the invitation by UNAMA. The Committee also continues to liaise with the de facto authorities and are awaiting the exceptional report on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.

At the end, she talked about playing a key role as per the Committee’s mandate in countering the backlash against women’s rights and gender equality, addressing these barriers, and ensuring, that gender equality initiatives are prioritized and supported across all stages of peace processes, with women’s full, equal and meaningful participation. In doing so we keenly seek consistent, visible, and explicit political support from State Parties, to address the immense suffering of women and girls caused by violent conflicts and take all possible measures to pave the path, to gender equality and inclusive and sustainable peace.