Ratify CEDAW

Dear Senators:

We, the undersigned, are writing to urge your strong support for ratification by the United States of the Treaty for the Rights of Women, formally the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It is the most comprehensive international agreement on basic human rights for women.

185 nations have already ratified this important Treaty. However, the United States is one of only eight countries yet to ratify CEDAW, alongside Sudan, Somalia, Qatar, Iran, Nauru, Palau and Tonga.

This Treaty has enormous support within the United States. Over 200 leading organizations representing millions of people across this country form a strong coalition in support of U.S. ratification. The coalition groups range from the AARP and Amnesty International, to Business and Professional Women USA, and the American Association of University Women, to Bnai Brith International and the American Bar Association.

Women around the globe are victims and survivors of egregious human rights violations and abuses. Violence against women is pervasive throughout the world. Amnesty International has found that discrimination is a root cause for violence and that impunity perpetuates violations and abuses. Approximately one in three of the worlds women will experience violence at some point in their lives, with rates reaching 70\% in some countries. Millions of women are abused each year, often in countries where they face discriminatory laws preventing them from seeking meaningful legal recourse against such violence. The World Health Organization estimates that, globally, one woman in five will be the victim of rape or attempted rape during their lives. Within Africa, the estimate is one in three.

Ratification of the Treaty by the U.S. Senate would serve as a tool to fight violence and discrimination against women and girls wherever they face abuse. The Treaty for the Rights of Women can be used to reduce violence against women and other human rights abuses by reversing discrimination and providing equal protection before the law. The Treaty can also help ensure that girls and women receive equal access to education and basic health care, as well as basic legal recourse against human rights violations and abuses. The Treaty has already helped to achieve important reforms, reducing violence and discrimination against women in nations that have ratified CEDAW. The United States should be consistent in its leadership and proudly stand at the forefront of human rights for women around the world.

We ask that you make equality for women a priority by working earnestly toward a final, full Senate ratification of the treaty. With these steps, the U.S. government will show the international community that it stands unequivocally for the human rights of women and girls throughout the world.