Adopted by the United Nations in 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the most comprehensive international agreement on the basic rights of women.
The Convention is often referred to as the “Bill of Rights” for women as it provides an international standard for the treatment of women. Among the nations that have ratified CEDAW, women’s rights advocates are using the treaty as a tool to effect significant change in their lives.