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British Journal of Social Work Vol. 34 No. 8 © BASW Trading Ltd 2004 all rights reserved
Internationalizing Women’s Struggle against Discrimination: The UN Women’s Convention and the Optional Protocol
Dr Kwong-leung Tang is Professor of Social Work at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His academic interests include: Asian social welfare, a rights-based approach to welfare and comparative social policy. He is the author of Social Welfare Development in East Asia (Palgrave, 2000) and co-editor of Poverty Monitoring and Alleviation in East Asia (Nova Science Press, 2003).
Correspondence to Dr Kwong-leung Tang, Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. E-mail: kltang{at}cuhk.edu.hk
Summary
In the face of rampant violations of women’s human rights, women’s activism for change has extended beyond the national boundary. This paper discusses the importance of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Women’s Convention) in the promotion of women’s rights. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, this Convention has been ratified by over 170 nations. As an anti-discrimination treaty, it has both strengths and weaknesses. Recently, it has been strengthened through the introduction of an individual complaint mechanism (the Optional Protocol). It also provides for the conduct of special inquiry into violations of women’s rights. To draw benefits from the Convention, women across the world must understand and act upon its key provisions. Social workers should support and facilitate its implementation by educating women about its main provisions, assisting them in the complaint procedure and overseeing states’ full compliance with the Convention.
Keywords: Discrimination against women, international law, United Nations on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, empowering women, Optional Protocol
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