The CEDAW Committee considers that the long-term and structural absence of women globally from decision-making systems deprives the world of the potential of half its population.

The Committee, within its mandate, is elaborating a new General Recommendation (GR 40) to provide guidance to States parties on reaching equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems – in both the public and private sectors.

The Committee considers that the achievement of parity as a fundamental human right requires systematic action. The increasing number of crises and disruptive changes affecting the world, such as pandemics, climate change and protracted conflicts, demonstrate that globally governance has failed to deliver on its core task of ensuring peace and security, and that it is high time to rethink the classic patriarchal model of governance.

The Committee also takes into consideration the rapid changes in a world that is becoming increasingly digitalized with the development of new technologies such as AI, which will have a critical impact on decision-making and needs to be shaped in a way that promotes substantive equality of women and men.

The Committee’s GR 40 aims at a new approach to governance based on parity as a core principle and a leading force for transformative change.

The Committee is undertaking this work in close collaboration with UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union and in consultation with States parties, regional organizations, NHRIs, NGOs and academic institutions to ensure a participatory approach.

The Committee aims to adopt GR 40 at its 89^th session in October 2024.

Documentation

General recommendation – flyer

General recommendation – concept note English | Français | Español

Public call for comments to the draft general recommendation (forthcoming)

Half-day of general discussion on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems (84^th CEDAW session)

Resources

A/HRC/53/39: Gendered inequalities of poverty: feminist and human rightsbased approaches

A/HRC/50/25: Girls’ and young women’s activism

A/HRC/29/40: Report on discrimination against women in family and cultural life

A/HRC/23/50 Report on discrimination against women in public and political life with a focus on political transition

OHCHR and IPU, OHCHR-IPU-CEDAW-Handbook-revised-edition.pdf

IPU and UN Women, Map "Women in Politics: 2023"

UN Gender Quota Portal

"Women in Local Government" website

UN Women, Working Paper: Women’s Representation in Local Government: A Global Analysis

Further information

For further information on the upcoming general recommendation, please contact the Secretariat of the Committee, Ms. Céline Georgi, Human Rights Officer, by e-mail at: [email protected]