The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women is a body of 23 independent experts who monitor the progress of UN member states’ efforts to eliminate discrimination against women. Natasha Stott Despoja AO was elected to the Committee in November 2020 as an independent member. She is the first Australian to have served on the Committee in almost thirty years, following the Hon Elizabeth Evatt AC. Ms Stott Despoja is the only independent member serving on the Committee from the Oceania region.
Natasha’s nomination and election to the Committee was supported by the Australian government.
All parties to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (the Convention) are required to periodically appear before the CEDAW Committee. They are to report on their respective implementation of commitments in the Convention. Different parties are at different stages of development and gender equality policy implementation. Therefore, the CEDAW Committee has moved to providing bespoke surveys to each party to respond to elements of the Convention pertinent to that party.
Australia’s ninth periodic report is due in 2024. Following the submission of the report, Australia will be scheduled to appear before the CEDAW Committee to speak to the report and respond to any further questions. The CEDAW Committee will then issue concluding observations on Australia’s implementation of, and reporting on, the Convention.
As part of our long-standing commitment to transparency, the Australian Government also supports a ‘shadow report’ on the Convention from independent civil society organisations about their views on Australia’s implementation of Convention commitments.