The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women.
CEDAW defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.
Article 1 of CEDAW defines discrimination against women as ...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.
States that ratify the Convention are legally obliged to:
- Eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in all areas of life.
- Ensure women’s full development and advancement in order that they can exercise and enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms in the same way as men.
- Allow the CEDAW Committee to scrutinize their efforts to implement the treaty by reporting to the body at regular intervals.
Ratification
New Zealand ratified CEDAW on 10 January 1985 with reservations. Reservations define the context and extent of the State’s legal obligation to a treaty. States can make reservations to parts of the treaty when signing, ratifying, accepting, approving, or acceding to exclude or modify the legal effect of certain provisions.
New Zealand withdrew its three reservations in 1989, 2003 and 2007. There are no remaining reservations.
Optional Protocol to the CEDAW
Human rights treaties can be followed by ‘Optional Protocols’ which may either provide for procedures about the treaty or address a substantive area related to the treaty.
Optional Protocols to human rights treaties are treaties in their own right, and are open to signature, accession or ratification by countries who are party to the main treaty.
The Optional Protocol to the CEDAW includes:
- an individual complaints mechanism which affords individuals and groups of women the right to complain to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Committee) about violations of the Convention.
- an inquiry procedure (Article 8-9) which enables the Committee to conduct inquiries into grave or systematic abuse of women's human rights in countries that become States parties to the Optional Protocol. States may choose to opt-out of this clause (Article 10).
New Zealand ratified the Optional Protocol on 7 September 2000 and accepted both procedures.
New Zealand's latest report
New Zealand submitted its ninth periodic report to the United Nations in July 2023, following a public consultation between January and March 2023.
Read New Zealand's ninth periodic report on CEDAW.
This CEDAW report responds to a list of questions received from the CEDAW Committee in 2022. The issues cover a broad range of areas, including health and wellbeing of women and girls, women peace and security, sexual harassment in the workplace, gender-responsive budgeting, and criminalising gender-based violence.
Read the list of issues document.
Latest CEDAW examination and recommendations
All signatories to CEDAW are required to periodically report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Committee).
In October 2024, New Zealand was examined by the CEDAW Committee on our ninth periodic report at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Kellie Coombes, Ministry for Women Chief Executive and Secretary for Women, led the New Zealand delegation. Download our Annual Report for more information.
Following the examination, the Committee issued its Concluding Observations for New Zealand on 30 October 2024. The Committee acknowledged New Zealand’s achievements in promoting gender equality and positively noted legislative reforms.
The Committee provided 62 recommendations for improving domestic implementation of CEDAW across 23 thematic areas such education, employment, health, economic empowerment and violence against women.
The Ministry for Women worked with 31 agencies to identify current programmes and actions that fell within the scope of the recommendations. On 25 August 2025, the Minister for Women obtained Cabinet approval on the Government’s response to address the recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee. See the cabinet paper on our website.
New Zealand’s next periodic report is expected to be due in 2031.
CEDAW monitoring on the Human Rights Monitor
New Zealand’s latest CEDAW response is published on the Human Rights Monitor.
The Monitor is an online tool that records recommendations made to New Zealand from different United Nations human rights mechanisms, and the actions being taken by the Government in response to these recommendations.
The Monitor helps to ensure transparency and accountability for New Zealand’s human rights commitments. Launched in September 2024, the tool is administered by the Ministry of Justice. See the Ministry of Justice’s website for more information.
The CEDAW response is the fourth reporting cycle to be published on the Monitor. Tip: search the Monitor by topic or by population group to find recommendations and actions related to women and girls under other reporting cycles.