HR0021LRB097 05776 KXB 45843 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are urging the federal government to seek
4passage of the United Nations treaty, the Convention on the
5Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
7Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the
8United Nations General Assembly, is often described as an
9international bill of rights for women; consisting of a
10preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes
11discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national
12action to end such discrimination; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The Convention defines discrimination against
14women as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the
15basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or
16nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women,
17irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of
18men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the
19political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other
20field"; and
 
21    WHEREAS, By accepting the Convention, States commit
22themselves to undertake a series of measures to end

 

 

HR0021- 2 -LRB097 05776 KXB 45843 r

1discrimination against women in all forms, including: to
2incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their
3legal system; to abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt
4appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women; to
5establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the
6effective protection of women against discrimination; and to
7ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women
8by persons, organizations, or enterprises; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Advancing women's human rights worldwide is
10fundamental to America's national security interests and a
11cornerstone of the nation's foreign policy; ratification of the
12Convention would amplify the U.S. voice in defense of women and
13girls at a time when their rights, even their clothing, are a
14global battleground; it would send the strongest possible
15signal that America is back as an international team player on
16the one hand, while reasserting our proud bipartisan tradition
17of promoting and protecting human rights on the other; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Only seven of the United Nations' 193 member
19countries have not ratified the Convention: Iran, Sudan,
20Somalia, three small Pacific island countries (Nauru, Palau,
21and Tonga), and the United States; and
 
22    WHEREAS, The Convention offers a practical blueprint for
23action that every country can use to make progress toward

 

 

HR0021- 3 -LRB097 05776 KXB 45843 r

1ending discrimination; American women enjoy opportunities and
2status not available to most of the world's women, but few
3would dispute that more progress is needed, such as in ending
4domestic violence and closing the pay gap between men and
5women; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Convention would not lead to any automatic
7changes in U.S. law, and there is no additional cost; the
8treaty provides a framework for the continuing national
9dialogue on women's equality, as it does in every country;
10ratification of the Convention requires 67 United States Senate
11votes; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we urge the Senate of the United States to ratify the
15Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
16Against Women; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18presented to United States President Barack Obama and the
19members of the Illinois Congressional delegation.