Mon, 30/08/2010

In its report (called the Concluding Observations), the Committee welcomed a number of recent positive developments in Australia, including the introduction of the Fair Work Act, the commitment to the National Human Rights Framework, the appointment of Quentin Bryce as the first female Governor-General and Julia Gillard as the first female Prime Minister. The Committee also noted the establishment of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and the gender balance of the governing body.

However the Committee called for change in areas such as the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in political and public life, quotas for women on boards, sexual harassment, consolidating anti-discrimination laws, and called for independent monitoring of Australia's National Plan to reduce violence against women and their children.

YWCA Australia managed the CEDAW NGO parallel reporting process, endorsed the CEDAW NGO parallel reports and our Executive Director, Dr. Caroline Lambert, led a delegation of Australian women who appeared before the CEDAW Committee during Australia’s review. In its report, the CEDAW Committee picked up many of issues put forward by the Australian NGOs.

» Read a media release about the CEDAW Committee’s recommendations

» Read the CEDAW Committee’s Concluding Observations

» Find out more about the CEDAW NGO parallel reporting process