Calling on the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

IV 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 445 Calling on the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 25, 2023 Ms. NORTON (for herself, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. OMAR, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. TITUS, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Calling on the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights pro- claims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights without distinction of any kind, includ- ing distinction based on sex; Whereas the World Bank estimates that around 2,400,000,000 women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunity, and 179 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent their full economic participa- tion; Whereas the United Nations estimates that nearly one in five young women globally are married before the age of 18; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR445.IH HR445 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HRES 445 IH Whereas the World Bank estimates that women globally have only three-quarters of the legal rights afforded to men; Whereas the United Nations estimates that it would take an- other 40 years for women and men to be equally rep- resented in national governments; Whereas the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (referred to hereafter as ‘‘CEDAW’’) condemns discrimination against women in all its forms, and establishes an agenda for national action to end discrimination against women and ensure the advancement of women in education, em- ployment, and health care and in political, social, eco- nomic, and cultural fields through legislative action and legal protections; Whereas the CEDAW was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, and signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1980, but has never been brought be- fore the full Senate for a vote; Whereas 189 countries have ratified the CEDAW, and the United States joins only Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan, and Tongo in not ratifying the CEDAW; Whereas dozens of cities, counties, and States in the United States have passed resolutions in support of CEDAW’s ratification; Whereas San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Santa Clara, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Honolulu, and Miami-Dade Coun- ty have passed binding local ordinances to implement the principles of the CEDAW; Whereas, on January 10, 2023, the District of Columbia en- acted the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Amendment Act, which requires that all District govern- VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR445.IH HR445 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HRES 445 IH ment agencies conduct gender analyses every 2 years, that the Commission for Women develop a District-wide action plan to eliminate discrimination against women, and that the Commission for Women provide training on gender equity and human rights to District government employees, in accordance with the principles of the CEDAW; and Whereas President Joseph R. Biden supported ratification of the CEDAW when he was chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls 1 upon the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimi- 2 nation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR445.IH HR445 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB