UNIFEM, CEDAW and the Human Rights-based Approach

Global governance in an era of human rights is beset by a number of unavoid- able paradoxes. One is that as more states are increasingly held accountable for fulfilling legal obligations towards citizens, the same states are also obliged to collude in economic and financial deregulation processes that undermine and challenge both state sovereignty and the state’s ability to protect the vulnerable among their own populations. In this wider context, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) obliges governments to promote, protect and fulfil the equal rights of men and women in their own jurisdictions. In what amounts to the promotion of global governance for gender justice, the United Na- tions Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) plays a leading role within the UN system in making sure gender policies are co-ordinated and main- streamed, and CEDAW is adhered to. Lee Waldorf is the lead editor of this report, as well as some other significant UNIFEM publications. This report will be referred to hereafter as UNIFEM-CEDAW (2007). It will be con- sidered in the context of the recently published UNIFEM Strategic Plan for 2008–2011 (UNIFEM-Plan, 2007).