Human rights groups are looking to ratify certain treaties now, in particular CEDAW or the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. As of right now, the United States is among countries such as Sudan and Iran in not ratifying CEDAW. How can the United States set a good example of women’s rights worldwide if they do not ratify such a treaty? The article states, “CEDAW offers a practical blueprint for action that every country can use to make progress towards ending discrimination-even ours.” Although, comparatively speaking, American women have more rights than other women around the world, there are still issues of domestic violence and pay gaps that need to be addressed. When a country ratifies CEDAW it does not mean that the women of that country suddenly have the freedom to do things they couldn’t do before, “but women in ratifying countries can and do demand that their governments live up to their CEDAW commitments.”
I find it very surprising that the United States has not yet gotten on board with this treaty. Personally, when it comes to women’s rights, I do not want to be mentioned with countries that do not even let their women drive cars. What I’m taking from this article is that other countries look to the United States as setting an example. I don’t think it makes us look to good to be the “land of the free” but not support a treaty that supports a woman’s most basic rights. Women’s rights is a global issue and if we, as Americans, want to help the world we start in our own country.
1 comment:
I find that the US not wanting to sign the treaty interesting as well. This treaty requires no immediate action or cost but it would move towards making women more equal. Our reasons for not signing sound more like excuses than actual reasons.
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