COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN CONCLUDES FORTIETH SESSION
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today closed its fortieth session, held from 14 January to 1 February 2008 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and issued concluding comments on the reports of Bolivia, Burundi, Saudi Arabia, France, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco and Sweden on how those countries are implementing their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This was the first session of the Committee since its transfer to Geneva, as part of wider reforms to rationalize and streamline the work of the human rights treaty bodies.
Also during this session, the Committee held two meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions, in order to discuss national reports.
Having considered the report of Bolivia, the Committee noted with satisfaction the many efforts made to implement the Convention through the adoption of a considerable number of laws, policies, plans and programmes. The Committee was concerned at the lack of institutional stability of national machineries for the advancement of women, their limited decision-making power and the fact that they lacked the financial and human resources to effectively promote the implementation of the Convention and foster gender equality. The Committee encouraged Bolivia to formulate, adopt and implement an integrated and comprehensive national plan of action directed to achieving gender equality and the advancement of women.
With regard to the report of Burundi, the Committee congratulated the State party on the imminent establishment of the steering committee responsible for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) (on women, peace and security). The Committee continued to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of men and women in society, which were discriminatory to women. The Committee urged the Burundi to take measures to eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminated against women, and to adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women.
Subsequent to its consideration of the report of Saudi Arabia, the Committee congratulated the State party on the establishment of institutional mechanisms for the advancement and the protection of women from violence. The Committee was concerned with Saudi Arabia's distinctive understanding of the principle of equality, which implied similar rights of women and men as well as complementarities and harmony between women and men, rather than equal rights of women and men. The Committee called upon Saudi Arabia to incorporate fully into the legislation the principle of equality between women and men, as well as a definition of discrimination on the basis of sex.
On the report of France, the Committee welcomed gender-mainstreaming policies through the Charter on Equality between Women and Men of 8 March 2004, as well as the increase in gender budgeting, which had resulted in better involvement of the various ministries in activities to advance women’s rights and gender equality. The Committee noted with concern the persistence of stereotypes that affected women’s position in the labour market, characterized by high unemployment rates, part-time work, and limited participation in public life and in decision-making. The Committee urged France to strengthen measures to accelerate women’s full and equal participation in all aspects of political and public life and in decision-making bodies.
In the context of the report of Lebanon, the Committee commended post-conflict efforts to mainstream the role of women in peace-building, decision-making, development and the rehabilitation process in 10 villages that had been heavily affected by the conflict in Lebanon in July and August 2006. While welcoming the ongoing efforts to address the need of women in the post-conflict period, the Committee was concerned that the promotion of women’s human rights and gender equality had not been considered as a priority, in particular in efforts to address the consequences of the conflict and in the peace-building and reconstruction processes. The Committee urged Lebanon to devote serious attention to the specific needs of women in the post-conflict period and ensure women’s equal participation in decision-making.
Following the consideration of the report of Luxembourg, the Committee noted with satisfaction the work developed by the national machinery, led by the Ministry of Equal Opportunity, to promote equality between women and men. The Committee noted with concern that, despite the initiatives undertaken by Luxembourg to eliminate gender-role stereotypes, stereotypes related to traditional roles of men as breadwinners and women as mothers and caregivers persisted and affected the educational and professional choices of women. The Committee recommended that Luxembourg intensify and expand its efforts to prevent and address all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence, rape, sexual exploitation, and pornography.
Upon consideration of the report of Morocco, the Committee commended the State party on the various plans, programmes and other measures aimed at implementing human rights on the domestic level, such as national strategies for gender equity and equality, to eliminate violence against women, for universal basic education, and on migration. The Committee expressed concern that traditional discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes persisted about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society, presenting a significant impediment to the implementation of the Convention. The Committee urged Morocco to enact as soon as possible legislation on violence against women and girls to ensure that all violence against women constituted a criminal offence.
With regard to the report of Sweden, the Committee commended Sweden for the adoption of the action plan to combat men’s violence against women, violence and oppression in the name of honour and violence in same-sex relationships. The Committee was concerned about the persistence of stereotypical attitudes towards women, and noted with concern that such attitudes were particularly prevalent in the media, where women and men were often depicted in a stereotyped manner. The Committee called upon Sweden to introduce effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms at all levels in the context of its system for gender mainstreaming, and to take proactive and sustained measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men.
At the conclusion of the session, the Committee adopted its report, as well as the above concluding comments.
The next session of the Committee will be held from 30 June to 18 July 2008, when the Committee is scheduled to consider the fifth periodic report of Finland (CEDAW/C/FIN/5), the fifth periodic report of Iceland (CEDAW/C/ICE/5), the third periodic report of Lithuania (CEDAW/C/LTU/3), the sixth periodic report of Nigeria (CEDAW/C/NGA/6), the fourth periodic report of Slovakia (CEDAW/C/SVK/4), the fifth and sixth periodic reports of the United Kingdom (CEDAW/C/UK/5 and CEDAW/C/UK/6), the combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic reports of Tanzania (CEDAW/C/TZA/6), and the sixth periodic report of Yemen (CEDAW/C/YEM/6).
Preliminary Concluding Observations
Bolivia
In concluding comments on the combined second, third and fourth periodic reports of Bolivia, the Committee noted with satisfaction the many efforts made to implement the Convention through the adoption of a considerable number of laws, policies, plans and programmes, including the Family and Domestic Violence Act; the Electoral Reform and Enhancement Act; the Executive Branch Reform Act, promoting gender equality; the Citizens’ Associations and Indigenous Peoples Act; the Law on Protection for Victims of Crimes against Sexual Freedom; the Act on Trafficking in Persons and Related Offences; the National Public Policy Plan for the Full Exercise of Women’s Rights; the National Maternity and Childhood Insurance scheme; and the National Reproductive Health Plan.
The Committee was concerned at the disparity between the de jure and de facto situation regarding the legal protection of women and gender equality. While taking note of the various internal reforms in the Department for Gender and Generational Affairs, the Committee was concerned at the lack of institutional stability of national machineries for the advancement of women, their limited decision-making power and the fact that they lacked the financial and human resources to effectively promote the implementation of the Convention and foster gender equality, at the central, local and municipal government levels. The Committee was also concerned at the lack of a comprehensive gender mainstreaming policy, as a central element of the State party’s strategic priorities. The Committee was also concerned that women’s access to justice was limited because of their high rates of illiteracy, their lack of information on their rights, lack of legal assistance tailored to their needs, lengthy legal proceedings and related costs, and the insufficient understanding of the Convention by the judiciary.
The Committee urged Bolivia to take the necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of existing legislation on gender equality. It also urged Bolivia to streamline procedures for review of the compatibility of those laws with the Convention, that it repeal without delay all legislation that discriminated against women, and that it ensure the enforcement of laws prohibiting discrimination against women. The Committee requested Bolivia to enhance the institutional status of the national machinery for the advancement of women and provide it with sufficient decision-making authority and with human and financial resources at the central, regional and municipal government levels to effectively promote and coordinate the application of a substantive gender mainstreaming strategy for the implementation of the Convention in all policy areas and by all levels of government. The Committee further encouraged the formulation, adoption and implementation of an integrated and comprehensive national plan of action directed to achieving gender equality and the advancement of women. The Committee also urged Bolivia to create the necessary conditions for women, particularly for women living in poverty and rural and indigenous women, to have access to justice.
Burundi
In concluding comments on the combined second, third and fourth periodic report of Burundi, the Committee welcomed the fact that the State party had incorporated the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into its Constitution in 2005. It congratulated Burundi on the imminent establishment of the steering committee responsible for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) (on women, peace and security). The Committee noted that Burundi had signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention in November 2001, and encouraged it to fulfil its expressed intention to ratify the Optional Protocol as soon as possible. The Committee also appreciated the candour of the report.
While taking note of the legislative reform announced by the State party, the Committee was concerned that Burundi had done little to follow up on the Committee's concluding observations adopted following consideration of Burundi's initial report in 2001. The Committee noted with concern that customary law was still recognized in Burundi, and had a detrimental impact on the rights of women with regard to inheritance, matrimonial regimes and gifts. The Committee was also concerned that women’s ability to bring cases of discrimination before the courts was limited by poverty, illiteracy, lack of information about their rights and lack of assistance in claiming their rights. The Committee continued to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of men and women in society, which were discriminatory to women. The Committee was also concerned that the preservation of negative cultural practices and traditional attitudes served to perpetuate women’s subordination in the family and society and constituted a serious obstacle to women’s enjoyment of their fundamental rights.
The Committee recommended that Burundi adopt a uniform family code, ensuring de jure and de facto equality for women with regard to inheritance, matrimonial regimes and gifts, and that it ensure its effective implementation, particularly in rural areas. The Committee called on Burundi to intensify its efforts to raise awareness about the Convention, its Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations, and to implement training programmes on the Convention for prosecutors, judges and lawyers so as to establish a legal culture supportive of gender equality and non-discrimination. The Committee urged Burundi to take measures to eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminated against women. It further urged the adoption of a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women, making use of the Committee’s general recommendation 19, and the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women. The Committee also urged Burundi to analyse the causes and extent of trafficking in women and girls, from its perspective as a country of origin, transit and destination. It recommended that Burundi take measures to ensure equal access for girls and women to all levels of education and to ensure the retention of girls in school, including through temporary special measures.
Saudi Arabia
In concluding comments on the combined initial and second periodic report of Saudi Arabia, the Committee commended Saudi Arabia for its modern infrastructure, and its high standard of basic social services, especially the provision of Government-funded health care and education services to many sectors of society. The Committee congratulated Saudi Arabia on the establishment of institutional mechanisms for the advancement and the protection of women from violence, in particular the higher national committee specialized in women’s affairs and the 13 social protection committees established in 2004. The Committee also noted with satisfaction that Saudi Arabia was currently in the process of drafting new legislation on the implementation of women’s rights and that it planned to compile, in writing, the provisions of Sharia on personal status. The Committee also noted the establishment by royal decree in 2004 of a human rights commission, which was tasked with the implementation of the human rights commitments of Saudi Arabia, and a national society for human rights.
The Committee was concerned about the general reservation made upon ratification of the Convention by Saudi Arabia, which was drawn so widely that it was contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention. The Committee also expressed concern that the Convention had not been made fully operational, as relevant laws remained to be adopted. It was further concerned with Saudi Arabia’s distinctive understanding of the principle of equality, which implied similar rights of women and men as well as complementarities and harmony between women and men, rather than equal rights of women and men. The Committee noted with concern that the concept of male guardianship over women (mehrem), although it may not be legally prescribed, seemed to be widely accepted; it was concerned that the concept of male guardianship contributed to the prevalence of a patriarchal ideology with stereotypes and the persistence of deep-rooted cultural norms, customs and traditions that discriminated against women and constituted serious obstacles to their enjoyment of their human rights. While noting that a domestic violence law was being drafted and social protection committees had been established recently, the Committee was concerned about the incidence of violence against women, the absence of specific laws relating to violence against women, and the lack of prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of violence against women, including domestic violence.
The Committee urged Saudi Arabia to consider the withdrawal of its general reservation to the Convention, particularly in light of the fact that the delegation assured that there was no contradiction in substance between the Convention and Islamic Sharia. It encouraged Saudi Arabia to amend its legislation to confirm that international treaties had precedence over domestic laws. The Committee called upon Saudi Arabia to enact a comprehensive gender equality law and to intensify efforts to raise awareness about the Convention among the general public. It called, further, for Saudi Arabia to incorporate fully into its legislation the principle of equality between women and men, as well as a definition of discrimination on the basis of sex, in line with article 1 of the Convention, and to take the appropriate steps in order to implement the principle of formal and substantive equality. Saudi Arabia was urged to take immediate steps to end the practice of male guardianship over women, including by awareness-raising campaigns. The Committee also requested that Saudi Arabia give high priority to comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that violence was a form of discrimination against women, and constituted a violation of their human rights under the Convention. Finally, the Committee called upon the Saudi Arabia to enact, as soon as possible, legislation on violence against women, including a comprehensive law on domestic violence, to ensure that violence against women was a criminal offence, that women and girls who were victims of violence had access to immediate means of redress, and that perpetrators were prosecuted and punished.
France
In concluding comments on the sixth periodic report of France, the Committee welcomed the State party’s ongoing efforts to improve de jure and de facto the situation of women in France. The Committee welcomed the establishment of the High Authority to Combat Discrimination and Promote Equality, and its mandate to investigate complaints of discrimination against women, as well as to conduct research, training and awareness-raising campaigns. The Committee also welcomed gender-mainstreaming policies through the Charter on Equality between Women and Men of 8 March 2004, as well as the increase in gender budgeting, which had resulted in better involvement of the various ministries in activities to advance women’s rights and gender equality. Also noted with appreciation were France's gender policies on international development, in providing financial and other assistance, inter alia, to the United Nations Women's Fund and the United Nations Children’s Fund, and on undertaking bilateral cooperation with developing countries.
While welcoming the establishment of the High Authority to Combat Discrimination and Promote Equality and its capacity to investigate complaints of discrimination against women, the Committee was concerned that only 3 per cent of the complaints it received were from women alleging sex discrimination. It was also concerned that that body might not have sufficient financial and human resources. The Committee remained concerned that academic orientation remained strongly influenced by stereotypes as a result of which women continued to be concentrated in a narrow range of employment. The Committee also noted with concern the persistence of stereotypes, including on immigrant and migrant women, that affected their position in the labour market, characterized by high unemployment rates, part-time work, and limited participation in public life and in decision-making. The Committee was concerned that immigrant women living in France continued to suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, including with regard to access to education, employment and health care and of violence against them.
The Committee recommended that France initiate campaigns to encourage women to bring complaints alleging sex discrimination and to endow the High Authority with sufficient financial and human resources in order to fully exercise its mandate. France should also continue to encourage the mass media to promote changes with regard to the roles and tasks considered suitable for women and men, and should continue its work of finding the most appropriate way to pursue measures to encourage girls to study non-traditional subjects and companies to recruit women for non-stereotypical posts. The Committee urged the French Government to take effective measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against immigrant women, and to assess the laws and policies which affected immigrant women. It further urged France to intensify its efforts to ensure de facto equality for women in the labour market. France was also urged to take comprehensive measures in order to address all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence.
Lebanon
In concluding comments on the third periodic report of Lebanon, the Committee commended the State party on establishing, through the decree of the Prime Minister in April 2007, a Steering Committee led by the Ministry of Labour to reform the 1946 Labour Law. The Committee commended Lebanon’s post-conflict efforts to mainstream the role of women in peace-building, decision-making, development and the rehabilitation process in 10 villages that had been heavily affected by the conflict in Lebanon in July and August 2006. It also welcomed the implementation of a project entitled “WEPASS” aimed at empowering women in the conflict-affected regions with a view to capacity building in the main areas of concern covered by Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) (on women, peace and security). The Committee welcomed the signature by Lebanon of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities and its Optional Protocol on 14 June 2007.
While welcoming the ongoing efforts to address the needs of women in the post-conflict period, the Committee was concerned that the promotion of women’s human rights and gender equality had not been considered as a priority, in particular in efforts to address the consequences of the conflict and in the peace-building and reconstruction processes. It was also concerned about the small number of women in leadership positions in areas connected with the transition process. The Committee regretted that no steps have been taken towards the adoption of a unified personal status code, as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding comments. The Committee continued to be concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society in Lebanon, which were reflected in women’s educational choices, their situation in the labour market and their low level of participation in political and public life. The Committee remained concerned about the persistence of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, rape and crimes committed in the name of honour, and about the lack of a comprehensive approach to address violence against women.
The Committee urged Lebanon to ensure that the promotion and protection of women’s human rights and gender equality was a central goal of all aspects of the transition process and to raise the legislature’s awareness of that important goal. It further urged Lebanon to devote serious attention to the specific needs of women in the post-conflict period and to ensure women’s equal participation in decision-making. The Committee reiterated its recommendation that the State party urgently adopt a unified personal status code that was in line with the Convention and that would be applicable to all women in Lebanon, irrespective of their religion. The Committee called on Lebanon to give urgent priority to the strengthening of the national machinery for the advancement of women, and provide it with the authority, decision-making power and human and financial resources necessary to work effectively for the promotion of equality of women and the enjoyment of their human rights. The Committee urged Lebanon to place high priority on establishing and implementing comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, and called upon it to enact, without delay, legislation on violence against women, including domestic violence, so as to ensure that violence against women constituted a criminal offence, that women and girls who were victims of violence had access to immediate means of redress and protection and that perpetrators were prosecuted and punished.
Luxembourg
Having considered the fifth period report of Luxembourg, the Committee commended the State party on its overall achievement in furthering women’s human rights in the country. It also commended Luxembourg for the legislative developments since the consideration of its last periodic report in 2003. The Committee noted with satisfaction the work developed by the national machinery, led by the Ministry of Equal Opportunity, to promote equality between women and men. The Committee particularly commended Luxembourg for the implementation of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality, which was in line with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Committee also welcomed Luxembourg's leadership in the promotion of the Convention during its presidency of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, in the first half of 2005, as well as the integration of gender perspectives in Luxembourg's development cooperation programmes.
While appreciating the comprehensive character of the National Plan of Action on Gender Equality and the leadership of the Ministry of Equal Opportunity, the Committee was concerned that the implementation of the National Action Plan might not yet be fully assumed by all sectors of the Government. The Committee further noted with concern that, despite the initiatives undertaken by Luxembourg to eliminate gender-role stereotypes – including awareness-raising campaigns, education of boys and girls on equality between men and women, and incentives to diversify the roles of men and women – stereotypes related to traditional roles of men as breadwinners and women as mothers and caregivers persisted and affected the educational and professional choices of women. Domestic and family responsibilities were still primarily borne by women, many of whom interrupt their careers or engage into part-time jobs to meet family responsibilities. The Committee also remained concerned at the prevalence of different forms of violence against women and at the lack of information on the extent of the phenomenon. The Committee was further concerned by the absence of a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of violence against women.
The Committee called on Luxembourg to consider strengthened measures aimed at changing attitudes concerning women's traditional roles and responsibilities in child and family care. The Committee recognized that changing mentality was a long-term endeavour, and called upon the State party to continue, in a comprehensive manner, its efforts until these gender-role stereotypes were eliminated. The Committee encouraged Luxembourg to step up its efforts to assist women and men in striking a balance between family and employment responsibilities, inter alia, through further awareness-raising and education initiatives for both women and men on adequate sharing of care of children and domestic tasks, as well as ensuring that part-time employment was not taken up almost exclusively by women. The Committee recommended that Luxembourg intensify and expand its efforts to prevent and address all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence, rape, sexual exploitation, and pornography. Accordingly, it called upon Luxembourg to put in place a comprehensive strategy and action plan to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women, including in the immigrant community, as well as to establish an effective institutional mechanism to coordinate, monitor and assess the effectiveness of measures taken. The Committee called upon Luxembourg to evaluate the resistance and obstacles to women’s full and equal participation in public life and decision-making, especially at higher levels.
Morocco
Having considered the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Morocco, the Committee commended the State party for the important legal reforms undertaken in the field of human rights and especially to eliminate existing discrimination against women. The Committee expressed its satisfaction at Morocco's ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transactional Organized Crime, and the publication of the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, since those two international instruments also covered the human rights of women and the girl child. The Committee also noted with satisfaction the reorganization of the Conseil Consultatif des Droits de l’Homme (the Advisory Council on Human Rights), which was in line with the Paris Principles, and other instruments and bodies that contributed to the protection of the human rights of women. The Committee also commended Morocco on the various plans, programmes and other measures aimed at implementing human rights on the domestic level, such as national strategies for gender equity and equality, to eliminate violence against women, for universal basic education, and on migration.
The Committee remained concerned that, although the Constitution guaranteed equality before the law, it did not enshrine the principle of equality between women and men in all spheres, and that legislation did not contain an explicit definition of the principle of equality, or of discrimination on the basis of sex. While commending the Morocco's legislative reforms and awareness-raising programmes on women’s human rights, the Committee was concerned that newly adopted legal regimes, such as the Family Code, were not yet well known or applied in all regions of the State party, especially by members of the judiciary. The Committee expressed concern that traditional discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes persisted about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society, presenting a significant impediment to the implementation of the Convention, and were a root cause of the disadvantaged position of women in all areas. The Committee remained deeply concerned that there was no specific legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and violence against domestic workers. The Committee also noted with concern the continuing high level of illiteracy of women and girls, in particular in rural areas, which demonstrated patterns of indirect discrimination, and about the high dropout rate of girls from schools.
The Committee urged Morocco to incorporate the principle of equality between women and men in its Constitution or in other appropriate law, that it enact and implement a comprehensive law on gender equality that was binding on both public and private sectors, and that women were made aware of their rights under such legislation. The Committee recommended that Morocco intensify awareness-raising campaigns and training on the newly-adopted legislation, and invited it to enhance women’s awareness of their rights through sustained legal literacy programmes and legal assistance. The Committee encouraged Morocco to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including the hidden cultural patterns and norms that perpetuated direct and indirect discrimination against women and girls in all areas of their lives. The Committee urged Morocco to enact as soon as possible legislation on violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, to ensure that all violence against women constituted a criminal offence, that women and girls who were victims of violence had access to immediate means of protection and redress, and that perpetrators were prosecuted and punished adequately. The Committee recommended that Morocco implement measures to ensure access to girls and women to all levels of education, and to strengthen its efforts to improve the literacy level of girls and women through the adoption of comprehensive programmes. Finally, Morocco was urged to raise general awareness of the importance of education as a human right and as a basis for the empowerment of women, and to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that perpetuated discrimination.
Sweden
Having considered the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Sweden, the Committee welcomed the adoption of a national human rights plan of action for the period 2006-2009, which focused on protection against discrimination and the appointment of the Delegation for Human Rights, both of which contributed to the protection of women’s human rights. The Committee also welcomed the adoption, in May 2006, of new gender equality priorities. The Committee noted with appreciation the tenfold increase in Sweden's budget for gender equality policy and the adoption of the plan for gender mainstreaming in the Government offices 2004-2009. Sweden was also commended for its adoption of the action plan to combat men’s violence against women, violence and oppression in the name of honour and violence in same-sex relationships. The Committee welcomed the amendment of the Swedish Aliens Act in 2006, which provided for the granting of refugee status to persons claiming fear of persecution on grounds of gender and sexual orientation. The Committee also welcomed the amendment of the Abortion Act in November 2007 to remove the requirement that a woman had to be a Swedish citizen, or resident in Sweden, to have an abortion.
The Committee was concerned that a recent commission of inquiry had concluded that the Swedish Constitution was gender-blind, and not gender-sensitive, and that the concept of equality in the Constitution was not in line with the Convention. While welcoming the recent initiative of the Government to merge the current anti-discrimination legislation into one single Anti-Discrimination Act that would cover seven grounds of discrimination, the Committee was concerned that the issue of discrimination against women, including its cross-cutting nature, might loose some of its visibility and therefore receive less attention. The Committee was also concerned about persistence of stereotypical attitudes towards women, which threatened to undermine their rights, noting that such attitudes were particularly prevalent in the media where women and men were often depicted in a stereotyped manner and that a process of mainstreaming pornography, also known as “sexualization of the public sphere”, was occurring in the State party.
The Committee called upon Sweden to conduct a thorough gender-sensitive review of all four acts forming its Constitution to ensure that it was in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. The Committee encouraged Sweden to consider using its future Anti-Discrimination Act to transform the Convention into domestic law, including the concept of substantive equality, and called upon the Government to ensure that the issue of discrimination against women was given adequate visibility and attention. The Committee also called upon Sweden to introduce effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms at all levels in the context of its system for gender mainstreaming. Furthermore, Sweden should take proactive and sustained measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, and should continue to encourage the mass media to promote cultural changes with regard to the roles and tasks considered suitable for women and men. The Committee called upon Sweden to strengthen its strategies to combat sexualization of the public sphere, that it take proactive measures to ensure that media production and coverage were non-discriminatory, and that Sweden increase awareness of those issues among media proprietors and other relevant actors in the industry.
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