Source: NGO Expert Working Group
The following points are discussed: First, conflict and abuses of women’s rights occur not merely because of the action of one state, but often many states, as well as non-state actors who are involved in escalating the conflict or bringing it to a close in a democratic and transparent manner.

The Committee can use its multiple capacities and on-going dialogue with many States Parties to capture the full range of participants and their roles in conflict.

 

Second, CEDAW can constructively engage States Parties using both human rights and humanitarian law obligations, as well as the UN Security Council processes. It can draw attention to States Parties’ obligations to women’s rights in their territory, as well as in their actions internationally and extraterritorially, in occupation and over business entities, aid and trade processes and humanitarian intervention and services. These obligations extend to economic resources as well as to specific accountabilities to individual justice. Power-shifts are always gendered, and early engagement by CEDAW with affected States Parties is key to equitable transfers of power. The paper provides ideas about how the Committee might do this, especially with regards to engaging in and sharing information gathered through UN, peace and security measures, and oversight of key actors facilitating cease fires and transitions.

Third, the paper highlights different roles played by girls and women of all ages in conflict. CEDAW’s contributions to promoting gender equality should recognize that women are not equally affected by conflict: some are combatants, some are partisans of one side or the other, and all experience the effects of winning and losing conflicts very differently. They may be nationals, non-nationals, living in territory outside of state control, or stateless. Additionally, many refugee and displaced women live their entire lives in camps and face specific challenges of participation and equality in rights. Some women have had their opportunities for action increased in the chaos of conflict or face extraordinary barriers and abuse.  Sometimes these difficult experiences are simultaneous; none are resolved solely by access to justice. Although access to justice is key, it may also take time and CEDAW can support these processes over the long term and over many different sectors.

Fourth, recognizing the wide diversity of women’s situations, the paper highlights the ways the call to ‘culture and tradition’ and gender stereotyped roles are used by different actors in conflict, including elites, military leaders, rebel leaders and government agents. Culture and tradition can adversely regulate women’s lives in transition, especially in regard to their honor and sexuality, reproductive lives and choices in marriage. This regulation through misuse of culture further exacerbates women’s rights to access the full range of services and rights essential to their health and well-being. CEDAW’s support of the full panoply of expression, information, political participation, and sexual and reproductive health rights is key to the promotion of women’s rights.

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