 Human rights theory is another central area of concern for feminist philosophers of law. By the end of the 20th century many societies had officially rejected sexual inequality in law, at least as a matter of basic human rights. Human rights are now said to apply equally to women and equal protection of the law is seen as applying equally to men and women (United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women [CEDAW] 1979). Feminists hail these developments but remain concerned that in many societies commitments to human rights are shallow and laws reflecting patriarchal environments and cultures continue to thrive and flourish. 