convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women is a convention and one of the international human rights law adopted by united nations general assembly on 18 december 1979 and entered into force 3 september 1981 established to prohibit all discrimination against women and to ensure their human rights and freedom on a basis of equality with men. as of 2017, 189 countries had ratified this convention, that is, have made promise to realize this convention. countries which had not ratified it were iran, somalia, south sudan, tonga, the united states and vatican city.