Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Convention on – the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women the Committee is made up of 23 experts who serve four-year Mandate and composition: terms (article 17). The Committee meets in Geneva. State parties must report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or Periodic reports: other measures adopted to give effect to the within one year of becoming a CEDAW party to the treaty and every four years thereafter (article 18). periodic reports under the are prepared by the Office for Australia’s CEDAW Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (). the Committee may consider complaints from individuals or Individual communications: groups where the State party concerned has become a party to the Optional Protocol to (see articles 1 and 2, The criteria for admissible CEDAW Optional Protocol). communications are detailed in articles 3 and 4 of the Optional Protocol. Australia became a party to the in 2008 and therefore Optional Protocol recognises the competence of the Committee to consider individual communications. article 29 establishes a process for resolving disputes between States State complaints: over the interpretation or application of the The process starts with negotiation CEDAW. or arbitration and, absent a resolution, can be referred by one of the parties to the International Court of Justice. States can opt out of this procedure by making a declaration at the time of or accession. the gives the Committee the right to inquire into Inquiry procedure: Optional Protocol grave or systematic violations of the rights protected under the Convention (article 8). A State can declare that it does not recognise the competence to undertake Committee’s inquiries at the time or ratification or accession (article 10). Committee against Torture Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, – Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment the Committee has 10 experts who serve four-year terms Mandate and composition: (article 17). an initial report is due within one year of becoming a party to the Periodic reports: CAT
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women – Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women Mandate and composition: the Committee is made up of 23 experts who serve four-year terms (article 17). The Committee meets in Geneva. Periodic reports: State parties must report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures adopted to give effect to the CEDAW within one year of becoming a party to the treaty and every four years thereafter (article 18). Australia’s periodic reports under the CEDAW are prepared by the Office for Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (). Individual communications: the Committee may consider complaints from individuals or groups where the State party concerned has become a party to the Optional Protocol to CEDAW (see articles 1 and 2, Optional Protocol). The criteria for admissible communications are detailed in articles 3 and 4 of the Optional Protocol. Australia became a party to the Optional Protocol in 2008 and therefore recognises the competence of the Committee to consider individual communications. State complaints: article 29 establishes a process for resolving disputes between States over the interpretation or application of the CEDAW. The process starts with negotiation or arbitration and, absent a resolution, can be referred by one of the parties to the International Court of Justice. States can opt out of this procedure by making a declaration at the time of or accession. Inquiry procedure: the Optional Protocol gives the Committee the right to inquire into grave or systematic violations of the rights protected under the Convention (article 8). A State can declare that it does not recognise the Committee’s competence to undertake inquiries at the time or ratification or accession (article 10). Committee against Torture – Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Mandate and composition: the Committee has 10 experts who serve four-year terms (article 17). Periodic reports: an initial report is due within one year of becoming a party to the CAT
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