UN Days, Weeks and Years > International Days and Weeks

International Women’s Day

United Nations and Women's Rights

Beginning with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948), governments’ have pledged a commitment promoting women’s rights in a number of international treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979), the International Labour Organization and UNESCO Conventions to end gender-based discrimination and to ensure women's access to land and water resources, education and employment, and the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women (1985), which recognized the important linkages between women's roles in development and the protection of the environment, and also adopted measures to enhance women's participation in national eco-system management and control of environmental degradation. 

The UN observed 1975 as International Women's Year and held the first world conference on women in Mexico City.  Subsequently, two other UN conferences were held: Copenhagen (1980) and Nairobi (1985).   In 1993, a new era in women’s rights was heralded at the International Conference on Human Rights in Vienna when conference delegates proclaimed women’s rights as human rights.  In 1995, at the Fourth World Conference on Women, governments agreed to a detailed plan of action, the Beijing Platform for Action, to advance the rights of women.  The UN will hold a Beijing +5 conference in June 2000 to consider progress achieved and forward-looking strategies.

A number of UN bodies have been established to promote women’s rights in all societies around the world.  The Commission on the Status on Women (CSW) was one of the first bodies established by the UN Economic and Social Council.  Set up in 1946, CSW examines the progress towards women’s equality throughout the world and makes recommendations for promoting women’s rights in the political, economic and social fields.  The Commission meets annually for a period of at least eight days, usually in March.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is a UN programme that promotes the economic and political empowerment of women in developing countries.    It works within the UN system to link the needs and concerns of women to all critical areas on national, regional and international agendas.

The International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) was established in 1976 to serve as a vehicle to undertake policy research and training programmes at the international level to contribute to the advancement of women worldwide as equal partners.  Based in Santo Domingo since 1983, INSTRAW is one of the few UN offices headquartered in a developing country.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women was established under the terms of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the General Assembly in December 1979.   The Committee oversees the implementation of CEDAW by States parties.  It is one of six human rights treaty monitoring bodies within the UN system.  It is serviced by the Division for the Advancement of Women in New York.