IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 445 

Calling on the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All 

Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 25, 2023 

Ms. NORTON (for herself, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. OMAR, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. 

TITUS, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Senate to ratify the Convention on the 

Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 

Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in 

dignity and rights without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on sex; 

Whereas the World Bank estimates that around 

2,400,000,000 women of working age are not afforded 

equal economic opportunity, and 179 countries maintain 

legal barriers that prevent their full economic participation; 

Whereas the United Nations estimates that nearly one in five 

young women globally are married before the age of 18; 


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•HRES 445 IH 

Whereas the World Bank estimates that women globally have 

only three-quarters of the legal rights afforded to men; 

Whereas the United Nations estimates that it would take another 40 years for women and men to be equally represented in national governments; 

Whereas the United Nations Convention on the Elimination 

of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (referred 

to hereafter as ‘‘CEDAW’’) condemns discrimination 

against women in all its forms, and establishes an agenda 

for national action to end discrimination against women 

and ensure the advancement of women in education, employment, and health care and in political, social, economic, and cultural fields through legislative action and 

legal protections; 

Whereas the CEDAW was adopted by the United Nations 

General Assembly in 1979, and signed by President 

Jimmy Carter in 1980, but has never been brought before the full Senate for a vote; 

Whereas 189 countries have ratified the CEDAW, and the 

United States joins only Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan, 

and Tongo in not ratifying the CEDAW; 

Whereas dozens of cities, counties, and States in the United 

States have passed resolutions in support of CEDAW’s 

ratification; 

Whereas San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Santa Clara, 

Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Honolulu, and Miami-Dade County have passed binding local ordinances to implement the 

principles of the CEDAW; 

Whereas, on January 10, 2023, the District of Columbia enacted the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 

Amendment Act, which requires that all District governVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR445.IH HR445

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•HRES 445 IH 

ment agencies conduct gender analyses every 2 years, 

that the Commission for Women develop a District-wide 

action plan to eliminate discrimination against women, 

and that the Commission for Women provide training on 

gender equity and human rights to District government 

employees, in accordance with the principles of the 

CEDAW; and 

Whereas President Joseph R. Biden supported ratification of 

the CEDAW when he was chair of the Senate Foreign 

Relations Committee: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls 

2 upon the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimi3 nation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 

Æ 


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