Harmful Traditional Practices – Submissions from CEDAW-CRC Call

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https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/JointCEDAW-CRC-GeneralRecommendation.htm

Call for Submissions – Submissions Received

Joint CEDAW-CRC General Recommendation / Comment on Harmful
Practices

Submissions
Received

Earlier Call for Submissions:

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
and the Convention on the Rights of the Child both contain legally binding
obligations in relation to the elimination of harmful practices affecting girls
under eighteen that are based on gender stereotypes and prejudices grounded in
patriarchy. By virtue of this shared mandate, the Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of the
Child (CRC) have decided to elaborate a joint General Recommendation/Comment on
harmful practices. General comments of the CRC and general recommendations of
CEDAW are elaborated by these Committees with a view to clarifying the
normative contents of specific rights provided for under the treaties that they
respectively monitor or particular themes of relevance to the treaties, as well
as offer guidance about practical measures of implementation.

The present General Recommendation/Comment will also aim at clarifying the
obligations of States Parties to CRC with respect to harmful practices that
affect the enjoyment of the rights of boys in a discriminatory manner, and of
States Parties to CEDAW with respect to the elimination of harmful practices
(as defined in the General Recommendation/Comment) that affect the rights of
adult women, either directly or as effects of practices to which they were
subjected when they were children.

The harmful practices covered by this General Recommendation/Comment include
traditional or emerging practices, prescribed by social norms, which are often
embedded in culture. As female genital mutilation, early marriage and forced
marriage are practices that often come before the Committees, are well studied
and have been gradually reduced with certain legislative and programmatic
approaches, this General Recommendation/General Comment will use them as key
illustrative examples. However, the General Recommendation/Comment will provide
a conceptual framework and recommendations for State Party action that are
applicable to all harmful practices that fall within its scope.

The CEDAW and CRC Committees welcome inputs on harmful practices affecting
girls under eighteen years of age, in English, French or Spanish, particularly
from interested organizations and individuals who have extensive experience or
information on harmful practices affecting girls under eighteen. The
submissions should be as concise as possible and sent to the following email
address in Word format by no later than 31 August 2011:
cedaw-crc@ohchr.org. While the
Committees generally seek inputs of no more than 12 pages, lengthy submissions
will also be accepted but should include a table of contents and an executive
summary. All submissions should be accompanied by a brief presentation (1
paragraph is sufficient) on the experience of the submitting individual or
organization in the subject matter. The submissions received will subsequently
be posted on a webpage dedicated to the joint General Recommendation/Comment.
Please note that the United Nations does not offer remuneration of any kind for
inputs into General Comments or Recommendations.