About CEDAW

CEDAW stands for th Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979. The treaty consists of 30 articles and is often referred to as the international bill of rights for women. The countries that ratify this bill are legally bound to follow the articles set out in the treaty and to take action to end discrimination. As of 2026, 189 countries have signed and ratified the Convention, with Cambodia joining on October 15th 1992. Once a country has become a state party, they must submit a national report to the CEDAW committee on the progress they have made on women’s right situation every four years.

Read the full convention here: https://ngocedaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CEDAW_English.pdf