US SENATE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS RATIFICATION OF CEDAW

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2002 (C-Fam.org/LSN.ca) – The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing Thursday to address whether the United States should ratify the controversial UN women’s rights convention, called the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the chairman of the committee, and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), organized the hearing in an effort to build support for the Convention, and perhaps to goad the Bush administration into approving its ratification. Biden stated that he was “concerned by the casual attitude of the Executive Branch toward the treaty process and the legitimate requests of this Committee for testimony on a significant treaty pending before it.”  Both Boxer and Biden asserted that the current failure to ratify CEDAW damaged US credibility worldwide, and hampered US leadership on broader human rights issues. These sentiments were echoed by the individuals testifying in favor of CEDAW, many of whom called the current US stance an “embarrassment” within the world community.  Addressing concerns that CEDAW would undermine US sovereignty, Biden asserted that “The US Constitution and existing federal laws will satisfy the obligations of the treaty.The United States will not need to enact any new laws.” There was also an effort to minimize the influence of the CEDAW compliance committee, which has frequently told states to legalize prostitution and abortion. Boxer admitted that the committee “says some controversial things,” but assured the hearing that it “cannot force governments to do anything.”  Speaking against CEDAW, former US Permanent Representative to the UN Jeane Kirkpatrick stated that “it is silly to pretend that ratifying a UN treaty will help women.” Instead, “we should share the experiences of American women worldwide.”  Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis (R-VA), also testifying against CEDAW, asserted that CEDAW committee recommendations were far from “benign,” since they “exert a great deal of informal pressure upon countries that depend upon United Nations funding of human aid programs.” Davis also questioned why the US should seek to make CEDAW the international standard on women’s rights, when the CEDAW committee has called for the legalization of prostitution in a number of countries. “This is simply inexcusable. Prostitution is inherently demeaning and degrading to women, and in no way promotes sexual equality.” Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) also stated that the committee’s stance on prostitution could impede US efforts to stop sex slavery and the trafficking of women. Kathryn Balmforth, former director of the World Family Policy Center at Brigham Young University, called CEDAW a “threat to fundamental freedoms,” since it obligates governments to change patterns of behavior by limiting freedom of speech and religion.  The hearing ended on a strange note, with Biden asserting that those opposed to CEDAW would not have signed the Declaration of Independence. Biden allowed no response to this charge. “I have the gavel,” he said as he brought the hearing to a close.