Follow-up to concluding observations

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women provides specifically for the follow-up to the Committee’s views when it has ruled that an authors’ rights have been violated.

The CEDAW Working Group on communications under the Optional Protocol deals with follow-up of individual cases. Each member acts as a follow-up rapporteur in a number of cases where the follow-up dialogue with the respective State party is ongoing. Another member of the Committee may act as an ad-hoc co-follow-up rapporteur.

The CEDAW Working Group on individual communications holds periodic meetings with representatives of States parties to the Convention against whom cases of violation of the rights of the authors occurred. The State parties’ representatives are asked to provide an updated information regarding the measures taken to give effect to the Committee’s views and the Working Group tries to assist the States parties in their efforts to give effect to the Committee’s views. The State party’s replies are systematically sent to the authors of the communications for their comments.

Follow-up resources

• CEDAW follow-ups to concluding observations (procedure and reports by country)
• General information on treaty body follow-ups
• CEDAW info note on its follow-up procedure
• CEDAW periodic report, October 2019

More about CEDAW’s follow-up procedure

The CEDAW Working Group adopts periodic reports concerning cases where the follow-up dialogue is ongoing. These reports include a list of all cases where the follow-up dialogue remains ongoing, summaries of the most recent parties’ submissions regarding follow-up, and also a grade reflecting the Committee’s assessment of the matter.

At present, CEDAW uses the following assessment grades:

1. Measures taken satisfactory (implementation satisfactory);
2. Reply received but actions party implement the Views/recommendations (implementation partly satisfactory);
3. Reply received but no action taken to implement the views (implementation unsatisfactory);
4. No reply received;
5. No measures taken or measures taken go against the Views/recommendations of the Committee.

The CEDAW Working Group on communications under the Optional Protocol can close the follow up dialogue with a finding of a satisfactory implementation of the Committee’s recommendations when it is satisfied that the measures taken so far by the State party’s authorities have given sufficient effect to the Committee’s recommendations in the case.

To the contrary, when it considers that a State party does not give effect to its views and it considers that further efforts regarding follow-up appear to be vain, the Working Group may decide to put the follow-up dialogue to an end with a finding of unsatisfactory implementation of the Committee’s recommendations.

The follow-up reports and the Committee’s assessment therein are public and are placed on the Committee’s webpage.

In case of important developments regarding measures taken by the States parties in the framework of the follow-up procedure, the Committee, assisted by the Press office of OHCHR, may issue press releases in order to raise awareness and increase the visibility of the Committee’s work on individual cases and the usefulness and effectiveness of the proceedings.