Contents
Introduction
A. Introduction
B. Towards a Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women
C. Structure of the Convention
D. Issues of Definition and Interpretation
E. Interpretive Processes and Mechanisms
F. Interpreting and Applying Convention Norms Substantive and Contextual Issues
G. The Convention in the Twenty-first Century
Preamble
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
Article 1
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D.Reservations
Article 2
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Other Issues of Application
E. Reservations
Article 3
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligations
F. Conclusions
Article4
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation -Article4(1)
D. Issues of Interpretation-Article4(2)
Article 5
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. The Committee's Interpretation of Article
D. Issues of Implementation
Article 6
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 7
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 8
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 9
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 10
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 11
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligation
Article 12
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligations
F. Conclusion
Article 13
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. States Parties' Obligations
Article 14
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligations
F. Reservations
Article 15
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Equality in Context
E. States Parties' Obligations
F. Conclusion
Article 16
A. Introduction
B. Issues of Interpretation
C. States Parties' Obligations
Violence Against Women
A. Introduction
B. General Recommandation
C. Violence against Women Interpretive Issues
D. Gender-Based Violence against Women Sites and Forms
E. Violence against Women Equality in Context
F. States Parties' Obligations
G. Conclusions
Article 17
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Internal Organization and Engagement with Other Entities
D. Committee Practice
Article 18
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Committee Practice
Article 19
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Committee Practice
Article 20
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Committee Practice
Article 21
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Committee Practice
Article 22
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Committee Practice
Article 23
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Interpretation by the Committee-General Approach
E. Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings
Article 24
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Issues of Interpretation
D. Interpretation by the Committee-General Approach
E. Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings
Article 25
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Practice of States Parties
D. Issues of Interpretation
Article 26
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Practice of States Parties
D. Issues of Interpretation
Article 27
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Practice of States Parties
Article 28
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Reservations to the Convention
D. Activity to Address Reservations to the Convention
E. Removal and Modification of Reservations
F. Conclusion
Article 29
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Practice of States Parties
D. Issues of Interpretation
Article 30
A. Introduction
B. Travaux Preparatoires
C. Practice of the Secretary -General
D. Issues of Interpretation
Optional Protocol
A. Introduction
B. Background
C. Commentary
Annexe 1 Table of General Recommendations
Annexe 2 Table of Treaties
Annexe 3 Bibliography

This volume is the first comprehensive commentary on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol. The Convention is a key international human rights instrument and the only one exclusively addressed to women. It has been described as
the United Nations' 'landmark treaty in the struggle for women's rights'.

The Commentary describes the application of the Convention through the work of its monitoring body, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. It comprises detailed analyses of the Preamble and each article of the Convention and of the Optional Protocol. It also includes a
separate chapter on the cross-cutting substantive issue of violence against women. The sources relied on are the treaty language and the general recommendations, concluding observations and case law under the Optional Protocol, through which the Committee has interpreted and applied the Convention.
Each chapter is self-contained but the Commentary is conceived of as an integral whole. The book also includes an introduction which provides an overview of the Convention and its embedding in the international law of human rights.