Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Closes Ninety-Second Session in Geneva
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today closed its ninety-second session after adopting concluding observations regarding reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women submitted by Argentina, the Czech Republic, El Salvador, Iraq, Lesotho, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Viet Nam, which the Committee reviewed during the session.
The concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the countries under review will soon be available on the session’s webpage.
In concluding remarks, Committee Chairperson Nahla Haidar said that during the ninety-second session, in addition to holding dialogues with States parties, the Committee had adopted one list of issues and nine lists of issues prior to reporting for the ninety-fourth session, prepared in informal meetings held online from 27 to 31 October 2025, as the pre-sessional working group had been cancelled due to the United Nations liquidity crisis. The Committee also held informal meetings with non-governmental organizations from all States parties reviewed during the session, and with two national human rights institutions.
Ms. Haidar said the highlight of this session was the reception, attended by more than 120 participants, including representatives of States parties, civil society, women leaders and academia, to mark the forty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention, held at the Palais des Nations on 19 February.
Another highlight, she said, was the adoption of the addendum to general recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations in relation to the women, peace and security agenda. This important document addressed issues such as women’s leadership in peace and security, survivor-centric justice, conflict-related sexual violence, reparations, arms transfers, artificial intelligence and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, threats to the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls, and the gendered impacts of climate change and transnational organised crime.
Ms. Haidar said the Committee’s working group on working methods had made innovative proposals to further enhance the effectiveness of constructive dialogues, having prepared decisions on the adoption of lists of issues and questions, lists of issues prior to reporting and follow-up assessments during the intersessional period, and on the procedure for the adoption of statements on controversial issues exceptionally during the intersessional period. She also announced that the revised draft of general recommendation 41 on gender stereotypes was nearing completion, and that the Committee had adopted a strong statement on the United Nations financial and liquidity crisis.
Ms. Haidar also reported that, thanks to the work of the Rapporteur and alternate Rapporteur on follow-up, the Committee was able to adopt 10 follow-up assessments at the session. Further, the working group on communications had prepared eight decisions on individual communications that the Committee adopted, as well as a revision of the rules of procedure for the consideration of individual communications. The working group on inquiries had also worked on several pending confidential inquiry proceedings and revised the rules of procedure concerning inquiries during the session.
During the session, Ms. Haidar said, the Committee held an important informal briefing for States parties and other stakeholders on its draft addendum to general recommendation 24 on women and health, and had interesting exchanges with United Nations Women and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, among others.
In closing, Ms. Haidar thanked all those who contributed to the session, including Committee members, the Committee secretariat and United Nations staff. She said the Committee had successfully delivered on its mandate to protect and promote women’s rights and gender equality despite the difficult circumstances, and expressed hope that it could hold its ninety-third session in October.
At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Rapporteur Brenda Akia presented the draft report of the session, which contained the draft report of the working group of the whole. The Committee then adopted the report ad referendum.
Information on the dates of the Committee’s next session and the reports to be reviewed will be published on the Committee’s webpage at a later date.
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CEDAW26.012E