NYC for CEDAW was formed in 2014 at the yearly Commission on the Status of Women conference in the United Nations. Presently, NYC for CEDAW constitutes members and supporters of over 30 international Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), local community organizations, city council members, city-wide offices, attorneys, students, and volunteers. A New York City ordinance based on the framework of
the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), can address and enact local laws to mandate:
Equality for women: eliminating all forms of discrimination
Equal pay for equal work
Health and social services responding to specific needs of women and girls
Education curricula for girls’ success including STEM (Science-Technology-Math-Engineering)
Stopping violence against women and girls including domestic violence
Access to affordable and safe housing
Why make New York City a “City for CEDAW” – The ‘Cities for CEDAW campaign harnesses the power of individual cities to adopt CEDAW into municipal ordinances to support gender equality for women and girls. The time is NOW for New York City to join CEDAW cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles which already prove it works. In addition, in November 2014, the City of New York and UN Women signed an agreement to work together to enhance the safety and empowerment of women and girls. “It is the first such agreement signed between the City and a United Nations entity. As part of the pact, the City will support public education and advocacy efforts organized by UN Women in the context of the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the visionary roadmap for gender equality adopted by 189 governments” (www.unwomen.org).
