By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

YAREN, Nauru – Nauru announced its support for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Nauru is one of the remaining three Pacific countries yet to ratify the convention. Tonga and Palau have not signed.

Tonga refuses to sign, saying that CEDAW would “cut across the cultural and social heritage that makes up the unique Tongan way of life.”

Nauru’s President, Marcus Stephen, stated that the Convention would allow for the “full and complete development of a country through the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields.”

In a two-day dialogue, Stephen confirmed Nauru’s commitment to ratify CEDAW.

The parliamentarians of Nauru assessed the advantages and challenges for Nauru of ratifying CEDAW. The staff from the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (RRRT) assisted the parliamentarians during the meeting in Nauru.

During the dialogue, the parliamentarians considered how the CEDAW process could assist them in identifying and addressing current gaps in national laws and policy relating to violence against women, women’s reproductive heath rights and political participation by women.

However, ratifying CEDAW does pose challenges for Nauru, especially with the lack of resources and technical capacity to meed the associated implementation and reporting requirements of the Convention.

Mathew Batsiua, the Minister for Justice, Health and Sports, stated that it would be costly for Nauru to send a delegation to Geneva to report on Nauru’s progress in implementing CEDAW.

He suggested that to lessen the costs there could be special sittings of the CEDAW committee in the Pacific area, so that the Pacific Islands can report in a timely manner.

Nauru acknowledged RRRT’s technical support and looks forward to a “continuous partnership with key regional organizations and donor agencies in advancing gender equality through ratification of CEDAW in Nauru.”

For more information, please see:
Islands Business – Nauru MPs commit to ratifying CEDAW – 07 December 2009

Pacific.Scoop – Nauru MPs commit to ratifying CEDAW – 07 December 2009

Pacific Islands News Association – Nauru MPs commit to ratifying CEDAW – 07 December 2009

Radio New Zealand International – Nauru MPs back CEDAW – 07 December 2009