CEDAW - Disaster in the Making

The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is once more on the table here in America. This is a treaty even President Clinton hesitated to push through Congress because of possible repercussion both personally and nationally.

Elimination of discrimination against women sounds good until you examine the rhetoric behind this particular push for an international committee to oversee individual nations and how they meet the requirements of CEDAW.

Those nations who have already signed this treaty have discovered that they have inadvertently compromised their national sovereignty. Denmark's constitution was called into question and the government was told it needed to bring the constituion into line with CEDAW.

CEDAW targets churches, and private businesses. CEDAW states "any person, organization, or enterprise" shall eliminate "discrimination" against women.

"This means churches could be coerced into changing their doctrines, just because the U.N. says they 'discriminate,'" said Janet Folger, national director of the CENTER FOR RECLAIMING AMERICA. "So any church that says abortion and prostitution are sins could be targeted."

CEDAW implementation means open season on pre-born babies. For example, so-called experts called Uruguay's anti-abortion stance an "affront to the dignity of women" and a "violation of women's most basic rights."

These experts also expressed dismay that in Ireland, children are primarily the responsibility of the parents. They felt the government should have more say in raising children.

In 1999 those who back of CEDAW claimed that China and Germany needed to decriminalize prostitution. In fact, they recommended the government provide for the health and well-being of the prostitutes plying their trade.

With this philosophy, it should come as no surprise that CEDAW seeks to undermine the role of the mother in the family. They appeared distressed about what they saw as the "prevalence of sex-role stereotypes and by the reintroduction of such symbols as a Mothers' Day and a Mothers' Award." With this on the horizon, is it any wonder some American schools have already forbidden the celebration of Mother's Day?

The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women said this about CEDAW. "Countries that have ratified or acceded to the Convention are legally bound to put its provisions into practice. They are also committed to submit national reports, at least every four years, on measures they have taken to comply with their treaty obligations."

If America passes this treaty, we can expect CEDAW "experts" to overrule family friendly legislation while keeping us from enacting laws that protect families from exploitation. In the process, we will lose the right to govern ourselves without interference from other nations or international bodies.

You can help stop this invasion of public and private rights by urging your Senators to reject CEDAW. You can make a difference.