IWRAW Asia Pacific is an NGO which supports the CEDAW Committee and OHCHR in facilitating participation of women’s groups and NGOs in the CEDAW review process.
CEDAW’s 94th Pre-Session
The CEDAW Committee will adopt the list of issues for Cook Islands, and prepare lists of issues prior to reporting for Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Croatia, Eswatini, Ghana, India, Liberia, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, and Vanuatu under the simplified reporting procedure at what was initially scheduled for the 94th Pre-sessional Working Group.
The Pre-sessional Working Group for the 94th session will meet informally online, during the week from 27 to 31 October 2025 in a private meeting.
It is vital for NGOs to engage with the reporting process at an early stage to directly influence the list of issues/list of issues prior to reporting developed by the CEDAW Committee which will inform the key issues the State party will be obliged to report on.
There are several ways NGOs can participate in the pre-sessional working group. The OHCHR has shared a note on NGO participation which contains further details and information.
Submit a shadow report to the CEDAW Pre-sessional Working Group
- The deadline to submit a shadow report is Monday, 29 September 2025.
- Reports are to be submitted as a Word document to OHCHR via the CEDAW online submission system. The word limit is 3,300, or 6,600 for shadow reports submitted as part of a coalition. Please note that footnotes are included in this word limit. Our website provides guidelines for writing shadow reports, including reports focusing on specific thematic areas. Reports have to be submitted in one of the working languages of the Committee (English, French or Spanish).
Please reach out to the IWRAW Asia Pacific team, vashti@iwraw-ap.org with iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org in copy, if your organisation, collective or coalition is preparing a shadow report for the 94th pre-session.
Engaging with the CEDAW Committee at the 94th Pre-Session [CANCELLED]
With the announcement that the 92nd CEDAW session is cancelled, the usual Pre-session NGO briefing with the CEDAW Committee is also cancelled.
CEDAW’s Follow-Up Procedure
The CEDAW Committee has scheduled the review of follow-up reports from Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras, Slovenia, Tunisia, and Ukraine.
As part of its concluding observations on a State party’s report, the Committee identifies up to four recommendations (sub-paragraphs) that require urgent implementation. The State party is requested to provide follow-up information on these specific recommendations within two years—or within one year in exceptional cases.
Due to the current liquidity crisis, the Committee has decided to conduct the the follow up review of these follow-up reports online during the intersessional period.
Civil society organizations, particularly NGOs, play a critical role in monitoring the implementation of CEDAW recommendations. NGOs are encouraged to submit shadow reports to inform the Committee of the progress—or lack thereof—made by States parties in implementing the follow-up recommendations.
Submit a shadow report to the CEDAW Follow-Up
Shadow report submissions must:
- Be written in one of the working languages of the Committee (English, French, or Spanish);
- Be as concise as possible, with a maximum length of 3,300 words (including footnotes);
- Be submitted in Word format through the CEDAW online submission system: https://events.ohchr.org/
Please reach out to the IWRAW Asia Pacific team, vashti@iwraw-ap.org with iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org in copy, if your organisation, collective or coalition is preparing a shadow report for the follow up procedure.
For detailed guidance on the follow-up to concluding observations procedure, please visit: https://bit.ly/34og440
Spread the word!
Please circulate this information among women’s rights groups. If you are with an NGO or a coalition working on an NGO report to CEDAW, please contact vashti@iwraw-ap.org with a copy to iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org.