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.
The CEDAW Committee wil adopt the list of issues for Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Republic of Moldova and Syria, and prepare lists of issues prior to reporting for Comoros and Poland under the simplified reporting procedure at what was initially scheduled for the 93rd Pre-sessional Working Group.
However, due to the ongoing liquidity crisis, the Pre-sessional Working Group for the 93rd session will not meet from 7 to 11 June 2025, as initially scheduled. Instead, it will meet informally online prior to the 91st session, in closed meetings.
However, please note that the 91st CEDAW Session is also pending confirmation.
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/alternative information to the CEDAW Pre-sessional Working Group
- The deadline to submit a shadow report is Monday, 19 May 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 93rd pre-session.
Engaging directly with the CEDAW Committee at the 93rd Pre-Session
NGOs which have submitted a shadow report have opportunities to engage directly with the CEDAW Committee during the session:
Exceptional Informal Public Meetings with NGOs:
- The deadline to register your interest to deliver an oral statement at the 93rd pre-sessional working group’s exceptional public informal briefing is Monday, 19 May 2025. NGOs seeking to deliver an oral statement need to register via the CEDAW online submission system. Please register on the event page under the 91st CEDAW Session shadow report submission by ticking the ‘Oral Briefing’ check boxes.
- Oral interventions by NGOs are permitted during this public meeting with the Committee. However, normally a maximum of 10 minutes is available per country, to be shared by all NGOs. Therefore, it is not always possible to accommodate all requests to make an oral intervention. Please inform us if you are interested in making an intervention, as we will assist in coordinating with other NGOs on dividing time and identifying priority areas.
- NGOs can participate in the public meeting physically or submit a pre-recorded video statement (see Quick guide for recording video messages ). Pre-recorded video statements must be received one week before the informal public meeting at ohchr-cedaw@un.org.
- If you wish to make an oral statement, you should register your interest through the CEDAW online submission system As part of our coordination assistance, IWRAW Asia Pacific will compile the final list with assistance from OHCHR on behalf of your country group, with names in the order of presentation and with allotted times for speaking (as agreed by your group in advance).
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.