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.
Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu are scheduled for country exchanges during the upcoming Pacific Technical Cooperation Session (PTC) with the CEDAW Committee held in Suva, Fiji from 7 to 11 April 2025.
About the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session (PTC)
The session was initiated by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting and is supported by OHCHR, the Pacific Community (SPC), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and UN Women. More information about the session can be accessed on OHCHR’s official PTC page.
The session’s concept note states:
- The Pacific Technical Cooperation Session “would not constitute a formal session of the Committee and therefore not appear in the official calendar of meetings of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), and would be distinguished by its focus on technical cooperation”.
- The Committee’s Concluding Observations for Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu will be adopted at the Committee’s 91st Session in June 2025 in Geneva.
The Committee looks forward to engaging with Pacific national human rights organizations, women’s rights organizations, women and youth rights holders, and other stakeholders.
There are several ways that NGOs can engage in the technical cooperation session to share their reflections on progress toward gender equality in the countries up for their respective exchanges, highlight issues of concern, and influence recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee. OHCHR has shared a note on NGO participation which contains further details and information.
Submit a shadow report/alternative information to the CEDAW Committee
- The deadline to submit a shadow report is Monday, 10 March 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).
- If you have submitted a pre-session report, you have an opportunity to present updated shadow report information, and provide your alternative information to respond to the CEDAW Committee’s List of Issues and Questions which your state will have to answer. It is important that your updated report to CEDAW addresses the issues raised in the List of Issues and Questions, which is how the Committee prioritises issues for the exchange and seeks to address gaps in the state report. Please see the official session page for your country’s List of Issues and Questions.
- The List of Issues for Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu is listed under the 91st CEDAW Session’s page, however, “the 6th periodic report of Fiji, the combined 4th and 5th periodic reports of Solomon Islands and the combined 5th and 6th periodic reports of Tuvalu will be discussed during exchanges between the Committee and these States parties during the CEDAW Pacific Technical Cooperation Session“.
Please reach out to the IWRAW Asia Pacific team shanti@iwraw-ap.org, vashti@iwraw-ap.org and tulika@iwraw-ap.org with iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org in copy, if your organisation, collective or coalition is preparing a shadow report for the PTC session.
Engaging directly with the CEDAW Committee at the PTC Session
NGOs which have submitted a shadow report have opportunities to engage directly with the CEDAW Committee during the session:
- Informal public meetings with NGOs:
- The deadline to register your interest to deliver an oral statement at the PTC session’s informal public meeting is Monday, 10 March 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 Pacific Technical Cooperation shadow report submission by ticking the ‘briefing ‘Oral Briefing’ check boxes
- Oral interventions by NGOs are permitted during this public meeting with the Committee and state delegates. 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 with OHCHR, with IWRAW Asia Pacific in copy, when you send your written submission. As part of our coordination assistance, IWRAW Asia Pacific will compile the final list for 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).
- Private ‘lunchtime’ briefing with the CEDAW Committee:
- NGOs will have an opportunity to privately brief the CEDAW Committee in a country-specific meeting before the country exchange is held with the respective state delegates. It is an opportunity to answer any questions raised by Committee members during the informal public meeting and/or new questions that arise during the private briefing.
- Engagement at the lunch briefing can be hybrid upon request to IWRAW Asia Pacific.
- Please note that OHCHR does not provide interpretation support for this briefing.
Dates for your calendar
Monday, 10 March 2025
Deadline for submission of shadow reports and for registration of interest in making an oral statement
Sunday, 6 April 2025
NGO Coordination Meeting organised by IWRAW Asia Pacific
Monday, 7 April 2025
Commencement of Pacific Technical Cooperation Session
Public Informal briefings by NGOs from Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu
Tuesday, 8 April 2025
Private lunch briefing (Fiji)
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Country Exchange (Fiji)
Private lunch briefing (Solomon Islands)
Thursday, 10 April 2025
Country Exchange (Solomon Islands)
Private lunch briefing (Tuvalu)
Friday, 11 April 2025
Country Exchange (Tuvalu)
Final country reflections and commitments
The draft agenda for the PTC session is now available on OHCHR’s page. Please let us know if you are thinking of participating at the PTC session in April 2025 and if you wish to participate in the informal meeting with NGOs and/or the NGO lunch briefing. In the meantime, please reach out if further clarification is needed.
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 shanti@iwraw-ap.org, vashti@iwraw-ap.org and tulika@iwraw-ap.org with a copy to iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org.
Public events during the PTC session
In tandem with the country exchanges, the CEDAW Committee is also hosting a series of public briefings on key issues. The agenda for the PTC Session including the public briefings can be accessed here. Below are some key dates for your consideration:
Monday, 7 April 2025
- Consultation on General Recommendation 41 on Gender Stereotypes
- Talanoa (public discussion) on Culture and Gender
Tuesday, 8 April 2025
- Talanoa (public discussion) on Women’s Political Participation; Women with Disabilities; Gender-based Violence, and; Children, Youth and Gender
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
- Side event on Statelessness, Gender and Climate Change
Thursday, 10 April 2025
- Talanoa (public discussion) on 2050 Strategy and Climate Change