The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, known as the CEDAW Committee, has provisionally approved the Pacific region’s request to hold its extraordinary 91st session in Fiji.
The CEDAW Committee, which consists of 23 independent experts on women’s rights from around the globe, oversees the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. This convention has been ratified by 12 Pacific Island Countries.
Typically, the CEDAW Committee holds its sessions in Geneva. Conducting an extraordinary session in Fiji would mark the first occasion where hundreds of women, children, civil society organizations, and others from the Pacific region could engage directly with the Committee on their home ground.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka expressed his welcome for the decision and eagerly anticipates hosting the regional CEDAW session.
Rabuka stated that the government is honored to host this historic event, which will enable meaningful dialogue between the Committee experts and the region. It will also provide a platform for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration among Pacific nations.
The request for a regional CEDAW session was put forward by Fiji and gained unanimous support at the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting in August 2023.