English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
modifying or abolishing existing laws, regulations, customs, practices and social/
cultural patterns of conduct that constitute discrimination, including those that
perpetuate superiority or inferiority of sexes and that are based on stereotypes; 127
adopting temporary special measures to accelerate de facto equality; 128
putting in place measures to address maternity. 129
In undertaking these obligations, taking into consideration the core principles of substantive
equality and non-discrimination, it is clear that the State obligation demanded under
CEDAW is both an obligation of means and results. A State Party undertakes to comply with
the specific means of implementation in CEDAW (obligation of means), and it is also obligated
to ensure that the measures chosen result in the elimination of discrimination (obligation of
results).
III.2.4 USING CEDAW
In using CEDAW, whether in implementation, law-making and policymaking, research and
analysis or monitoring and evaluation, it is critical to go beyond a strict textual approach. The
three core pillars (substantive equality, non-discrimination and State obligation), the text of
CEDAW and the interpretative documents (that is, the Concluding Comments and GRs) must
complement and supplement each other.
56
127
Ibid., Articles 2(f) and 5
128
Ibid., Article 4(1)
129
Ibid., Article 4(2)
CEDAW: basic information