optional protocol convention elimination forms discrimination women optional protocol convention elimination forms discrimination women international treaty establishes complaint inquiry mechanisms convention elimination forms discrimination women parties protocol allow hear complaints individuals grave systematic violations convention protocol led number decisions member states issues domestic violence parental leave forced investigation systematic killing women mexican city protocol adopted october force december protocol signatories parties genesis adopted convention elimination forms discrimination women convention outlawed discrimination women include mechanism prohibition legally enforced individual complaints mechanism suggested original drafting rejected time years later vienna declaration programme action world conference human rights suggested new procedures needed implement convention suggested right petition independent expert group produced draft containing complaint procedure inquiry procedure adopted study early idea optional protocol endorsed fourth world conference women called draft optional protocol enter force soon possible march commission status women established open ended working group produce formal draft reported years early adopted october summary convention elimination forms discrimination women discrimination basis gender parties repeal laws guarantee equality fields health employment education subsidiary agreement convention establish new rights allows rights guaranteed convention enforced articles create individual complaints mechanism similar optional protocol optional protocol convention rights persons disabilities article convention elimination forms racial discrimination parties agree recognise consider complaints behalf individuals groups claim rights convention violated complaint submitted behalf victim requires consent justify acting constitutes justification case committee ability complaints submitted behalf victims seen vital allowing women organizations human rights groups use protocol enforce convention exhausted domestic anonymous complaints complaints referring events occurred country concerned joined optional protocol permitted committee request information recommendations party binding articles create inquiry mechanism parties permit committee investigate report recommendations grave systematic violations convention committee invite relevant party respond inform measures taken result inquiry directly normal reporting process convention parties opt obligation signature ratification bangladesh belize colombia article requires parties ensure complaining optional protocol subjected ill treatment intimidation article requires parties inform citizens convention optional protocol committee facilitate complaints articles govern procedure reporting committee handling complaints articles govern ratification entry force amendment optional protocol reservations membership number parties reservations application protocol bangladesh belize colombia exercised right article protocol recognise jurisdiction committee investigate grave systematic violations convention colombia declares protocol committee require offences life personal integrity state party party protocol major states remain outside protocol united_states ratified japan participate individual communications mechanisms human rights treaties currently considering joining observing procedures functioning china currently studying problem accession optional protocol individual complaints considered complaints seven countries optional protocol came force subjects domestic violence division property forced parental leave complaints rejected lack jurisdiction exhausted domestic decisions summarised case hungary committee ruled hungary violated numerous articles convention failing adequately protect women domestic violence recommended immediately protected abusive partner hungary improve handling domestic violence cases immediately adopt committee previous recommendation law allowing protection exclusion orders recommendations implemented time hungary sixth periodic report case netherlands committee expressed concerns aspects parental leave provisions netherlands recommended dutch government collect information number women combining time employment self employment review law revealed significant number women case hungary committee ruled forced woman hungary violated convention recommended breach rights review legislation surrounding informed consent cases ensure complied international human rights standards ongoing monitoring hungarian medical facilities ensure changes practice cases deceased austria deceased austria committee ruled austrian government failing protect women domestic violence recommended strengthening implementation monitoring existing domestic violence laws greater training police inquiries committee conducted inquiry grave systematic violations article relation systematic killing women mexican city found compliance mexican government tolerance severe systematic abuses women rights committee recommended involvement federal state authorities investigation murders punishment officials involved persecution victims relatives increased violence prevention plans impact criticism impact international treaty measured ways acceptance implementation measure gained widespread international acceptance major states parties protocol second accepted enforcement mechanism optional protocol second measure number complaints dealt committee limited assessment government found protocol hardly originally expected reasoning committee unpredictable impact policy making found limited success highlighting importance effective policies protect women domestic violence forced outside areas protocol led breakthrough advancing women rights concludes greater efforts highlight awareness build trust committee complaints mechanism remain utilized protocol criticised legal academics view complaints mechanism difficult lengthy lacking transparency voluntary nature protocol non binding nature recommendations seen key limits effectiveness despite critics tend view protocol valuable flawed instrument realizing women rights
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women