Feminist Fridays #30: The CEDAW 2018 Review - What Lies Ahead for Malaysia

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) review is an international mechanism for monitoring the compliance of a government with their obligations to fulfill women’s right to equality undertaken at the international level. Back in July of this year, the UN CEDAW Committee published a list of issues and questions directed to the Malaysian government, on the status of women’s rights in the country, including questions on the progress made by the government to enact legislation to incorporate provisions of the CEDAW convention into domestic law (such as through the Gender Equality Act) and the actions taken to ensure access to healthcare for all women, including those who are stateless or in detention. We find out how Malaysia has responded and what lies ahead in the upcoming review, from lawyer and women's rights activist, Honey Tan, and Sisters in Islam's program manager, Shareena Sheriff.