Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women
Twenty-fifth session
2 - 20 July 2001
Provisional agenda
1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth sessions of the Committee.
4. Consideration of the reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
5. Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
6. Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee.
7. Provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session.
8. Adoption of the report of the Committee on its twenty-fifth session.
Annotations
Item 1. Opening of the session
The twenty-fifth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will be opened by the representative of the Secretary-General.
Item 2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work
Rule 9 of the rules of procedure provides that the agenda shall be adopted by the Committee at the beginning of its meetings. Rule 7 provides that the provisional agenda for each session shall be prepared by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chairperson, in conformity with the relevant provisions of articles 17 to 22 of the Convention.
At its twenty-fourth session the Committee approved the provisional agenda for its twenty-fifth session.
The Committee has, since its sixth session, set up two standing working groups, namely Working Group I, to consider and suggest ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee, and Working Group II, to consider ways and means of implementing article 21 of the Convention. At its seventh session, the Committee decided to keep the membership of the working groups flexible. At its eleventh session, the Committee decided that the working groups should be open only to members of the Committee, in accordance with past practice. Specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations that could make substantive contributions to questions under consideration could be invited by the working group to contribute to its deliberations. The proposed organization of work for the session is shown in the annex to the present document.
Documentation
Provisional agenda and annotations (CEDAW/C/2001/II/1)
Item 3. Report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth sessions of the Committee
Under this item the Chairperson will brief the Committee on activities and events
occurring since the previous session that had a bearing on the Committee’s work.
Item 4. Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discriminations against Women
Article 18 of the Convention provides that States parties to the Convention shall undertake to submit to the Secretary-General, for consideration by the Committee, a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and other progress made in this respect. Reports are to be submitted within one year after the entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned and thereafter at least every four years and further whenever the Committee requests.
At its twenty-fourth session, the Committee, taking into account the criteria of preference to be given to those States parties whose reports had been pending for the longest time, the need to give priority to initial reports and the desirability of balance of reports in terms of geographic and other factors, decided to invite eight States parties to present their reports. Eight States parties agreed to this request.
At its twenty-fifth session, the Committee will have before it the following reports: the initial report of Andorra (CEDAW/C/AND/1), the initial report of Guinea (CEDAW/C/GIN/1), initial and second periodic reports of Singapore (CEDAW/C/SGP/1) and (CEDAW/C/SGP/2), second periodic report of Guyana (CEDAW/C/GUY/2), second and third periodic reports of the Netherlands (CEDAW/C/NET/2/ Add.1 and 2) and (CEDAW/C/NET/3/Add.1 and 2), second and combined third and fourth periodic reports of Viet Nam (CEDAW/C/VNM/2) and CEDAW/C/VNM/3-4), fourth and fifth periodic reports of Nicaragua (CEDAW/C/NIC/4) and (CEDAW/C/NIC/5), and fourth and fifth periodic reports of Sweden (CEDAW/C/SWE/4) and (CEDAW/C/SWE/5).
Rule 51 of the rules of procedure provides that representatives of a State party shall be present at meetings of the Committee when the report of the State is being examined and shall participate in discussions and answer questions concerning the reports. The Secretary-General has informed the States parties concerned of the tentative dates on which their reports are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its twenty-fifth session.
Rule 49 of the rules of procedure provides that at each session the Secretary-General shall notify the Committee of non-receipt of any report required from a State party under article 18 of the Convention. The Secretary-General also provides the Committee with a list of reports submitted by States parties to the Convention that have not yet been considered by the Committee. The Committee at its twenty-fifth session will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the status of the submission of the reports by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (CEDAW/C/2001/II/2).
The Committee decided at its ninth session that a pre-session working group should be convened before each session to prepare a list of issues and questions relating to periodic reports for transmission to the representatives of States parties before the meetings at which their reports were to be considered. At its nineteenth session, the Committee decided that the pre-session working group would meet at the end of the session prior to which second and subsequent reports would be considered. The pre-session working group for the twenty-fifth session met in New York from 5-9 February 2001. The report of the pre-session working group and the responses of States parties to the list of issues and questions drawn up by the pre-session working group will be before the Committee.
Documentation
Initial report of Andorra (CEDAW/C/AND/1)
Initial report of Guinea (CEDAW/C/GIN/1)
Initial and second periodic reports of Singapore (CEDAW/C/SGP/1) and
(CEDAW/C/SGP/2)
Second periodic report of Guyana (CEDAW/C/GUY/2)
Second and third periodic reports of the Netherlands
(CEDAW/C/NET/2, Add.1 and 2) and CEDAW/C/NET/3, Add.1 and 2)
Second and combined third and fourth periodic reports of Viet Nam
(CEDAW/C/VNM/2) and CEDAW/C/VNM/3-4)
Fourth and fifth periodic reports of Nicaragua (CEDAW/C/NIC/4) and (CEDAW/C/NIC/5)
Fourth and fifth periodic reports of Sweden ( CEDAW/C/SWE/4) and
(CEDAW/C/SWE/5).
Report of the pre-session working group (CEDAW/PSWG/2001/II/CRP.1 and Add.1 (Guyana), Add.2 (The Netherlands), Add.3 (Nicaragua), Add.4 (Sweden ) and Add.5 (Viet Nam).
Responses to list of issues (CEDAW/PSWG/2001/II/CRP.2 (Guyana) and Add.1 (Nicaragua), Add.2 (The Netherlands), Add.3 (Viet Nam), and Add.4 (Sweden).
Item 5. Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Article 21 of the Convention provides that the Committee may make suggestions and general recommendations based on the examination of the reports and information received from States parties. It also provides that such suggestions and general recommendations shall be included in the report of the Committee together with comments, if any, from States parties.
At its tenth session, the Committee decided to provide, under the agenda item entitled "Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women", opportunities for specialists from the specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies to present to the Committee in plenary information related to specific articles of the Convention or to issues being considered for general recommendations and suggestions.
At the same session, the Committee decided to select and review specific articles and other issues to be considered at subsequent sessions as a long-term programme, without prejudice to any changes that might be necessary as a result of new developments and priorities arising from the review of the reports of States parties.
At its twenty-third session, the Committee adopted decision 23/III, on "article 4.1 of the Convention" in which it decided to prepare a general recommendation on article 4.1 of the Convention. Bearing in mind the Committee's three-stage process for the preparation of general recommendations adopted at its seventeenth session. It also decided that a general discussion and exchange of views with specialized agencies, other bodies of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations should take place during the twenty-fourth session in January 2001.
At its twenty-fourth session, the Committee began discussion of general recommendation on article 4.1 of the Convention on temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women. It requested the Secretariat to provide at its twenty-fifth session an analysis of the Committee's approach to article 4.1 in its consideration of States parties' reports. The Committee will have before it, the report of the Secretariat on the temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women (CEDAW/C/2001/II/5).
Article 22 of the Convention provides that the specialized agencies shall be entitled to be represented during the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the Convention as fall within the scope of their activities and that the Committee may invite the specialized agencies to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in those areas. The Committee at its twenty-fifth session will have before it a note by the Secretary-General on reports of specialized agencies on that subject (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3 and addenda).
Documentation
Report of the Secretariat on "Temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women" (CEDAW/C/2001/II/5).
Note by the Secretary-General on reports of specialized agencies on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3)
Report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3/Add.1)
Report of the World Health Organization (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3/Add.2)
Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3/Add.3)
Report of the International Labour Organization (CEDAW/C/2001/II/3/Add.4)
Item 6. Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee
At its twelfth session, the Committee decided that the Secretariat should prepare every year, as a pre-session document, a report on ways and means of improving the work of the Committee containing information provided by the Secretariat, comments made by members of the Committee or developments elsewhere in the human rights regime. In view of the fact that the Committee has been authorized to hold two sessions annually, the Secretariat has decided to provide the Committee with a report on ways and means at each session (CEDAW/C/2001/II/4).
At its twenty-fourth session, the Committee requested the Secretariat to prepare an analysis of the approach of other human rights treaty bodies to reservations in the considerations of States parties reports and communications for the Committee's consideration at its twenty-fifth session. This will be provided as part of the report on ways and means.
At its twenty-fourth session, the Committee also discussed its current pattern of concluding comments, and their means of formulation. It requested the Secretariat to prepare an analysis of its concluding comments, including with respect to length, balance and reflection of the concluding observations of other human rights treaty bodies for the Committee’s consideration at its twenty-fifth session. This analysis will also be provided as part of the report on ways and means.
Documentation
Report of the Secretariat on ways and means of improving the work of the Committee (CEDAW/C/2001/II/4)
Item 7. Provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session
At its tenth session, the Committee decided that the draft provisional agenda for the following session of the Committee would be approved at the end of each session.
Documentation
Draft provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session of the Committee.
Item 8. Adoption of the report of the Committee on its twenty-fifth session
Annex
Proposed organization of work
| Date/time | Agenda item | Documentation/programme |
| Monday, 2 July 2001 | ||
| 509th meeting | ||
| 10.00 a.m. | Item 1 | Opening of the session |
| Item 2 | Adoption of the agenda and organization of work | |
| Item 3 | Report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the twenty fourth and twenty-fifth sessions of the Committee. | |
| Item5 | Implementation of article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: introductory statement | |
| Item 6 | Ways and means of expediting the work of the Committee: introductory statement | |
| 3.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole: composition of Working Groups I and II and issues for discussion |
| Tuesday, 3 July 2001 | ||
| 10.00 - 11.30 a.m. (closed) |
Informal meeting with United Nations bodies and specialized agencies | |
| 11.30-1.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| 3.00-4.30 p.m. | Informal meeting with non-governmental organizations | |
| 4.30-6.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Wednesday, 4 July 2001 | PUBLIC HOLIDAY |
|
| Thursday, 5 July 2001 | ||
| 510 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. | Item 4 | Consideration of the reports submitted by States
parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women. Sweden, fourth and fifth periodic reports, (CEDAW/C/SWE/4) and (CEDAW/C/ SWE/5) |
| Introduction by State party’s representative | ||
| 10.30 a.m.-1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 511 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Sweden (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole
|
| Friday, 6 July 2001 | ||
| 512 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | The Netherlands, second and third periodic reports (CEDAW/C/NET/2, Add.1 and 2) and CEDAW/C/NET/3, Add.1 and 2) |
| Introduction by State party’s representative | ||
| 10.30 a.m.-1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 513 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | The Netherlands (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Monday, 9 July 2001 |
||
| 514 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. (closed) | Item 4 (continued) | Singapore, initial and second periodic reports (CEDAW/C/SGP/1) and (CEDAW/C/SGP/2) |
| 10.30-11.30 a.m. | Introduction by State party’s representative |
|
| 11.30 a.m.-1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 515 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Singapore (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole
|
| Tuesday, 10 July 2001 | ||
| 516 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. (closed) | Item 4 (continued) | Andorra, initial report (CEDAW/C/AND/1) |
| 10.30-11.30 a.m. | Introduction by State party's representative | |
| 11.30 -1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 517 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Andorra (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Wednesday, 11 July 2001 | ||
| 518 th meeting | ||
| 10.00- 10.30 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Viet-Nam, second and combined third and fourth periodic
reports (CEDAW/C/VNM/2) and (CEDAW/C/VNM/3-4) |
| Introductory by State party's representative | ||
| 10.30 - 1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 519 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Viet Nam (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Thursday, 12 July 2001 | ||
| 520 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. (closed) | Item 4 (continued) | Guinea, initial report (CEDAW/C/GIN/1) |
| 10.30 -11.30 a.m. | Introduction by State party's representative | |
| 11.30- 1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 521 st meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continue) | Guinea, (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Friday, 13 July 2001 | ||
| 522 nd meeting | ||
| 10.00 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Replies (Singapore) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| 523 rd meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 | Replies (Andorra) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Monday , 16 July 2001 | ||
| 524 th meeting | ||
| 10.00 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Replies ( Guinea) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| 3.00 p.m. | ||
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Tuesday , 17 July 2001 | ||
| 525 th meeting | ||
| 10.00-10.30 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Nicaragua, fourth and fifth periodic reports (CEDAW/C/NIC/4) and (CEDAW/C/NIC/5) |
| Introduction by State party’s representative | ||
| 10.30-1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 526 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Nicaragua (continued) |
| (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Wednesday , 18 July 2001 | ||
| 527 th meeting | ||
| 10.00 -10.30 a.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Guyana, second periodic report (CEDAW/C/GUY/2) |
| Introduction by State party's representative | ||
| 10.30 -1.00 p.m. | Questions by experts and dialogue with the Committee | |
| 528 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Item 4 (continued) | Guyana (continued) |
| (closed ) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Thursday, 19 July 2001 | ||
| 10.00 a.m. -1.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 ( continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| 3.00- 6.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| Friday, 20 July 2001 | ||
| 10.00 -1.00 p.m. (closed) | Items 5 and 6 (continued) | Working Group of the Whole |
| 529 th meeting | ||
| 3.00 p.m. | Items 5 and 6 Item 7 Item 8 |
Adoption of the reports of Working Groups I and II Provisional agenda for the twenty-sixth session Adoption of the report of the Committee on its twenty-fifth session. |