Aim for human rights is an active partner in the Dutch CEDAW Network. The Network is a cooperation of various Dutch women’s and human rights organisations. It monitors the implementation of CEDAW in the Netherlands. The Network does this through collective lobbying and advocacy, and the writing of the shadow report, for example. Read more

Every 4 years, State parties to CEDAW must report to the CEDAW Committee on the national implementation of their obligations under the Convention in their country. This mechanism is called reporting. The most recent Dutch reports to CEDAW are the fourth report from early 2005, and the fifth report from the summer of 2008.

In their reports, states generally tend to paint quite a rosy picture of women’s human rights in their countries. Therefore, the CEDAW committee also allows Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to present their vision on the situation in their country in so-called shadow reports. Shadow reports often complement the state report by being more critical. Aim for human rights coordinates the writing of the Dutch shadow report on behalf of the Dutch CEDAW Network. Read more

To the surprise of many observers abroad, the Netherlands still has a political party (the SGP) that excludes women. The CEDAW committee has sharply criticised the Dutch government for allowing this situation to continue. Regardless of this criticism, the Dutch government insisted that there was no violation of CEDAW taking place. For years, the Dutch government refused to take action on this issue, and even continued to provide the SGP with subsidies. Various Dutch organisations, Aim for human rights among them, have together brought two cases against the government and the SGP through the strategic litigation fund (proefprocessenfonds).of the Clara Wichmann Institute. Read more

For more information on our activities on women’s rights in the Netherlands or the Dutch shadow report, please contact Loeky Droesen by phone, +31 (0)30 233 40 27 or e-mail.