Engendering Course of Actions

Reflecting CPRW: Through VAWIP lens

Desiring to implement the principle of equality of rights for men and women contained in the Charter of the United Nations, and recognizing that everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country directly or indirectly through freely chosen representatives, and has the right to equal access to public service in his country, and desiring to equalize the status of men and women in the enjoyment and exercise of political rights, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on Political Rights to Women (CPRW) has been concluded.

Here, the CPRW has been analyzed from the VAWIP perspective:

Introduction

The Convention on Political Right to Women (CPRW) was opened for signature pursuant to resolution 640 (VII), adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 December 1952. Women's right to participate in governance and decision-making is ensured by the CPRW, 1952. The convention came into existence in order to equalize the status of men and women in the enjoyment and exercise of political rights.

Though the Convention does not specifically mention affirmative action for women to increase their participation in political as well as public life, it does recognize the discriminatory practices that hinder women's participation and obligates the state party to equalize the status of men and women in the enjoyment and exercise of political rights.

Ratification and Reservation

The CPRW is one of the highly ratified international human rights conventions, having the support of 126 States parties (until 2007). Ratification status of CPRW in South Asian context1;

Ratification without Reservation

  • India - 29 Apr 1953 (s);  1 Nov 1961 .
  • Pakistan - 18 May 1954 (s);  7 Dec 1954
  • Nepal - 26 Apr 1966 (a)
  • India - 1993 with a reservation
  • Afghanistan - 16 Nov 1966 (a)

Ratification with Following Reservation

Bangladesh-  5 Oct 1998 (a): "The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh will apply article III of the Convention in consonance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution of Bangladesh and in particular, article 28 (4) allowing special provision in favour of women; article 29.3 (c) allowing reservation of any class of employment or office for one sex on the ground that it is considered by its nature to be unsuited to members of the opposite sex; and article 65 (3) providing for reservation of 30 seats in the National Assembly for women in addition to the provision allowing women to be elected to any and all of the 300 seats."

Not Ratified by

Bhutan
Maldives
Sri Lanka

Political Participation

Article 1 Women shall be entitled to vote in all elections on equal terms with men, without any discrimination.

Article 2 Women shall be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies, established by national law, on equal terms with men, without any discrimination.

Article 3 Women shall be entitled to hold public office and to exercise all public functions, established by national law, on equal terms with men, without any discrimination.

VAWIP Perspective

The research has shown that violence is one of the main causes for the poor participation of women in politics. The CPRW supports the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of sex. It spells out the entitlement of women to participate on equal terms with men, without any discrimination in political life2 but does not recognize that violence is one of the major constraints for women to participate in politics. 

It is silent on the grounds of violence in politics which is hindering the active participation of women in politics.