Applying International Human Rights Law
CEDAW Convention
Key Treaties and Texts

The Optional Protocol to the Women's Convention

International Conventions and Declarations

A/RES/54/4, 1999

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (OP-CEDAW) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on October 6, 1999 and entered into force December 21, 2000. The Optional Protocol provides for two procedures: 1) a communications procedures that allows women to submit claims of violations of rights potected under the Convention to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and 2) an inquiry procedure enabling the Committee to initiate inquiries into situations of grave or systematic violations of women's rights. [Descriptors: Applying Human Rights Law - International, CEDAW Convention, Key Texts, International]