Question Period Note: UN-CEDAW Reporting

What is the status of Canada’s 10th report to the UN CEDAW Committee?

• Canada’s tenth progress report on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) will be submitted in Winter 2021-22.
• Canada’s tenth report will not only respond to the input received from the CEDAW Committee, but will also cover Canada’s feminist response and recovery measures to address the gendered impacts of the pandemic.

• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was ratified by Canada on December 10, 1981.
• Countries report to the United Nations approximately every five years on measures taken to eliminate discrimination in the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights by women.
• Canada, led by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and Canadian Heritage (PCH), submitted its combined 8th and 9th reports to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Committee in April 2015, covering the period 2008 to 2015. Canada subsequently appeared before the Committee in October 2016 to present the two reports, including updates on progress made on a range of gender equality issues, such as violence against women and girls, Indigenous women and the ongoing National Inquiry at the time; women’s economic security; and progress related to gender-based analysis in decision making.
• Civil society organizations (CSOs) also participated in the review process. They not only met with the Committee but also provided suggested questions to members of the Committee; observed the review itself; and submitted “shadow reports” on Canada’s implementation of the Convention.
• In October 2016, a coalition of 13 Canadian CSOs, led by the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), released a statement and called on the Government of Canada to demonstrate clear action on key gender equality challenges, including the gender wage gap, gender-based violence (GBV), issues facing Indigenous women and girls, and the feminization of poverty.
• In November 2016, the CEDAW Committee published its Concluding Observations (COs) on Canada’s periodic reports and outlined recommendations on how Canada could improve and address issues relevant under the Convention, including the development of a National Action Plan to End GBV; implementation of a human rights-based approach throughout the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and increased collection of sex-disaggregated data.
• In early 2019, Canada submitted an interim report to the Committee on progress made towards specific recommendations that relate to the national women’s machinery capacity, a national gender strategy, and on the National Inquiry. In September 2019, the CEDAW Committee issued an assessment of Canada’s interim report, which did not require any follow-up action.
• In November 2019, Canada received the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) from the CEDAW Committee that identified key areas of concern that the Committee would like to see addressed in Canada’s next report, which is expected to be submitted in Winter 2021-22.
• The LOIPR identified a number of issues that were previously raised, including: strengthening Canada’s national machinery for the advancement of women; discriminatory stereotypes and harmful practices; missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls; trafficking and exploitation of prostitution; participation in political and public life; education; employment and economic empowerment; health; and marriage and family relations.
• WAGE has been working closely with PCH, other government departments, and provinces and territories to prepare the tenth report for the CEDAW Committee.
• As per the usual process, Canada can expect to be called for its appearance in front of the CEDAW Committee sometime in 2023.

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