Human Rights Conventions. 
Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay asked Meg Munn, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, an interesting question in the House of Commons on Thursday. It concerned the human rights conventions with which each BOT is expected to comply.
The answer, so far as it relates to
| Treaty | | | | | ||
| International Convention on Civil and Political Rights | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women | — | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly. It is often described as an international bill of rights for women. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women, and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. By accepting the Convention, States commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including:
- to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;
- to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and
- to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.
It is difficult for us to accept that, 
after nearly 30 years,
What have all the women in positions of power in the
"Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote. The relative positions to be assumed by man and woman in the working out of our civilization were assigned long ago by a higher intelligence than ours."
ReplyDelete--President Grover Cleveland, 1837-1908
They give speeches.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.anguillian.com/article/articleview/4134/1/140/
Welcome to Anguilla, the land of words without action.
Sadly, it is not Anguilla or Anguillian Politicians who are responsible for the adoption of these Conventions for Anguilla.
ReplyDeleteIt is the British Government, with their retention of International relations and foreign Affairs.
So, cast thine words at the British, NOT the Anguillians, when you seek to condemn anyone for the lack of application of these Conventions to Anguilla
The poster is correct that extending treaties and conventions to Anguilla is the responsibility of HMG. But this is highly misleading. The key to an extension is a request from ExCo that HMG does this. Once that happens, there is never any reluctance in London to comply. It is the inaction of our leaders that has caused this problem, not the evil British.
ReplyDeleteA blogger in Bermuda:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/yomw2w complains:
Discrimination Against Women
October 11th, 2007
The UK is a signatory to the “UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women” and has an obligation to expand that to all its overseas territories.
The BVI, Falklands, and Turks have already acted. Cayman and Gibraltar are working now. Bermuda has promised to enact enabling legislation.
Ok, the Convention was adopted in 1979. In 30 years we haven’t adopted it?! Glass ceilings indeed!
To the Oct. 13th. Blogger:
ReplyDeleteYOU are highly misleading , the Exco NEVER has to ask the British to extend any Conventions etc.In fact, you are deliberately misleading.
The ExCo has ABSOLUTELY NO ROLE In that.
I know. I sat in ExCo.
The following is from "MEMORANDUM ON THE APPLICATION OF TREATIES TO UNITED KINGDOM OVERSEAS TERRITORIES" found on the FCO website at http://tinyurl.com/yvuo8j and reveals that the training and experience of those we elect to high office has not yet reached acceptable international standards.
ReplyDelete"The Home Office and the FCO have standard operating procedures according to which the overseas territories are to be consulted about treaties which are under negotiation and which are to apply or are capable of being applied, in respect of the United Kingdom’s non-metropolitan territories. The purpose of consultation is to ascertain whether there are particular considerations in respect of any overseas territory which need to be taken into account in the text of a treaty, as well as to ascertain whether or not each overseas territory wishes the treaty to apply to it."