Prof. Elisa Fornalé of WP7 attended the Expert Meeting on Women’s equal and inclusive representation in international decision making systems: Perspectives on CEDAW’s future general recommendation no. 40 at the American University Washington College of Law, Washington DC, USA, 25–26 September 2023.

The expert thematic consultation was organized on the initiative of the GQUAL Campaign, and the Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law. The consultation seeked to critically inform the drafting of the CEDAW Committee’s future General Recommendation No. 40 (GR 40) on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems, which the Committee aims to adopt at its 89th session in October 2024.

The aim of the consultation was to address this issue with a focus on the equal and inclusive participation of women in international decision making spaces, by engaging leading experts in critical fields—including international and human rights law, peace and security, multilateralism and trade, international justice, and diplomacy and foreign policy, among others—in a fruitful and dynamic exploration of the opportunities to develop the normative standards underpinning women’s fundamental rights to equal and inclusive representation in decision-making under Articles 7 and 8 of the CEDAW Convention. The meeting was held in line with the Committee’s principled approach of undertaking its work in a broadly participatory manner, which emphasizes in particular consultation with relevant experts including independent experts, NGOs, and academic institutions.