Treaty

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

PartiesParties with a link have a reservation.

Party Signature RatificationS=Signature without reservation or requirement of ratification R=Ratification, Acceptance, Approval or Notification A=Accession Su=Succession NK=Not Known Entry into force Renunciation Termination
Albania 23-06-2003 (A) 23-09-2003
Andorra 09-07-2001 14-10-2002 (R) 14-01-2003
Angola 01-11-2007 (A) 01-02-2008
Antigua and Barbuda 05-06-2006 (A) 05-09-2006
Argentina 28-02-2000 20-03-2007 (R) 20-06-2007
Armenia 14-09-2006 (A) 14-12-2006
Australia 04-12-2008 (A) 04-03-2009
Austria 10-12-1999 06-09-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Azerbaijan 06-06-2000 01-06-2001 (R) 01-09-2001
Bangladesh 06-09-2000 06-09-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Belarus 29-04-2002 03-02-2004 (R) 03-05-2004
Belgium 10-12-1999 17-06-2004 (R) 17-09-2004
Belize 09-12-2002 (A) 09-03-2003
Benin 25-05-2000 27-09-2019 (R) 27-12-2019
Bolivia 10-12-1999 27-09-2000 (R) 27-12-2000
Bosnia and Herzegovina 07-09-2000 04-09-2002 (R) 04-12-2002
Botswana 21-02-2007 (A) 21-05-2007
Brazil 13-03-2001 28-06-2002 (R) 28-09-2002
Bulgaria 06-06-2000 20-09-2006 (R) 20-12-2006
Burkina Faso 16-11-2001 10-10-2005 (R) 10-01-2006
Burundi 13-11-2001
Cabo Verde 10-10-2011 (A) 10-01-2012
Cambodia 11-11-2001 13-10-2010 (R) 13-01-2011
Cameroon 07-01-2005 (A) 07-04-2005
Canada 18-10-2002 (A) 18-01-2003
Central African Republic 11-10-2016 (A) 11-01-2017
Chad 26-09-2012
Chile 10-12-1999 12-03-2020 (R) 12-06-2020
Colombia 10-12-1999 23-01-2007 (R) 23-04-2007
Cook Islands 27-11-2007 (A) 27-02-2008
Costa Rica 10-12-1999 20-09-2001 (R) 20-12-2001
Côte d'Ivoire 20-01-2012 (A) 20-04-2012
Croatia 05-06-2000 07-03-2001 (R) 07-06-2001
Cuba 17-03-2000
Cyprus 08-02-2001 26-04-2002 (R) 26-07-2002
Czech Republic 10-12-1999 26-02-2001 (R) 26-05-2001
Denmark 10-12-1999 31-05-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Dominican Republic 14-03-2000 10-08-2001 (R) 10-11-2001
Ecuador 10-12-1999 05-02-2002 (R) 05-05-2002
El Salvador 04-04-2001
Equatorial Guinea 16-10-2009 (A) 16-01-2010
Finland 10-12-1999 29-12-2000 (R) 29-03-2001
France 10-12-1999 09-06-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Gabon 05-11-2004 (A) 05-02-2005
Georgia 01-08-2002 (A) 01-11-2002
Germany 10-12-1999 15-01-2002 (R) 15-04-2002
Ghana 24-02-2000 03-02-2011 (R) 03-05-2011
Greece 10-12-1999 24-01-2002 (R) 24-04-2002
Guatemala 07-09-2000 09-05-2002 (R) 09-08-2002
Guinea-Bissau 12-09-2000 05-08-2009 (R) 05-11-2009
Hungary 22-12-2000 (A) 22-03-2001
Iceland 10-12-1999 06-03-2001 (R) 06-06-2001
Indonesia 28-02-2000
Ireland 07-09-2000 07-09-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Italy 10-12-1999 22-09-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Kazakhstan 06-09-2000 24-08-2001 (R) 24-11-2001
Kyrgyzstan 22-07-2002 (A) 22-10-2002
Lesotho 06-09-2000 24-09-2004 (R) 24-12-2004
Liberia 22-09-2004
Libya 18-06-2004 (A) 18-09-2004
Liechtenstein 10-12-1999 24-10-2001 (R) 24-01-2002
Lithuania 08-09-2000 05-08-2004 (R) 05-11-2004
Luxembourg 10-12-1999 01-07-2003 (R) 01-10-2003
Madagascar 07-09-2000
Malawi 07-09-2000
Maldives 13-03-2006 (A) 13-06-2006
Mali 05-12-2000 (A) 05-03-2001
Malta 14-03-2019 (A) 14-06-2019
Marshall Islands 29-01-2019 (A) 29-04-2019
Mauritius 11-11-2001 31-10-2008 (R) 31-01-2009
Mexico 10-12-1999 15-03-2002 (R) 15-06-2002
Moldova 28-02-2006 (A) 28-05-2006
Monaco 03-05-2016 (A) 03-08-2016
Mongolia 07-09-2000 28-03-2002 (R) 28-06-2002
Montenegro 23-10-2006 (Su) 03-06-2006
Morocco 22-04-2022 (A) 22-07-2022
Mozambique 04-11-2008 (A) 04-02-2009
Namibia 19-05-2000 26-05-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Nepal 18-12-2001 15-06-2007 (R) 15-09-2007
Netherlands, the Kingdom of the 10-12-1999 22-05-2002 (R) 22-08-2002
New Zealand 07-09-2000 07-09-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Niger 30-09-2004 (A) 30-12-2004
Nigeria 08-09-2000 22-11-2004 (R) 22-02-2005
North Macedonia 03-04-2000 17-10-2003 (R) 17-01-2004
Norway 10-12-1999 05-03-2002 (R) 05-06-2002
Palestine 10-04-2019 (A) 10-07-2019
Panama 09-06-2000 09-05-2001 (R) 09-08-2001
Paraguay 28-12-1999 14-05-2001 (R) 14-08-2001
Peru 22-12-2000 09-04-2001 (R) 09-07-2001
Philippines 21-03-2000 12-11-2003 (R) 12-02-2004
Poland 22-12-2003 (A) 22-03-2004
Portugal 16-02-2000 26-04-2002 (R) 26-07-2002
Republic of Korea, the 18-10-2006 (A) 18-01-2007
Republic of the Congo 29-09-2008
Romania 06-09-2000 25-08-2003 (R) 25-11-2003
Russian Federation 08-05-2001 28-07-2004 (R) 28-10-2004
Rwanda 15-12-2008 (A) 15-03-2009
Saint Kitts and Nevis 20-01-2006 (A) 20-04-2006
San Marino 15-09-2005 (A) 15-12-2005
São Tomé e Principe 06-09-2000 23-03-2017 (R) 23-06-2017
Senegal 10-12-1999 26-05-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Serbia 31-07-2003 (A) 31-10-2003
Seychelles 22-07-2002 01-03-2011 (R) 01-06-2011
Sierra Leone 08-09-2000
Slovakia 05-06-2000 17-11-2000 (R) 17-02-2001
Slovenia 10-12-1999 23-09-2004 (R) 23-12-2004
Solomon Islands 06-05-2002 (A) 06-08-2002
South Africa 18-10-2005 (A) 18-01-2006
South Sudan 30-04-2015 (A) 30-07-2015
Spain 14-03-2000 06-07-2001 (R) 06-10-2001
Sri Lanka 15-10-2002 (A) 15-01-2003
Sweden 10-12-1999 24-04-2003 (R) 24-07-2003
Switzerland 15-02-2007 29-09-2008 (R) 29-12-2008
Tajikistan 07-09-2000 22-07-2014 (R) 22-10-2014
Tanzania 12-01-2006 (A) 12-04-2006
Thailand 14-06-2000 14-06-2000 (R) 22-12-2000
Timor-Leste 16-04-2003 (A) 16-07-2003
Tunisia 23-09-2008 (A) 23-12-2008
Türkiye 08-09-2000 29-10-2002 (R) 29-01-2003
Turkmenistan 20-05-2009 (A) 20-08-2009
Ukraine 07-09-2000 26-09-2003 (R) 26-12-2003
United Kingdom 17-12-2004 (A) 17-03-2005
Uruguay 09-05-2000 26-07-2001 (R) 26-10-2001
Vanuatu 17-05-2007 (A) 17-08-2007
Venezuela 17-03-2000 13-05-2002 (R) 13-08-2002
Zambia 29-09-2008

Extensions

United Kingdom

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Falkland Islands 17-03-2005
Man, Isle of 17-03-2005

Parties with reservations, declarations and objections

Party Reservations / Declarations Objections
Bangladesh Yes No
Belgium Yes No
Belize Yes No
Chile Yes No
Cuba Yes No
New Zealand Yes No
Tajikistan Yes No
United Kingdom Yes Yes

Bangladesh

06-09-2000

The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh declares in accordance with Article 10 (1) thereof, that it would not undertake the obligations arising out of Articles 8 and 9 of the said Optional Protocol.

Belgium

10-12-1999

The Flemish, French and German-speaking Communities of Belgium are equally bound by this signature.

Belize

09-12-2002

Whereas, Article 10 of the Optional Protocol declares that at the time of acceding to the Optional Protocol, a State Party may declare that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in Articles 8 and 9 of the Optional Protocol
Now therefore, Belize, after having carefully considered Articles 8 and 9 of the Optional Protocol, hereby declares that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in Articles 8 and 9.

Chile

12-03-2020

(1) The Republic of Chile, in ratifying this Optional Protocol, reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the promotion and protection of women’s human rights and gender equality, which are objectives that are provided for in the legal system of the Republic of Chile.
(2) The Republic of Chile interprets article 5 of the Optional Protocol as meaning that any request for interim measures as referred to therein, and made with respect to the economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in the Convention, will be examined and applied, in keeping with the progressive nature of these rights.
(3) The Republic of Chile ratifies the present Optional Protocol on the understanding that the special procedure provided for in articles 8 and 9 thereof may not be used to address situations that, given their particular nature, could be the subject of an individual communication. Accordingly, this special procedure cannot be used to circumvent the requirements of article 4 for the submission of individual communications, such as the exhaustion of domestic remedies or the need for the facts giving rise to the case to fall within the temporal scope of the Optional Protocol.
(4) The Republic of Chile declares that recognition of the competence of the Committee as established under articles 8 and 9 of the Optional Protocol shall in no way infringe upon the right to life of the unborn child.

Cuba

17-03-2000

The Government of the Republic of Cuba declares that it does not recognize the competence of the committee established by virtue of articles 8 and 9 of the Protocol.

New Zealand

07-09-2000

Consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account its commitment to the development of self-government through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory.

Tajikistan

22-07-2014

[...] the Majlisi Oli (Parliament) of the Republic of Tajikistan ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women from 6 October 1999, without recognizing the competence of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, provided in Articles 8 and 9 of the Protocol.

United Kingdom

17-12-2004

With a territorial application to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and the Isle of Man.

Objection Argentina, 18-01-2005

The Argentine Republic wishes to reiterate the content of its note of 3 April 1989, by which it rejected the extension of the territorial application of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, notified by the Government of the United Kingdom upon its ratification of that instrument on 7 April 1986.
The Argentine Republic similarly rejects the declaration of territorial application made by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland upon its accession to the 1999 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, with respect to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands. The Government of Argentina wishes to reiterate that the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and surrounding maritime areas are an integral part of the territory of the Argentine Republic and are illegally occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, being the subject of a sovereignty dispute.
Because of the illegal occupation by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, in which a sovereignty dispute regarding the "Question of the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands" is recognized and the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are urged to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute.
The United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee has repeatedly affirmed this view, most recently in its resolution of 18 June 2004 (A/59/23).

Objection Argentina, 20-03-2007

The Argentine Republic wishes to reiterate the content of its notes of 3 April 1989 and 18 January 2005, by which it rejected the extension of the territorial application of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and of the Optional Protocol thereto, respectively, to the Malvinas Islands, notified by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Argentine Republic recalls that the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and surrounding maritime areas are an integral part of the territory of the Argentine Republic and are illegally occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, being the subject of a sovereignty dispute.

Because of the illegal occupation by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 316[0] (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, in which a sovereignty dispute regarding the "Question of the Malvinas Islands" is recognized and the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are urged to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute.
The United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee has repeatedly affirmed this view, most recently in its resolution of 15 June 2006.

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