Shafiqa Royesh Safi
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the most important international
document for elaboration of women rights and ensuring the gender equality
between men and women. This document obliges the States parties to consider certain
measures for ensuring the women rights and to end discriminations against
women. These measures include legislative measures, reform of customs and
culture, criminalization of discrimination and even some temporary programs in
favor of women (positive discrimination). Since the CEDAW has been drafted
mainly with the western countries approach to women rights and has recognized
the equal rights for men and women for all issues, acceptance of the whole
document is difficult for Islamic states.
Some of the articles of the CEDAW are not in harmony
with Sharia. This is the reason that some Islamic countries who are State
parties have accepted CEDAW with reservations. Some Islamic States have
reservations on specific articles and have not accepted the content of those
articles while others, for more caution, have considered more general
reservations and have accepted the implementation of CEDAW while it’s not in
contradiction with Sharia. Other States parties have reacted and objected to
these reservations and have raised questions about the intention of Islamic
countries regarding the implementation of the content of CEDAW.