List of parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Participation in the CEDAW

  Signed and ratified

  Acceded or succeeded

  Unrecognized state, abiding by treaty

  Only signed

  Non-signatory

The list of parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women encompasses the states who have signed and ratified or acceded to the international agreement to prevent discrimination against women.

On December 18, 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was opened for signature. Sweden became the first state to deposit the treaty on July 2, 1980. The treaty came into force and closed for signature on September 3, 1981 with the ratification of 20 states. Since then, states that did not sign the treaty can now only accede to it. The instrument of ratification, accession, or succession is deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations

As of July 2011, 187 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, most recently Nauru on June 23, 2011. In addition, the United States and Palau have signed but not ratified the treaty. The Republic of China (Taiwan) has also ratified the treaty in its legislature, but is unrecognized by the United Nations and is a party to the treaty only unofficially.

Ratified or acceded states

State	Signed	Deposited	Method
Afghanistan	01980-08-14 August 14, 1980	02003-03-05 March 5, 2003	Ratification
Albania		01994-05-11 May 11, 1994	Accession
Algeria		01996-05-22 May 22, 1996	Accession
Andorra		01997-01-15 January 15, 1997	Accession
Angola		01986-09-17 September 17, 1986	Accession
Antigua and Barbuda		01989-08-01 August 1, 1989	Accession
Argentina	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-07-15 July 15, 1985	Ratification
Armenia		01993-09-13 September 13, 1993	Accession
Australia	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01983-07-28 July 28, 1983	Ratification
Austria	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01982-03-31 March 31, 1982	Ratification
Azerbaijan		01995-07-10 July 10, 1995	Accession
Bahamas		01993-10-06 October 6, 1993	Accession
Bahrain		02002-06-18 June 18, 2002	Accession
Bangladesh		01984-11-06 November 6, 1984	Accession
Barbados	01980-07-24 July 24, 1980	01980-10-16 October 16, 1980	Ratification
Belarus	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-02-04 February 4, 1981	Ratification as Byelorussian SSR
Belgium	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-07-10 July 10, 1985	Ratification
Belize	01990-03-07 March 7, 1990	01990-05-16 May 16, 1990	Ratification
Benin	01981-11-11 November 11, 1981	01992-03-12 March 12, 1992	Ratification
Bhutan	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-08-31 August 31, 1981	Ratification
Bolivia	01980-05-30 May 30, 1980	01990-06-08 June 8, 1990	Ratification
Bosnia and Herzegovina		01993-09-01 September 1, 1993	Succession from Yugoslavia
Botswana		01996-08-13 August 13, 1996	Accession
Brazil	01981-03-31 March 31, 1981	01984-02-01 February 1, 1984	Ratification
Brunei		02006-05-24 May 24, 2006	Accession
Bulgaria	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01982-02-08 February 8, 1982	Ratification
Burkina Faso		01987-10-14 October 14, 1987	Accession
Burma		01997-07-22 July 22, 1997	Accession
Burundi	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01992-01-08 January 8, 1992	Ratification
Cambodia	01980-10-17 October 17, 1980	01992-10-15 October 15, 1992	Ratification as People's Republic of Kampuchea
Cameroon	01983-06-06 June 6, 1983	01994-08-23 August 23, 1994	Ratification
Canada	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-12-10 December 10, 1981	Ratification
Cape Verde		01980-12-05 December 5, 1980	Accession
Central African Republic		01991-06-21 June 21, 1991	Accession
Chad		01995-06-09 June 9, 1995	Accession
Chile	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01989-12-07 December 7, 1989	Ratification
China	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01980-11-04 November 4, 1980	Ratification
Colombia	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01982-01-19 January 19, 1982	Ratification
Comoros		01994-10-31 October 31, 1994	Accession
Congo	01980-07-29 July 29, 1980	01982-07-26 July 26, 1982	Ratification
Cook Islands		02006-08-11 August 11, 2006	Accession
Costa Rica	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01986-04-04 April 4, 1986	Ratification
Côte d'Ivoire	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01995-12-18 December 18, 1995	Ratification
Croatia		01992-09-09 September 9, 1992	Succession from Yugoslavia
Cuba	01980-03-06 March 6, 1980	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	Ratification
Cyprus		01985-07-23 July 23, 1985	Accession
Czech Republic		01993-02-22 February 22, 1993	Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed July 17, 1980 Ratified February 16, 1982
Democratic Republic of the Congo	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01986-10-17 October 17, 1986	Ratification as Zaire
Denmark	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01983-04-21 April 21, 1983	Ratification
Djibouti		01998-12-02 December 2, 1998	Accession
Dominica	01980-09-15 September 15, 1980	01980-09-15 September 15, 1980	Ratification
Dominican Republic	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01982-09-02 September 2, 1982	Ratification
Ecuador	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-11-09 November 9, 1981	Ratification
Egypt	01980-07-16 July 16, 1980	01981-09-18 September 18, 1981	Ratification
El Salvador	01980-11-14 November 14, 1980	01981-08-19 August 19, 1981	Ratification
Equatorial Guinea		01984-10-23 October 23, 1984	Accession
Eritrea		01995-09-05 September 5, 1995	Accession
Estonia		01991-10-21 October 21, 1991	Accession
Ethiopia	01980-07-08 July 8, 1980	01981-09-10 September 10, 1981	Ratification
Federated States of Micronesia		02004-09-01 September 1, 2004	Accession
Fiji		01995-08-28 August 28, 1995	Accession
Finland	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01986-09-04 September 4, 1986	Ratification
France	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01983-12-14 December 14, 1983	Ratification
Gabon	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01983-01-21 January 21, 1983	Ratification
Gambia	01980-07-29 July 29, 1980	01993-04-16 April 16, 1993	Ratification
Georgia		01994-10-26 October 26, 1994	Accession
Germany	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-07-10 July 10, 1985	Ratification as West Germany Also East Germany Signed June 25, 1980 Ratified July 9, 1980
Ghana	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01986-01-02 January 2, 1986	Ratification
Greece	01982-03-02 March 2, 1982	01983-06-07 June 7, 1983	Ratification
Grenada	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01990-08-30 August 30, 1990	Ratification
Guatemala	01981-06-08 June 8, 1981	01982-08-12 August 12, 1982	Ratification
Guinea	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01982-08-09 August 9, 1982	Ratification
Guinea-Bissau	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-08-23 August 23, 1985	Ratification
Guyana	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	Ratification
Haiti	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-07-20 July 20, 1981	Ratification
Honduras	01980-06-11 June 11, 1980	01983-03-03 March 3, 1983	Ratification
Hungary	01980-06-06 June 6, 1980	01980-12-22 December 22, 1980	Ratification
Iceland	01980-07-24 July 24, 1980	01985-06-18 June 18, 1985	Ratification
India	01980-07-30 July 30, 1980	01993-07-09 July 9, 1993	Ratification
Indonesia	01980-07-29 July 29, 1980	01984-09-13 September 13, 1984	Ratification
Iraq		01986-08-13 August 13, 1986	Accession
Ireland		01985-12-23 December 23, 1985	Accession
Israel	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01991-10-03 October 3, 1991	Ratification
Italy	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-06-10 June 10, 1985	Ratification
Jamaica	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01984-10-19 October 19, 1984	Ratification
Japan	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-06-25 June 25, 1985	Ratification
Jordan	01980-12-03 December 3, 1980	01992-07-01 July 1, 1992	Ratification
Kazakhstan		01998-08-26 August 26, 1998	Accession
Kenya		01984-03-09 March 9, 1984	Accession
Kiribati		02004-03-17 March 17, 2004	Accession
Kuwait		01994-09-02 September 2, 1994	Accession
Kyrgyzstan		01997-02-10 February 10, 1997	Accession
Laos	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-08-14 August 14, 1981	Ratification
Latvia		01992-04-14 April 14, 1992	Accession
Lebanon		01997-04-16 April 16, 1997	Accession
Lesotho	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01995-08-22 August 22, 1995	Ratification
Liberia		01984-07-17 July 17, 1984	Accession
Libya		01989-05-16 May 16, 1989	Accession
Liechtenstein		01995-12-22 December 22, 1995	Accession
Lithuania		01994-01-18 January 18, 1994	Accession
Luxembourg	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01989-02-02 February 2, 1989	Ratification
Madagascar	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01989-03-17 March 17, 1989	Ratification
Malawi		01987-03-12 March 12, 1987	Accession
Malaysia		01995-07-05 July 5, 1995	Accession
Maldives		01993-07-01 July 1, 1993	Accession
Mali	01985-02-05 February 5, 1985	01985-09-10 September 10, 1985	Ratification
Malta		01991-03-08 March 8, 1991	Accession
Marshall Islands		02006-03-02 March 2, 2006	Accession
Mauritania		02001-05-10 May 10, 2001	Accession
Mauritius		01984-07-09 July 9, 1984	Accession
Mexico	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-03-23 March 23, 1981	Ratification
Moldova		01994-07-01 July 1, 1994	Accession
Monaco		02005-03-18 March 18, 2005	Accession
Mongolia	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-07-20 July 20, 1981	Ratification
Montenegro		02006-10-23 October 23, 2006	Succession from Serbia and Montenegro
Morocco		01993-06-21 June 21, 1993	Accession
Mozambique		01997-04-21 April 21, 1997	Accession
Namibia		01992-11-23 November 23, 1992	Accession
Nauru		02011-06-23 June 23, 2011	Accession
Nepal	01991-02-05 February 5, 1991	01991-04-22 April 22, 1991	Ratification
Netherlands	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01991-07-23 July 23, 1991	Ratification
New Zealand	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-01-10 January 10, 1985	Ratification, includes Cook Islands and Niue
Nicaragua	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-10-27 October 27, 1981	Ratification
Niger		01999-10-08 October 8, 1999	Accession
Nigeria	01984-04-23 April 23, 1984	01985-06-13 June 13, 1985	Ratification
North Korea		02001-02-27 February 27, 2001	Accession
Norway	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-05-21 May 21, 1981	Ratification
Oman		02006-02-07 February 7, 2006	Accession
Pakistan		01996-03-12 March 12, 1996	Accession
Panama	01980-06-26 June 26, 1980	01981-10-29 October 29, 1981	Ratification
Papua New Guinea		01995-01-12 January 12, 1995	Accession
Paraguay		01987-04-06 April 6, 1987	Accession
Peru	01981-07-23 July 23, 1981	01982-09-13 September 13, 1982	Ratification
Philippines	01980-07-15 July 15, 1980	01981-08-05 August 5, 1981	Ratification
Poland	01980-05-29 May 29, 1980	01980-07-30 July 30, 1980	Ratification
Portugal	01980-04-24 April 24, 1980	01980-07-30 July 30, 1980	Ratification
Qatar		02009-04-29 April 29, 2009	Accession
Macedonia		01994-01-18 January 18, 1994	Succession from Yugoslavia
Romania	01980-09-04 September 4, 1980	01982-01-07 January 7, 1982	Ratification
Russia	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-01-23 January 23, 1981	Ratification as Soviet Union
Rwanda	01980-05-01 May 1, 1980	01981-03-02 March 2, 1981	Ratification
Saint Kitts and Nevis		01985-04-25 April 25, 1985	Accession
Saint Lucia		01982-10-08 October 8, 1982	Accession
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines		01981-08-04 August 4, 1981	Accession
Samoa		01992-09-25 September 25, 1992	Accession
San Marino	02003-09-26 September 26, 2003	02003-12-10 December 10, 2003	Ratification
São Tomé and Príncipe	01995-10-31 October 31, 1995	02003-06-03 June 3, 2003	Ratification
Saudi Arabia	02000-09-07 September 7, 2000	02000-09-07 September 7, 2000	Ratification
Senegal	01980-07-29 July 29, 1980	01985-02-05 February 5, 1985	Ratification
Serbia		02001-03-12 March 12, 2001	Succession from Yugoslavia Signed July 17, 1980 Ratified February 26, 1982
Seychelles		01992-05-05 May 5, 1992	Accession
Sierra Leone	01988-09-21 September 21, 1988	01988-11-11 November 11, 1988	Ratification
Singapore		01995-10-05 October 5, 1995	Accession
Slovakia		01993-05-28 May 28, 1993	Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed July 17, 1980 Ratified February 16, 1982
Slovenia		01992-07-06 July 6, 1992	Succession from Yugoslavia
Solomon Islands		02002-05-06 May 6, 2002	Accession
South Africa	01993-01-29 January 29, 1993	01995-12-15 December 15, 1995	Ratification
South Korea	01983-05-25 May 25, 1983	01984-12-27 December 27, 1984	Ratification
Spain	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01984-01-05 January 5, 1984	Ratification
Sri Lanka	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-10-05 October 5, 1981	Ratification
Suriname		01993-03-01 March 1, 1993	Accession
Swaziland		02004-03-26 March 26, 2004	Accession
Sweden	01980-03-07 March 7, 1980	01980-07-02 July 2, 1980	Ratification
Switzerland	01987-01-23 January 23, 1987	01997-03-27 March 27, 1997	Ratification
Syria		02003-03-28 March 28, 2003	Accession
Tajikistan		01993-10-26 October 26, 1993	Accession
Tanzania	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-08-20 August 20, 1985	Ratification
Thailand		01985-08-09 August 9, 1985	Accession
Timor-Leste		02003-04-16 April 16, 2003	Accession
Togo		01983-09-26 September 26, 1983	Accession
Trinidad and Tobago	01985-06-27 June 27, 1985	01990-01-12 January 12, 1990	Ratification
Tunisia	01980-07-24 July 24, 1980	01985-09-20 September 20, 1985	Ratification
Turkey		01985-12-20 December 20, 1985	Accession
Turkmenistan		01997-05-01 May 1, 1997	Accession
Tuvalu		01999-10-06 October 6, 1999	Accession
Uganda	01980-07-30 July 30, 1980	01985-07-22 July 22, 1985	Ratification
Ukraine	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01981-03-12 March 12, 1981	Ratification as Ukrainian SSR
United Arab Emirates		02004-10-06 October 6, 2004	Accession
United Kingdom	01981-07-22 July 22, 1981	01986-04-07 April 7, 1986	Ratification
Uruguay	01981-03-30 March 30, 1981	01981-10-09 October 9, 1981	Ratification
Uzbekistan		01995-07-19 July 19, 1995	Accession
Vanuatu		01995-09-08 September 8, 1995	Accession
Venezuela	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01983-05-02 May 2, 1983	Ratification
Vietnam	01980-07-29 July 29, 1980	01982-02-17 February 17, 1982	Ratification
Yemen		01984-05-30 May 30, 1984	Accession as South Yemen
Zambia	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980	01985-06-21 June 21, 1985	Ratification
Zimbabwe		01991-05-13 May 13, 1991	Accession

Unrecognized states that abide by the treaty

State	Date	Method
Republic of China	2007	Accession

States that have signed but not ratified the treaty

State	Signed
Palau	02011-09-20 September 20, 2011
United States	01980-07-17 July 17, 1980

Non-signatory states

State
Holy See
Iran	Ratified by the parliament in 2003 and then vetoed by the Guardian Council.
Somalia
Sudan
South Sudan
Tonga

Note: Niue is a signatory of this convention, signed on behalf by New Zealand as was the Cook Islands, however since then the Cook Islands had acceded to the convention out right.

References

• "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women New York, 18 December 1979". United Nations Treaty Collection. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cedaw.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-08.