[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2232]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   CONVENTION TO ELIMINATE ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I commend my colleague, Senator Boxer, 
for bringing this important treaty before the Senate. I am proud to be 
a sponsor of Senate Resolution 237, which expresses the sense of the 
Senate that hearings should be held by the Foreign Relations Committee 
on the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against 
Women.
  The treaty establishes international standards and definitions to 
protect women against discrimination. The treaty also calls for action 
in the areas of education, health care, and domestic relations, and 
creates a process to monitor the status of women and their progress 
toward equity. The standards are fully consistent with existing U.S. 
protections against discrimination. In countries that do not have such 
protections, this treaty is an effective tool to combat violence 
against women, reform unfair inheritance and property rights, and 
strengthen women's access to fair employment and economic opportunity.
  165 countries have not ratified the treaty. As the country that 
consistently leads the way in the battle for human rights and human 
dignity, and that took an active role in drafting the treaty, it is 
past time for the United States to ratify it as well.
  U.S. support for women's equality at home and abroad requires that we 
promptly consider and ratify this treaty. I urge the Senate to pass 
this resolution and to do all we can to expedite the ratification of 
this important treaty.
  To move our country in that direction, the Foreign Relations 
Committee should hold a hearing.

                          ____________________