CEDAW/C/GC/31-CRC/C/GC/18
I. Introduction
1.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child contain legally binding
obligations that relate both in general and specifically to the elimination of harmful
practices. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and
the Committee on the Rights of the Child have consistently drawn attention to those
practices affecting women and children, primarily girls, in the execution of their
monitoring mandates. It is by virtue of that overlapping mandate and the shared
commitment to prevent, respond to and eliminate harmful practices, wherever and in
whichever form they occur, that the Committees decided to develop the present joint
general recommendation/general comment.
II. Objective and scope of the joint general recommendation/
general comment
2.
The objective of the present joint general recommendation/general comment is
to clarify the obligations of States parties to the Conventions by providing
authoritative guidance on legislative, policy and other appropriate measures that
must be taken to ensure full compliance with their obligations under the
Conventions to eliminate harmful practices.
3.
The Committees acknowledge that harmful practices affect adult women, both
directly and/or owing to the long-term impact of practices to which they were
subjected as girls. The present joint general recommendation/general comment
therefore further elaborates on the obligations of States parties to the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women with regard to the
relevant provisions for the elimination of harmful practices that affect the rights of
women.
4.
Moreover, the Committees recognize that boys are also the victims of
violence, harmful practices and bias and that their rights must be addressed for their
protection and to prevent gender-based violence and the perpetuation of bias and
gender inequality later in their lives. Accordingly, reference is made herein to the
obligations of States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding
harmful practices stemming from discrimination that affect boys’ enjoyment of their
rights.
5.
The present joint general recommendation/general comment should be read in
conjunction with the relevant general recommendations and general comments
issued by the Committees, in particular general recommendation No. 19 on violence
against women, of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women, and general comment No. 8 on the right of the child to protection from
corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment and general
comment No. 13 on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence, of
the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The content of general recommendation
No. 14 on female circumcision, of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women, is updated by the present joint general
recommendation/general comment.
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