The Convention on the Elimination all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979. It lays out the human rights of women and girls and measures states need to take to end gender-based discrimination.
Through Article 13, the Convention specifically recognises that women and girls have the same rights as men and boys to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life. The Convention also contains articles through which the right to sport can be realised (such as the right to education) and rights which access to sport can help to realise (such as the right to health).
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women is composed of 23 independent experts from around the world. Their task is to monitor the implementation of the Convention, in particular through receiving and considering the reports on States who have ratified the treaty.
The below tools are designed to encourage States, National Human Right Institutions and civil society to increase their reporting the Committee on sports and provides guidance on how to do so:
