Louisville Coalition for CEDAW

1. Why CEDAW? Why now?
• Because we’re not there, yet! Women still suffer from gender-
based violence, discrimination and inequality.
• The Louisville Coalition for CEDAW works to eliminate all forms of violence and
discrimination against women in the Louisville metro area through awareness-building,
education, and a local ordinance that will address gender inequality in our city.
• Louisville, Kentucky, is just the second city to be named a City for CEDAW. It earned that
designation in November 2014 when it passed a resolution declaring that Louisville
would use the principles of CEDAW (the international Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) to guide policy that will improve the status
of women in the Louisville metro area.
• As a designated “compassionate city,” Louisville is a natural fit for this work. As a City for
CEDAW, Louisville is taking a leading role in eliminating discrimination in education,
economic empowerment, pay equity, health care, and individual and public safety. Safe,
healthy, educated girls and women support and strengthen our entire community.
• CEDAW, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1979, honors the basic human
rights and dignity of all people, and declares women’s rights as human rights. All but
seven UN Member States have ratified the treaty. The United States is the only
industrialized nation not to do so.
• Cities for CEDAW was launched at the 58th Session of the UN Commission on the Status
of Women in 2014. It seeks to “make the global local” by urging local communities to
pass specific anti-discrimination ordinances in accord with the principles of CEDAW.
• Cities for CEDAW and the Louisville Coalition for CEDAW work to make everyone aware
that discrimination and inequality happen to women around the world, across the nation
and here at home.
Why do we need CEDAW?
• Pay inequity continues
• Poverty disproportionately affects women
• Sexual harassment continues
• Domestic violence persists
• Human trafficking exploits women and girls
• Women are still underrepresented, absent from decision-making roles
• Discrimination persists at home and in the public arena
• AND it is happening here!
www.louisvillecedaw.org • louisville.cedawcoalition@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/louisvillecoalitionforcedaw • www.twitter.com: @LouisvilleCEDAW
Louisville Coalition
for CEDAW
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