Title: Persist in the Advancement of Equal Rights for Women and Prevent Rollbacks

Submitted by D66 (Netherlands), UK Liberal Democrats, Partido Liberal de Chile

Notes that:

• Important progress has been made to fulfill the right to equality for women since it was formalized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75 years ago. Yet despite advancements, gender equality has not been reached in any country in the world.
• Women still face inequality, discrimination, gender-based violence and are underrepresented in political and economical leadership positions.
• The rise of ultraconservative movements around the globe has led to a backlash of women’s rights and freedoms. Under the guise of protecting family and traditional values, these movements are threatening women’s fundamental rights.
• That right of women and girls to make autonomous decisions about their own body and lives is at the very core of the human rights (and liberal values) to equality and privacy. However, conservative movements in numerous countries are advocating to either halt or roll back abortion rights.
• States have committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 of advancing gender equality by 2030.

Believes that:

• Women’s rights are human rights, and there should be no compromise or tolerance for human rights violations or rollbacks.
• Women in all their diversity, including LGBT and disabled, are affected by stubborn and persistent gender biases.
• Women’s rights should be mainstreamed and prioritized in all areas of policy making.
• The right to safe and legal abortion is a fundamental right, in line with the right to bodily integrity and autonomy,
• A strong and united liberal and progressive global front is necessary to counter the hostile narrative of conservative anti-rights movements threatening to overturn women’s fundamental rights.

Calls on liberal leaders everywhere to:

• Work to establish and promote the legal right to safe and accessible abortion.
• Challenge narratives that instrumentalize traditional cultural and family values to misinform society and threaten the advancement of women’s rights sexual and reproductive rights.
• Ensure comprehensive, age-appropriate education on sexual and reproductive rights for everyone in all their countries.
• Ensure that women are adequately represented in leadership positions in their respective parties and government.
• Take back reservations to article 16 on equality in the family of the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW).
• Raise awareness and, if deemed necessary, advocate for the implementation of country-specific concluding observations by the UN CEDAW-committee and other international- and regional human rights bodies.