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ASUA supports anti-discrimination declaration

U.N. mandate requires governments to protect women

The ASUA Senate last night approved a resolution to help a UA group in their fight to eliminate discrimination against women.

Two members of the University of Arizona Amnesty International presented the goals of the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to the ASUA Senate.

Anthropology senior Rachael Moshman said CEDAW is an international human rights treaty that provides concrete steps to eliminate discrimination against women. CEDAW was formed to set standards prohibiting discrimination and establish minimum requirements on governments to prevent violence against women.

Although the resolution originally intended to mandate the Senate to "act in accordance with the provisions of CEDAW," senators revised the declaration to state that the Senate supports the "spirit" of the treaty instead.

"This document puts the Senate in an international arena," Sen. Brian Seastone said. "This document is way too broad."

Seastone added that if the Senate approved the general principles of CEDAW, they won't be held to all the provisions.

Under the original resolution, the Senate must abide by all provisions, which included a mandate for temporary affirmative action.

Moshman said the group wants to get the support from the ASUA Senate and then have the Senate help educate the student body.

"Our ultimate goal is to get the entire University of Arizona to support CEDAW," she added.

The UA group, along with other Amnesty International groups across the country, is trying to gain support from U.S. senators to ratify the treaty.

Anjali Bhasin, a creative writing junior and Amnesty International member, said a two-thirds vote is required to ratify treaties, and so far the group needs support from about 15 more senators.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has declared his support for CEDAW, but Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., does not, Bhasin said.

Kyl gave Amnesty International a list of countries that signed on to support CEDAW but don't follow the provisions, Bhasin said. He just doesn't want to be hypocritical, she said.

"Kyl follows a very conservative standpoint," Bhasin added.

Audrey DeAnda can be reached at Audrey.DeAnda@wildcat.arizona.edu.