The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) will hold its upcoming session from February 3 to 21 to review the status of women’s rights in Sri Lanka, along with seven other countries: Nepal, Belarus, Luxembourg, Belize, Congo, Liechtenstein, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (which will present an exceptional report on sexual violence in conflict).

These eight nations are among the 189 States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and are required to undergo regular reviews by the Committee of 23 independent international experts on their implementation of the Convention, according to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The Committee, which has received respective country reports and submissions from national human rights institutions, non-governmental organisations and other sources, will hold public meetings to review the situation of women’s rights and gender equality in the eight countries on the following dates at Geneva time:

Democratic Republic of the Congo
4 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Nepal
5 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Belarus
6 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Luxembourg
7 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Belize
11 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Congo
12 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Sri Lanka
13 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00

Liechtenstein 
14 February 10:00 – 13:00; 15:00 – 17:00