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Home » Optional Protocol to CEDAW » Communications procedure » Confidentiality and safety of women that use the Communications Procedure

Confidentiality and safety of women that use the Communications Procedure

The OP CEDAW does not allow for anonymous complaints (Article 3). This means that a woman making a complaint under the OP CEDAW must provide her name. The reason for this is the underlying principle that the state party must have a fair opportunity to answer to the charges laid against it. In the case of a group of women lodging a communication, it may be possible for some of the women to stay anonymous if other women are willing to provide their names.

Article 11 of the OP CEDAW Convention states that state parties must take all appropriate measures to ensure that any individual or group of individuals that use the OP CEDAW are not subjected to ill-treatment or intimidation as a result of using the OP CEDAW. In cases where women fear that they may suffer reprisals they should inform the Committee of this at the time of making their complaint or request for any inquiry and request interim measures to protect their safety if appropriate.

This toolkit was prepared by KARAT Coalition thanks to the support of OXFAM Novib.

KARAT wishes to thank our partner IWRAW Asia Pacific for sharing with
us its expertise and materials. Special thanks go to Lisa Pusey for her input
and comments as well as to Karolina Siudak for her contribution to the text.