Shadow Reports: Holding Governments Accountable for Women’s Human Rights

To assess the progress made in eliminating discrimination against women, each of the states parties must submit periodic reports every four years. NGOs also play a crucial role in promoting effective implementation of the Convention through their advocacy efforts and by monitoring the government’s implementation of the Convention. The development of an independent, or shadow, report provides an effective means for NGOs to critique or supplement information in the official state report. This alternative reporting mechanism holds governments accountable to their citizens, the CEDAW committee, and the UN. The process of developing a shadow report can be as important as the report content, as women’s NGOs collaborate to establish priorities and a common vision for ensuring women’s equal rights in their countries.