Women attending the American Samoa Business and Professional Women conference last week are preparing a declaration on the actions they want to carry forward for the empowerment of women.
The more than 100 delegates were urged to push all Pacific nations and the United States to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW, and the Optional Protocol, as a key tool for gender equality.
The Protocol allows for complaints on grave or systematic violations of CEDAW.
The Declaration is in draft form and will be circulated to conference participants for endorsement.
