[JURIST] The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of the Child [official websites] on Wednesday released a joint recommendation [text, PDF] on the obligations of states towards the prevention and elimination of the harmful practices inflicted upon women and girls. This first collaboration between the two committees delineates the obligations set forth by CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child [text], and offers guidance to states on legislative and policy measures, among others, which can be taken to eradicate the harmful practices. The groups also provided strategies for implementation at all levels of government. The joint recommendation echoes the Convention on the Rights of the Child along with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women [text,PDF] which view these types of harmful practices as human rights violations and require states to take the necessary steps towards eliminating them.

The UN has recently shown great support for the human rights of women and the elimination of the harmful practices of which the recommendation speaks. In late October UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a praised [JURIST report] a global media campaign against female mutilation. In September the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] Prince Zeid bin Ra’ad condemned [JURIST report] the Islamic State [JURIST news archive] for human violations against women including the practice of abduction, torture and sexual exploitation of women.