Palestine & the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Implications of Ratification provision concerning the relationship between international treaties and national laws, it should be referred to the Basic Law. If there is a claim that the Convention or any of its provisions constitute a contravention of the Basic Law, the ruling should be in favor of the Basic Law because it expresses the rights and political will of the State.10 Submission of Periodic Reports States Parties undertake following their accession to the Convention to inform the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women through periodic reports about the progress made towards legislative, administrative and judicial measures to enforce the provisions of the Convention. The periodic reports are subsequent official reports prepared by the governments of the States Parties and submitted to the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations under article (18) of the Convention and the United Nations form. Types of Reports There are three main types of reports, each with its own time frame, purpose, and who is to submit it. Guidelines are also indicated for when and how the reports are presented. They are as follows: Initial report: The State Party presents this report within the first year after its ratification of the Convention. The aim of this report is to clarify the framework of the implementation of the Convention and present a comprehensive and accurate picture of the legal, political and social framework of the State. The initial report is intended to be a detailed and comprehensive description of the situation of women in that country at the time of submission. It is also meant to provide a benchmark against which subsequent progress can be measured. Periodic report: a State Party presents this type of report every four years. These reports are intended to update the previous report, detailing significant developments that have occurred over the last four years, noting key trends, and identifying obstacles to the full achievement of the Convention. 10 19