Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of Women and Girls A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions In 2012, the APF co-hosted an international conference on the role and performance of the International Criminal Court in achieving gender justice. It also examined the participation of States the Asia Pacific region in the Court’s regime.68 The conference addressed questions such as: • How effective has the Court been in ensuring that gender justice informs its mandate, practice and procedure? • What factors explain the limited engagement of States in the Asia Pacific region with the Court • How does advocacy around the Court fit into broader strategies for achieving gender justice and equality at the global, regional and national level? • What is the future of the Court and similar tribunals in ending impunity for perpetrators of crimes and contributing to the prevention of such crimes? 3.4. MECHANISMS DEALING SPECIFICALLY OR PRIMARILY WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN 68 3.4.1. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women The Committee, established in 1982, is the primary international body for implementation of the international legal framework around women’s human rights. The Committee is composed of 23 experts on women’s issues from around the world. Committee members are nominated and elected by States parties. The Committee’s primary functions and general mode of work is the same as the other treaty bodies. It monitors the performance of States parties in meeting their obligations under CEDAW, principally through the review of national reports submitted every four years. The Committee discusses the reports with representatives of States parties and sets out its findings and recommendations in concluding observations. The Committee also makes recommendations on matters relating to the implementation or interpretation of CEDAW or, more generally, on issues affecting the human rights of women and girls. As of July 2013, the Committee had issued 29 general recommendations. Under the Optional Protocol to CEDAW, the Committee can receive and consider complaints from individuals or groups about violations of the rights protected in CEDAW within the jurisdiction of a State party to the Optional Protocol. The Committee has delivered a number of important decisions under this procedure on matters that have included domestic violence, sterilization, sexual and reproductive health, employment, nationality and conditions of detention. In 2011 the Committee issued the first-ever international decision which found a State responsible for a preventable maternal death.69 Along with NGOs, NHRIs have made important contributions to the work of the CEDAW Committee. The role that NHRIs can play in this regard is explored in more detail in Chapter 8. 30 68 See www.asiapacificforum.net/news/international-criminal-court-conference-and-workshop. 69 Teixeira (deceased) v. Brazil, Communication No. 17/2008, views adopted 27 September 2011. See Chapter 9 of this Manual for further discussion of this case.