Table of Contents Introduction............................................................................................. 5 Palestine’s Status as an Observer State in the United Nations................ 6 Development of Women’s Rights in International Conventions.............. 8 Contents of CEDAW (1979)...................................................................... 13 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women ......... 15 Mechanisms of Accession to CEDAW 1979............................................. 16 Submission of Periodic Reports .............................................................. 19 Adapting National Legislation to the Provisions of the Convention ....... 21 Review and Adaption of Penal Laws to the Convention ......................... 24 Adapting Personal Status Laws to the Convention ................................. 28 Adapting the Law of Public Retirement No. 7 of 2005 to the Convention .32 Positive Discrimination to Accelerate the Process of Equality................ 33 Conclusions............................................................................................. 34 Recommendations.................................................................................. 36 Appendix: (1) CEDAW 1979..................................................................... 37 (2) Palestine’s Declaration of Independence.......................... 51 3