CHAPTER 3 - REPORT OF THE LAW REFORM AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WORKING GROUP CHAPTER 3 REPORT OF THE LAW REFORM AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WORKING GROUP The main function of the Law Reform and International Treaties Working Group (LRITWG) is to study and recommend to the Government the subscription or accession to treaties and other international instruments in the field of human rights. In addition, it has the task of ensuring that all national laws are consistent with human rights principles. During the year, the LRITWG undertook studies and convened several dialogues, meetings and roundtable discussions with civil societies and other stakeholders to obtain views and opinions on evolving legal issues at the national and international level. 1. MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) In February, the Commission welcomed the withdrawal of reservations to Articles 5(a), 7(b) and 16(2) of CEDAW. As a member of the Technical Committee on the Proposal to Withdraw Reservations to CEDAW, headed by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD), the Commission assisted in providing views and observations for the withdrawal of these reservations. To date, reservations to Articles 9(2), 16(1)(a), 16(1)(c), 16(1)(f) and 16(g) remain, apparently, because these are in conflict with the Federal Constitution and Islamic law. As the reservation to Article 16 is fairly complex, the Commission commissioned external researchers to conduct a study on the adoption and application of CEDAW, in particular, Article 16, in other Islamic countries. In August, a report on the study was sent to the MWFCD. The Commission is still in discussion with the Ministry to promote and stress the importance of ratifying the Optional Protocol (OP) to CEDAW. In 2006, the Committee on CEDAW in its concluding comments had urged the Government of Malaysia to ratify the OP. 49