STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1765

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.C.R. No. 15
                                        H.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R.
No. 15, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES SENATE
     TO RATIFY THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION
     OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the United States
government to ratify the United Nations Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

     The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women was adopted by the United
Nations General Assembly in 1979 and became an international
treaty in 1981.  As of June, 1997, one hundred sixty-one
countries had ratified the treaty.  Although the United States
participated in the drafting of the Convention, the United States
has never ratified the treaty.  This measure specifically asks
the United States Senate to ratify the treaty and support the
continuing goals of the Convention.

     Your Committee heard testimony in support of this measure
from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, the Hawaii State
Commission on the Status of Women, and Hawaii Women Lawyers.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1765
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     Your Committee finds that Hawaii has been a leader in
recognizing gender equity in society and should encourage the
United States Senate to take affirmative action and ratify this
Convention.  Your Committee finds that the United States as a
world leader and protector of basic human and civil rights should
take a strong position in the area of eliminating discrimination
against women.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 15,
H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary,



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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