STAND. COM. REP. NO. 928

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.R. No. 27
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental
Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 27 entitled:

     "SENATE 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
Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawai'i Civil
Rights Commission, Hawai'i Women's Political Caucus, Violent
Prevention Consortium, Women's Financial Resource Center, and two
individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the United Nations Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(hereinafter referred to as the Treaty) became an international
treaty on September 3, 1981.  The Treaty establishes rights for
women not previously subject to international standards and calls
for equality in nearly every field of endeavor:  politics, law,
employment, education, health care, commercial transactions, and
domestic relations.  Moreover, the Treaty establishes a Committee
on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to review
periodically the progress being made by those who adopt the
Treaty.  Your Committee believes that the United States should

 
a                                                     SR27 SD1
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 928
                                   Page 2


support and ratify the Treaty which promotes, advances, and
implements fairness and equity for all women.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical,
nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs that is
attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent
and purpose of S.R. No. 27, as amended herein, and recommends
that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary, in the form
attached hereto as S.R. No. 27, S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
a                                                     SR27 SD1