The WMC, in collaboration with the International Women’s Rights Action Watch-Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP) held a consultative meeting to discuss the proposing of a General Recommendation on ‘Women and Armed Conflict’ to the CEDAW Committee. Ms. Shanthi Dairiam, committee member of CEDAW and former Executive Director of IWRAW-AP, facilitated this meeting.

The objective of the meeting included the need to initiate a process which would focus on Women and Armed Conflict, as this had not yet been covered by any General Recommendation in the CEDAW Convention. The consultation also identified the different phases of conflict, from a Sri Lankan perspective, but not confined or specific to Sri Lanka.

The purpose of the General Recommendation is to outline the Obligations of the State. This means that the rights of people that could be violated in times of conflict would have to be identified in these recommendations. The General Recommendation should also address the area of “rights”, including a focus on respect, protection, promotion and fulfillment of rights.