Australia comes in from the cold on Women's rights
Source: Australia. Attorney-General and Minister for the Status of Women. Media Release
"Australia has today (24/11/08) formally moved to become a party to the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which was opposed by the former Government.Australia has been a party to CEDAW since 1983.

The announcement comes on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek said that by becoming a party to the Optional Protocol, the Government is making a powerful statement that discrimination against women in any form is unacceptable."