“Let’s Ratify CEDAW”

Music/tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”

Lyrics by Slater Newman, June 1999; most recent revision August 1, 2011.

One hundred and eighty-seven nations

Have ratified CEDAW so far.

Our country is not yet among them,

So that women are still not at par.

CHORUS:

Let's ratify CEDAW, CEDAW!

Our country should ratify right away.

We're for CEDAW.

It's good for the whole U.S.A.

The Foreign Relations Committee

Has held it for twenty-plus years.

We think it's a terrible pity,

It's been hostage to Senators' fears.

CHORUS

We hope that the next time we gather,

Our victory will have been won.

And the ratification of CEDAW

Will no longer remain to be done.

CHORUS

Notes:

CEDAW is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly: December 1979.

Entered into Force: September 1981

Number of States Parties: 187

The United States signed the treaty in July 1980 but has not ratified it. The other five non-ratifiers are Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga.

— Slater E. Newman

Revised August 1, 2011