RESEARCH, ADVOCACY &
RESOURCES

Check out in this section our research, advocacy actions and some of the international documents, resolutions, and reports (many of them shaped by GQUAL) that we believe are key to push for gender parity and improved selection procedures for international positions. Make sure to use the TOPICS in the Footer no navigate through the content.

RESEARCH

The Potential of Article 8 of the CEDAW Convention to Guarantee Women’s Equal Representation in International Representation.

Summary of the CEDAW Committee’s reporting practices and trends across three decades

October 1, 2023

Article 8 of the CEDAW

Paper on the essential stepping stone towards ensuring gender parity in international tribunals and monitoring bodies

September 15, 2015

Trends, Obstacles, Good Practices and Recommendations Regarding Women’s Participation in Political and Public Life

Summary of the work of the Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women and girls

The unequal participation of women in international organizations. Are States accountable? | Working Paper No. 3

Working Paper No. 3

Measures to Address the Underrepresentation of Women in International Human Rights Organs and Mechanisms

GQUAL inputs and recommendations for the development of the Report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee

Gender parity as a way to strengthen the UN Treaty Bodies.

Submission by GQUAL to the Questionnaire circulated by OHCHR in relation to General Assembly Resolution 68/268

Achieving Gender Parity on International Judicial and Monitoring Bodies

Analysis of International Human Rights Laws and Standards Relevant to the GQUAL Campaign

Working Paper No. 4

The unequal participation of women in international organizations. Are States accountable? | Working Paper No. 2

Working Paper No. 4

The Representation of Women in the International Justice System

GQUAL and Centro de Derechos Humanos, UBA Law School

Working Paper No. 1

Gender Equality in International Tribunals and Bodies

A conceptual document for the launch of the GQUAL Campaign.

September 15, 2015

ADVOCACY

Carta Abierta para la Elección de una Secretaria General Mujer en la OEA / Open Letter for the election of a Woman Secretary General of the OAS

GQUAL Oral Statement | CEDAW´s General Recommendation 40

October 24, 2024

Open Letter to the HRC Consultative Group

Adoption of Gender Parity Guidelines by the HRC’s Consultative Group

August 20, 2024

GQUAL Campaign Urges UK Government to Address the Lack of Gender Equality in European Court of Human Rights

GQUAL’s written submission to the CEDAW Committee GR 40 draft

Comments on the draft by the GQUAL Campaign

GQUAL Urges States to Rectify Deficit in Number of Women Nominated and Appointed as members of the Human Rights Committee — The Time is Now to Achieve Gender Balance in Membership, for First Time in 48 Years

Open letter to UN Western European and Other States Regional Group

Request to ensure gender parity in the HRC Consultative Group's composition (2024-2025)

Open letter to UN African States Regional Group

Request to ensure gender parity in the HRC Consultative Group's composition (2024-2025)

Open letter to UN Latin American & Caribbean States Regional Group

Request to ensure gender parity in the HRC Consultative Group's composition (2024-2025)

Open letter to UN Eastern European States Regional Group

Request to ensure gender parity in the HRC Consultative Group's composition (2024-2025)

Open Letter to the UN WG on Discrimination against Women and Girls

Introducing the GQUAL Campaign

February 24, 2024

HRC33 JOINT NGO ORAL STATEMENT ANNUAL DISCUSSION

HRC33 Joint NGO Oral Statement Annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Human Rights Council.

January 27, 2024

Open letter to States Parties to the ICESCR and the ECOSOC to ensure gender parity

November 17, 2023

UN HRC Advisory Committee 30th Session. Public meeting: review of methods of work

Oral Statement by GQUAL

August 21, 2023

Open Letter to the HRC Advisory Committee

Follow up on the AC’s report on the representation of women in human rights organs and mechanisms (A/HRC/47/51)

August 22, 2023

Open Letter to the HRC Consultative Group

Adoption of Gender Parity Guidelines by the HRC’s Consultative Group

Letter to the President of the UN Human Rights Council

About the next Special Rapporteur on Torture

Open Letter to States Parties to the ICRMW

NGOs call for gender parity in the next composition of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW)

February 21, 2023

CEDAW Committee general discussion on the new General Recommendation “Equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems” | Oral Statement

CEDAW Committee

February 21, 2023

CEDAW Committee general discussion on the new General Recommendation “Equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems”| Written

Written submission by GQUAL

February 21, 2023

Open Letter to States Parties to the UNCAT

NGOs call for gender parity in the next composition of the Committee Against Torture (CAT)

February 21, 2023

Open Letter to the President of the UN Human Rights Council

Selection of the next Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT)

Open Letter to the HRC Consultative Group

UN HRC Advisory Committee 25th Session

Public Statement by GQUAL

February 21, 2021

Open Letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina

NGOs urge to take gender parity into account and develop transparent and participatory nomination procedures

November 21, 2021

Letter to the CEDAW Committee

List of questions to ask States Parties under Article 8 of the Convention

October 25, 2020

Open letter to the States Parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

Election of new members to the Human Rights Committee (CCPR)

Open Letter to the HRC Consultative Group

Open Letter to the to the Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and New York

NGOs addressed the critical funding gap affecting UN human rights mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Open letter to the HRC Consultative Group

Open Letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet

Introducing the GQUAL Campaign

Open Letter to the HRC Consultative Group

Letter to the Consultative Group of the Human Rights Council- checklist for appointments of Special Procedure mandate holders

Open Letter to Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Requesting intervention before the HRC Consultative Group and encouraging its new members to adopt Parity Guidelines for the selection of Special Procedures members

Letter sent to the Human Rights Council Advisory Group in 2017. Written jointly with elements of civil society and interested parties.

RESOURCES

General Recommendation No. 40 on Equal and Inclusive Representation of Women in Decision-making Systems | CEDAW COMMITTEE

Human Rights Council: Resolution 56/22

Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls. Follows up on the implementation of the recommendations included in the Report of the Advisory Committee 47/51. (July, 2024)

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/CG/doc.2/24 add. 1 AG09132E03)

Gender parity and balanced geographic and legal-system representation on the Inter-american Commision on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights - Item xix

CIM | Annex To The Report With Recommendations On Best Practices To Consolidate Gender Parity And Equitable Geographical Distribution, As Well As The Representation Of Different Legal Systems In The Inter-American Court And Commission On Human Rights

Inter-American Commission of Women Report | Gender parity, geographic balance and representation of legal systems

The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) presented in June 2023 a report reflecting on the status of gender parity, geographical representation, and representation of different legal systems in the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights and other bodies related to the Inter-American System

Gender parity, geographical balance and representation of legal systems in the Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights | Infographic

February 19, 2024

Human Rights Council Advisory Group: Information relevant to the selection of Special Procedures

Information on the selection and appointment process for independent United Nations experts of the Human Rights Council Advisory Group (the body responsible for pre-selecting candidates for special procedures)

November 21, 2023

OAS, AG, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/doc.5807/23 corr. 1. AG08809E07)

Gender Parity and Geographically and Juridically Balanced Representation on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Report with Recommendations On Best Practices to Consolidate Gender Parity

And equitable geographical distribution, as well as the representation of different legal systems in the inter-american court and commision on human rights

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/CG/doc.10/22. AG08663E03)

Gender parity and balanced geographic and legal-system representation on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

October 7, 2022

Human Rights Council: Resolution 50/18

Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls. Follows up on the implementation of the recommendations included in the Report of the Advisory Committee 47/51

Human Rights Council: Resolution 47/51

Report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. Current levels of representation of women in human rights organs and mechanisms: ensuring gender balance.

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/RES. 2961 (L-O/20)

Gender parity in the composition of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

October 21, 2020

General Assembly Resolution RES. 2941 (XLIX-O/19)

“Promotion and Protection of Human Rights”

Human Rights Council: Resolution 41/6

Which draws attention to the lack of gender balance in the UN human rights bodies, including the Special Procedures, treaty bodies and the Council’s Advisory Committee and mandates the Advisory Committee to produce a report with good practices and recommendations

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/RES. 2928 (XLVIII-O/18)

Gender equity and balanced geographic and legal-system representation on the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/RES. 2908 (XLVII-O/17)

Gender equity and balanced geographic and legal-system representation on the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Human Rights Council: Resolution 5/1 of 18

Establishing the need to give due consideration to gender balance in the selection of members of Special Procedures

OAS, GA, Resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights” (AG/RES. 2887 (XLVI-O/16)

Gender equity and balanced geographic and legal-system representation on the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Gender Parity Guidelines

Adopted by the Consultative Group in 2015 (without actual validity)

November 21, 2015

UN General Assembly: A/RES/68/268 68/268

Strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system

Resolution 1325 of October 31, 2000

On women, peace and security

January 27, 2000