Milpitas, CA – June 18, 2020 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
At a City Council meeting on June 16, the Milpitas City Council unanimously voted to implement Ordinance No. 306 for local implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW is an international human rights treaty developed by the United Nations to provide a universal definition of discrimination against women and bring attention to a range of women’s rights and issues.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted CEDAW in 1979 and President Carter signed the treaty on behalf of the United States in 1980, though the United States Senate has never ratified CEDAW. Since 1995, many state and local jurisdictions have passed resolutions in support of CEDAW, and in 2014, cities across the nation began supporting the Cities for CEDAW Initiative to implement the principles at the local level, regardless of Federal support.
“With all the current turmoil occurring in our communities, cities must step up and be the harbingers of change and justice for all. A CEDAW ordinance for Milpitas affirms that we want all of our women and girls to be protected, to have access to critical healthcare, and to have the same educational and entrepreneurial opportunities as men. We are taking a stand for equity and updating our policies to reflect the values of Milpitians. We are truly making a difference with this first step,” says Councilmember Karina Dominguez, who introduced the ordinance.
