Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 18 December 1979
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UNITED NATIONS CEDAW Convention on the Elimination Distr. of All Forms of Discrimination GENERAL against Women CEDAW/C/5/Add.52 25 September 1987 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE I8 OF THE CONVENTION Initial reports of States parties UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND V .87-89934 INTRODUCTION 1 RESERVATIONS MADE UPON SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION 4 PART I: 11 A. GENERAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND LEGAL 11 FRAMEWORK Al. GENERAL 11 Physical Features 11 England 12 Wales 12 Scotland 13 Northern Ireland 14 A2. SOCIAL FRAMEWORK 14 Population 14 Birth Rates 15 Mortality 15 Marriage and Divorce 16 Age and Sex Structure 16 Distribution of Population 17 Migration 18 Economic and Social Pattern 18 Leisure Trends 19 Ethnic and National Minorities 20 Women 21 A3. THE ECONOMY 21 Trends in Employment 23 A4. GOVERNMENT 23 PARLIAMENT 24 Functions of Parliament 25 Meeting of Parliament 25 The House of Lords 25 The House of Commons 26 Parliamentary Electoral System 26 The Political Party System 28 HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT 29 Composition 29 The Cabinet 29 Ministerial Responsibility 29 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS 30 A5. THE LAW 31 B. LEGAL AND OTHER MEASURES ADOPTED 33 С AND D. INSTITUTIONS, REMEDIES AND MEANS 35 E. HOW THE CONVENTION IS INVOKED 37 ARTICLE 1 - Discrimination 38 ARTICLE 2 - Elimination of Discrimination 42 ARTICLE 3 - Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 44 ARTICLE 4 - Temporary Measures 45 -■ Protection of Maternity 45 ARTICLE 5 -- Elimination of Prejudices and Stereotype Roles 46 - Advertising 46 -- Pornography 47 - Maternity as a Social Function 49 ARTICLE 6 - Sexual Exploitation of Women 50 - Rape : Text 53 : Table A; Males Proceeded Against for Offences of Rape 54 : Table B: Males Given Immediate Imprisonment for Rape by Length of Sentence 54 : Scotland 54 ARTICLE 7 - A. ELECTIVE POSTS 56 B. EMPLOYMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE 56 Selection 57 Training 57 Promotion and Appraisal 57 Child Care 59 Special Protection 59 Staff in Post; Statistics 59 C. PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS 60 Scotland 60 Wales 61 D. TRADE UNIONS 61 ARTICLE 8 - A. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 62 Recruitment 62 Women in the Diplomatic Service 62 Joint Postings 62 Flexible Working Hours 62 Special Unpaid Leave 62 . Part-time Work and Job-Sharing 63 Pregnancy Abroad 63 Information 63 Postings Policy 63 B. WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS 63 ARTICLE 9 A. NATIONALITY 64 B. IMMIGRATION 65 Immigration of Students 67 ARTICLE 10 - A. GENERAL 69 Policies 69 Schools 7U Post School Education 70 Institutions 71 Finance 71 Students 72 B, LEGISLATION AND GOVERNMENT POLICY 72 ON SEX DISCRIMINATION Curriculum Initiatives 73 Preparation for Working Life 74 Non-traditional Careers 74 Education Personnel and Teacher 76 Training Classroom Practice 77 Scholarships and Study Grants 77 Further and Higher Education 7tí Adult Education 79 Sports and Physical Education 79 SCOTLAND 79 Conclusion 81 ARTICLE 11 - A. EMPLOYMENT 82 Employment 82 Unemployment 85 Training 85 Scotland 87 B. HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK 89 C. THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM 89 D. SOCIAL SECURITY 89 Contributions 90 Benefits 90 Retirement Pension 91 Mothers and Children 91 Widows 92 Sick and Disabled People 92 Unemployment Benefits 93 Funeral Expenses 93 Récent Developments: 94 - Retirement Pensions 94 - Non-Contributory Benefits 94 Proposed Future Developments 94 Remaining Areas of Discrimination 95 PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES 96 The Elderly 96 - Ill - Disabled People 96 The Mentally 111 and Handicapped 97 Help to Families 97 Child Care 98 ARTICLE 12 - A. PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES 99 B. SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR WOMEN 99 Health Education and Prevention 1ÜU Women and Smoking lUO Female Circumcision 1ÜÜ Role of the Voluntary Sector 1ÜÜ Family Planning Services 101 Abortion lUi C . MATERNITY SERVICES 101 Advice to Mothers 101 Breastfeeding 102 Advice to Health Authorities 102 Screening Tests 102 Perinatal Mortality 102 Neonatal Intensive Care 102 Welfare Foods Provision 103 D. LEGISLATION RELATING TO THE 103 PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES Tables on Abortion 105 ARTICLE 13 - A. TAXATION 107 B. RIGHT TO FAMILY BENEFITS 107 C- FINANCIAL RIGHTS 108 D- RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES 108 Sports 108 Arts Sports Council Policy Paper ARTICLE 14 - Women in Rural Areas 110 Rural Development Planning 111 Access to Health Care Facilities 111 Social Security Programmes 112 Training and Education 112 Employment Opportunities 112 Community Activities 113 Finance and owning, inheriting and 113 managing agricultural land Scotland 113 Wales llU Housing 115 Sanitation and Water Supplies 116 Electricity ll6 Public Passenger Transport 116 Communications 117 Environment 118 ARTICLE 15 - Law 119 Scotland 120 Table on Civil and Legal Aid 121 Certificates ARTICLE 16 - Rights to Marriage 122 Rights upon Marriage 123 Rights to Consensual Unions 123 Dissolution of Marriage 12k Table on Divorce Statistics 12k Judicial Separation 125 Financial Relief on Divorce 125 Custody of Children 126 Children 126 Family Home 127 Table on Divorce Statistics Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 Scotland 128 A. STATISTICAL TABLES* 130-157 Demography j. 1 Age ana sex scructure of tîie population 1.2 Population by sex and age, 1984 and 2ÜU1 1.5 Adult population: by sex, age and marital status 1984 1,l4 Death rates; by age and sex Family 2 - lU One-£)Sî^ënt families; by househoxd composition 2.11 Employment status of married and lone: by age of youngest dependent chixd, 1982-1984 2.12 Household division of labour by marital status 1984 2 26 Legal Abortions Education 3.1 Education ana day care of children under five 3.5 Pupils staying on at school for at least 1 extra year and at least 2 extra years; by sex 3.7 School leavers: Educational and economic activities of 16 year olds 3.8 Intended destination or school leavers: by sex 3.9 School leavers - highest gualifications ; by sex 3.Id School leavers GCE 'O' levexs grades A-C passes in selected subjects; by sex, 197U/71 and 1983/84 3.11 Further Education ail non--advanced courses: by type of course and sex 3.12 Higher Education full-time students: by origin, sex and age 3.13 Higher Education part-time students: by type of establishment, sex and age 3.14 Higher Education home students entering full-time and sandwich courses for tlie first time: by age Economy and Employment Industrial output and employment Gross fixed capital formation by sector Manpower in Britain Employees and employment Manufacturing: size and distribution of establishments 4.1 Population of working age; by economic status * Table numbers are those of the Central Statistical Office's publication "Social Trends" 1986 Edition (ISBN Ü-11-620151-7). Unnumbered tables are taken from "Britain 1985. An Official Handbook" prepared by the Central Office of Information. 4.3 CiViiiaii labour force ecouoiuic activity rates and projections: by age and sex 4.2 Civilian labour force: estimates and projections 4.4 Econoraic activity of married women 4.5 Female economic activity rates: by age. international comparison 1983 4. Ix People in employment, by occupation and sex 4.15 Average weekly hours of full-time employees, April 1984 4.22 Unemptoyed: by sex, age and duration April 1985 Income and Wealth 5.2 Gross weekly earnings of fulx-time employees: by sex 5.3 Distribution of gross weekly earnings, April 1984 5.4 Overtiiiie pay and hours worked by full-time manual employees . 5.5 Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees in selected occupation groups, April 1984; by sex 5.9 Social security benefits for the unemployed Health and Personal Social Services 7.1 Expectation of life: from birth and from specific ages 7.4 Survivors beyond age 65 - health and independence, by sex, 1981-1983 7.6 Selected causes of death: by sex and age, 1983 7.9 Consultations with general practitioners (NHS only); by age and sex, 1983 7 . iU Denta^. attendance pattern and treatment at last visit: by sex and age, 1983 7.8 Long standing illness: by age and sex, 1985 7,47 National Health Services - annual cost per person: by age and sex, 1983 7.27 Cervical cytology; examinations, positive cases detected, and deaths from cervical cancer 7.33 Maternity services 7.1x Adult cigarette smoking: by sex and socio-economic group 7.17 Alcohol misuse - admission to mental illness hospitals and units: by sex and age, 1983 7.15 Drinking habits: by sex, 1978 and 1982 7.18 Narcotic drugs - new addicts notified: by age and sex Leisure 1Ü.1 Time use in a typical week,: by economic status. Spring 1985 1U.2 Participation in selected social and cultural activities: by sex and age, 1983 10.4 Television viewing: by social class and sex 10.11 Participation in selected sporting activities: by socio economic group and by sex, 1983 В- EDUCATION STATISTICS I58-I6I Total enrolments on tulx time and sandwich courses at universities Pupiis in school Student numbers in public sector higher education given by broad subject; by sox, age group and subject Students numbers in public sector higher education given by broad subject; totals by subject and age group *C. HOME OFFICE CIRCULARS 25/1983 AND 69/1986: GUIDANCE TO CHIEF OFFICERS ON THE CONDUCT OF RAPE INVESTIGATIONS; AND GUIDELINES ON THE NEED TO PROTECT VICTIMS' PRIVACY ETC D. WOMEN IN HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S DIPLOMATIC SERVICE l62 E. RIGHTS OF PREGNANT WOMEN EMPLOYEES 1^3 F. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT - HOURS OF WORK I6U G. FACT SHEET ON WOMEN AND EMPLOYMENT * H. SPORTS COUNCIL POLICY ON SEX DISCRIMINATION AND GRANT AIDED ORGANISATIONS I. PETITIONS FOR DIVORCE PRESENTED UNDER SECTION 1 OF THE 1T5 MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT 1973 J. SECTION 25 OF THE MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT 1973 176-177 K. MANPOWER SERVICES COMMISSION TRAINING COURSES I78-I87 * These documents are available in English at the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat and can be consulted in the Offices of the Branch' for the Advancement of Women.