The Organisation

About us

IWRAW Asia Pacific is the only regional/international NGO working with the CEDAW Convention as a main tool for change in the Asia Pacific. We see a critical role for ourselves in filling the gap between the promise of women’s rights and their actual realisation.

We contribute to the progressive interpretation, universalisation, implementation and realisation of women's human rights through the lens of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other international human rights treaties. We facilitate a process through which the CEDAW Convention is used as a tool for applying international human rights standards at the national level and in a wide range of contexts (e.g. political participation, armed conflict, rights in marriage, violence against women, trafficking reproductive rights, employment, etc).

The experiences gained have contributed to the development of knowledge and skills, and created a better understanding of the various dimensions of equality, non-discrimination, State obligation, human rights principles (e.g. universality and indivisibility), and a rights-based approach to development.

As women become more motivated and capable in linking domestic activism with international advocacy, it is also necessary that IWRAW Asia Pacific take on new roles to maximise our potential to trigger changes in law and policy. As such, the next phase of our work will build on the existing knowledge base to develop a new set of tools that further strengthens women's rights activism.

IWRAW Asia Pacific regularly works in 12 countries in South and Southeast Asia and is expanding such work to other areas of the Asia and Pacific region (e.g. Central Asia , the Pacific). At the same time our presence and expertise expands beyond Asia Pacific, especially through our work at the regional and international arenas.

We focus on women and women’s NGOs, as well as work with human rights.

IWRAW Asia Pacific operates as an autonomous non-profit NGO incorporated in Malaysia. We are accredited by the ESOCOC.