The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) defines discrimination against women as:
"[A]ny distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field." (Article 1)
The following members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted as follows:
The votes IN FAVOR of ratification of CEDAW were: Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN)
The votes AGAINST ratification of CEDAW were: Sen. George Allen (R-VA) Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/cedaw/