What international agreement focuses on ending all forms of discrimination against women?

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, commonly known as CEDAW, is a foundational international treaty explicitly aimed at addressing and eradicating discrimination against women. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, CEDAW outlines a comprehensive framework of legal standards for women's rights and stipulates measures that countries must take to eliminate discrimination in various areas, including political, social, economic, and cultural life.

CEDAW emphasizes not only the need for equal rights but also the importance of ensuring that women are empowered to participate fully in society. It serves as a critical tool for advocating gender equality and has mechanisms for monitoring and reporting the progress of signatory states in implementing its provisions.

The other options do contribute to human rights and gender issues but do not specifically target the elimination of discrimination against women in the same comprehensive manner as CEDAW. For instance, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes fundamental human rights globally, but it does not focus exclusively on women. Similarly, the Beijing Declaration addresses women's empowerment and gender equality but functions more as a policy framework rather than a binding treaty like CEDAW. The Convention on Biological Diversity, on the other hand, is concerned with the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable