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Convention on the Rights of the Child (www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm)
- was ratified by 192 countries; only two countries
have not ratified: the United States and Somalia. By
ratifying this convention, national governments have
committed themselves to protecting and ensuring children's
rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable
for this commitment before the international community.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women (CEDAW) (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/)
- is an international bill of rights for women. As of
10 December 2003, 175 countries - over ninety percent
of the members of the United Nations – have ratified
the Convention and an additional one has signed the
treaty (the US), binding itself to do nothing.
Kyoto Treaty (www.unfccc.int) - was an effort to reduce
worldwide emissions, ratified by 188 countries. After
the US pulled out in March 2001, a compromise was reached
four months later, with nearly 180 nations opting for
a scaled-down version of the treaty. President Bush
has stated that the US will never sign it.
Land Mine Ban Convention (www.icbl.org/treaty/) –
150 countries have signed and/or ratified the landmine
ban treaty, banning the use, production, stockpiling
and transfer of antipersonnel landmines. The US is among
44 countries that have not signed or ratified this treaty.
International Criminal Court – (http://www.icc-cpi.int/php/index.php)
- as of 28 November 2003, 92 countries are States Parties
to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,
established to promote the rule of law and ensure that
the gravest international crimes do not go unpunished.
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