The October 1, 2004 issue of the American Prospect includes an article by Ellen Chesler (Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on Reproductive Health and Rights at the Open Society Institute) entitled "International Holdout". The article notes that around the world, empowering women is considered essential. So why isn't America on board?

Twenty-five years ago this December, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a global "bill of rights" that is both visionary and comprehensive. In the waning days of his presidency, Jimmy Carter hurriedly signed the convention and sent it to the U.S. Senate for ratification. But it has languished there ever since, held up by intransigent conservatives opposing both international obligations and women's rights. One hundred seventy-seven countries around the world have signed the treaty, leaving the United States among a handful of so-called rogue states -- including Iran, Somalia, and Sudan -- that have failed to do so.

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