Tongan parliament decides not to ratify CEDAW

Today the Tonga Legislative Assembly considered ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. It voted 18 to 1 with 4 abstentions to not ratify CEDAW at this time. The Legislative Assembly believed that to ratify CEDAW would cut across our cultural and social heritage that makes up the Tongan way of life. It would require the creation of fundamental changes for every Tongan citizen to a way of life and social organisation that has sustained Tonga to date.