Australia has been a party to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) since 1983. The text of CEDAW is available at Australasian Legal Information Institute.
Under CEDAW, Australia is obliged to ensure equality between men and women to eliminate discrimination in all areas, including work conditions, access to welfare, health care and education. In its reports on the implementation of CEDAW, Australia has described how it implements its obligations through a range of Commonwealth and State and Territory laws and programs.
The Australian Government is now considering whether to become a party to the Optional Protocol to CEDAW (available at Australasian Legal Information Institute). In deciding whether or not to become a party, the Government is consulting with relevant Commonwealth Ministers, the States and Territories and the broader community.