Montebello, CA—Elizabeth “Liz” Benham, past President of BPW International and past President of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women, will talk about CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the Cities for CEDAW movement at the meeting of the East Los Angeles-Montebello Business and Professional Women on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 starting at 5:00 P.M. via Zoom. The program is open to all interested people, but reservations are required to get the Zoom link. Call or E-mail Linda Wilson (626) 307-5650 or lindalwilson@juno.com to make a reservation or for questions.

CEDAW is an international treaty adopted in 1979 and ratified by 189 countries. The United States is one of only two countries to sign, but not ratify the treaty. It has been described as an international bill of rights for women. The Senate Foreign Relations

Committee held hearings on CEDAW in 1988, 1990, 1994 and 2002. It reported CEDAW favorably, and subject to certain conditions, in 1994 and 2002. The treaty has never come before the Senate for a full vote. Sixty-seven votes or 2/3rds of the Senate is required to ratify the treaty. In nations that have ratified the treaty, CEDAW has proved invaluable in opposing the effects of discrimination, which include violence, poverty, lack of legal protections, along with the denial of inheritance, property rights and access to credit.

Elizabeth “Liz” Benham was a proponent in the founding of Cities for CEDAW, which is helping people take action in their cities to end discrimination against women. In 1998 San Francisco passed a CEDAW ordinance. A few years later Los Angeles did the same.

Benham was born in South Africa. She emigrated to the United States in the 70s via Canada. She was a registered nurse/midwife trained in high-risk obstetrics, but found that she needed additional courses to practice in the U.S. Instead she became a successful importer of roofing panels. Thirteen years later she sold her business. She stayed on for three years during the transition and grew the business from $9 million to $22 million. Next, she tried her hand at inventing and invented the “Footle,” which is a device to open sliding glass doors when a person’s hands are full. She joined NFBPWC and rose quickly to the ranks from Club President to New York Federation President and then to BPW International President. BPW International has had consultative status with the United Nations since 1947. Through this as a United Nation’s delegate for twenty years for BPW International, she became involved in the “Cities for CEDAW” program. After being BPW International Vice President for Membership and then President, she became the President of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women for five years and very involved in growing the organization. She presently is a member of South Florida BPW.