The human rights of women are an inalienable part of universal human rights. Both the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals, recognize that economic and social development priorities cannot be separated from the promotion and protection of human rights and of gender equality. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN general Assembly, is the most detailed international agreement that deals with women’s human rights. The Convention, along with other human rights instruments and mandates, are a blueprint from which the world can craft a human development agenda that secures the rights of all. Taken together, they most comprehensively define what constitutes discrimination against women, encompassing all stages of the lifecycle, ranging both private and public life, and require countries that have ratified them to draw up national action plans to end such discrimination. Over two thirds of the countries in the UNESCAP region have ratified CEDAW. UNESCAP, guided by the human rights framework, continues to monitor progress achieved by the countries in implementing the global and regional mandates. This approach strengthens and enhances UNESCAP’s efforts in providing research, advisory and technical assistance to integrate gender equality concerns in all aspects of development and to make life better for women.