This handbook offers a comprehensive introduction to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which is the most comprehensive international instrument on women’s human rights, and its Optional Protocol. The handbook presents the background to and content of the Convention and the Optional Protocol and describes the role of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which secures implementation at the national level. It provides examples of best practices and gives an overview of what parliamentarians can do to ensure effective implementation of the Convention and encourage use of the Protocol. It also proposes model instruments and reference material as aids designed to facilitate the work of legislators.