The UN committee on the elimination of discrimination against women has released its concluding observations on this year's review of Tuvalu.
Tuvalu women Photo: AFP
It says the positives include the introduction of new domestic violence legislation and more participation in local council budget meetings.
It also includes the abolition of some discriminatory education practices that prohibit girls from certain training such as that offered at the Tuvalu Maritime Institute.
But UN Cedaw expert, Xiaoqiao Zou, says the concerns far outweigh the positives.
" I hope through this dialogue and when they read our concluding observations. They will take some affirmative action to implement the committee's concluding observation for the benefits of the women in the state party."
Ms Zou says some of the issues of most concern include the continued absence of definitions of discriminations against women in the constitution, a culture of silence and impunity around violence against women, extremely low political participation of women and strong cultural and family stereotypes that deny women in Tuvalu their human rights.
