Does Ratification Matter?

In response to an earlier blog posting on the subject of whether the United States should ratify CEDAW, Dr. Shashikala Gurpur, Dean of Symbiosis Law School in Pune, India wrote: " Given the debatable nature of linking ratification to efficacy of treaties, I wonder if this is important. We should now be looking at reservations rather than ratification.  Further, ratification or no ratification, the state practice is the best indicator, along with the HDI [Human Development Index] of the concerned group."

We thank Dr Gurpur for the comment and we welcome additional views on the subjects of treaty reservations and of linking ratification to the efficacy of treaties, including whether widespread ratification is truly an indicator of state practice. 

(mew)