recognizes the right of women, including widows, to property and inheritance. As early as 1948, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), recognized that “[m]en and women of full age … are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.”122 It also states that everyone has the right to own property and to not be arbitrarily deprived of property.123 The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also guarantees “equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as to marriage, during marriage, and at its dissolution.”124 The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) requires states to “take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations.”125 This includes the right to property.126 The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee), the committee that monitors compliance with and provides authoritative guidance on CEDAW, has noted that widowhood exacerbates discrimination when it compounds discrimination based on age and gender.127 International law also clearly requires registration of all marriages, one of the key challenges documented in this report. The UN Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages, which Zimbabwe ratified in 1994, requires that “[a]ll marriages shall be registered in an appropriate official register by the competent authority.”128 CEDAW also obligates states parties to establish and fully implement a system of marriage registration.129 122 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted December 10, 1948, G.A. Res. 217A (III), U.N. Doc. A/810 at 71 (1948), art. 16. 123 Ibid., art. 17. 124 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), adopted December 16, 1966, G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), 21 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 52, U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 U.N.T.S. 171, entered into force March 23, 1976, art. 23 (4). 125 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted December 18, 1979, 1979 G.A. res. 34/180, 34 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 46) at 193, U.N. Doc. A/34/46, entered into force September 3, 1981, art. 16 (1). 126 Ibid. 127 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, “General recommendation No. 27 on older women and protection of their human rights,” para. 14. 128 Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages, December 9, 1964, http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/convention.pdf (accessed July 28, 2016), art 3. 129 CEDAW, para. 25. 45 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | JANUARY 2017