Key government achievements in advancing gender equality and eliminating discrimination against women have been highlighted in a new report to the UN.

The UK's 7th periodic report sets out the progress the government has made on women's rights under the United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May said:

"The government is committed to equality for women and despite progress over recent decades, there is still a long way to go.

"That is why the government is taking action to tackle the inequalities that women face in all aspects of their lives. From plans to tackle the gender pay gap with more rights to flexible working and a new system of flexible parental leave, to work to tackle violence against women, we are determined that the next generation of women and girls will have more opportunities than ever before."

The UK's report to CEDAW sets out the government's overarching approach to advancing gender equality and its determination to eliminate discrimination through the first ever cross-government equality strategy, 'Building a Fairer Britain', published in December last year.

The report also explains the changes introduced by the Equality Act 2010 in Great Britain which brought together nine separate pieces of legislation into one single Act simplifying the law and reducing the administrative burden on business by making it easier to comply with discrimination law.