In July 2005, the Lebanese State presented its first and second periodic reports to the 33rd session of the Committee for the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women in the UN headquarters in New York. Two Lebanese NGOs submitted shadow reports to the committee to cover the gaps of the State report, one of them being Helem.

In July, 2005, Helem participated in the 33rd Session of the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) at the UN headquarters in New York City. Adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, CEDAW has often been described as an 'international bill of rights' for women. Enshrined within its preamble and 30 Articles are key principles of equality and an agenda for national action to end discrimination against women. It is based on the belief that basic human rights include the true equality of men and women.