UN Human Rights Treaties

UNITED NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Distr. GENERAL
A/32/2l8/Add.2 28 October 1977
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Thirty-second session Agenda item 85
UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
Draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Report of the Secretary-General
Addendum
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1-2 2
II. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE DRAFT CONVENTION, THE TITLE
AND THE PREAMBLE ........ 3-6 2
III. GENERAL PROVISIONS 7 - 24 2

A/32/2l8/Aaa.2 English
Page 2
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The present document supplements the report of the Secretary-General on the
draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
(A/32/218 and Add.1). It is based on replies received from two Governments 1/ in response to Economic and Social Council resolution 2058 (LXII) of 12 May 1977.
2. This addendum consists of an analysis of these two replies with respect to
the different parts and articles of the draft Convention.
II. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE DRAFT CONVENTION, THE TITLE AND THE PREAMBLE
A. General observations
3. Chad expressed its full support for the draft Convention.
4. Hungary reported that it highly appreciated the work of the Commission on the Status of Women in elaborating the draft Convention and that it believed that, since the International Covenants on Human Rights had entered into force, it was imperative for States to recognize the need for securing, under an international instrument of binding force, the equal rights of women in all fields of life.
B. Title
5. There were no comments with respect to the title of the draft Convention.
C. Preamble
6. Hungary welcomed in particular the fact that paragraph 8 of the Preamble
made special reference to the strengthening of international peace and security,
to the need for friendly co-operation among States irrespective of their economic
and social systems, and to total and complete disarmament under strict and
effective international control, those being the fundamental issues of international
life that, with the remnants of colonialism and all forms of racism eliminated,
would permit the realization of people's right to self-determination and,
consequently, were of vital importance also in improving the situation of women and
in protecting and enforcing their rights.
III. GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1
7. There were no comments on this article.
1/ Chad and Hungary (the full texts of the replies are available for consultation in the Secretariat).

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Article 2
8. Considering that States to "be parties to the Convention would have to
undertake definite obligations regarding the subject thereof, Hungary was in
favour of article 2 containing precise formulations covering a broad range of
aspects, as proposed in the draft Convention.
Article 3
9. There were no comments on this article.
Article 4
10. Hungary was in agreement with the terms of this article, believing that
inevitably it would be necessary to provide for certain special rights aimed at
women's de facto equality. Accordingly, in the view of Hungary, special
protection of women, including in particular protection of maternity, should not
be considered discriminatory.
Articles 5, 6, 7 and 8
11. There were no comments on these articles.
Article 9, paragraph 2
12. In view of certain differences existing between the provisions of article 3,
paragraph 1, of the Convention on Nationality of Married Women, 1957, and the
content of this article, Hungary suggested that the provisions of the Convention
mentioned above should also be taken into account in elaborating the wording of
paragraph 2 of the present article.
Article 10
13. There were no comments on this article.
Article 11
14. Hungary attached particular significance to the provisions of this article, observing that the right to work and vocational training and the recognition of the principles of "equal pay for equal work" were a sine qua non for the de facto enjoyment by Women of equal rights.

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Article 12
15. Chad welcomed this article, underlining its particular importance for developing countries.
16. Hungary believed -chat this article should not contain provisions other than those relating exclusively and specifically to women in rural areas.
Article 13
17. Chad expressed its support to this article, particularly as far as social and economic rights were concerned.
18. Hungary suggested the omission of paragraph 3 as, in its view, its provision was contained in article 4 in a broader context.
Article 14
19. Chad stated that it fully supported this article.
Article 15
20. Chad noted the importance of this article and agreed with it.
Articles 16, 17 and 18
21. There were no comments on these articles.
Article 19
22. Hungary specified that the question contained in the draft Convention on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women was primarily one of human rights.
Hungary further noted, in connexion with the draft Convention, that the question
might arise whether the tasks related to the application of the Convention and the
consideration of reports from States Parties might be considered by the appropriate
organs functioning within the framework of the United Nations.
Articles 20, 21 and 22
23. There were no comments on these articles.

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Additional artic3 on reservations
2k. Hungary held that it was unnecessary for paragraph 2 of this article to elaborate on a reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the draft Convention. Hungary felt it sufficient to retain the last sentence of this paragraph, saying that a reservation should be considered incompatible if at least two thirds of the States Parties to the Convention objected to it.