UN Human Rights Treaties

GRARY E/5909
E/CN.6/608
AND MISSION
TED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
REPORT ON THE TWENTY-SIXTH
AND RESUMED TWENTY-SIXTH SESSIONS
(13 September-1 October and 6-17 December 1976)
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
OFFICIAL RECORDS: SIXTY-SECOND SESSION
SUPPLEMENT No. 3
UNITED NATIONS

COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
REPORT ON THE TWENTY-SIXTH
AND RESUMED TWENTY-SIXTH SESSIONS
(13 September-1 October and 6-17 December 1976)
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
OFFICIAL RECORDS: SIXTY-SECOND SESSION
SUPPLEMENT No. 3
UNITED NATIONS
New York, 1977

NOTE
Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document.
E/5909
E/CN.6/608

CONTENTS
Paragraphs Pages
MATTERS THAT REQUIRE ACTION BY, OR ARE BROUGHT TO THE
ATTENTION OF, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL 1 - 4 1
A. Draft resolutions 1 1
I. Draft Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women ., 1
II. National mechanisms to oversee the
implementation of the Programme for the
United Nations Decade for Women and the
future Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women ... 13
III. Training for the preparation and
implementation of project proposals ..... 14
IV. Review and appraisal of progress made under
the International Development Strategy for
the Second United Nations Development
Decade and in the implementation of the
World Plan of Action for the Implementation
of the Objectives of the International
Women's Year . . 16
V. Supplementary report on the implementation
of the World Plan of Action for the
Implementation of the Objectives of the
International Women's Year . . 19
VI. Improvement of the data base for measuring
the implementation of the World Plan of
Action for the Implementation of the
Objectives of the International Women's
Year 19
VII. Involvement of non-governmental
organizations in the implementation of the
World Plan of Action for the Implementation
of the Objectives of the International
Women's Year and the Convention on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women 20
VIII. Preparatory work for the World Conference of
the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980 21
IX. Influence of the mass communication media on
attitudes towards the roles of women and men
in present-day society 22
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CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs Pages
Chapter
X. Communications concerning the status of
24
women
B. Other decisions 2 4 25
II. INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS RELATING TO THE STATUS OF
WOMEN 5-218 26
A. Draft Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women . 5 - 216 26
B. Implementation of the Declaration on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women . . . 217 - 2l8 60
III. THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: EQUALITY,
DEVELOPMENT AID PEACE, 1976--1985 219-350 6l
A. Procedure followed by the Commission in its
consideration of the item 219 - 220 61
B. Evaluation of activities undertaken during the
International Women's Year 221 - 230 6l
C. The Programme for the Decade for Women and
related questions, including technical
co-operation activities 231 - 305 63
Summary of discussion 231 - 256 63
Consideration of the Programme for the Decade . 257 - 293 68
Consideration of draft resolutions and voting . 294- - 306 72
D. Review and appraisal of progress made under the
International Development Strategy for the Second
United Nations Development Decade and in the
implementation of the World Plan of Action for
the Implementation of the Objectives of the
International Women's Year 307 - 324 74
Summary of discussion . 307 - 308 74
Consideration of draft resolutions and voting . . 309 - 324 74
E. Preparatory work for the World Conference of the
United Nations Decade for Women, 1980 325 - 350 76
Summary of discussion 325 - 343 76
Consideration of draft resolution and voting . . . 344 - 350 79
IV. INFLUENCE OF THE MASS COMMUNICATION MEDIA ON ATTITUDES
TOWARDS THE ROLES OF WOMEN AND MEN IN PRESENT-DAY
SOCIETY 351-370 81
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CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs Pages
Chapter
V. COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING THE STATUS OF WOMEN 371 - 377 84
VI. PROGRAMME OF WORK . . 378 - 384 86
VII. DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE TWENTY-SEVENTH
SESSION 385-388 87
VIII. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS
TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION 389 88
IX. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION 390 - 403 89
Opening and duration of the session 390 - 391 89
Attendance 392 89
Election of officers 393 89
Agenda 394 894
Organization of work 395 - 398 89
Summary records, resolutions and recommendations . . . 399 - 401 90
Consultations with non-governmental organizations . . . 402 - 403 91
ANNEXES
I. ATTENDANCE 92
II. AGENDA 95
III. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF DECISIONS
TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION AT ITS TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION 96
IV. DRAFT CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN: TEXT OF THE PREAMBLE AND ARTICLES 1-13
RECOMMENDED BY THE STYLE COMMITTEE ..... 101
V. PROGRAMME FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN 108
VI. LIST OF DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ITS
TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION 125
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I. MATTERS THAT REQUIRE ACTION BY, OR ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
A. Draft resolutions
1. The Commission on the Status of Women recommended the following draft resolutions for adoption by the Economic and Social Council:
I
Draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women 1/
The Economic and Social Council,
Considering General Assembly resolution 3521 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, in which the Assembly requested the Commission on the Status of Women to complete, in 1976, the elaboration of the draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Having taken note of the draft Convention elaborated by the Commission at its twenty-sixth session,
Submits to the General Assembly the draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women annexed to the present resolution.
1/ See paras. 5-2l6.
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ANNEX
Draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women
PREAMBLE
The States Parties to the present Convention,
Noting that the Charter of the United Nations reaffirmed faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women,
Noting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the principle of the inadmissibility of discrimination and proclaims that all human "beings are horn free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on sex,
Noting that under the international covenants on human rights, States have the obligation to secure the equal right of men and women to enjoy all economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,
Considering the conventions concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and the resolutions, declarations and recommendations adopted by them promoting equality of rights of women and men,
Concerned., however, that despite those various instruments, extensive discrimination against women continues to exist,
Recalling that discrimination against women violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity, is an obstacle to the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries, hampers the growth of the prosperity of society and the family, and makes more difficult the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their countries and humanity,
Concerned particularly that scientific and technological progress has, in general, improved the potential for employment and the development of new skills hut without benefiting women to the same extent as men,
Affirming that the strengthening of international peace and security, friendly co-operation among States irrespective of their social and economic systems, total and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, the elimination of colonialism and racism in all their forms including apartheid, elimination of the gap between developing and developed countries, and the right to self-determination are vital in promoting the fundamental rights of women in the achievement of which they should play their full part,
Convinced that the full and complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields,
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Bearing in mind the great contribution of women to the development of society, so far not fully recognized, the social significance of maternity and of the role of parents in the family and in the rearing of children,
Determined to implement the principles set forth in the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and, for that purpose, to adopt the measures required for the elimination of such discrimination de facto or de jure,
Have agreed upon the following:
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1
For the purpose of the present Convention the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of six which has the effect of or the purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, on a basis of equality with men, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
Article 2
The States Parties condemn discrimination against women and undertake to pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end:
(a) Each State Party undertakes to embody the principle of the equality of men and women in its national Constitution if not yet incorporated therein, and to ensure, through law or other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;
(b_) Each State Party undertakes to adopt legislative and/or all other appropriate measures, accompanied by sanctions, prohibiting all discrimination against women and guaranteeing the realization of the principle of equality of rights;
(c) Each State Party undertakes to establish legal protection for equal rights of men and women;
(d) Each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and public institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;
(e) Each State Party shall endeavour to take all preventive measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person or organization;
(f) Each State Party shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which are discriminatory to women;
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(g) Each State Party shall endeavour to promote organizations and movements whose purpose is to advance the status of 'women and eliminate discrimination against them.
Article 3
The States Parties shall undertake in all fields, in particular the political, social, economic and cultural, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a "basis of equality with men.
Article 4
1. Adoption by States of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating
de facto equality shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail, as a consequence, the maintenance of unequal or separate standards and should be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity and treatment have been achieved.
2. Adoption by States of special measures, including those measures contained in
the present Convention, aimed at protecting maternity, shall not he considered
discriminatory.
Article 5
1. The States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are "based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women.
2. Suitable family education should include a proper understanding of motherhood as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of both men and women in the upbringing and development of their children.
Article 6
Each State Party agrees to repeal all provisions of national penal codes which constitute discrimination against women.
Article 7
Each State Party agrees to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to combat all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women.
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POLITICAL RIGHTS
Article 8
The States Parties shall undertake all appropriate measures to ensure to women, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination, equal opportunities to participate in the political and public life of the country and, in particular:
(a) To vote in all elections and be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
(b) To participate in the formulation of government policy and the administration thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at the national and local levels;
(c) To vote in all public referenda;
(d) To participate in non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country.
Article 9
1. The States Parties shall grant spouses equal rights to acquire, change or retain their nationality and shall require, in particular, that neither marriage of a person to, nor dissolution of marriage from, an alien nor the change of nationality by an alien person during marriage shall automatically change one's nationality, render one stateless or force upon one the nationality of the spouse.
2. Each State Party agrees that the alien husband or wife of one of its nationals may, at his or her request, acquire the nationality of his or her spouse through specially privileged naturalization procedures ; the granting of such nationality
is subject to such limitations as may be imposed in the interests of national security, public policy or certain penal or administrative provisions taken against the applicant.
3. Each State Party agrees that the present Convention shall not be construed as
affecting any legislation or judicial practice by which the alien husband or wife
of one of its nationals may, at his/her request, acquire his/her spouse's
nationality as a matter of right.
4. The States Parties agree to grant women equal rights with men to transmit their nationality to their children.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS
Article 10
Each State Party agrees to take all appropriate measures to ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in the field of education, which education shall be directed towards the full development of the human personality
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and the sense of its dignity and shall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, each State shall ensure:
(a) Equal conditions for career guidance, access to studies and achievement of a diploma in educational establishments of all categories in rural as well as in urban areas; this equality is to be ensured in pre-schooling, general, technical, professional and higher, including higher technical education, as well as in all types of vocational training;
(b) Equal access to the same curricula, the same examinations, teaching staff with qualifications of the same standard and school premises and equipment of the same quality, whether the institutions are coeducational or not;
(c) The speedy achievement of coeducation, which will also help to eliminate any stereotyped concept of masculine and feminine roles, at all levels and in all forms of education;
(d) Equal opportunities to benefit from scholarships and other study grants;
(e) Equal opportunity for access to programmes of continuing education, including adult and functional literacy programmes, particularly aimed at reducing, at the earliest possible time, the knowledge gap existing between men and women;
(f) Measures to reduce the school drop-out rate among girls and the provision of programmes for young girls who have left school too early;
(g) Access to specific educational information to help ensure the health and well-being of families, this to include information and advice on family planning.
Article 11
1. The States Parties shall undertake to adopt all appropriate measures to ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in the field of economic and social life and, in particular:
(a) The right to work as an inalienable right of all human beings;
(b) The right, without discrimination on grounds of civil status or any other grounds, to receive vocational training and retraining, to free choice of profession and employment and to promotion and job security;
(c) The right to equal remuneration with men for work of equal value and to equality of treatment in respect of the evaluation of quality of work of equal value, as defined in the Convention of the International Labour Organisation on this subject;
(d) The right, equally with men, to social security, particularly in case of retirement, unemployment, sickness, invalidity and old age or other incapacity to work, as well as the right to paid leave;
(e) The right to family benefits on equal terms for men and women;
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(f) Equal employment opportunities for women and prevention of discrimination in employment on the basis of sex.
2. In order to prevent discrimination against women on account of marriage or maternity and to ensure their effective right to work, the States Parties shall undertake measures:
(a) Prohibiting, subject to the imposition of penalties, dismissal on grounds of marriage, pregnancy or maternity leave-
(b_) Progressively to introduce paid leave for pregnancy and maternity without loss of the job held and without loss of social allowances and benefits, the periods of leave being treated as equivalent to periods of work actually performed:; the cost of this protection should be borne by social security systems or other public funds or collective systems :,
(c) To encourage the provision of the necessary supportive social services, including possibilities of child-care services, and to grant women free medical services during pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period.
Article 12
The States Parties shall take all measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to guarantee them equality as participants in and beneficiaries of agricultural and rural development and particularly the right to:
(a) Participate fully in the formulation and implementation of development; planning from the local to the national levels;
(b) Receive adequate medical and health facilities, including family planning advice and services, as well as personal rights to social security on an equal footing with men;
(c) Obtain all types of training and education, formal and non-formal, including functional literacy, as well as the benefit of all community and extension services;
(d) Participate equally in all community activities including co-operatives;
(e) Obtain equal access to credit and loans, marketing facilities, appropriate technologies and equal treatment in land and agrarian reform as well as in land resettlement schemes.
Article 13
1. The States Parties shall encourage measures to enable parents to combine fulfilment of family and parental obligations with activity in the labour force, in professions and in public life and shall, for that purpose, promote the establishment of child-care facilities as needed, as a co-operative effort of Government, business and industry and other institutions and organizations in the private sector.
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2 Appropriate measures shall be taken, including legislation to ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their conditions of employment.
3. Protective legislation applying to women should be reviewed in the light of scientific and technological knowledge, and should be revised, repealed or extended to all workers as necessary.
4. The States Parties shall adopt measures to extend special protection to women for types of work proved to be harmful to them from the standpoint of their social function of reproduction. Such measures shall be periodically reviewed and brought up to date in cases where such limitations are discriminatory with regard to free choice of employment of women and in the light of advances in scientific and technological knowledge.
CIVIL AND FAMILY RIGHTS
Article 14
1. The States Parties shall accord to women equality with men before the law.
2. The States Parties shall accord to women a civil and legal capacity identical to that of men, and the exercise of that capacity. They shall in particular give them equal rights to conclude contracts and administer property and treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and tribunals.
3. The States Parties agree that all contracts and all other legal instruments of any kind directed at restricting the legal capacity of women shall be deemed null and void.
4. The States Parties shall accord to men and women the same rights with regard to the law on the movement of persons and the freedom to choose their residence and domicile.
Article 15
1. The States Parties shall adopt all necessary measures to ensure the full equality of women with men in all matters relating to marriage and family relations, including:
(a) The same right as men to enter into the marriage state:,
(b) The same right as men to free choice of a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their free and full consent;
(C) Equal Rights and responsibilities with during marriage and at its
(d) Equal rights and responsibilities with men for women, whether
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(e) Equal rights of men and women to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise this right;
(f) Recognition of equal rights and responsibilities to be guardians and trustees, and also of an equal right to adopt children;
(g) Recognition of the equal personal rights of husband and wife, including the right to choose a family name, a profession and an occupation;
(h) Recognition of equal rights of both spouses in respect of the ownership, acquisition, management, administration, enjoyment, disposition - whether free of charge or for a valuable consideration - or inheritance of property, whether it be property owned by one spouse or joint property.
2. The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall be prohibited and effective action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.
3. To eliminate discrimination against single parents and to give effect to the principle proclaimed in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child that all children shall be protected, irrespective of the circumstances of their birth, the States Parties shall provide that all children shall enjoy equal rights and equal legal and social protection.
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article l6
1. Nothing in the present Convention shall affect the provisions of domestic legislation in force in a State Party if they are more favourable to women.
2. Similarly, nothing in the present Convention shall affect existing conventions adopted under the auspices of the United Nations or the specialized agencies and having as their object the regulation of various aspects of the status of women,
if they provide for more extensive rights for women.
Article 17
1. The present Convention shall be open for signature by all States.
2. The present Convention is subject to ratification. Instruments of ratification shall he deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
3. The present Convention shall be open to accession by any State. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
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Article 18
1. A request for the revision of the present Convention may be made at any time by any State Party by means of a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. The General Assembly of the United Nations shall decide upon the steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such a request.
Article 19 2/
1. The States Parties undertake to adopt measures at the national level, including the establishment of machinery and procedures, aimed at achieving the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
2. (a) Every two years following the entry into force of the present Convention, the States Parties undertake to submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations reports on the legislative, Judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted and on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Convention; reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the Convention;
(b) In preparing their reports, the States Parties shall make use of national machinery established to promote the advancement of women and of appropriate non-governmental organizations;
(c_) The States Parties shall furnish their reports in stages, in accordance with a programme to be established by the ad hoc Group set up under this article after consultation with the States Parties and the specialized agencies concerned.
3. For the purpose of considering the progress made in the implementation of the
present Convention by the States Parties, the Commission on the Status of Women
shall establish an ad hoc Group consisting of ten to fifteen persons. The Group
shall be elected by the Commission from among its own members who are States
Parties to the Convention and from an additional list of persons nominated by
States Parties to the Convention who are not members of the Commission,
consideration being given to the principle of equitable geographical distribution
and representation of differing legal systems. Those elected to the Group shall
serve in their personal capacity and shall be elected for a two-year term.
4. The ad hoc Group shall normally meet for a period of not more than two weeks before the opening of the regular session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to consider the reports submitted in accordance with paragraph 2 above.
5. The ad hoc Group shall report to the Commission on the Status of Women on its
activities and may make general recommendations based on the examination of the
reports from the States Parties. The Commission shall transmit the report of the
Group, together with its own comments, to the Economic and Social Council.
6. Specialized agencies shall be entitled to be represented at different stages
of the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the present
Convention as fall within the scope of their activities. They shall be entitled to
submit reports on the implementation of relevant instruments adopted by them or
under their auspices.
2/ For administrative and financial implications, see annex III, paras. 1-4..
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7. The Economic and Social Council shall submit periodically to the United Nations General Assembly reports with recommendations of a general nature and a summary of the information received from the States Parties to the present Convention and the specialized agencies on the measures taken and the progress made in achieving full observance of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
8. The Economic and Social Council may bring to the attention of other organs of the United Nations, their subsidiary organs and specialized agencies concerned with furnishing technical assistance any matters arising out of the reports referred to in this part of the present Convention, which may assist such bodies in deciding, each within its field of competence, on the advisability of international measures likely to contribute to the effective progressive implementation of the present Convention.
Article 20
1. The present Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.
2. For each State ratifying the present Convention or acceding to it after the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession, the Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession.
Article 21
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform States of the following:
(a) Signatures, ratifications and accessions under article 17;
(b) The date of entry into force of the present Convention under article 20.
Article 22
The present Convention, the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations. Duly certified copies of the present Convention shall be transmitted to the Governments of the signatory and acceding States.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, duly authorized, have signed the present Convention.
An additional article on reservations
1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall receive and circulate to all States which are or may become Parties to the present Convention the text of reservations made by States at the time of ratification or accession. Any State which objects to the reservation shall, within a period of ninety days from the late of the said communication, notify the Secretary-General that it does not accept it.
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2. A reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the present Convention shall not be permitted, nor shall a reservation the effect of which would inhibit the operation of the ad hoc Group established by the Convention he allowed. A reservation shall be considered incompatible or inhibitive if at least two thirds of the States Parties to the Convention object to it.
3. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time by notification to this effect addressed to the Secretary-General. Such notification shall take effect on the date on which it is received. 3/
3/ The Style Committee is to determine the place of this article in the draft Convention.
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II
National mechanisms to oversee the implementation of the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women and the future Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women 4/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling that the General Assembly, in its resolution 3520 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, proclaimed the period 1976-1985 the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace,
Recalling also that, at the request of the General Assembly, the Commission on the Status of Women has prepared a draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Bearing in mind the continued attention, the Commission on the Status of Women has given to the importance of machinery at the national level, such as national commissions and secretariats on the status of women, to ensure the effective implementation of all the measures recommended by the Commission to promote equality between men and women,
Aware of the impetus given by the International Women's Year to the creation of national machinery for promoting the advancement of women,
Noting paragraph 34 of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, 5/ which recommends the establishment of interdisciplinary and multisectoral machinery within Government,
1. Urges Governments to establish such permanent machinery in order to ensure the effectiveness of the United Nations Decade for Women and the proper implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women when it comes into force;
2. Recommends that, in the establishment of such machinery, States make provision for the participation of representatives from Governments, non-governmental organizations and other bodies, as appropriate, which are in a position to promote equality between men and women and to bring about changes in traditional attitudes towards women and men.
4/ See paras. 294-296.
5/ Report of the World Conference of the International Women's Year (United Nations publication, Sales No.: E.76.IV.I), chap. II, sect. A.
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III
Training for the preparation and implementation of project proposals 6/
The Economic and Social Council,
Considering that women should have equal access to participation in the formulation and implementation of development planning at the local, national, regional and international levels,
Considering also that women, for the most part, have not participated in the systems governing funding allocations and have not had an active role in national development planning,
Considering further that it is essential for women to acquire the necessary skills in the preparation of development project proposals, project management and evaluation procedures,
Concerned that women may continue to be denied participation on an equal basis with men unless they have the necessary skills,
1. Invites the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and the executive heads of the specialized agencies, wherever possible in co-ordination with the appropriate international training and research institutes, regional commissions and national Governments, to organize training programmes for women and women's organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in the preparation of project proposals and in the management and evaluation of these projects;
2. Suggests that such training incorporate, among other things, the following:
(a) How to look for needs of the community and formulate a project plan;
(b) How to identify good project suggestions;
(c) How to determine priorities as they relate to national development;
(d) How to write a proposal, including budget estimates of time, personnel, equipment and technical support;
(e) How to locate sources of local funding, generate funds and seek new sources of financial and human resource support from private and government sources;
(f) How to negotiate and obtain support for proposals from potential sources of funds including contributions in kind;
(g) How to locate and develop management skills among women for the implementation and evaluation of the project;
6/ See paras. 297-305.
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(h) How to ensure timely and appropriate implementation;
(i) How to evaluate progress of implementation, solve problems and determine when special assistance is needed to complete the project;
3. Recommends that Member States generate such training at all levels and/or requests for such training from the United Nations system or other potential donor groups, with the view that developing the skills of women in such techniques will prove beneficial in all aspects of project design, execution and evaluation pertaining to social and economic development;
4. Requests that this kind of training be envisaged as a possible programme of the planned International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women;
5. Invites all international agencies to prepare reports which include the
following information:
(a) The frequency of management and training courses, their content and where and by whom they were organized;
(b) The extent to which women are integrated in such courses;
(c) How much stress the international agency places on the inclusion of women in the preparation of project proposals in its work with national Governments;
(d) How much effort has been placed on the dissemination of information, for example to individual women leaders and women's organizations, about these courses, as well as other kinds of training and education on formal and informal bases;
(e) Whether participation increases in accordance with the efforts made to encourage women to take advantage of these courses;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a progress report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session, in 1978, on the steps taken to implement the present resolution and to submit a further report on action taken to the Commission at its twenty-eighth session and to the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980;
7. Expresses the wish that international agencies should themselves set an example to States by allocating to women an equitable number of responsible posts in all structures entrusted with the implementation of the present resolution.
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IV
Review and appraisal of progress made under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade and in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International
Women's Year 7/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3490 (XXX) and 3520 (XXX) of 12 and 15 December 1975, in which the General Assembly affirmed that a system-wide review and appraisal of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year 5/ should be undertaken biennially as an input to the process of review and appraisal of progress made under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, 8/ taking into account the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order 9/ and the decisions resulting from the sixth and seventh special sessions of the General Assembly,
Recalling also that the General Assembly, in paragraph 4 of its resolution 3490 (XXX), requested the Commission on the Status of Women to report its findings and conclusions on major trends and policies with regard to the status of women, particularly the integration of women in development, to the Economic and Social Council through the Committee for Development Planning and the Committee on Review and Appraisal,
Noting that at its twenty-sixth session the Commission on the Status of Women considered reports submitted by Governments in implementation of the above-mentioned General Assembly resolutions, as well as of Council resolution 1855 (LVl) of 16 May 1974 (E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2),
Recognizing that, within the time-limit given, few Governments were able to report on measures taken at the national level specifically to implement the World Plan of Action and that it is therefore difficult at this stage to adopt findings and conclusions on major global trends and policies with regard to the status of women,
Believing that the review undertaken by the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-sixth session should be considered as a first preliminary review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action and that a more comprehensive review should be undertaken at the twenty-seventh session in 1978,
Noting the decision of the General Assembly in its resolution 3520 (XXX), paragraph 20, to convene, in 1980, a world conference of all States to review and evaluate the progress made in implementing the objectives of the International Women's Year,
7/ See paras. 308-313.
8/ General Assembly resolution 2626 (XXV).
9/ General Assembly resolution 3202 (S-Vl).
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1. Notes with interest the following developments reported during the
period under review in a number of countries:
(a) The recognition of and commitment to the principle of equality of men and women and the integration of women in development, "both for reasons of social progress and for economic development;
(b) The adoption or plans for adoption of constitutional and/or legislative provisions ensuring the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sex;
(c) The establishment of provisions for equal access at every level of education and guidance, compulsory education and the measures necessary to promote co-education and to prevent school drop-outs;
(d) The adoption of comprehensive measures for health education, health services, sanitation, nutrition, family education, family planning and other welfare services;
2. Considers that, on the "basis of the material submitted, action is
urgently needed to improve the situation of women in the following areas in order
to meet the minimum targets set forth in paragraph 46 of the World Plan of Action
for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year for the
five-year period 1975-1980:
(a) The enactment of legislation guaranteeing the principle of equality and non-discrimination on grounds of sex;
(b) Appropriate measures to inform and advise women of their rights, utilizing the mass communication media wherever appropriate, and to provide them with assistance in exercising their rights and responsibilities;
(c) The establishment of goals, strategies and time-tables to increase the participation of women in decision making at local, national and international levels;
(d) The establishment of specific target dates for the elimination of illiteracy especially among young persons and the provision of the measures necessary for its maintenance within as short a time as possible for each State;
(e) The provision of life-long and continuing education, training and retraining facilities to meet the needs and aspirations of women;
(f) The development of modern rural technology, cottage industry, pre-school day-care centres, and time and energy saving devices to help reduce the heavy workload and increase the resources of women, particularly those living in rural sectors and the urban poor;
(g) The creation of new employment and income-producing opportunities for women and the expansion of existing employment opportunities, and elimination of discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment on grounds of sex;
(h) The establishment or strengthening of an interdisciplinary and multisectoral machinery by Governments for accelerating the achievement of equal opportunities for women and their full integration into national life;
17

(i) The establishment and enforcement of measures to facilitate the combination of family and work responsibilities;
(j) The provision and extension of comprehensive and continuous health and other social services to underprivileged urban and rural communities, including maternity and child-care services as well as family life education;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of the Committee on Development Planning at its thirteenth session in April 1977 and to the Committee on Review and Appraisal at its fourth session in May 19775 together with the relevant reports submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-sixth session (E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2) and any information submitted subsequent to the preparation of these reports;
4. Urges the Committee on Development Planning and the Committee on Review and Appraisal, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 3490 (XXX), paragraph 5, to pay special attention to the question of the status of women and to take into account the above recommendations in the review and appraisal in 1977 of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade;
5. Requests the Secretary-General, in connexion with the next review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action:
(a) To prepare, in consultation with the regional commissions, a questionnaire on the implementation of the World Plan of Action to be forwarded to Governments early in 1977;
(b) To prepare a report on the basis of the replies to the questionnaire for the consideration of the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session in January 1978;
6. Also requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To ensure as far as possible that, in 1979, the questionnaire relating to the implementation of the World Plan of Action shall be forwarded to Governments, together with the request for information relating to the review and appraisal of the International Development Strategy;
(b) To prepare a comprehensive report based on the replies to these questionnaires, for consideration at the twenty-eighth session of the Committee on the Status of Women and at the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980.
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V
Supplementary report on the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year 10/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3490 (XXX) and 3520 (XXX) of 12 and 15 December 1975, in which the Secretary-General is requested to prepare, on the basis of the information received from Governments and competent organizations within the United Nations system, a preliminary progress report, for consideration by the General Assembly at its thirty-first session, on the measures undertaken in implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, 5/
Recalling that the request to Governments to communicate information concerning the achievements and the implementation of the World Plan of Action was made only in May 1976,
Bearing in mind that documents E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2 do not reflect the situation in all Member States since they were prepared on the basis of replies from only twenty-five countries,
1. Requests the Secretary-General to urge Governments that have not yet done so to transmit their reports on the activities undertaken in their countries in implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, as a matter of urgency, a supplementary report on the basis of the information that was received but could not be incorporated in documents E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2, and of the information received subsequently, for consideration by the General Assembly at its thirty-second session.
VI
Improvement of the data base for measuring the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year 11/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 3490 (XXX) of 12 December 1975, and paragraph 216 of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, 5/ which provide for the submission to the Economic and Social Council and its relevant functional commissions and advisory
10/ See paras. 314 and 315. 11/ See paras. 316-320.
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bogies, at their forthcoming sessions, inter alia the Commission on the Status of Women and the Statistical Commission, of the Decisions of the relevant United nations bodies, specialized agencies, regional commissions and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations,
Recalling also the provisions of paragraphs 167-17O of the World Plan of Action on the collection and analysis of relevant data,
Convinced of the need to build up a scientific and reliable data base and socio-economic indicators, in order to measure more accurately the implementation of the World Plan of Action,
l. Requests the Statistical Commission at its twentieth session, as a vital contribution to the success of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, 1976-1985, to initiate action in co-operation with national statistical offices, regional commissions and intergovernmental organizations and units of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, especially the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with a view to developing:
(a.) Improved methods for the collection and tabulation of statistical data, particularly at the national and regional levels, to obtain breakdowns by sex for indicators such as urban/rural residence, age, marital status, literacy, education, income, level of skills and participation in modern and traditional economic activities, and relevant information on household and family composition;
(b) Guidelines and methods to assess the participation of women at all levels and in all sectors of planning and decision making in society;
(c) Guidelines and methods for the measurement of women's actual economic and social contributions which are not a part of regular national data collection systems;
2. Requests the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development to co-operate with other relevant bodies within the United Nations system in preparing an inventory of social and economic indicators relevant to the analysis of the status of women, on the basis of its work on the research data bank of development indicators and its project on monitoring changes in the conditions of women for planning and programming purposes.
VII
Involvement of non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the world plan of Action for the Implementation of the objective.
of the International Women's Year and the Convention on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women 12/
The Economic and Social Council.
Bearing in mind that there are more than five hundred non-governmental
12/ See paras. 321-324.
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Considering that these non-governmental organizations have been working at the grass-roots level and have vast experience which has "been of great assistance to the work of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, particularly in implementing the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 13/
Recalling especially that the General Assembly, in paragraph 8 of its resolution 3520 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, urged non-governmental organizations at the national and international levels to take all possible measures to assist in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, 5/
1. Requests all Governments and intergovernmental organizations to encourage non-governmental organizations to play their full part in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year;
2. Requests also that all kinds of training and retraining programmes organized by the United Nations and the specialized agencies, intergovernmental and regional organizations and all other organizations concerned in the implementation of the World Plan of Action should take note of the needs of the non-governmental organizations, with a view to developing and using their specialized knowledge and experience to the greatest extent possible;
3. Requests further that the Commission on the Status of Women, in following up the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, take note of the statements from non-governmental organizations together with reports submitted by States parties to the Convention.
VIII
Preparatory work for the World Conference of the United Nations
Decade for Women, 1980 14/
The Economic and Social Council,
Considering that the General Assembly, in its resolution 3520 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, decided to convene in 1980 a world conference of all States to review and evaluate the progress made in implementing the objectives of the International Women's Year and, where necessary, to readjust existing programmes in the light of new data and research available,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1999 (LX) of 12 May 1976, in which the Council requested the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-sixth session to consider different aspects of the preparatory work for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980, including its agenda, and decided to consider at its sixty-fourth session the preparatory work for the Conference on the basis of the deliberations of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on Review and Appraisal,
13/ General Assembly resolution 2263 (XXII). 14/ See paras. 344-350.
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Noting the recommendations made by the Commission on the Status of Women as contained in its report on the twenty-sixth session,
1. Decides, in connexion with the next review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year.5/ and the preparatory work required for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980, to establish, on the basis of equitable geographical distribution, an Ad Hoc Committee composed of sixteen representatives of the States members of the Commission on the Status of Women to submit to the Commission at its twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth sessions in 1978 and 1980, proposals concerning the substantive and organizational arrangements for the Conference, taking into account all the relevant reports relating to the review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action, as well as the discussions of the Commission and the documents (E/CN.6/6OO and E/CN.6/L.713) submitted to it at its twenty-sixth session; the Ad Hoc Committee will meet, if possible, immediately before the 1978 and 1980 sessions of the Commission and, if the Commission deems it necessary, an additional meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee will be held in 1979; 15/
2. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare for the consideration of the Ad Hoc Committee a report outlining a programme of concrete action for the second half of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, 1976-1985, as the basis for a report to be submitted to the 1980 World Conference.
IX
Influence of the mass communication media on attitudes towards the roles of women and men in present-day society 16/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling section IV of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, 5/ which provides guidelines for national action related to the mass communication media that encompass radio, television, cinema, press, advertising, public meetings and similar forums, as well as traditional types of entertainment which are essential for reaching the rural areas of many countries,
Convinced that the mass communication media, in many instances, have a detrimental effect on the attitudes and values regarding women's roles in society; that they often present obstacles to desirable changes in behavioral patterns, and that they can perpetuate stereotypes and myths pertaining to women,
Convinced also that the mass communication media have great potential (a) as a. vehicle for social change, (b) for the dissemination of information in the fields of education and training, (c) for removing prejudices and stereotypes, (d) for accelerating acceptance of the expanding roles of women and (e) for the promotion
15/ For administrative and financial implications, see annex III, paras. 5-8.
16/ See paras. 353 and 360-370.
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of their integration in development as equal partners with men, and that they are important for the achievement of equality, development and peace,
Recalling that the Secretary-General, in his report to the Commission on the Status of Women (E/CN.6/601 and Corr.1) states that there is little information available on the images of women projected by the more traditional types of mass communication media and their influence on the perpetuation of sex-role stereotypes, and that there is need for research in this area,
1. Encourages Member States to make representatives of mass communication
media aware of the importance of formulating policies and guidelines for treatment
of women in the media to include:
(a) Review of their recruitment, training and promotion policies and practices to ensure that there is no discrimination against women and that they have equal opportunities to advance at all levels of professional, technical and decision-making positions in the mass communication media;
(b) Dissemination of more news about women, particularly about progress made in the legal, social and political fields, in all languages of the country, this news being given the place it deserves in the light of its subject-matter and not all of it being placed in sections reserved for women;
(c) Portrayal of the roles and achievements of women from all walks of life, especially in the fields of development and social welfare, including women in the rural areas;
2. Recommends that Member States encourage the presentation of programmes
and the publication of materials which ensure the elimination of sex-role
stereotyping in educational and informational activities and the projection of a
positive image of men and women;
3. Requests that Member States take whatever action is necessary to establish and strengthen co-operative systems for schools and libraries in the production and dissemination of education and information materials for use by television, radio, press, mobile units, community centers and other public facilities in urban and rural areas;
4. Recommends that Member States encourage educational institutions and organizations to make greater use of the mass communication media for formal and informal education, literacy programmes, vocational training, political, civic and cultural education, as well as the formation of new attitudes about the role of men and women in society;
5. Requests the United Rations Educationl, Scientific and Cultural Organization, with a view to helping developing countries, to prepare educational films for primary schools and functional literacy which are concerned with the improvement of the image of women and doing away with stereotyped sex roles;
6. Suggests that Member States create committees or councils, comprised of men and women in private, governmental and intergovernmental sectors, to advise and meet with policy and decision-making staff of the mass communication media, including particularly the field of advertising, for discussions and evaluations of progress towards changing the image and status of women in the media;
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7. Encourages governmental and non-governmental organizations, especially in co-operation with those dealing with the mass communication media, to organize workshops and seminars intended to create a greater understanding and public awareness of the potential and actual role of women in their respective societies, and to utilize the mass communication media to project positive and more accurate images of women;
8. Decides to appoint a special Rapporteur, taking into account the close relationship between the economic and social aspects of development and the necessity of the full integration of women in the development process, to prepare a study on the impact of the mass communication media on the changing roles of men and women, including action taken by the public and private sectors at national, regional and international levels, to remove prejudices and sex-role stereotyping, to accelerate the acceptance of women's new and expanded roles in society and to promote their integration into the development process as equal partners with men; this information is to be drawn, inter alia, from studies on this subject to be undertaken by relevant research institutes, from seminars to be organized for this purpose, as well as from other studies which may be under way; 17/
9. Requests the special Rapporteur to submit a progress report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session and a comprehensive report containing findings at its twenty-eighth session;
10. Recommends further that the Ad Hoc Committee established under resolution . . . include the subject of the influence of the mass communication media on attitudes towards the roles of women and men in present-day society as a possible agenda item for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980.
X Communications concerning the status of women 18/
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its decision 86 (LVIII) of 6 May 1975, in which the Commission on the Status of Women was invited to consider the advisability of continuing to deal with communications concerning the status of women,
Recalling also that, despite the specific procedures provided for in its resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970 for dealing with communications, such procedures do not in any way detract from the competence of the Commission on the Status of Women under the provisions of Council resolution 76 (V) of 5 August 1947 as amended by its resolution 304 I (XI) of July 1950,
Noting the relevant resolutions and procedures dealing with communications concerning human rights and the status of women, as set forth in the explanatory report of the Secretary-General (E/5628) and in the note of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/602),
17/ For administrative and financial implications, see annex III, paras. 9-11.
18/ See paras, 376-377.
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Bearing in mind that the World Conference of the International Women's Year and the World Plan of Action 5/ adopted by the Conference supported women in all countries of the world in their protests against violations of human rights and called for an exchange of information and experience at the international level as an effective means of stimulating progress and encouraging the adoption of measures to eliminate discrimination against women,
Noting also that exercise of that competence in regard to communications concerning the status of women does not in any way detract from the effectiveness of separate and distinct United Nations procedures for dealing with communications concerning human rights nor does it prevent the Commission on the Status of Women and other United Nations "bodies from receiving copies of the same communications to be considered for different purposes,
Mindful of the lack of any other United Nations body providing an effective clearing-house for information submitted to the Secretary-General by persons and organizations concerned with improving the status of women,
1. Decides to retain as part of the work programme of the Commission on the Status of Women the consideration of those communications received by the Secretary-General under Economic and Social Council resolution 728 F (XXVIII) of 30 July 1959, relating to the status of women;
2. Establishes an ad hoc working group to meeting during the regular
sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women to review such communications in
private, having due regard to maintaining the confidentiality of individual
communications, for the purpose of studying information helpful to the Commission
in fulfilling its terms of reference under Council resolution 48 (IV) of
29 March 1947, in the field of women's rights;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to forward to the Commission on the Status
of Women two lists, one confidential and one non-confidential, summarizing
communications received relating to the status of women pursuant to procedures set
forth in Council resolution 76 (V) as amended by its resolution 304 I (XI).
B. Other decisions
2. The Commission on the Status of Women adopted a decision which was transmitted
to the Economic and Social Council at its resumed sixty-first session.
Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women
3. At its 659th meeting, on 1 October 1976, the Commission decided without a vote
to request the Economic and Social Council, at its resumed sixty-first session, to
transmit the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women to the General
Assembly at its thirty-first session (see para. 293).
4. At its 2035th meeting, on 27 October 1976, the Economic and Social Council, in
its decision 196 (LXI), decided, as an exception, (a) to take note of the decision
adopted by the Commission concerning the Programme for the United Nations Decade for
Women, (b) to transmit the Programme to the General Assembly at its thirty-first
session for its information, and (c) to consider the report of the Commission as a
whole at the sixty-second session. The General Assembly subsequently, in its
resolution 31/136 of 16 December 1976, approved the Programme as adopted by the
Commission. -25-

II. INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS RELATING TO THE STATUS OF WOMEN
A. Draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
5. The Commission considered item 3 (a) of its agenda at its 632nd, 634th, 636th, 638th, 640th, 642nd, 644th, 646th to 652nd, 658th and 659th meetings, at the twenty-sixth session and at its 660th to 667th, 672nd to 674th and 679th meetings, at the resumed twenty-sixth session. It had "before it a working paper based on comments received from Governments, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council on the draft articles contained in the report of the Working Group on the Preparation of a New Instrument or Instruments of International Law to Eliminate Discrimination against Women (E/CN.6/591), as well as the text of a draft Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women together with relevant comments received from the Government of Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1).
6. In introducing the working paper and the addendum, the Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, explained that it had been prepared in response to resolution 1 (XXV) of the Commission on the Status of Women. It was based on replies received from 40 Governments, four specialized agencies and 10 non-governmental organizations. She explained that the working paper consisted, for the most part, of an analysis of the replies received with respect to the different parts and articles of the draft Convention elaborated by the Commission at its twenty-fifth session. She noted that only the replies of Benin, Indonesia and the All-African Women's Conference had been reproduced in annex II to the working paper, because each of them had proposed a new draft Convention. She further explained that since the draft Conventions submitted by Benin, Indonesia and the All-African Women's Conference were based on the text elaborated "by the Working Group, they were analyzed in the working paper together with all replies that had been received. The Commission was also reminded that, at its twenty-fifth session, the Working Group had decided not to vote on any articles of the draft Convention. Where the Working Group had not reached a consensus and alternative texts had been proposed, recommendations made, or reservations expressed, that fact was reflected in relation to the relevant articles mentioned in the report of the Working Group. The report itself was reproduced in annex III of the working paper (E/CN.6/591).
7. Several representatives noted that, as the future Convention was a very important document, the Commission should do its utmost to complete it at the current session, or at least to finish the greater part of it. In that respect, reference was made to General Assembly resolution 3521 (XXX), in which the Assembly requested the Commission to complete the elaboration of the draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 1976. As far as the draft before the Commission was concerned, several representatives emphasized that it was progressive and comprehensive, since it contained not only anti-discriminatory measures but also a number of positive and constructive steps designed to advance the status of women in different fields.
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8. The observer of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) expressed her appreciation of the tremendous work done by the Secretariat in preparing the working paper. However, as at the previous session of the Commission, she drew attention to the necessity of avoiding the possible overlapping between the existing ILO instrument relating to the status of women and the Convention now being elaborated by the Commission. She suggested, therefore, that the Convention should be brief and to the point, without going into the details which were duly reflected in the respective ILO and UNESCO Conventions. She further pointed out that the systems of implementation could overlap, since Governments would have similar obligations under several international instruments. References were made to respective ILO conventions, and in particular to Convention No. 100 concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women for Work of Equal Value and No. 103 concerning Maternity Protection. She explained that, though in the ILO Conventions some provisions were updated and their revision was necessary, they were more detailed and comprehensive in their respective fields than the draft Convention presented to the Commission. Besides, it was observed that maternity protection should not result in discrimination against women and that this should be one of the main concerns of the Convention of the Commission.
Procedure followed by the Commission in its consideration of the item
9. The Commission, at its 632nd meeting, decided to begin its consideration of the draft Convention with the general provisions and substantive articles before taking up the preamble and remaining articles. At its 659th meeting, it noted that it had completed consideration of the substantive articles of the draft Convention, except for article 4 and that there remained for its consideration, in addition to article 4, the final provisions and the preamble. The Commission agreed further that some of the articles already adopted might require review from the point of view of style and concordance of the different language versions.
10. At its twenty-sixth resumed session, the Commission completed consideration of the draft Convention as a whole. At its 674th meeting, it appointed a Style Committee composed of the Chairman of the Commission and the representatives of France, Mexico, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States.
The Committee had time to review only the preamble and articles 1 to 13. The text of these articles as revised by the Style Committee is reproduced in annex IV.
11. At its 6T9th meeting, the Commission recommended a draft resolution for
adoption by the Economic and Social Council under which the Council would submit
the draft Convention to the General Assembly. (For the text see chap. I, draft
resolution I.)
Consideration of the draft Convention TITLE OF THE CONVENTION
12. At its 632nd meeting, the Commission decided, without a vote that the title
of the Convention should he similar to that of the Declaration on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women (General Assembly resolution 2263 (XXII)).
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PREAMBLE
13. The Commission considered the preamble to the draft Convention at its resumed twenty-sixth session, at the 663rd to 665th meetings. It had "before it three versions of the preamble: the original, an alternative text (E/CN.6/591, annex III) and the text proposed by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1). Some representatives noted that the text proposed by Belgium duly reflected both the original and the alternative versions and was therefore most suitable as the basis for discussion.
First five paragraphs
14. At its 663rd meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the first five paragraphs based on the Belgian version, oral amendments to the fourth and fifth paragraphs were accepted in the course of the discussion.
Sixth paragraph
15. The sixth paragraph was adopted without a vote at the 664th meeting.
Seventh paragraph
16. At the 664th meeting the representative of India orally proposed the insertion
of an additional paragraph based on the third paragraph of the original text.
Several oral amendments were submitted to this text in the course of the discussion.
A revised version presented by the United Kingdom in document E/CN.6/L.702 was
adopted without a vote at the 665th meeting.
Eighth paragraph
17. The German Democratic Republic submitted a new paragraph (E/CN.6/L.703), which read as follows:
"Affirming that the strengthening of international peace and security, friendly co-operation of all States irrespective of their social and economic systems, effective disarmament, the elimination of colonialism and racism in all forms, and the implementation of the right to self-determination are indispensable prerequisites for the safeguarding of the fundamental human rights including those of women."
18. The representative of the United States expressed the opinion that this paragraph was not a statement of general principle in keeping with usual preambular content.
19. The representative of the United Kingdom orally proposed an amendment to the above text, consisting of the deletion of the words "implementation of the", and the substitution of the words "safeguarding of the fundamental rights of women" for the words "safeguarding of the fundamental human rights, including those of women".
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20. The representative of the United States proposed replacing "effective disarmament" by "general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control".
21. The representative of India orally proposed modifying the last part of the amendment to read: "are vital to the safeguarding of the fundamental rights of women, in the safeguarding of which women should play their full part".
22. The representative of Mexico suggested that the concept of development should be reflected in. the new paragraph and proposed the addition of the phrase "the elimination of the gap between developing and developed countries".
23. The representative of Senegal proposed the addition of the word "apartheid" after the word "colonialism", and the representative of Colombia proposed changing the word "indispensable" to "important".
24. These various proposals were taken into consideration in the revised text prepared by a working group (E/CN.6/L.704). This text was adopted without a vote at the 665th meeting and included as the eighth paragraph of the preamble.
25. The representative of France reserved the position of her Government and the
representative of the United States expressed reservations with respect to that
paragraph.
Ninth paragraph
26. As the basis for its consideration of this paragraph at its 665th meeting, the
Commission took the seventh paragraph of the preamble presented by Belgium. The
representative of India submitted an oral amendment rephrasing the paragraph as
follows:
"Convinced that the full and complete development of a country requires the maximum participation of women as well as men in all fields".
With further amendments by the representatives of the German Democratic Republic and Iran, the paragraph was adopted without a vote.
Tenth paragraph
27. As the basis for its consideration of this paragraph at its 665th meeting, the
Commission took the eighth paragraph of the preamble presented by Belgium. The
representative of Sweden proposed amending that text by deleting the words
"the creation of the material and spiritual values of" adding after the word "society" the words "so far not fully recognized" and replacing the word "motherhood" by the word "parenthood". The representative of the United States, supporting in principle the amendment proposed by Sweden, proposed further amendments, so that the paragraph would read as follows:
"Bearing in mind the great contribution of women to society, so far not fully recognized, the social significance of the role of parents in the family and in the rearing of children".
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28. After further modifications, this paragraph was adopted without a vote.
Eleventh paragraph
29. At its 665th meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the last paragraph of the preamble as it appears in document E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1.
30. The preamble as a whole was adopted without a vote at the same meeting.
GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1
31. At its 632nd meeting, the Commission considered article 1 of the draft
Convention. Opinion was divided with respect to the alternative and original
texts. Thus, some countries expressed the conviction that the Convention should
deal not only with discrimination against women, hut with discrimination on
grounds of sex as a whole. On the other hand, other representatives stressed the
view that the Convention should deal with discrimination against women and that
women's position in society and their dual role at home and at work, and their
maternal functions in particular, needed the adoption of special measures which
should not he considered discriminatory. The United Kingdom unified the two
versions and presented a new one which read:
"For the purpose of the present Convention the term discrimination against women' shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference made on the basis of sex, which has the effect of, or the purpose of, nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, on a basis of equality with men, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life."
32. During the discussion, the representative of the United Kingdom proposed the deletion of the words "or preference" and the insertion of the words "impairing or" before the word "nullifying". With these amendments article 1 was adopted without a vote.
33. After the adoption of article 1, the representative of Sweden stated for the record that if the article had been voted upon, Sweden would have abstained since the text did not include the term "discrimination on grounds of sex". She emphasized the fact that the term "discrimination" should correspond to the formulation contained in paragraph 5 of the Declaration of Mexico. 19/ The representative of Denmark took the same position, specifying that the definition of the term "discrimination" should follow that of the term in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (General Assembly resolution 2106 A (XX)), which includes the word "preference".
19/ Report of the World Conference of the International Women's Year (United Nations publication, Sales No: E.76.IV.1), chap. I.
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Article 2
3k. Article 2 was discussed at the 632nd, 634th and 636th meetings. Opinion was divided with respect to the alternative and original texts. While a number of representatives found the original text comprehensive and to the point, others felt that it was too rigid and could result in fewer ratifications of the Convention. On the other hand, the alternative text was found to be quite satisfactory by some representatives and very inadequate by others.
35. The representative of Mexico expressed reservations with respect to article 2. The solution was found in the amended version of the article proposed by Belgium, in document E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1. Introducing that amendment, the representative of Belgium indicated that the draft submitted by her Government was not a final document and reserved the right to make other proposals in due time. The amended version of article 2, presented by Belgium, read as follows:
"States Parties condemn discrimination against women and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women in all its forms, and to this end:
"(a) Each State Party undertakes to embody the principle of the equality of men and women in its national Constitution, if not yet incorporated, and to guarantee by law the practical realization of this principle;
"(b) Each State Party undertakes to adopt legislative measures accompanied by penalties prohibiting all discrimination against women and guaranteeing the realization of the principle of equality of rights;
"(c) Each State Party undertakes to establish legal protection for equal rights of men and women;
"(d) Each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and public institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;
"(e) Each State Party undertakes to adopt all preventive measures to bar discrimination against women by any person or organization;
"(f) Each State Party shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to nullify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which are discriminatory to women;
"(g) Each State Party undertakes to promote organizations and movements whose purpose is to advance the status of women and eliminate all discrimination against them."
36. The following amendments were proposed to this text:
- In the introductory part, the representative of the United States proposed replacing the words "against women" in the first line, by the words "based on sex" and adding the word "sex" before the word "discrimination" in the second line. She further proposed that the words "against women in all its forms" be deleted.
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The USSR delegation opposed this modification, referring to the agreed title of
the Convention as well as to the formulation of article
by consensus.
- In subparagraph (b), the representatives of Indonesia and Senegal proposed deleting the words "accompanied by penalties"; the representative of the United States preferred to maintain them.
- In subparagraph (d), the representative of the United States proposed changing the word "public" to the word "governmental"; the representative of the USSR preferred the word "state" to the word "governmental. The representative of Senegal proposed that the words "and private" be included before the word "institutions".
- In subparagraph (e), the representative of Senegal proposed replacing the words "to bar" by a stronger verb; the representative of the United States proposed that the words "based on sex" should replace the words "against women".
- In subparagraph (g),he representative of Senegal proposed deleting the word "all".
37. After due deliberation, at its 642nd meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the text (E/CN.6/605) proposed by the informal working group especially created to consider article 2 and composed of interested members of the Commission.
38. Commenting on the article as adopted, the representative of Madagascar
proposed using the word "s'engage" instead of the word "s'efforce" in
subparagraphs (e) and (g) of the French text; the representative of Mexico also
proposed replacing the word "juridique" by the word "juridictionnelle" in
subparagraph (c) of the French text. At the same time, she expressed reservation
with respect to that article, finding it too repetitive. She voiced the hope that
it would be possible to improve it in the process of drafting, giving it more
comprehensive sense. The representatives of Iran and Pakistan stated that, though
their delegations agreed in principle to article 2, some of the provisions of that
article did not conform to their national legislation. The representative of
Sweden stated that the Swedish delegation favoured a broader concept of
discrimination, i.e. discrimination on the grounds of sex, and therefore if the
article had been put to a vote, the Swedish representative would have abstained.
A similar position was taken by the representative of the United States in her reservation to the words "discriminatory to women" in subparagraph (f). The representative of Denmark expressed reservation with respect to subparagraph (a), finding that it was up to each country to decide whether the principle of equality would be guaranteed by Constitution, legislation or other appropriate means, for example collective agreements-
Article 3
39. Article 3 was discussed at the 634th meeting. The importance of this article
was recognized by most representatives. It was adopted with some modifications
without a vote.
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Article 4
4O. At the 634th meeting, the representative of the United Kingdom offered a modified version of article 4, which read as follows:
"1. The adoption of special temporary measures aimed at establishing de facto equality between men and women shall not be considered discriminatory, where circumstances justify their introduction.
"2. Measures in the social security field reflecting the different social needs of men and women shall not be considered discriminatory.
"3. Measures undertaken for the protection of women in certain branches of work, due to their physical nature and for the promotion of the welfare of mothers, shall not be interpreted as violating the principle of equality of rights of men and women."
41. Though some representatives stressed the significance of the article and the necessity of adopting it as presented in the draft Convention, most felt that in view of the close link between this article and article 11 of the draft Convention, they should be discussed together. The Commission therefore decided, by 12 votes to 7, with 3 abstentions, to postpone the debate on article 4.
42. The consideration of article 4 was resumed at the 660th and 66lst meetings. The Commission had before it, in addition to the original text, the above-mentioned modified version presented by the United Kingdom and a version presented by the United States (E/CN.6/L.688).
43 The text proposed by the United States was the following:
"Adoption by States of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality shall not be considered discriminatory and should in no way entail, as a consequence, the maintenance of unequal or separate standards and should be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity and treatment have been achieved."
44. An oral amendment by the representative of France to replace the words "and should" by the words "but shall" after the word "discriminatory" in the above text was accepted by the sponsor.
45. The representative of Denmark orally proposed adding the words "and men" after the words "conditions for women" and deleting paragraph 2 of the original text of article 4 (E/CN.6/591, annex III). During the discussion which followed, however, she withdrew her amendments in favour of the United States' version of the article.
46. The representative of Canada proposed replacing paragraphs 2 and 3 of the United Kingdom amendment by the following paragraph:
"Adoption of special measures aimed at protecting maternity shall not be considered discriminatory."
This amendment, after further amendment by the representative of Hungary, read as follows:
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"Adoption by States of special measures, including those measures contained in the present Convention, aimed at protecting maternity, shall not be considered discriminatory."
47. At its 66lst meeting the Commission adopted, without a vote, paragraph 1 of article 4, based on the United States' text as orally amended by France.
48. Paragraph 2 of article 4, as presented by Canada and subsequently further amended by Hungary was adopted at its 66lst meeting by 15 votes to none, with 6 abstentions.
Article 5
49. Article 5 was discussed at the 636th and 638th meetings. Some representatives stressed the necessity of including in the article a provision concerning the protection of motherhood as a social function. Other representatives preferred to consider this concept in the context of economic and social rights.
50. At its 636th meeting, the Commission adopted paragraph 1 without a vote. The text adopted was a modified version of the alternative text presented by Mexico and amended by the United States.
51. As far as paragraph 2 was concerned, three versions were presented for the Commission's consideration. The first one, submitted by Cuba (E/CN.6/L.676), read as follows:
"Suitable family education which should include a proper understanding of motherhood as a social function and the recognition of the common roles of men and women in bearing responsibility for children should figure prominently in plans drawn up for this purpose."
The second version, presented by Belgium and France (E/CN.6/L.677), read as follows:
"In view of the importance of motherhood as a social function the same attention should be given to the family education of the couple with a view to the equitable sharing of all tasks between the parents."
The United States version (E/CN.6/L.678) read as follows:
"In the determination of roles, it should be recognized that both motherhood and fatherhood are responsible social functions."
52- During the discussion which followed, most representatives supported the
Cuban version; subsequently, the representatives of Belgium, France and the
United States withdrew their proposals.
53. The representative of Egypt proposed amending the Cuban text so that it should
read as follows:
"Suitable family education should include a proper understanding of motherhood as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of both men and women in the upbringing and development of their children."
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54. At the 638th meeting, the Cuban text as amended "by Egypt was adopted by 23 votes to none, with 2 abstentions.
Article 6
55. Article 6 -was discussed at the 638th meeting. Several representatives proposed to delete it, on the ground that it was a repetition of article 2. However, most representatives were in favour of maintaining this article, emphasizing in particular that it corresponded to article 7 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and referring to the acute necessity of abolishing discrimination against women in penal law. Article 6, as presented in the draft Convention, was adopted without a vote.
56. The representative of Mexico expressed reservations on the grounds that this article was a repetition of article 2.
Article 7
57. During the discussion of this article, which took place at the 638th meeting, the representative of Belgium proposed adding, at the end of the original text, the words "and attacks on the physical integrity of women". The representative of Denmark orally proposed inserting the word "illicit" before the word "traffic".
58. Since most representatives expressed preference for the text of article 7 as presented in the draft Convention, the representatives of Belgium and Denmark subsequently withdrew their amendments and the Commission adopted the original text without a vote.
POLITICAL RIGHTS Article 8
59. Article 8 was discussed at the 638th meeting. The Commission noted that it
corresponded to the provisions of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women
(General Assembly resolution 640 (VII)). During the discussion, the
representative of India proposed inserting in subparagraph (b) after the word
"office" the words "and perform all public functions". The representative of
Canada proposed adding at the end of subparagraph (d) the words "concerned with
the public and political life of the country". The Commission adopted article 8
as orally amended by India and Canada.
Article 9
60. Article 9 was discussed at the 638th and 640th meetings. There was no
objection to paragraph 1 which, as the Commission noted, was in full accordance
with the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women (General Assembly
resolution 1040(XI)). The representative of Belgium proposed replacing the
words "grant women the same rights as men" by the words "grant spouses equal
rights". Paragraph 1, as orally amended by Belgium, was adopted without a vote.
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61. At the 64oth meeting, during the discussion of the two versions of paragraph 2, both the original and the alternative texts, most representatives expressed preference for the alternative text, which referred to equal treatment of men and women.
62. An oral amendment was made by the representative of France to the alternative text of paragraph 2 (a,), namely, to add at the end of the paragraph the words
"or certain penal or administrative provisions taken against the applicant". This amendment was adopted by 2 votes to none, with 19 abstentions.
63. Paragraph 2 (a), as amended by France, was adopted by 5 votes to 2, with
16 abstentions, and became paragraph 2.
6k. The representative of Iran expressed reservations with respect to this text because of its incompatibility with Iranian laws.
65. As far as paragraphs 2 (b) and 3 of the alternative text were concerned, some representatives expressed their objection to them, on the ground that these provisions were not in conformity with their national legislation.
66. Paragraph 2 (b) of the alternative text was adopted by 13 votes to none, with 9 abstentions, and became paragraph 3.
67. Paragraph 3 of the alternative text was adopted by the Commission by 10 votes to 3, with 9 abstentions and became paragraph 4.
60. The representative of Iran expressed reservations with respect to the text of this paragraph because of its incompatibility with Iranian law.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS Article 10
69. Article 10 was discussed by the Commission at its 640th and 642nd meetings.
70. The introductory part was adopted without a vote with minor editorial changes.
71. With respect to subparagraph (a,), the observers of ILO and UNESCO expressed the opinion that the question of vocational and technical training was irrelevant in that subparagraph. They referred to article 11, where the relevant provisions were included, and stressed the need to avoid duplication. The representative of Egypt suggested that the words "and all levels" be included after the words "all types".
72- A new version of subparagraph (a) was submitted by Belgium and France (E/CN.6/L.679) it read as follows:
"Equal conditions for career-guidance, access to studies and achievement of a diploma shall be ensured in educational establishments of all categories in rural as well as in urban areas; this equality is to be ensured in pre-schooling, general, technical, professional, higher education, including all other types of vocational training."
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73. Three oral amendments were made to this text. The representative of Egypt proposed deleting the word "other" before the word "types"; the representative of the USSR proposed the insertion of the words "including higher technical" after the word "higher" and the representative of France proposed changing the end of the second phrase to read: "this equality is to "be ensured in pre-schooling, general, technical, professional and higher, including higher technical education as well as in all types of vocational training".
74. The final text of subparagraph (a), as submitted by Belgium and France and amended by Egypt, France and the USSR, was adopted without a vote at the 642nd meeting.
75. Subparagraph (b) was discussed at the 640th meeting. The Belgian version as
presented in document E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1, was rejected by 9 votes to 6,
with 6 abstentions.
76. Subparagraph (b), as presented in document E/CN.6/591., annex III, and orally amended by the representative of the United States, was adopted by 24 votes to none, with 2 abstentions.
77. Subparagraph (c) of the Belgian version, incorporating amendments by France and India, was adopted without a vote at the 640th meeting.
78. Subparagraph (d) was adopted without a vote at the 640th meeting. It represented paragraph 10 (c) of the original text.
79. Subparagraph (e) was adopted unanimously at the 64Oth meeting. It represented paragraph 10 (e) submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1), as further revised by Belgium to include suggestions by UNESCO.
80. Subparagraph (f) was discussed by the Commission at its 642nd meeting, on the basis of the Belgian text of subparagraph (f). An oral amendment was made by the representative of Senegal, to add at the end of the phrase the words "and the provision of programmes for young girls who have left school too early". The Commission adopted without a vote paragraph (f), as submitted by Belgium and amended by Senegal.
81. Subparagraph (g) was discussed at the 642nd meeting. The Commission had two versions before it, namely subparagraph (e) of the draft Convention (E/CN.6/591, annex III) and subparagraph (g) of the text submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1).
82. Most representatives expressed preference for the text contained in the draft Convention, on the grounds that the words "psycho-sexual education" contained in the Belgian draft were not clear. Though the representative of Belgium explained that the words "psycho-sexual education" were taken from paragraph 132 of the World Plan of Action 20/ the Commission expressed preference for subparagraph (e) of the original text. During the discussion which followed, a number of representatives underlined the importance for women's emancipation of access to family planning. Two oral amendments were suggested to subparagraph (g). The representative of Denmark proposed adding the words "and advice" before the words "on family planning". This amendment was adopted by 20 votes to 1, with three abstentions. The representative of France, on the other hand., proposed adding the word "specific"
20/ See foot-note 5.
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after the words "access to". The French proposal did not meet with any objection by the Commission.
83. Subparagraph (g), as amended by Denmark and France, was adopted without a vote.
84. After the adoption of paragraph (g), the representative of India proposed an additional paragraph (h) which would read:
"Nothing in this article shall be deemed to be against such special
measures as may be necessary, including providing special educational
institutions and scholarships designed to bridge the gap between the
education of girls and boys."
Though the representatives were in favour of the additional paragraph submitted by India, some of them noted that it should be used in a broader context, since it concerned other rights as well and therefore should be included in article 4, the discussion of which had been postponed.
85. At its 642nd meeting the Commission unanimously adopted article 10 as
amended.
Article 11
86. Article 11 was discussed at the 642nd, 644th and 646th to 648th meetings.
The Commission had before it three texts, i.e. the original and the alternative
texts (E/CN.6/591, annex III), as well as the Belgian version (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and
Corr.1). The United States proposed amendments to the alternative version
(E/CN.6/L.680), which read as follows:
"Paragraph 1
"(a) Introductory paragraph:
"Delete the words 'married or unmarried1 after the words 'to ensure to women'.
"(b) Add the following as subparagraph (a):
'Appropriate measures, including legislation to ensure equal employment opportunities for women and to prevent discrimination in employment on the basis of sex'.
"(c) Add the following as subparagraph (d):
'Appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their conditions of employment; States Parties which have enacted laws designed to protect women workers from hazardous conditions of employment shall undertake progressively to extend such protections to all workers, to the end of eliminating differences in treatment of male and female workers and ensuring equal employment opportunities for women'.
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"Paragraph 2
"(a) Revise subparagraph (a) to read as follows:
'To make unlawful dismissal merely based on marriage or maternity'."
87. Article 11, as amended and modified by the United States, read as follows:
"1. States Parties shall adopt all appropriate measures to ensure to women, equal rights with men in the field of economic and social life and, in particular:
"(a) Appropriate measures, including legislation to ensure equal employment opportunities for women and to prevent discrimination in employment on the basis of sex;
"(b) The right, without discrimination on grounds of marital status or any other grounds, to receive vocational training, to work, to free choice of profession and employment and to professional and vocational advancement;
"(c) The right to equal remuneration with men and to equality of treatment in respect of work of equal value;
"(d) Appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their conditions of employment; States Parties which have enacted laws designed to protect women workers from hazardous conditions of employment shall undertake progressively to extend such protections to all workers, to the end of eliminating differences in treatment of male and female workers and ensuring equal employment opportunities for women;
"(e) The right to leave with pay, retirement privileges and provision for security in respect of unemployment, sickness, old age or other incapacity to work;
"(f) The right to receive family allowances on equal terms with men.
"2. In order to prevent discrimination against women on account of marriage or maternity and to ensure their effective right to work States Parties shall undertake measures:
"(a) To make unlawful dismissal merely based on marriage or maternity;
"(b) To encourage the provision of paid maternity leave with the guarantee of returning to former employment;
"(c) To encourage the provision of the necessary supportive social services."
88. During the discussion which followed and which mostly concerned the original
and the alternative texts, opinion was divided. Some representatives expressed
preference for the alternative text, considering it less detailed and more flexible.
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Other representatives, however, stressed the fact that the provisions of the I
original text had already been embodied in the Declaration on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women and in the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights (General Assembly resolutions 2263 (XXII) and 2200 A (XXI)),
therefore should not be omitted in the draft Convention being prepared. Most
representatives, however, noted that the best solution would be a united text,
namely the alternative version strengthened by the original one.
89. The representative of Iran stated that though in principle she approved of the original text of article 11, some paragraphs of this text were not compatible with Iranian law. The representative of Indonesia stressed the need to keep the words "the right ... to work, to free choice of profession" in subparagraph (a) and explained that they might have been inadvertently omitted in the draft Convention presented by Indonesia in document E/CN.6/591
90. At its 644th meeting, by 14 votes to 11, the Commission decided to take the alternative text as a basis for the discussion.
91. The observer of ILO stated that ILO preferred the alternative text as it corresponded more to ILO standards and that as far as the labour protection of women was concerned, ILO had requested Governments, in the light of scientific and technological progress, to reconsider labour protective measures on an individual basis, not on the grounds of sex, and that labour legislation was now oriented towards labour protection of workers irrespective of their sex.
92. The representative of the USSR stated, in that connexion, that the observer of ILO should not take a position in the discussion in favour of a certain group of countries end that she did not understand the ILO position, since the provisions of the original text of article 11 corresponded to those of the ILO conventions and that, finally, the observer of ILO had in her statement omitted reference to the respective ILO conventions aimed at special labour protection of women workers.
Paragraph 1
93. At its 644th meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the introductory
part of the alternative text as orally amended by the representative of Hungary,
putting after the words "States Parties shall" the words "undertake to".
9k. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote subparagraph (a) as submitted by Belgium and France, which read as follows:
"The right to work as an inalienable right of all human beings ."
35.- The representative of Belgium submitted the following text for subparagraph (b):
"The right without discrimination, on grounds of civil or marital status or any other grounds, to free choice of profession and employment, to promotion and to job security."
The representative of Mexico proposed deleting the words "or marital"; the representative of the USSR suggested that the words "to receive vocational training and retraining" be included after the words "or any other grounds".
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96. The amended version of subparagraph (b) as submitted by Belgium and orally amended by Mexico and the USSR, was adopted without a vote at the 646th meeting.
97. The Commission discussed subparagraph (c) at its 646th meeting. As the basis of its discussion it took the text of subparagraph (b) of the alternative version, which stated:
"The right to equal remuneration with men and to equality of treatment in respect of work of equal value".
The representative of the USSR proposed that it should be made clear that the words "for work of equal value" also applied to equal remuneration. She also proposed adding the following words at the end of the subparagraph: "as defined in the Convention of the International Labour Organisation on this subject".
98. After some discussion, the Commission adopted without a vote the text of subparagraph (c) as orally amended by the USSR.
99. After the adoption of the subparagraph, the observer of ILO made reference to the single existing ILO convention on that subject, namely ILO Convention No. 100 on equal remuneration of men and women for work of equal value, which was to be revised, and to the corresponding ILO Recommendation, and therefore suggested replacing the word "conventions" by the word "instruments". The representative of the United States expressed reservations with respect to the subparagraph as adopted by the Commission.
100. Subparagraph (d) was discussed at the 646th meeting. The Commission took as the basis for discussion subparagraph (d) of the text presented by Belgium. After minor oral amendments, submitted by the representatives of France and the USSR, the Commission adopted the text of the subparagraph.
101. The representative of Colombia expressed reservations with respect to the word "unemployment", since in her country there was no corresponding legislation.
102. Subparagraph (e) was discussed by the Commission at its 646th meeting. As the basis for discussion it took subparagraph (d) of the alternative text. After a discussion during which several modifications were made, the Commission adopted the following text without a vote.
"The right to family benefits on equal terms for men and women".
103. At the 647th meeting, the representative of the United States proposed a text for subparagraph (f) which was adopted without a vote.
104. At the same meeting, the representative of the United States proposed the following subparagraph (g) :
"To ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their conditions of employment; States Parties which have enacted laws designed to protect women workers from hazardous conditions of employment shall undertake progressively to extend such protections to all workers".
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Paragraph 2
105. The representative of the USSR proposed the inclusion, as a new article 12, of paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 10 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (General Assembly resolution 2263 (XXII)). As a compromise version, some representatives proposed the consideration of article 9 of the Declaration on Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Women Workers, adopted by the General Conference of ILO on 25 June 1975 and contained in document E/CN.6/603.
106. The introductory part of paragraph 2 as submitted in the alternative text was adopted without a vote at the 647th meeting.
107. During the discussion of subparagraph (a), the Commission took as the basis of discussion the text presented by Belgium which read as follows:
"Prohibiting - subject to the imposition of penalties - dismissal on grounds of marriage, pregnancy or maternity".
The representative of France proposed adding the word "leave" after the word "maternity". The Commission at its 647th meeting adopted without a vote subparagraph (a.) as contained in the text submitted by Belgium and amended by France,
108. During the discussion of subparagraph (b), the Commission took as the basis of discussion the text of subparagraph (b) of the text submitted by Belgium which read. as follows:
"Granting paid leave for pregnancy and maternity, without loss of the job held and without loss of social allowances and benefits, the periods of leave being treated as equivalent to periods of work actually performed".
109. Two amendments were submitted to this text. The representative of India proposed the insertion of the words "Progressively to introduce" to replace "Granting". The representatives of France and Hungary proposed the addition of a new sentence, namely, "the cost of this protection should be borne by social security systems or other public funds or collective systems". Some representatives opposed the joint amendment of France and Hungary, referring to the different practice and legislation in that field. The Commission, at its 647th meeting, by 14 votes to 1, with 9 abstentions, adopted subparagraph (b), as submitted by Belgium and amended by France, Hungary and India.
110. Subparagraph (c) was discussed by the Commission at its 647th meeting. As the
basis of discussion it took subparagraph (c) of the alternative text, which read as
follows:
"To encourage the provision of the necessary supportive social services."
111. Two oral amendments were made to this text. The representative of the USSR
proposed the inclusion of the words "including possibilities of child-care services"
at the end of the phrase and the representative of Guinea proposed the addition of
a new phrase, namely, "and to grant women free medical services during pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period". At the 648th meeting, the USSR amendment was adopted without a vote and the amendment proposed by Guinea was adopted by 18 votes to 1, with 3 abstentions. Subparagraph (c) of the alternative text, as amended by Guinea and the USSR, was adopted without a vote.
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112. The representative of Belgium expressed reservations regarding the USSR amendment on the grounds that this item was included in article 13 of the draft Convention and that, in her view, it was not within the framework of article 11.
113. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote article 11 as orally amended.
Former article 12 (E/CN.6/591., annex III)
114. At its 648th meeting the Commission decided, by 10 votes to 9, with 4 abstentions, to examine articles 12, 13 and 14 separately. It discussed article 12 at the same meeting.
115. The representatives of Madagascar and Pakistan stated that, in view of their support for the alternative text of article 11, they would not comment on articles 12, 13 and 14.
116. At the beginning of the discussion, a number of representatives suggested that the Working Group combine both the alternative and the original texts. Preference either for the original, or for the alternative text was expressed by a number of representatives. On the other hand, several representatives observed that article 12 was redundant, since its provisions had been included in article 11.
117. At the same meeting, the Commission decided by 13 votes to 7, with 2 abstentions, to eliminate article 12.
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An additional article on rural women (New article 12)
118. At the 644th meeting, the observer of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) stressed that the Commission should give greater
consideration to rural women within article 11 by catering to their needs for
social improvements and economic opportunities. The Commission might wish
therefore to consider the inclusion within this article of provisions for expansion
of social services in rural areas, particularly for women involved in agriculture.
The observer of FAO referred in this connexion to resolution 21 21/ on conditions
of women in rural areas, adopted by the World Conference of the International
Women's Year at Mexico, as well as to two General Assembly resolutions, adopted
at the thirtieth session, namely resolution 3523 (XXX) on women in rural areas and resolution 3522 (XXX) on improvement of the economic status of women for their effective and speedy participation in the development of their countries. Reference was also made to resolutions adopted at the 1974 World Food Conference: resolution II on priorities for agriculture and rural development which called on "the need to involve women more fully in the process of rural development and the implications thereof for education and extension services", and resolution VIII on women and food. 22/ The Commission agreed that the Convention should deal with rural women.
119. At the 652nd meeting, the representative of India, observing that the problems of women in rural areas were not sufficiently considered in the draft Conventioion, proposed an additional article on that topic.
120. The article concerning women in rural areas was considered at the
658th meeting. India proposed the following text, slightly amended by the sponsors (Egypt, German Democratic Republic, India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and the United States of America),
"States Parties shall take all measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to guarantee them equality as participants in and beneficiaries of agricultural and rural development and particularly the right to:
"(a) Participate fully in the formulation and implementation of development planning from the local to the national levels;
"(b) Receive adequate medical and health facilities, including family planning advice and services;
"(c) Obtain all types of training, formal and non-formal, including functional literacy as well as the benefit of all community and extension services;
"(d.) Participate equally in all community activities, including co-operatives;
21/ Report of the World Conference of the International Women's Year (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.76.IV.1), chap. III.
22/ Report of the World Food Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.75.II.A.3), chap. II.
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"(e) Obtain equal-access to credit and loans, marketing facilities, appropriate technologies and equal treatment, in land, and agrarian reform as well as land resettlement, schemes."
121. The representative of India proposed the insertion of the article between articles 10 and .11, or after article 11.
122. Amendments to the text were proposed by the representatives of the Byelorussian SSR and Cuba. The Byelorussian SSR amendment to subparagraph (b), as further amended by Belgium, Egypt and France, read as follows: "as well as personal rights to social, security on an equal footing with men". The representative of Cuba proposed the addition of the words "and education" after the word "training" in subparagraph (c)
123. The text of the article, as submitted, by the sponsors and amended by the Byelorussian SSR, Belgium, Egypt, France and Cuba, was adopted without a vote.
124. The Commission also-decided without a vote that the article would, be a separate one, and that the Style Committee 'should find the most suitable place for it in the draft Convention.
Article 13
125. The Commission considered article 13 at its 648th and 649th meetings. At its 648th meeting, by 12 votes to 7, with 2 abstentions, it decided to take the alternative text of article 13 of the draft Convention as a basis for discussion (E/CN.6/591, annex III). The representative of the USSR submitted oral amendments to the alternative text, namely to replace the words "to encourage" by the words "to adopt", to insert the words "especially women" after the words “to enable parents" and to insert after the words "parental" the words "especially maternal". The representative of the USSR submitted the text of a new paragraph, to become paragraph 1, which corresponded to paragraph 4 of article 9 of the Declaration on Equality of Opportunity and Treatment for Women Workers, adopted by the ILO General Conference on 25 June 1975 (E/CN.6/603, annex). The representative of India proposed an amendment to that text, to insert after the word "up to date" the words "in cases where such limitations are discriminatory with regard to free choice of employment of women and ...". The text submitted by the representative of the USSR and amended by the, representative of India, read as follows:
"The States Parties shall adopt measures to extend special protection to women for types of work proved to be harmful to them from the standpoint of their social function of reproduction. Such measures shall be periodically reviewed and brought up to date in cases where such limitations are discriminatory with regard to free choice of employment of women and in the light of advances in scientific and technological knowledge."
126. At the same time the representative of the USSR proposed that the alternative text, as amended by the USSR, become paragraph 2 of article 13.
127. The representative of the United States proposed the following version of article 13:
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"1 The states Parties shall encourage measures to enable parents to combine fulfilment of family parental obligations with activity in the labour force, in professions and in public life and shall, for that purpose, promote the establishment of child-care facilities as needed as a co-operative effort of Government, business and industry and other institutions and organizations in the private sector,
"2. Appropriate measures shall be taken including legislation to ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their conditions of employment.
"3. Protective legislation applying to women only should be reviewed in the light of scientific and technological knowledge, and should be revised, repealed or extended to all workers as necessary.
128. The representative of Iran proposed the deletion of the word "only" in paragraph 3 of the above text.
129. At the 649th meeting, the USSR amendment to the alternative text of article 13 was rejected by 7 votes to 6, with 6 abstentions. The alternative text was adopted by 12 votes to none, with 8 abstentions. The first additional paragraph of the United States amendment was adopted by 10 votes to 4, with
7 abstentions. The second additional paragraph of the United States amendment, as amended by Iran, was adopted by 9 votes to 6, with 6 abstentions. The additional paragraph presented by the USSR, as amended by India, was adopted by 9 votes to 4, with 8 abstentions.
130. Article 13, as a whole, as amended, was adopted by 10 votes to none, with 11 abstentions.
131. In the explanation of votes, the representatives of Belgium, France, Indonesia and Pakistan stated that they had abstained since the adopted text was confused and contained duplication. This opinion was shared by the representatives of Colombia, Hungary and Iran. The representative of the USSR stated that the concept contained in the paragraphs submitted by the United States did not correspond to the meaning of the Convention; she asked the Economic and Social Council to reconsider paragraphs 2 and 3. The representative of Mexico abstained, remarking that the article did not state a proper legal and political concept.
132. The representatives of Egypt and the United Kingdom expressed the hope that it would be possible to improve the text in the process of drafting.
Former article l4 and additional article (E/CN.6/591, annex III)
133. At its 649th meeting, by 10 votes to 7, with 2 abstentions, the Commission
decided to eliminate former article l4. At the same meeting, it decided without
a vote not to consider the additional article, since its provisions were included
in article 11, which had been adopted by the Commission.
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CIVIL AND FAMILY RIGHTS
Article 14 (Former article 15 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
134. Article 14 was discussed at the 650th meeting. Most representatives stated their acceptance of the original text of the article. The representatives of Egypt, Indonesia and Iran, however, expressed reservations with respect to it on the ground that it was incompatible with their respective national legislation. The representative of Egypt explained that according to Egyptian law, the domicile of the wife was that of her husband. The representative of Iran stated that her reservations concerned paragraph 4 of the article. The representative of the United Kingdom expressed reservations with respect to paragraph 3, on the ground that its wording was obscure and thus subject to a wide interpretation.
Paragraph 1
135. The Commission adopted without a vote paragraph 1 as contained in the original text.
Paragraph 2
136. As the basis for its consideration, the Commission took paragraph 2 of article 15 of the text submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1). The representative of Sweden proposed an amendment to that text which read as follows;
“The States Parties shall accord to women a civil and legal capacity identical to that of men, and the exercise of that capacity. They shall in particular give them equal rights to conclude contracts and administer property and treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and tribunals,"
The Commission adopted the above text unanimously.
Paragraph 3
137. The Commission considered paragraph 3 at its 650th meeting and adopted, by 22 votes to none, with 1 abstention, paragraph 3 of the text submitted by Belgium.
Paragraph 4
138. By 20 votes to none, with 3 abstentions, the Commission adopted paragraph 4 of the text submitted by Belgium.
139. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted, without a vote, Article 14 as a whole, as amended.
Article 15 (Former article 16 E/CN.6/591, annex III))
140. Article 15 was considered by the Commission at its 650th to 652nd meetings.
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Paragraph 1
141. At its 650th and 651st meetings., the commission examined paragraph 1
including subparagraphs (a) to (h). It adopted the introductory clause of the
article as contained in the original text of article 16. It adopted, without a.
vote, subparagraphs (a) and (b) of the original text.
142. As the "basis for. its consideration of subparagraph (c), the Commission took the original text. The representative of Pakistan expressed reservations with respect to that subparagraph, specifying that the relevant law in. Pakistan was currently under consideration. The representatives of Indonesia and Iran expressed reservations with respect to the word "dissolution". The representative of the United Kingdom proposed that the word "duties" should be replaced "by the word "responsibilities". Subparagraph (c), as amended, was adopted by 22 votes to none, with 2 abstentions.
143. As the basis for its consideration of subparagraph (d), the Commission took the original text. The representatives of Egypt, Indonesia and Iran expressed reservations concerning the words "single parent". The representative of the United Kingdom proposed replacing the word "duties" by the word "responsibilities". The representative of Cuba proposed deleting the words "except in case of her being a single parent", and adding after the. words "responsibilities with men'", the words 'for women, whether married or not". Subparagraph (d), as amended by the United Kingdom and Cuba, was adopted by 21 votes to none, with 4 abstentions.
144. The representative of India proposed a new subparagraph (e) reading: .
"Equal rights of men and women to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise this right."
This text was adopted without a vote.
145. As the basis for its discussion of subparagraph (f), the Commission took subparagraph (e) of the original text. The representative of Belgium proposed inserting the words "and responsibilities" after the words "Recognition of equal rights". This proposal was accepted. A second proposal by Belgium, to replace the words "to adopt children" by the words "with regard to all forms of child adoption", was not adopted. The Commission adopted, without a vote, the text of subparagraph (f) as amended by Belgium. The representative of Belgium noted that the text as approved meant that adoption implied all legal forms of adoption.
146. As the basis for its discussion of subparagraph (g), the Commission took subparagraph (f) of the original text. The representative of Canada proposed replacing the words "Provision in law for" by the words 'Recognition of and the words "men and women" by the words "husband and wife". The Canadian amendments were adopted by the Commission by 11 votes to 8, with 1 abstention. The text of subparagraph (g), as amended, was adopted by 17 votes to none, with 3 abstentions.
147. As the basis for discussion of subparagraph (h), the Commission took subparagraph (g) of the text submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1). By 11 votes to 6, with 7 abstentions that text was adopted.
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Paragraph 2
148. Paragraph 2 of article 15 was considered by the Commission at its 651st meeting, taking as a basis for its discussion the original text of article l6, paragraph 2. The representative of the United States proposed replacing the words, "Child marriage and the betrothal of young girls before puberty" by the words 'The betrothal and the marriage of a child". By 12 votes to 6, with
5 abstentions, the Commission adopted the United States amendment. The Commission adopted paragraph 2 of the original text, as amended, by 15 votes to none, with
6 abstentions.
149. The representative of India stated that she had voted for the paragraph because she accepted the principle of registration of marriages, though it was not yet compulsory in India.
Paragraph 3
150. The Commission took the original text of article 16, paragraph 3 as the basis for its consideration of this paragraph at its 651st and 652nd meetings. Opinion was divided with respect to this paragraph. Though some representatives underlined its extreme importance for the elimination of discrimination against women as well as against the child born out of wedlock, others felt that discrimination against the child was outside the framework of the draft Convention. Furthermore, some representatives considered the question too sensitive to be treated in an international instrument.
151. At its 651st meeting, the Commission, by 10 votes to 10, with 3 abstentions, rejected the proposal by several representatives to eliminate paragraph 3.
152. The representative of Cuba presented an amendment to the original text, namely to insert the words "legal and" before the words "social protection" The Cuban amendment was adopted without a vote. The representative of the United Kingdom proposed the substitution of the words single parents" for the words
unwed mothers". The United Kingdom amendment was adopted by 12 votes to 10, with 1 abstention. Paragraph 3, as amended by Cuba and the United Kingdom, was adopted by 12 votes to 3, with 8 abstentions.
153. Article 15 as a whole was adopted by 21 votes to none, with 2 abstentions.
154. The representative of the United States stated that she had abstained with respect to subparagraph (h) since, in her view, it did not provide for equality of rights of men and women. If this was due merely to terminology, the text might be improved in the process of drafting by the Style Committee.
155. The representative of the Byelorussian SSR stated that she had abstained on paragraph 3 since she believed that the term ''single parents" did not correspond to the purpose of the Convention, which was to eliminate discrimination against women. That point of view was shared by the representative of Madagascar.
156. The representative of Egypt stated that she had voted for article 15 as a whole and considered that subparagraph (h) was in full accord with the principle of equality of men and women.
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157. The representative of Belgium indicated that she had voted against paragraph 3 since she preferred the Belgian version (E/CN.659l/Add.1 and Corr.1). At the same time, she considered article 15 essential.
158. The representative of the USSR stated that though she voted for article 15 as a whole, she found paragraphs 2 and 3 very inadequate. Paragraph 2 did not treat the subject of young girls, who were very vulnerable, and paragraph 3 should have dealt with single mothers and not with single parents. Therefore she requested the Economic and Social Council to reconsider these paragraphs.
159. The representative of Pakistan stated that she had abstained on the article since the respective law in Pakistan was under consideration.
160. The representative of Indonesia explained that she had voted for paragraph 3-, since the words "single parents" were acceptable to her delegation.
161. The representative of Iran stated that he had voted for article 15 as a whole, though he expressed reservations concerning some paragraphs.
FINAL PROVISIONS
162. At the 659th meeting, the representative of Belgium made a statement in
which she referred to the need to include in the Convention the effective measures
for controlling the realization of its provisions, and noted in that respect that
the Convention might follow the example of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and the Optional Protocol, or the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or could even provide for
another system of implementation, but in any case should not be less effective than
the above-mentioned international instruments and even should represent a step
forward.
Article 16 (Formerly article 17 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
163. Article 16 was discussed by the Commission at its 66lst meeting. It had before it article 17 of the original text and the text of article 17 submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/59l/Add.1 and Corr.1). It also had before it an additional alternative paragraph appearing in document E/CN.6/591, annex III.
164. The representative of France proposed a new version based on the original text which read as follows:
"Nothing in the present Convention shall affect the provisions of domestic legislation in force in a country if they are more favourable to women."
165. The representative of the United Kingdom also proposed a new version which read as follows:
"Nothing in the present Convention may be regarded as affecting existing legislation which provides for more extensive measures to eliminate discrimination against women than are provided for in the present Convention."
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166. The representative of Canada proposed an oral amendment to the text submitted by France, namely to replace the word "country" by the words "State Party".
167. The text proposed by France and amended by Canada was adopted by the Commission without a vote. It became paragraph 1 of article 16. The Commission noted the need to review the paragraph from the point of view of concordance of the different language versions.
168. The additional alternative paragraph was discussed at the same meeting and its amended text was adopted by the Commission without a vote.
Article 17 (Former article 18 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
169. At its 66lst meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote a revised text of the article proposed by Denmark.
Article 18 (Former article 19 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
170. At its 66lst meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the article
dealing with requests for revision of the Convention as presented in the original
text.
(Former article 20 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
171. Former article 20 of the draft Convention, dealing with withdrawals from the
Convention, was discussed by the Commission at its 66lst meeting. The Commission
decided without a vote to delete this article.
Article 19 (Former article 21 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
172. Article 19 dealing with the implementation of the Convention was discussed by
the Commission at its 66lst, 662nd, 665th to 667th, 672nd and 673rd meetings.
It had before it the original text of article 21 and two alternative texts to that article (E/CN.6/591, annex III), as well as articles 21 and 22 of the text submitted by Belgium (E/CN.6/591/Add.1 and Corr.1).
173. The original text provided that, every four years, the States parties would
submit reports on the measures adopted in implementing the Convention, and that
the Commission on the Status of Women would consider the status of the
implementation of the Convention every four years and report on it to the Economic
and Social Council.
174. The two alternative texts and the Belgian text were based on the respective articles of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (General Assembly resolution 2106 A (XX)).
175. The first alternative provided for the establishment of a committee
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consisting of ''experts of high moral standing and acknowledged impartiality elected by States Parties from among their nationals, preferably members of the Commission on the Status of Women, who shall serve in their personal capacity., consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to the representation of the different forms of civilization as well as of the principal legal systems". States parties would be responsible for the expenses of the members of the committee while they were performing committee duties.
176. Under the second alternative text, States parties would submit reports on measures adopted to give effect to the Convention, within one year of its entry into force and thereafter every two years and whenever the committee so requested. The committee would report annually, through the Secretary-General, to the General Assembly on its activities and might make suggestions and general recommendations based on the examination of the reports and information received from States parties. Such suggestions and general recommendations should be reported to the General Assembly, together with comments, if any, from States parties.
177. Belgium submitted an amendment (E/CN.6/L700) to the first alternative text, under which the committee would be composed of 12 experts of high moral standing and acknowledged impartiality, of recognized competence in the field of the status of women and possessing legal experience, who would be elected by States parties from among their nationals and who would serve in their personal capacity, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to representation of the different forms of civilization and of the principal legal systems.
178. Opinion was sharply divided on the question of what constituted the most suitable machinery for the implementation of. the Convention. . Some representatives supported the idea of the creation of. a committee, such as the one created for the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In support of this idea, it was pointed but that the Commission on the Status of Women already had a full agenda and, in all probability, would not be able to give adequate and regular consideration to reports. It was also stated that the implementation of the Convention should be supervised by independent experts rather than representatives of Governments who served on the Commission and that the control mechanism set up should be composed solely of representatives of States parties.
179. Other representatives, however, objected to the creation of a committee believing that the establishment of such a committee would be a duplication of and Perhaps a violation of the terms of reference of the Commission on the Status of Women, and might reduce the importance of the Commission itself. There was some
concern also that such a Procedure would be too costly and might unnecessarily
burden the machinery of the United Nations and that, finally, since the expenses
of the members of such a committee would be paid the States parties it might be difficult for them to maintain impartiality.
180. Some representatives felt that the question was too complicated to be decided
immediately and that further consideration and deliberations were necessary in
order to reach a compromise solution. necessary m
181. At the 662nd meeting, the representative of the United Kingdom Proposed an amendment to paragraph 6 the first alternative text, Providing that the
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expenses of the members of the committee "shall be equally apportioned" between the States parties. She also proposed, with respect to the original text, that the Commission on the Status of Women should report to the Economic and Social Council every four years with respect to the implementation of the Convention.
182. At the 665th meeting, the representative of Colombia proposed, as an amendment to the original text, the addition in paragraph 2 after the words "the Commission on the Status of Women" of the words 'meeting in a special session for this purpose".
183. At the 666th meeting, a number of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council submitted a statement (E/CN.6/NGO/272) which was circulated in accordance with paragraphs 29 and 30 of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV); in the statement they drew attention to the desirability of making a provision in the Convention for the handling of information from non-governmental sources. They suggested (E/CN.6/NGO/272/Add.1) the addition of a paragraph to this article of the draft Convention, which would provide for the submission to the Commission on the Status of Women of information and recommendations by non-governmental organizations, together with comments, if any, of the States parties directly involved, relating to the observance of the provisions of the Convention.
184. At the same meeting, India proposed as an amendment (E/CN.6/L.705) to paragraph 1 of the original text, the addition of the following sentence:
"In preparing these reports. States Parties are urged to make the fullest use of national commissions on the status of women and women's voluntary organizations, which would be best qualified to report on what is actually happening in the country, as against merely stating the formal legal position. "
185. In an amendment (E/CN.6/L.707) to paragraph 2 of the original text, India
proposed: (a) that reports should be submitted every two rather than every four
years, and (b) that the following sentence be added at the end of the paragraph:
"In order to assist them with this work, the Commission on the Status of Women may elect a working group of between ten to fifteen members based on the principle of equitable geographical distribution and giving preference to the States Parties to the present Convention, which would meet not more than two weeks before the regular session of the Commission."
186. The representative of Iran proposed that the original text be amended to provide for the establishment of a sub-committee of the Commission on the Status of Women, to meet every two years, two weeks before the regular session of the Commission, to consider the question of the status of the implementation of the Convention.
187. At the request of some representatives, representatives of the Division of Human Rights were invited to explain the various procedures and machinery of implementation provided under conventions in the field of human rights concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and, in particular, with respect to the two international covenants on human rights (General Assembly resolution
2200 A(XXI)), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Suppression and
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Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (General Assembly resolution 3068 (XXVIII)). They explained the different systems of procedures and bodies which were provided under these different instruments. They also answered a number of questions relating to implementation procedures including the respective competence of the Human Rights Committee and of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
188. Iran, Egypt and Denmark proposed amended versions of the original text.
189. The text proposed by Iran (E/CN.6/L.706), based on article IX of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, read as follows:
"l. States Parties undertake to submit every four years to the Secretary-General reports on legislative, administrative and practical measures which they have adopted in implementing the provisions of the present Convention.
"2. Every two years following this Convention's entry into force, the Commission on the Status of Women shall consider the question of the status of the implementation of the Convention by the States Parties, and submit the report to the Economic and Social Council.
"3. Every two years the Commission on the Status of Women shall appoint a group of ten members of the Commission with due consideration to the principle of equitable geographical distribution.
''4. If among the members of the Commission on the Status of Women there are less than ten such representatives, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall, after consulting the States Parties to the Convention, designate enough representatives of the States Parties which are not members of the Commission to participate in the work of the group establishes in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article, until such time as representatives of the States Parties to the Convention are elected to the Commission on the Status of Women.
"5. The group will meet for a period of not more than two weeks before the opening of the regular session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to consider the reports submitted in accordance with article ... and submit its report to the Commission for its consideration."
190. The text proposed by Egypt (E/CN.6/L.708) read as follows:
"l. Each State Party undertakes to promote the establishment at the national level of procedures aimed at achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
''2. Every two years following this Convention's entry into force, each State Party undertakes to submit to the group established under paragraph 3 of the present article, reports on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures that it has adopted in implementing the provisions of the present Convention.
"3. The Commission on the Status of Women shall appoint every four years, on the basis of equitable geographical distribution, a group of ten members
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of the Commission who are also representatives of States Parties to the present Convention, who will work in their personal capacity, to consider reports submitted by States Parties and to transmit suggestions and general recommendations based on their examination of the reports to the Commission.
"4. If among the members of the Commission on the Status of Women there are less than ten such representatives, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall, after consulting the States Parties to the Convention,, designate enough representatives of the States Parties which are not members of the Commission to participate in the work of the group established in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article until such time as representatives of the States Parties to the Convention are elected to the Commission,
"5. The group will meet for a period of not more than two weeks before the opening of the regular session of the Commission on the Status of Women to consider the reports submitted. '
191. The text proposed by Denmark (E/CN.6/L.710) read as follows:
''With a view to ensuring the observance of the provisions of this Convention:
"1. States Parties shall undertake to promote measures at the national level aimed at achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
"2. States Parties shall undertake to submit reports on the legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures which they have adopted and which give effect to the provisions of the present Convention. Reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfillment of obligations under the present Convention. All reports shall be submitted through the Secretary-General of the United Nations for consideration by the Special Committee established by this article.
"3. A Special Committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee) shall be established by the Commission on the Status of Women consisting of fifteen members elected by the Commission from a list of persons nominated by the States Parties from among their nationals, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to the representation of different forms of civilization as well as of the principal legal systems. The members of the Committee, who shall serve in their personal capacity, shall be elected in accordance with rules to be established by the Commission.
''4. States Parties to the present Convention shall furnish their reports in stages, in accordance with a programme to be established by the Committee within one year of the entry into force of the present Convention after consultation with the States Parties and the specialized agencies concerned.
''5. In preparing these reports, States Parties are urged to make the fullest use of national machinery established to promote the advancement of women.
"6. Specialized agencies shall be entitled to be represented at the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of this Convention as
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fall within the scope of their activities. They shall he entitled to submit reports on the implementation of relevant instruments adopted by them or under their auspices.
"7. The Committee shall' report to the Commission on the Status of Women on its activities and may make general recommendations, based on the examination of the reports from the States Parties. The Commission shall undertake to transmit the Committee's report together with its own comments to the Economic and Social Council."
192. At the 6T2nd meetings the sponsors of all amendments submitted presented a new version of the article (E/CN.6/L.715), which read as follows:
"1. The States Parties undertake to adopt measures at the national level, including the establishment of machinery and procedures, aimed at achieving the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
"2. (a) Every two years following the entry into force of the present Convention, States Parties undertake to submit to the Secretary-General of the United. Nations reports on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted and on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Convention; reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the Convention;
"(b) In preparing their reports, the States Parties shall make use of national machinery established to promote the advancement of women and of national non-governmental organizations, including women's organizations;
"(c) The States Parties shall furnish their reports in stages, in accordance with a programme to be established after consultation with the States Parties and the specialized agencies concerned,
"3. For the purpose of considering the progress made in the implementation of the present Convention by the States Parties, the Commission on the Status of Women shall establish an ad hoc Croup consisting of ten to fifteen persons. The Group shall be elected by the Commission from among its own members who are States Parties to the Convention and from an additional list of persons nominated by States Parties who are not members of the Commission, consideration being given to the principle of equitable geographical distribution and. representation of differing legal systems. The members of the Group shall serve in their personal capacity and shall be elected every two years.
"4 The ad hoe Group shall normally meet for a period of not more than two weeks before the opening of the regular session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to consider the reports submitted in accordance with paragraph 2 above and submit its report to the Commission for its consideration.
"5 The ad hoc Group shall report to the Commission on the Status of Women on its activities and may make general recommendations based on the examination of the reports from the States Parties. The Commission shall
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transmit the report of the Group, together with its own comments, to the Economic and Social Council.
"6. Specialized agencies shall he entitled to be represented at the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the present Convention as fall within the scope of their activities. They shall he entitled to submit reports on the implementation of relevant instruments adopted by them or under their auspices.
"7. The .Economic and Social Council may submit from time to time to the United Nations General Assembly reports with recommendations of a general nature and a summary of the information received from the States Parties to the present Convention and the specialized agencies on the measures taken and the progress made in achieving general observance of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
"8. The Economic and Social Council may bring to the attention of other organs of the United Nations, their subsidiary organs and specialized agencies concerned with furnishing technical assistance any matters arising out of the reports referred to in this part of the present Convent ion, which may assist such bodies in deciding, each within its-field of competence. on the advisability of international measures likely to contribute to the effective progressive implementation of the present Convention.''
193. The representative of Belgium expressed reservations with respect to the above version.
194. Paragraphs 1 and 2 (a) were adopted without a vote at the 673rd meeting.
195. Oral amendments to paragraph 2 (b) were proposed by the representatives of Canada, Mexico and Sweden, and the paragraph thus amended was adopted without a vote.
196. Paragraph 2 (c) incorporating an oral suggestion by the representative of Denmark, adding after the words "with a programme to be established" the words "by the ad hoc Group, set up under this article", was also adopted without a vote.
197. Amendments to paragraph 3 were submitted by the representatives of Canada, the USSR and the United States. The representative of Canada proposed that the last sentence be amended to read: 'Those elected to the Group ... ''. The representative of the USSR proposed the deletion of the phrase "shall serve in their personal capacity and" but subsequently withdrew that amendment. The representative of the United States proposed amending the second and third sentences of the paragraph to read:
"The Group shall be elected by the Commission from among States Parties to the Convention and with consideration being given to the principle of equitable geographical distribution and representation of differing legal systems. Those nominated shall have been involved in the advancement of equality of rights of men and women. The members of the Group, not less than half of whom shall be women, shall serve in their personal capacity and shall be elected every two years,"
198. The above amendment was rejected by 13 votes to 8. Paragraph 3, as amended
by Canada, was adopted by 16 votes to none, with 5 abstentions.
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199 Paragraph 4 was adopted without a vote with the deletion of the phrase
"and submit its report to the Commission for its consideration at the suggestion
of the representative of Denmark.
200. Paragraph 5 was adopted without a vote.
201. Paragraph 6 incorporating the words "different stages of" before the words: "the consideration of the implementation", at the suggestion of the observer of IL0, was also adopted without a vote.
202. Paragraph 7 was adopted without a vote with the amendments proposed by the representatives of France, Hungary and Sweden, replacing the words "may submit from time to time" by the words "shall submit periodically" and the words "general observance" by the words "full observance".
203. Paragraph 8 was adopted without a vote.
204. Article 19 as a whole, as amended, was adopted without a vote. The Commission was Riven information concerning the administrative and financial implications of the article,
205. The representatives of Belgium, Denmark, the United States and the United
Kingdom expressed reservations with respect to the article as adopted.
Additional article 19 bis
206. At the 673rd meeting, due to the fact that, in her opinion, the Convention
did not provide for sufficient measures of implementation, the representative of
Belgium submitted an additional article 19 bis (E/CN.6/L.718) which read as
follows:
"As soon as this Convention enters into force, the States Parties undertake to examine, in the Commission on the Status of Women, the possibility of establishing procedures for the implementation of this Convention with a view to enabling States Parties and their nationals to address themselves to the ad hoc Group."
207. Opinions with respect to this draft articles were divided. Though some
representatives supported it, believing that it strengthened the system of
implementation established in article 19, many opposed it, feeling that, from the
legal point of view, the article was controversial, since after the entry into
force of the Convention, the States parties would only be able to modify the
Convention in accordance with the respective provisions embodied in it and that,
finally, the measures of implementation had already been adopted in article 19,
which they considered adequate. One opinion expressed was that the inclusion of
that article in the text of the Convention might be an obstacle to many States
in ratifying the Convention or acceding to it. Concern was expressed that the proposed additional article might jeopardize article 19 already adopted by the Commission.
208. At the 674th meeting, the draft article submitted by Belgium was rejected by
11 votes to 8, with 3 abstentions.
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Article 20 (Former article 22 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
209. Article 20 was considered at the 663rd meeting. As the basis for its consideration, the Commission took the text of article 22 contained in document E/CN.6/591, annex III.
210. The representative of the United Kingdom suggested that the number of ratifications necessary to bring the Convention into force should he at least 27, following the precedent of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or 35, following the precedent of the international covenants on human rights. The representative of the United States suggested that the number of ratifications should cover at least one third of the States Members of the United Nations. The representatives of Hungary and the USSR, on the other hand, suggested that this figure should be as low as possible so as to make the Convention enter into force at the earliest possible date. The majority of representatives expressed preference, for 20 ratifications.
211. Article 20 was adopted by the Commission without a vote.
Article 21 (Former article 23 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
212. Article 21 was considered by the Commission at its 663rd meeting. As the basis for its consideration, it took the text of article 23 contained in document E/CN.6/591, annex III. Following the proposal of the representative of Hungary, the Commission deleted subparagraph (c_) and adopted without a vote the text of this article thus amended.
Article 22 (Former article 24 (E/CN.6/591, annex III))
213. Article 22 was considered by the Commission at its 663rd meeting. As a basis of its discussion, it took the text of article 24 contained in document E/CN.6/591, annex III. It invited the Legal Counsel of the United Nations Office at Geneva to clarify a number of points. It then adopted without a vote the original text of the article.
An additional article on reservations
2l4. At the 663rd meeting, the question of including an article on reservations was raised by the representative of Denmark. The opinion was expressed that reservations which were not incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention should be permitted in accordance with accepted international practice.

Reference was made to article 19 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 23/ with respect to reservations. A number of representatives, though they agreed that the Vienna Convention made provisions in that connexion, did not see the need to include a provision on reservations in the text of the Convention under discussion. Other representatives referred to the respective provision of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (General Assembly resolution 2106 A (XX)) and suggested that the precedent of that Convention be followed.
215. Denmark proposed an additional article on reservations (E/CN.6/L.701) which was adopted without a vote, as orally revised by the sponsor at the 673rd meeting,
216. The draft Convention as a whole was adopted by the Commission without a vote at its 679th meeting on 17 December 1976. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution I, annex.)
B. Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
217. At its 633rd meeting, the Commission decided to consider agenda item 3 (b) in the context of item 4 (c).
218. At the 674th meeting, the representative of Pakistan drew attention to the declaration contained in document E/CN.6/606, which represented the culmination of group action by millions of women in her country through the National Organizing and Co-ordination Committee for Women's Activities in Pakistan, which had made a detailed study not only of the activities of the Commission but also of the Convention and the various resolutions and conventions of the ILO and considered that the Declaration could be of great importance until the Convention entered into force.
23/ United Nations Conference on the Law of Treaties, Official Records
(United Nations publication, Sales No.: E.70.V.5), p. 291.
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III. THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN". EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE, 1976-1985
A. Procedure folio-wed by the Commission in its consideration of the item
219. The Commission considered agenda item 4 at its 633rd, 635th, 637th, 639th, 6l4st, 643rd and 652nd to 657th meetings, at the twenty-sixth session and at its 668th to 674th and 676th meetings, at the resumed twenty-sixth session. It held a general debate on the item as a whole "before taking up the four subitems.
220. At its twenty-sixth session, the Commission completed the general debate
on the item as a whole and adopted the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women. At the resumed session, the Commission adopted seven resolutions under the item and also discussed specific questions relating to the preparatory work for the 1980 World Conference.
B. Evaluation of activities undertaken during the International Women's Year
221. Under the above sub item, the Commission had before it a report by the
Secretary-General containing an analysis of the activities undertaken during the
International Women's Year by Member States, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations and an evaluation of their impact (E/CN.6/593).
222. In introducing this report, the Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development
and Humanitarian Affairs, noted that it had been prepared in accordance with
paragraph 42 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1849 (LVI),
which specifically called for the preparation of such a report. It was based on
information available to the Secretary-General concerning 91 Member States and
three non-Member States and which had been reported to the General Assembly at its
thirtieth session 24/ and on further information furnished as of 31 July 1976 by
32 Member States, and by United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations.
223. Several representatives expressed the view that the Year had been one of
the most successful events proclaimed by the United Nations. It had marked a
new and important phase of the international women's movement and had seen the
initiation of broader measures for the attainment not only of equality of men and
women, but also of their full mobilization in the development effort and the
strengthening of international co-operation and peace.
224. One representative felt, however, that the activities and strategies for the Year had lacked a rationale and had not been incorporated into an integrated and broad framework. Still another view was that it was too early to make an accurate evaluation of the impact of the Year and of the many activities that had been undertaken on that occasion.
24/ A/10263 and Corr.1.
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225. The Commission noted with satisfaction the enactment of laws in a number of countries, ranging from the more general types of legislation prohibiting discrimination on grounds of sex, to the enactment of new family codes, or laws on matrimonial reform establishing complete equality of the spouses, to more specific laws guaranteeing equal opportunities or equal pay or employment protection for men and women workers,
226. Several representatives informed the Commission of the creation in their countries of new government departments for women's affairs, as well as of national commissions, committees or similar bodies. In some cases, special centres were set up for research and training, or for public information.
227. Some representatives informed the Commission of national seminars and conferences that had been organized in their countries with a view to increasing consciousness and providing the necessary exchange of experience and information.
228. As a result of these activities organized during the Year, it was felt that there was a growing awareness on the part of Governments that women's problems were closely related to problems of economic and social development. Realizing that women's problems could no longer be considered in isolation from society's other problems, some Governments had also taken steps to create services to improve the lot of women workers. These ranged from improvements in facilities such as child-care centres, maternity and child-care and medical services, which were aimed at increasing the number of women in the labour force and encouraging women to be economically active, to the encouragement of leadership at the grass-roots level.
229. According to one representative, however, the Year had touched the lives of too few women and had foundered on the chronic apathy of Governments. A number of representatives did not share the view that Governments were apathetic to the problems of women. They all shared the concern, however, for the conditions of rural women in a large part of the developing world. It was stated that higher rates of illiteracy prevailed among them. They had no access to insurance schemes, were subjected to primitive working conditions and received extremely low wages, They also suffered from the absence of technology and were most affected by migration from rural to urban areas, which left them with fewer openings for employment.
230. The full integration of women in the development process, it was stated, required far-reaching changes, not only in social institutions, but also in the attitudes of society. In the first place, social structures, institutions and values had to be freed from innate discrimination against women. Secondly, the attitudes of individuals and whole communities should not be allowed to limit women's participation and contribution. Thirdly, women had to acquire a knowledge of political, administrative and economic realities and develop an ability to use that knowledge for their own ends. The goal of full integration of women in the development process placed a responsibility on Governments to eliminate obstacles to its achievement, on the women of each country to participate fully in its pursuit and on the Commission to ensure that the necessary measures for Governments to take to remove existing obstacles were drawn up in meaningful programmes.
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C. The Programme for the Decade for Women and related questions, including technical co-operation activities
Summary of discussion
231. For the consideration of this subitem of agenda item 4, the Commission had "before it six reports: a report of the Secretary-General outlining action taken to implement the recommendations of the General Assembly for the programme of the United Nations Decade for Women and related questions including technical co-operation activities (E/CN.6/594 and Corr.1 and Add.1), a report of the Secretary-General on technical co-operation activities (E/CN.6/595), a report of the International Labour Organisation on its activities of special interest to women (E/CN.6/603), a report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization outlining its activities of special interest to women (E/CN.6/604), a report of the Commission on the Status of Arab Women (E/CN.6/597) and a report of the Inter-American Commission for Women on the programme for the United Nations Decade for Women and related questions (E/CN.6/596).
232. In introducing the report on the programme of the Decade (E/CN.6/594 and Corr.1 and Add.1), the Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, pointed out that the programme was developed under headings related to the threefold theme of the Decade, and was based on mandates from the World Conference of the International Women's Year and the General Assembly. Each activity suggested had as its authority either a specific resolution or the World Plan of Action endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 3520 (XXX). She drew attention to section II of the report which summarized the action taken to date to implement the recommendations of the Conference and the General Assembly in several major areas, namely: the elaboration of a joint interagency programme
for the integration of women in development; the establishment of an International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women; the organization, in co-operation with the regional commissions, of regional seminars, conferences and similar meetings, and the development of regional programmes, and the initiation of procedures for a system-wide review and appraisal of the World Plan of Action. Special attention was also given to the elaboration of a programme for the use of the resources of the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women. The programme outlined in that section was rather general in content and dealt mainly with international and regional action. The comments and. suggestions of the Commission were therefore invited particularly as regards the phasing of the programme, publicity for the programme and the national action that should be part of the programme.
233. In referring to the report on technical co-operation activities for the
advancement of women (E/CN.6/595), the Deputy Director pointed out that it
described relevant activities under the regular programme of technical co-operation
relating to women from 1974 to mid-1976 and also future activities that were being
planned under this programme. Such activities included the organization of seminars
and training courses and the award of fellowships. The report, she explained, had
been prepared primarily for the information of the Commission.
234. The observer of the International Labour Organisation introduced the report of the ILO on its activities of special interest to women (E/CN.6/603), which referred to only those activities which were specifically directed to women. She drew the attention of the Commission to the recommendations of the Tripartite World Employment Conference held at Geneva in June 1976. The Conference, recognizing that in many developing countries women constituted the group at the bottom of the ladder, had recommended that special emphasis should be placed on promoting the status, education, development and employment of women and on integrating them into the economic and civic life of their countries.
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235. Recognizing that women played a very important role in society, the Conference
had recommended that the workload of women should be alleviated through improvements
in their working and living conditions and the provision in national development
plans and policies of more resources for investment in favour of women in rural
areas. The Conference had also requested that policies required to meet basic need
needs should be made part of the International Strategy for the Second Development
Decade, and should form the core of the International Strategy for the Third
Development Decade. Accordingly, it was hoped that Governments and the United
Nations system would finally devote more attention to women's needs, for the
benefit not only of women but of society as a whole.
236. The observer of UNESCO, introducing her Organization's report on its activities
of special interest to women (E/CN.6/604), stated that since the 1975 Conference in
Mexico, UNESCO had expanded those activities and had adopted an integrated
approach to problems affecting women. UNESCO activities for the International
Women's Year, which were outlined in the report, fell into four major areas; the
promotion of exchanges of information between women in Member States; the
relationship between equal education opportunities and equal employment
opportunities; activities for the benefit of women in rural areas, including
functional literacy programmes; research on the philosophical, historical and
cultural issues which affected women in society. In carrying out those tasks,
UNESCO co-operated with non-governmental organizations and national commissions
on the status of women. She drew attention to resolution 16.1 adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its eighteenth session (ibid., annex I), in which it had called for a concentrated effort to improve the situation of women in the areas of education;, science, culture and communications.
237. In introducing her report (E/CN.6/597), the observer from the Commission on
the Status of Arab Women drew the attention of the Commission to the Regional Arab
Plan of Action which was adopted at the fourth session of the Commission. Its
purpose was to define priorities and planning objectives which would ensure the
full participation of women in national development efforts. The Commission
was also in the process of establishing a centre for information and research on women's affairs.
238. In introducing the report of her organization (E/CN.6/596), the observer from
the Inter-American Commission of Women drew attention to the activities that were
carried out and recommendations that were made in connexion with the World Conference
of the International Women's Year and to the activities to implement the
programme for the United Nations Decade for Women. In that connexion, she pointed
out that the General Assembly of the Organization of American States had adopted
a resolution on the Decade. The Commission's eighteenth Assembly, held at Miami, Florida from 27 July to 5 August 1976, had formulated a regional plan for the Decade. The Commission was in the process of establishing a multinational centre for women, with headquarters at Buenos Aires, for the purpose of providing training, research and information programmes relating to the problems of women.
239. During the debate on the Programme for the Decade, representatives of the
Commission stressed the need for adequate planning and for effective programming,
keeping up during the Decade the momentum gained by the Year and the 1975 World
Conference. The majority of the representatives were of the opinion that the
Decade for Women was extremely timely in that it coincided with the Second United
Nations Development Decade and with the Programme of Action on the Establishment
of a New International Economic Order, which focused attention on the importance
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of questions relating to social and. economic development, particularly in developing countries. Since women accounted for one half of the international community, it was essential for them to be fully integrated into the development process. Thus it was important that each developing project be planned with a full understanding of the special factors affecting women. Improvements in the status of women would undoubtedly contribute to the solution of the social and economic problems which were being faced by many countries.
240. The success of the Decade for Women, it was pointed out, could be ensured by establishing close links between these three objectives and by mobilizing all the available resources for the purpose. Peace, like development, could be promoted by intensifying the role of women in efforts to achieve international co-operation and peace and in the struggle against forces that threatened international peace and security.
24l. Some representatives considered that the programme for the Decade as contained in the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/594 and Corr.1 and Add.1) contained too many research projects. Research, according to others, was necessary and should be planned in even greater detail so that it could be translated into effective action. Such research implied the need for a methodology that would produce uniform data and, to that end, it would be extremely useful to study the problems of women in various regions of the world.
242. There was consensus on the need for developing and strengthening regional plans and on the need for regional indicators to assess progress achieved.
243. In connexion with the discussion on regional plans and programmes, the Commission was informed of a number of regional seminars, conferences and similar meetings that had been or were being organized. The first seminar of the Decade, held in Argentina in March 1976, under the regular programme of technical co-operation, had been on the "Participation of Women in Economic, Social and Political Development: Obstacles to their Integration". In the Asian region, a regional follow-up seminar was scheduled to be held in Nepal in February 1977 on the "Participation of Women in Political, Economic and Social Development". A regional conference was being tentatively planned for November 1976 by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and, in Europe, a seminar was to be held in the Netherlands in April 1977 on the "Changing Roles of Men and Women in Modern Society, their Functions, Eights and Responsibilities". The Commission also heard statements from the representatives of ECA., the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) about the activities that were being carried out or planned for their respective regions.
244. The representative of ECA informed the Commission of the establishment of a Training and Research Centre for Women in accordance with resolution 269 (XII) of the Conference of Ministers of ECA. The resolution had focused attention on the situation of women in rural areas and on the need for national machinery to provide support for women working for the development of their countries. The activities of the Centre, which was providing assistance to women in 47 member States, included training courses for rural trainers, and the organization of seminars on the establishment of national machinery and consultancy services which would assist women in planning future activities. Future research to be carried out by ECA would be concerned with the development of indicators, including means of assessing the value of peasant labour, with village technologies and some
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of the legal aspects of the problems of rural women. Lastly, ECA was making special efforts to promote technical assistance between the countries of the region, had drawn up a list of consultants and had established a volunteer corps called the "Women's Development Task Force".
245. The representative of ECLA informed the Commission of resolution 321 (XV) adopted by ECLA at Quito in 1973, requesting the ECLA secretariat to prepare a study on the participation of women in the development of the region and the measures to be taken to eliminate discrimination and provide educational, employment and economic opportunities for women. To that end, ECLA had held a regional meeting at Caracas, in 1975, in co-operation with the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs; this meeting had recommended that the ECLA secretariat should organise a regional conference and draw up a regional plan of action for women in the ECLA region. The Government of Cuba had agreed to act as host to the regional conference in 1977
246. The representative of ESCAP drew the attention of the Commission to the Asian Plan for the Integration of Women in the Development Process which was drawn up in accordance with resolution 157 (XXXI) adopted by ESCAP at its thirty-first session held at Hew Delhi in 1975. The Commission had accepted the Iranian Government's offer to establish a centre in Iran to be known as the Asian and Pacific Centre for Women and Development. By its resolution 157 (XXXI), ESCAP had further requested its secretariat to implement the Asian Plan and to seek the necessary financial and staff resources. Accordingly, the project for the Asian Plan was being formulated by a consultant with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme. The Plan placed special emphasis on the status of women in rural areas and would be submitted to ESCAP at its thirty-third session to be held at Bangkok in 1977. The immediate objectives of the five-year action programme (l977-198l) to be undertaken as part of the Asian Plan, included the adoption of legislation relating to women, the improvement of education., employment and training opportunities, the establishment of a corps of skilled women volunteers and workers from non-governmental organizations and Governments to assist rural women, the development of low-cost technology to free women from unnecessary drudgery and the establishment of effective rural social services for health education, nutrition, family planning, child care and social welfare. The most serious obstacle to the implementation of the action programme, however, appeared to be that of financing.
247. Some representatives expressed the view that the technical co-operation activities included in the programme were extremely valuable, particularly to developing countries, as they would help to associate women with the development effort.
248. With respect to the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women, the Commission was informed that the voluntary fund established for International Women's Year by the Economic and Social Council by its resolution 1850 (LVI) had been extended by the Assembly at its thirtieth session to cover the period of the Decade for Women. In compliance with the General Assembly decision requesting the Secretary-General to report to the Council at its sixtieth session, an accounting report of the Fund had been prepared and proposals for its future management and the criteria to be applied for future disbursements had been submitted to the Council (E/5773). The view that projects concerning women should
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form an integral part of the regular activities of all United Nations bodies was put forward by one representative. As a matter of principle, therefore,, she was opposed to the creation of new institutions and funds concerned only with women, not least because there was a serious risk of such institutions and funds being allocated very scant resources. It was also considered important that the Secretariat unit responsible for women's questions should be assigned more staff and budgetary resources under the United Nations regular budget. In the view of several representatives, the Voluntary Fund should be used to promote activities for the advancement of women especially in the developing countries. Of the various activities that were suggested for financing by the Fund, the strengthening of regional programmes and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women seemed to be favoured.
249. On the question of the International Research and Training Institute, the Commission was informed of the recommendations of the General Assembly in its resolution 3520(XXX), by which it had been decided to establish the Institute, and of the recommendations of the Group of Experts appointed by the Secretary-General to draw up the terms of reference and structural organization of the Institute. These had been embodied in a report (E/5772) submitted to the Economic and Social Council at its sixtieth session. In resolution 1998 (LX), the Council had decided to establish the Institute not later than 1977 and had also decided that it should work in close collaboration with the relevant organizations of the United Nations system and national and regional centres having similar objectives. By that resolution the Secretary-General was also requested to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-first session on the progress achieved in establishing the Institute.
250. The establishment of an International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women was considered by a number of representatives to be particularly important and timely.
251. It was agreed that priority should be accorded to action to improve the status of the millions of illiterate and poverty-stricken women in rural areas who had
an important role to play in the development process.
252. Other priority areas that were mentioned were the rights of working women and their promotion through better education, training and employment opportunities. The view was put forward that studies on women's status carried out by the Secretariat should reveal not only existing discrimination but ways and means of improving their situation based on the experience of countries which had achieved this.
253. The Commission was informed of the joint interorganizational programme for the integration of women in development, which was being formulated and for which an ad hoc interagency meeting had been convened from 9 to 13 February 1976 to agree on the conceptual framework for a joint interorganizational programme and to consider proposals for practical action during the period 1976-1985. That meeting had suggested a preliminary framework for the joint programme and had agreed on a plan for its further elaboration. Another ad hoc interagency meeting had taken place at Geneva from 1 to 8 September 1976, to discuss the plan for the joint programme. The results of those consultations would be submitted for approval to the Preparatory Committee and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination in October 1976, and a report would be submitted to the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-second session in April 1977.
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254. The main objectives of the joint interorganizational programme were to increase the participation of women in political, cultural and economic life, to accelerate the equality of the sexes in education and training of all types and at all levels, to promote the attainment of social well-being for women and their access to health and social services, to improve conditions of family life, to improve the quality of life of girls and women in rural areas and to promote the inclusion in national development plans and programmes of measures designed to ensure the full integration of women in the areas indicated above.
255. The Commission placed great emphasis on the need for women to participate in planning and policy-making bodies and to develop special expertise. Women, it was stated, should no longer he content to accept the role of second class citizens for which they had been conditioned too long. It was stated that, while valuable suggestions had been made for action at the international level, the Commission should take decisions on the action that should be taken at the national level, thus transforming the World Plan of Action into a practical instrument for programmes at the national and grass-roots levels. For this purpose the importance of national machinery for implementation of the programme for the Decade could not be overemphasized. In certain countries, the dissolution at the end of 1975 of national commissions which were created for the observance of the International Women's Year had left a vacuum which needed to be filled.
256. Several representatives also spoke of the important role of the non-governmental organizations. Emphasis was placed on the need to have communications and collaboration between non-governmental organizations and Governments. It was felt that non-governmental organizations were indispensable as a means of maintaining communication between the grass-roots level and the Governments.
Consideration of the Programme for the Decade
257. At its 64lst meeting, on 20 September 1976, the Commission established a drafting group to elaborate the programme for the Decade, taking as the basis for its work chapter III of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/594 and Corr.1). The drafting group held one meeting, on 22 September, under the chairmanship of Mrs. Aziza Hussein (Egypt). After some discussion, the group decided to submit all proposals and suggestions for the programme to the Secretariat and request it to prepare a working paper for the group's consideration.
258. At its 653rd meeting, the Commission decided to consider the working paper prepared by the Secretariat (E/CN.6/L.682). The Programme for the Decade, based on this working paper and incorporating the changes indicated in paragraphs 259-289 below, appears in annex V.
Chapter I of the Programme
(United Nations Decade for Women: Policies, Principles
and Mandates)
259. Upon the suggestion of the representative of Egypt, the title of the chapter was changed to read: "United Nations Decade for Women: Policies, Principles and Mandates".
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260. Paragraph 1 was adopted without vote at the 657th meeting, "with the addition
of the following foot-note requested by Belgium, Denmark, France, the United
Kingdom and the United States:
"The inclusion of this paragraph should not be interpreted as indicating a change in the positions taken by certain delegations when the documents and resolutions referred to in the paragraph were adopted."
261. Several representatives stated that, throughout the Programme, it should be noted in respect of references to certain General Assembly resolutions and other United Nations documents, that the position previously taken by their Governments when the resolutions were adopted remained unchanged.
262. Paragraph 2 of the working paper became part of paragraph 1.
263. FAO and ILO jointly submitted a proposal (E/CN.6/.692) for the insertion of an additional paragraph, which was adopted and "became paragraph 2.
264. Paragraphs 3-9 and paragraph 10 with the deletion of the phrase "of great magnitude" were adopted without a vote.
265. With respect to paragraph 11, after some discussion during which it was noted that adequate personnel and resources were essential for the successful implementation of the Programme, an amended text was adopted. Some representatives expressed reservations regarding the budgetary implications of this paragraph, which they considered were within the competence of the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly.
Chapter II of the Programme
(Specific areas for action to attain the threefold objectives of the Decade)
A. Formulation and implementation of international and national standards to eliminate discrimination against women
266. After a brief discussion, paragraph 1, subparagraphs [a] and (b) were combined to delete specific dates.
267. The representative of the USSR proposed the inclusion in paragraph 2 of a reference to the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. This proposal was adopted without a vote after some discussion and the proposed text became subparagraph (b).
268. Paragraph 2 (b) was adopted without a vote 3 as well as paragraph 2 (c) with the addition of the phrase "by relevant international organizations, including the United Nations specialized agencies", becoming subparagraphs (c) and (d) respectively.
269. The representative of Canada proposed the addition, in paragraph 3, subparagraphs (a) and (b) of a precise reference to the organ to which the studies
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would be submitted, namely, the Commission on the Status of Women. The representative of Hungary proposed the insertion, in paragraph 3 (a), of a reference to the rights and responsibilities of parents vis-a-vis their children. The representative of France proposed that the latter part of paragraph 3 (b) be revised and her text was accepted.
270. On the proposal of Egypt, new paragraphs 4 and 5 were added, relating to
activities to increase knowledge and awareness of international standards. Both
paragraphs were adopted without a vote, paragraph 5 including an amendment by
Mexico.
271. In the section dealing with national action, Sweden submitted an amendment
to subparagraph (a) (E/CN.6/L.691), which was adopted without a vote, as orally
amended by Egypt. Subparagraph (b) was adopted without a vote, and
subparagraph (c), as amended by Canada, inserting the word "relevant" before the
words "international conventions" was also adopted without a vote, as amended,
after some discussion in regard to the inclusion of a reference to non-governmental
organizations.
B. Integration of women in development
272. The United States submitted two amendments (E/CN.6/L.685) to the first paragraph of this section. These were subsequently withdrawn.
273. At the 655th meeting, the representatives of the Byelorussian SSR and Venezuela both submitted amendments to the second introductory paragraphs of this section. They subsequently revised their text and submitted a joint proposal which was adopted at the 657th meeting by 18 votes to none, with 6 abstentions.
274. Paragraph 1 (a) was adopted without a vote. Subparagraph (b), with the addition of the words "and existing intergovernmental commissions" and subparagraph (c) relating to the establishment of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, were also adopted without a vote. The representative of France emphasized the need for adequate funds before the proposed Institute could be set up.
275. Subparagraph (d), in its amended form, was adopted without a vote. Iran proposed a new subparagraph (e) concerning the activities of the Institute (E/CN.6/L.694), which was further modified during the discussion and adopted by 11 votes to 2, with 10 abstentions.
276. Paragraph 2, subparagraphs (a) and (b), were adopted without a vote.
277. Paragraph 3, subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) were adopted with minor amendments without a vote. Subparagraph (d) (i) was adopted without a vote, with revisions relating to education and training and with the addition of a subparagraph concerning technological assistance, access to credit and co-operatives for women. Subparagraphs (d.) (ii), (iii), (iv), with minor amendments, and (v) "were adopted without a vote. Subparagraph (d) (vi) was deleted. An additional subparagraph proposed by the United States, (E/CN.6/L.693/Rev.1) recommending the establishment of a corps of regional experts, was adopted without a vote, as orally amended by Egypt.
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278. The introductory paragraphs relating to national action were adopted without a vote. Paragraphs 1-5 were also adopted without a vote, with minor amendments.
C. Increased involvement of women in political life and in international co-operation and the maintenance of peace
279 Paragraph 1 (a) was adopted without a vote with the addition of the phrase "under strict and effective international controls" proposed by the United States.
280. After some discussion of the specific reference to General Assembly resolution 3519 (XXX) in paragraph 1 (b), the Commission adopted the paragraph by 16 votes to 6, with 2 abstentions. Several representatives expressed reservations regarding this paragraph in line with the position taken by them when the resolution was adopted.
281. Paragraph 2, subparagraphs (a) and (b), with minor amendments, were adopted without a vote. Subparagraph (c) was also adopted without a vote. The representative of Mexico suggested the deletion of the phrase "including the establishment of a new international economic order", emphasizing the fact that the suggestion was motivated solely by the concern to avoid lengthy discussion. Subparagraph (d) with one minor addition was adopted without a vote.
282. Paragraph 3, subparagraphs (a.) and (b), with minor changes, were adopted without a vote. Subparagraph (c) was amended by the German Democratic Republic to call for the report on the effects of apartheid on the status of women to be submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session and to the Special Committee against Apartheid. It was adopted without a vote.
283. The section on national action was adopted without a vote.
Chapter III of the Programme (Informational and educational activities for the Decade)
284. Paragraphs 1-3 were adopted without a vote.
285. Paragraph 4 was adopted without a vote with minor modification, and subparagraph (e) was deleted,
286. The section on national action was adopted without a vote.
Chapter IV of the Programme
(Review and appraisal of progress made in relation to the threefold theme of the Decade: Equality, Development and
Peace)
287. The Commission adopted this chapter, with minor amendments, without a vote.
288. The representative of Mexico clarified that she had accepted the reference to the Programme for Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order on the understanding that it referred to the Programme as approved by the General Assembly at its sixth special session by its resolution 3202 (S-Vl).
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289. The Programme as a whole, as amended, was adopted by the Commission without a vote at its 657th meeting, on 30 September 1976. (For the text, see annex V.)
290. The representatives of Belgium, Denmark, France and the United Kingdom stated that although they fully supported the objectives of the Decade, they considered that the Programme as adopted contained references to resolutions and other international documents which their Governments had not been able to support at the time of their adoption, and reflected ideas expressed in these resolutions and international instruments which they regarded as not necessarily furthering the cause of women's rights.
291. The representative of the United States stated, in explanation of vote, that the Programme for the Decade contained formulations and references to certain United Nations documents on which the United States must reserve its position.
She felt that these references unnecessarily encumbered the document with political viewpoints not shared by many representatives.
292. The representative of Mexico stated that her affirmative vote on the Programme was to be considered strictly in the context of the statement made by the representative of Mexico at the 244st plenary meeting of the General Assembly, on 15 December 1975, when the resolutions concerning the International Women's Year were adopted under agenda items 75 and 76. 25/
293. At its 659th meeting, on 1 October 1976, the Commission adopted the following decision without a vote:
"The Commission on the Status of Women
"Requests the Economic and Social Council, at its resumed sixty-first session, to transmit the attached Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women to the General Assembly at its thirty-first session." 26/
Consideration of draft resolutions and voting
294. At the 671st meeting, on 13 December 1976, the representative of India, on behalf also of Canada, introduced a draft resolution entitled "National mechanisms to oversee the implementation of the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women and the future Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women" (E/CN.6/L.711).
295. In the course of the discussion, the sponsors amended the third paragraph of the preamble by adding the words "such as national commissions and secretariats on the status of women" after the words "national level". They also revised operative paragraph 2 and withdrew paragraphs 3 and 4.
25/ See Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirtieth Session, Plenary Meetings.
26/ See chap. I, sect. B.
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296. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the draft resolution as orally revised. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution II.)
297. At the 668th meeting, the representative of the United States, on behalf also of Denmark, Iran and Thailand, introduced a draft resolution entitled "Training for the preparation and implementation of project proposals" (E/CN.6/L.684).
298. At the request of the representative of Egypt, the word "participated" was substituted for the words "been utilized" in the second preambular paragraph.
299. Operative paragraph 1 was revised by the sponsors to read as follows:
"1. Invites the Administrator of the United nations Development Programme and the executive heads of the specialized agencies, wherever possible in co-ordination with the appropriate international training and and research institutes, regional commissions and national Governments., to organize training programmes for women and women's organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in the preparation of project proposals and in the management and evaluation of these projects".
300. Paragraph 2 was orally revised to incorporate amendments by the representatives of Egypt and India, reading as follows: "Suggests that such training incorporates among other things, the following".
301. The representative of Pakistan suggested that the words "at all levels" be added after the words "generate such training" in paragraph 3. The sponsors of the draft resolution accepted her suggestion.
302. At the suggestion of the representative of Colombia, the word "planned" was added before the word "International" in paragraph 4.
303. It was agreed that paragraph 5 (a) would read as follows:
"The frequency of management and training courses, their content and where and by whom they were organized".
30. The sponsors also deleted the last five lines in paragraph 5 and added a new paragraph 6 reading as follows:
"Requests the Secretary-General to submit a progress report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session in 1976. on the steps taken to implement the present resolution and to submit a further report on action taken to the Commission at its twenty-eighth session and to the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980".
305. The representative of France proposed adding a new paragraph at the end of the operative part of the resolution. This paragraph, after slight amendment, read as follows:
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"Expresses the wish that international agencies should themselves set an example to States by allocating to -women an equitable number of responsible posts in all structures entrusted with the implementation of the present resolution."
This text was accepted by the sponsors.
306. At its 671st meeting, on 13 December 1976, the Commission adopted without a
vote the draft resolution as revised (E/CN.6/L.684/Rev.1). (For the text, see
chap. I, draft resolution III.)
D. Review and appraisal of progress made under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade and in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year
Summary of discussion
307. The Commission discussed this part of agenda item 4 at its 635th and 637th meetings, at the twenty-sixth session, and at its 668th, 669th, 671st and 676th meetings, at the resumed twenty-sixth session. It had before it the reports of the Secretary-General, based on information furnished by Governments in 1975 and 1976, on measures undertaken under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade and in implementation of the World Plan of Action (E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2), and a note by the Secretary-General on procedures concerning future review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action (E/CT,6/599)•
308. The Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, in introducing the reports, explained that the procedural aspect of the question was outlined in document E/CN.6/599. The substantive documents (E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2) represented an attempt at an initial review and appraisal. The findings and conclusions on major trends and policies with regard to the status of women based on a preliminary analysis of reports received from Governments was given in document E/CN.6/598/Add.2.
Consideration of draft resolutions and voting
309. At the 668th meeting, the representative of Iran, on behalf also of Colombia, Egypt, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Senegal and Venezuela, introduced a draft resolution entitled "Review and appraisal of progress made under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade and in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year" (E/CN.6/L.695).
310. The sponsors accepted a Belgian proposal to add, in paragraph 1 (c), the words "and guidance" after the word "education" and the words "to promote co-education and" after the word "necessary". They also accepted a proposal by Thailand to add the words "and responsibilities" at the end of paragraph 2 (b).
311. The representative of France proposed the addition, at the end of paragraph 2 (d) of the following phrase: "within as short a time as possible for each State". The sponsors also accepted this amendment.
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312. The sponsors orally revised paragraph 2 (j) by adding at the end the words "as well as family life education".
313. At its 669th meeting, on 10 December 1976, the Commission adopted without
a vote the draft resolution as orally revised. (For the text see chap. I, draft resolution IV.)
314. At the 668th meeting, on 10 December 1976, the representative of Iran, on behalf also of Colombia., Mexico, the United States and Venezuela, introduced a draft resolution which called for a supplementary report on the implementation of the World Plan of Action (E/CN.6/L.697).
315. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution without a vote, substituting the words "thirty-second" for the words "thirty-first" in operative paragraph 2. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution V.)
316. At the 669th meeting, the representative of Sweden, on behalf also of Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France and Greece, introduced, a draft resolution relating ., to the improvement of the data base for measuring the implementation of the World Plan of Action (E/CN.6/L.696).
317. At the 671st meeting, on 13 December 1976, the representative of France submitted a revised text of the draft resolution (E/CN.6/696/Rev.1) on behalf of the
original sponsors. Subsequently, India and the United States were added as
sponsors of the revised draft resolution.
318. In response to oral amendments to operative paragraph 1 made by the representative of the United States, it was agreed to add the words "regional commissions and intergovernmental organizations" after the words "statistical offices".
319. At the suggestion of the representative of France, the sponsors also revised paragraph 1 (a) adding the words "particularly at the national and regional levels" after the words "statistical data".
320. At the same meeting, the Commission approved without a vote the amended draft resolution, as orally revised. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution VI.)
321. At its 671st meeting, the representative of India, on behalf also of Thailand, introduced a draft resolution which sought to increase the involvement of non-governmental organizations in the review of the implementation of the World Plan of Action and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (E/CN.6/L.712)•
322. A revised text of the draft resolution (E/CN.6/L.712/Rev.1), of which Togo also became a co-sponsor, was introduced at the 676th meeting on 16 December 1976.
323. Subsequently, operative paragraph 1 of the revised text was orally revised by the sponsors by adding the words "and intergovernmental organizations" after the word "Governments" ; they also revised paragraph 2 by inserting the words "intergovernmental and regional organizations and all other organizations concerned in the implementation of" after the words "specialized agencies". The word "under" was deleted.
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324. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted without a vote the revised draft resolution as orally amended. (For the text, see chap. T, draft resolution VII.)
E. Preparatory work for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for
Women, 1980
Summary of discussion
325. This subitem of agenda item 4 was discussed by the Commission at its
635th and 63Tth meetings, at the twenty-sixth session and at its 670th-672nd and
674th meetings, at the resumed twenty-sixth session. Under the above subitem, the
Commission, had before it a note prepared by the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/600)
in accordance with General Assembly resolution 3520 (XXX) and Economic and Social Council resolution 1999 (LX).
326. In introducing the document, the Deputy Director, Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs, reminded the Commission that the purpose of
the 1980 World Conference as stated in paragraph 20 of resolution 3520 (XXX), was
"to review and evaluate progress made in implementing the objectives of the
International Women's Year ... and, where necessary, to readjust existing
programmes in the light of new data and research available". The Conference,
therefore, would review and evaluate progress achieved at the mid-point of the
Decade. Subsequently, the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution
1999 (LX), had requested the Commission to consider different aspects of the preparatory work for the Conference, including its agenda. The Deputy Director drew the Commission's attention to a number of matters relating to the substantive preparation of the Conference, such as the agenda, documentation, committee structure, and to various organizational matters, including the financial implications of the Conference. She noted that revised proposals would have to be submitted to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session. The recommendations of the Commission at its present session would also be transmitted to the Committee on Review and Appraisal in May 1977, in accordance with Council resolution 1999 (LX).
327. The Commission considered the 1980 World Conference to be an event of crucial
importance. It was stated that national and research planning for the Conference
should begin without any delay. Two proposals were made with respect to the
preparatory work. First, the Secretary-General should be requested to prepare a
report for the Conference outlining an approach for achieving the objectives of
the Decade. The report should deal with both national and international policies
and stress the need for a full commitment on the part of each country. The
approach should be devised to ensure that the economic, social, political and
human constraints were minimized and an effective infrastructure for future
development was created. Secondly, in preparing for the Conference, the Commission
should not merely draw up a detailed agenda but should also, in consultation with
all relevant United Nations agencies, with the proposed International Research
and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women and with existing and proposed regional centres and programmes, as well as with national bodies, research institutions and experts, endeavour to stimulate national and regional planning in preparation for the Conference.
328. As regards the substantive preparation of the Conference and the topics to
be discussed, the representatives were divided on the scope of the agenda and
therefore on the number of the committees to be set up. Although there was
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general agreement that the agenda should include topics relating to the three themes of the Decade and should provide a follow-up to the World Conference of the International Women's Year, it was felt that it should be more precise. Some representatives were of the opinion that the committees should be structured in accordance with the three themes of the Decade, and that the three themes should be accorded equal emphasis. They felt that development could not be approached separately from equality and peace, for women, though they participated in development, were not equal to men and the possibility or continuation of conflict posed a threat to development. One representative expressed the opinion that the specific objectives cited in paragraph 46 of the World Plan of Action 27/ to be achieved as a minimum in the first five-year period, dealt with only one objective of the Decade, namely development, and omitted the other two objectives: peace and equality. Another representative proposed that specific topics for review and appraisal at the Conference be listed and stressed that two questions required more emphasis: political rights of women, especially election on an equal footing with men, and participation by women in decision making on local, national and international levels.
329. A number of representatives were of the opinion that the integration of women in development should receive more attention than the other two themes: equality and peace. One suggestion which received support was that of subdividing this topic into three - educational opportunities, employment opportunities and special training for women - and to establish three separate committees to consider them. Another suggestion was to have two committees to discuss development, leaving peace to be discussed in plenary. It was suggested that special emphasis should be placed on community development, on women in economic development and on methods for increasing employment opportunities for women.
330. With respect to the documentation for the Conference, it was suggested that a deadline should be established for the submission of documentation well in advance of the Conference, to allow for adequate consultation and study. Some representatives expressed the opinion that the amount of documentation should be limited. As for the subject matter of documents, one representative suggested that three documents should be prepared on each of the three themes of the Decade. Another suggestion was to include a report by a special rapporteur on the portrayal of women by the mass communication media,
331. The role of the regional commissions was seen as a crucial one for the preparations for the Conference. One representative felt that the regional commissions could play an important role in the collection of data and in the preparation of indicators for the status of women on the regional level. The contributions of the regional commissions and also of the specialized agencies were considered essential for the Conference.
332. A number of representatives expressed the view that, owing to the close relationship between non-governmental organizations and women of the grass-roots level, the role of non-governmental organizations should receive full support. For a better understanding of what was done at the national level, the assistance of non-governmental organizations was needed.
27/ See foot-note 5.
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333. The Commission considered the question of participation in the Conference. The participation of both men and women in the government delegations was stressed. Some representatives suggested the inclusion of representatives from women's organizations, women's commissions and trade unions.
334.. On the subject of the duration of the Conference, one representative expressed the opinion that the duration of the Conference should be two weeks, as in Mexico. On the question of its site, the Commission was informed that two offers to act as hosts to the Conference had been received from the Governments of Bulgaria and Iran; it was noted, however, that this would be determined by the General Assembly.
335. A suggestion was made that the working languages of the Conference should be the official languages of the United Nations.
336. Representatives were divided on the need to have parallel activities at the Conference similar to the Tribune of the Mexico Conference. Some felt that the Tribune at Mexico had been ineffective and that there had been no interaction between the Tribune and the Conference. Some representatives were of the opinion that money should not be spent on a similar Tribune in 1980. Others favoured parallel activities and said that careful organization and consideration should be given to the planning of the Tribune. While still others felt that the Tribune, or a similar non-governmental organizational activity, should be organized prior to the Conference, so that its decisions and recommendations could be considered by the Conference. Among the suggestions were the following: the preparation of an agenda for the Tribune's consideration, better transportation facilities between the Conference location and the Tribune location, clearer links between the governmental delegations and representatives of non-governmental organizations and setting criteria for non-governmental organizations' participation. One representative felt that the Tribune should have a small liaison office staffed by the United Nations, whose function would be to report developments from one meeting to the other.
337. In reply to a question concerning the financial implications of parallel activities at the Conference, the Secretary informed the Commission that the Tribune in Mexico was not financed by the United Nations and that the United Nations had played very little part in its organization. It had been organized by the non-governmental organizations themselves and was open to the public as well.
338. The need to have effective information activities prior to the Conference was stressed. One representative was of the opinion that information materials should be made available to non-governmental organizations prior to the Conference to provide a clear idea about the Conference and related activities.
339. On the question of preparatory meetings, the Commission agreed that preparation for the 1980World Conference should receive more careful and detailed planning and consideration ahead of time than had been possible for the 1975 Conference. The timing of the decision to convene that Conference had not allowed adequate preparation for it. Several representatives expressed the hope that preparatory meetings would be scheduled. There was, however, a difference of opinion as to what would be the most appropriate body to do the preparatory work for the Conference. Some representatives were of the opinion that an ad hoc committee of about 16 representatives should be the preparatory body. One
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representative felt that the number of representatives should be 23 and not 16 and that the ad hoc committee should convene three meetings in 1977, 1978 and 1979. It was pointed out that should an ad hoc committee be agreed on, it could not begin to function until late 1977 because of the necessity of the approval of the Economic and Social Council for its creation. Some representatives felt that the Commission at its 1978 session could be the preparatory committee for the Conference and,, if necessary, a special session could he convened for the preparation of the Conference.
340. In addition to the consideration of a preparatory committee, the Commission also examined the possibility of convening preparatory meetings such as regional seminars or conferences. Some representatives felt that the Conference should be preceded by such regional meetings, similar to those which had been convened in 1974- and 1975. The year 1979 was considered specially suitable for convening regional seminars or conferences. Regional meetings were also seen as a means of involving non-governmental organizations in the preparations for the Conference. It was also felt that the recommendations made by these meetings would contribute to a better understanding of regional problems and situations. One representative felt that the subject of mass communication media and its portrayal of women should be among the subjects discussed in regional seminars.
341. A number of representatives stressed the need for preparatory national seminars as a means of highlighting awareness of the 1980 Conference. As in the preparation of the 1975 Conference, it was felt that national commissions and national liaison officers should be appointed to facilitate communication between the national, regional and international levels.
342. Some representatives were of the opinion that international seminars should he part of the preparation for the Conference and that they should focus on the three themes of the Conference.
343- The need to consider financial resources ahead of time was stressed and it was also said that the earmarking of funds to subsidize regional seminars or conferences should be undertaken at an early stage.
Consideration of draft resolution and voting
344. At the 674th meeting, the representative of Iran, on "behalf also of Colombia, Egypt, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Senegal and Venezuela, introduced a draft resolution entitled "Preparatory work for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980" (E/CN.6/L.717). The draft resolution proposed the establishment of
"an Ad Hoc Committee composed of sixteen representatives of the States members of the Commission on the Status of Women to submit to the Commission at its twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth sessions in 1978 and 1980, proposals concerning the substantive and administrative arrangements for the Conference, taking into account all the relevant reports relating to the review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action, as well as the discussions of the Commission and the documents (E/CN.6/600 and E/CN.6/L.713) submitted to it at its twenty-sixth session".
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It also requested the Secretary-General
"to prepare for the consideration of the Ad Hoc Committee in 1978 a report outlining a programme of concrete action for the second half of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, 1976-1985, as the basis for a report to he submitted to the 1980 World Conference".
345. The Secretary informed the Commission that the financial implications for each two-week meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee would be $32,360. With a view to reducing the financial implications and the cost of travel for members of the Committee, the representative of the United Kingdom proposed an amendment to paragraph 1, which was accepted "by the sponsors, as further amended orally by Iran. It read as follows:
"the Ad Hoc committee will meet, if possible, immediately before the 1978
and 1980 sessions of the Commission and, if the Commission deems it necessary,
an additional meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee will be held in 1979".
346. The Secretary of the Commission pointed out that the dates for the Ad Hoc Committee meetings would depend on the Economic and Social Council calendar of meetings which would be drawn up in the summers of 1977 and 1979.
347. The representatives of the Byelorussian SSR, France, the USSR and the United Kingdom expressed their reservations on the financial implications of these meetings.
348. The representative of the USSR proposed an oral amendment to operative paragraph 1 to replace the word "administrative" by the word "organizational". The amendment was accepted by the sponsors,
349. The sponsors decided to delete the words "in 1978" in operative paragraph 2, in order to allow adequate time for the Secretary-General to draw up a programme for the second part of the Decade.
350. At its 674th meeting, on 15 December 1976, the Commission approved without a vote the draft resolution as orally amended. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution VIII.)
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IV. INFLUENCE OF THE MASS COMMUNICATION MEDIA ON ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE ROLES OF WOMEN AND MEN IN PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY
351. Agenda item 5 was discussed at the 675th, 676th and 678th meetings, at the resumed twenty-sixth session of the Commission. The Commission had before it the progress report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/601 and Corr.1) prepared in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1862 (LVI).
352. The Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, in introducing the report, drew the attention of the Commission to its main purpose, which was to suggest measures to check the dissemination and perpetuation by the mass communication media of the deeply-rooted discriminatory attitudes, values and beliefs which held women to be inferior to men. These attitudes hampered the efforts of the United Nations to promote equality between men and women in law as well as in fact and to integrate women in development, The Deputy Director stated that the report was concerned with finding ways in which the media could be a positive influence in the formation of more dynamic attitudes towards the roles women should play in contemporary society. Based on the findings and recommendations of the World Conference of the International Women's Year, the World Plan of Action, the two regional plans of action for Asia and the Pacific and for Africa, a number of interregional and regional seminars organized by the United Nations and the UNESCO media workshop held at Mexico City, the report suggested a number of concrete measures which could be taken by the media, by Governments and by international organizations.
353. In view of the limited time which the Commission had in which to finish the remaining items on the agenda, it decided to combine the general discussion with the discussion on the draft resolution submitted by Denmark, Iran, Togo and the United States (E/CN.6/L.690).
354. A number of representatives noted that the report of the Secretary-General contained valuable information and analyzed clearly the issues involved and the conclusions of the various meetings mentioned.
355. One representative drew attention in particular to the educational role of the mass communication media, as mentioned in the report, and the possibility they offered of reaching the masses faster than by any other means. She also underlined the great potential of the mass communication media for social action.
356. It was suggested that, in view of its tremendous importance, the item should be considered by the Preparatory Committee for inclusion in the agenda of the 1980 World Conference as well as of the regional meetings which would be organized in preparation for the Conference; in this way background material would be developed on the regional vatiations that existed in the portrayal of women by the mass communication media.
357. Another representative stressed the need for organizing seminars on the subject. She considered it of the utmost importance that there should be exchange of views and experience, which was possible in a seminar. It was considered
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unfortunate that an interregional seminar on the mass communication media and women, which had been scheduled for the International Women's Year, had had to be cancelled. She expressed the hope that another seminar would be forthcoming which would provide substantive input into this subject.
358. Attention was drawn to the guidelines or minimum standards of fairness and accuracy for treatment of women in the media that had "been prepared in one country by one of the committees organized for the International Women's Year.
359. Another representative spoke of the ridicule with which the mass communication media in her country had treated women's aspirations and expectations which were raised by the International Women's Year. In countries where illiteracy rates were high, the unsympathetic portrayals by the mass communication media of women were especially harmful. The effects of the media, especially cinema and television, on children had to be watched very carefully.
360. When introducing the draft resolution, on behalf also of Denmark, Iran and Togo. the representative of the United States noted that paragraph 1 (b) would be replaced by the Belgian amendment (E/CN.6/L.714) which read as follows:
''Dissemination of more news about women, (particularly about progress made in the legal, social and political fields), in all languages of the country, giving this news the place it deserves in the light of its subject-matter and not placing it all in sections reserved for women.
361. The sponsors also orally revised the beginning of paragraph 7 to read as
follows: "Decides to appoint a special rapporteur ...'. Similarly, paragraph ft
was orally amended to read as follows:
"Requests that the Secretary-General submit a progress report to the twenty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women and findings to its twenty-eighth session."'
Another oral revision was made by the sponsors to paragraph 9; the words "Requests further that the General Assembly include" were replaced by ''Recommends further that the Ad Hoc Committee include"-, similarly, the words "a possible agenda" replaced "an agenda".
362. The Secretary of the Commission drew attention to the financial implications of the draft resolution (see annex III, paras. 9-11).
363. Mexico submitted an amendment to paragraph 7 (E/CN.6/L.719) inserting, after the words "special rapporteur", the following phrase: "taking into account the close relationship between the economic and social aspects of development and the necessity of the full integration of women in the development process".
364. Sweden submitted an amendment to the introductory sentence of paragraph 1 (E/CN.6/L.720) adding, after the words "Encourages Member States to", the words "make representatives of mass communication media aware of the importance of formulating". Sweden also proposed the deletion of paragraphs 3 and 5. The representative of Sweden explained that these amendments would make the text more acceptable to her Government, as the original text might be interpreted as limiting the freedom of the press, radio and television and would therefore not be acceptable.
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365. The USSR submitted amendments (E/CN.6/L.721) consisting, first, of adding
to paragraph 2 the words "and that they should condemn the use of mass communication media, literature and art with a view to exploiting, discriminating against, and demeaning women", secondly, of inserting, in paragraph 4, the words "political, civic and cultural" after the word "vocational" and, thirdly, of adding a paragraph on UNESCO and other specialized agencies concerned with training and cultural matters.
366. India submitted amendments (E/CN.6/L.722) consisting, first, of adding in
paragraph 1 (c), after the words "all walks of life", the words "especially in
the fields of development and social welfare", secondly, of adding the following
new paragraph "before paragraph 5:
"Requests UNESCO, with a view to helping developing countries, to prepare educational films for primary schools and functional literacy which are concerned with the improvement of the image of women and doing away with stereotyped sex roles;"
and, theirdly, of adding, in the original text of paragraph 5, after the words ''staff of the mass communications media", the phrase "including particularly the field of advertising".
367. Egypt submitted amendments (E/CN.6/L.723) consisting, first, of inserting the words "said to be" after the words "film and television are" in the fourth paragraph of the preamble and, secondly, of adding the following sentence at the end of paragraph 7z "This information is to be drawn, inter alia, from studies on this subject to be undertaken by relevant research institutes, from seminars to be organized for this purpose, as well as from other studies which may be under way."
368. Pakistan and Thailand submitted amendments (E/CN.6/L.724) to paragraph 6, adding, after the words "government and non-governmental organizations" the words "especially in co-operation with those organizations dealing with the mass communication media" and, after the words "to organize workshops", the words "and seminars".
369. At its 678th meeting, on 17 September 1976, the Commission adopted without a vote the draft resolution as revised (E/CN.6/L.690/Rev.1) to incorporate the amendments accepted by the sponsors. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution IX.)
370. Reservations were expressed by the representatives of the Byelorussian SSR, Colombia, France, the German Democratic Republic and the USSR concerning the financial implications of paragraph 8.
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V. COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING THE STATUS OF WOMEN
371. The Commission discussed agenda item 6 at its 676th and 677th meetings, at
the resumed twenty-sixth session. It had before it a note by the Secretary-General
(E/CN.6/602). It also had statements from two non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council: the International Youth and. Student Movement for the United. Nations (category I) (E/CN.6/NGO/262) and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (category II) (E/CN.6/NGO/274).
372. In introducing the report, the Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development
and Humanitarian Affairs drew attention to Economic and Social Council decision
86 (LVIII) of 6 May 1975, in which the Council had invited the Commission to consider the advisability of continuing to deal with communications concerning the status of women in the light of the report of the Secretary-General (E/5628) and the discussion in the Social Committee of the Council at its fifty-eighth session, and to report to the Council at its sixty-second session. She drew attention to paragraphs 5-8 of the note by the Secretary-General, which summarized the procedures for handling communications concerning human rights and to paragraphs 9 and 10 which referred to procedures for handling communications concerning the status of women. She reminded the Commission that procedures for handling communications regarding allegations of violations of human rights and the status of women were first established by the Economic and Social Council in its resolutions 75 (V) and. 76 (V) respectively. While procedures for dealing with communications concerning human rights were amended and expanded by the Council in part by resolutions 728 F (XXVIII), 1235 (XLII) and 1503 (XLVIII), communications concerning the status of women had continued to be handled on the basis of Council resolution 76 (V) as amended by resolution 304 I (XI).
373. In the discussion on this item, opinion was divided as to the advisability of
the Commission continuing to deal with communications concerning the status of
women.
374. In support of the Commission dealing with communications, a number of reasons were put forward. It was pointed out that the communication system provided an important source of information. It helped pin-point gross and persistent violations. The Commission, it was stated, would be more sensitive and more committed to complaints relating to the status of women and there was no other appropriate forum for receiving communications relating to the status of women. It was stressed that by denying this channel of communication to women the very credibility of the Commission would be affected.
375. Representatives who opposed the handling of communications by the Commission gave the following reasons in support of their position. It was stated that violations of human rights, whether of women or men, should be placed on the same footing and that the human rights bodies were sufficiently competent to deal with them. . Dividing rights into those of women and those of men would, weaken, these todies. There would be too much duplication in the work and in the different committees and commissions, especially with the coming into force of the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In view of the very heavy agenda of the Commission, it would
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not have the time to deal satisfactorily with communications and would be distracted from its work on the Programme for the Decade for Women. It was pointed out that there was no significant change and no reason to go back on the decision which the Commission had taken at its last session to delete this item from its work programme.
376. Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States submitted a draft resolution (E/CN.6/L.686).
377. At its 677th meeting, on 16 December 1976, the Commission adopted the resolution by 14 votes to 5, with 5 abstentions. (For the text, see chap. I, draft resolution X. )
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VI. PROGRAMME OF WORK
378. Agenda item 7 was taken up by the Commission at its 677th meeting. The Commission had before it the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1976-1977 concerning the Commission on the Status of Women, 28/ the medium-term plan for the period 1978-1981 29/ and the report of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on the work of its sixteenth session, 30/
379. The Deputy Director, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, drew attention to the programme budget for the biennium 1976-1977. As this programme budget had been drawn up before the World Conference of Mexico, it did not take into account the staff requirements for carrying out the programme for the implementation of the World Plan of Action. By General Assembly resolution 3520 (XXX), the Secretariat had been asked to prepare revised estimates to the 1977 budget because of the implications of the World Plan of Action. These revised estimates were actually under discussion within the Secretariat. The programme budget for the biennium 1978-1979, which would be based on the medium-term plan, was now being prepared and would take into account the decisions of the Commission at its current session.
380. The Deputy Director informed the Commission that it would be helpful for the Secretariat to have the guidance of the Commission on the medium-term plan for 1978-1981, which was prepared early in 1976 and submitted to the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination in May 1976. The relevant paragraphs related to the three subprogrammes of the Promotion of Equality of Men and Women Branch -subprogramme 4: integration of women in development, subprogramme 5: international instruments relating to the status of women, and subprogramme 6: women and peace.
381. The Commission was informed that, during the discussions in the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination, some amendments were introduced, taking into account the World Plan of Action and the resolutions of the General Assembly. The Committee recommended that the programme be raised from below average to above average rate of growth.
382. The Commission was also informed about the Voluntary Fund for the United nations Decade for Women and the relevant General Assembly resolution (resolution 31/133).
383. A few questions were raised with respect to the budget and the additional staffing that was required for the Programme for the Decade for Women.
384. The Commission approved in general the medium-term plan and took note of the relevant recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination.
28/ See Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirtieth Session, Supplement No. 6, vol. II.
29/ Ibid., Thirty-first Session, Supplement No. 6A and corrigenda, vol. I, paras. 1777-1803.
30/ Ibid., Supplement NO.38.
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VII. DRAFT PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE TWENTY-SEVENTH SESSION
385. In accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1894 (LVII),
the Commission had before it a note by the Secretariat (E/CN.6/L.698/Rev.1)
containing the following draft provisional agenda for the twenty-seventh session:
1. Election of officers
2. Adoption of the agenda
3. Developments relating to the Programme for the United nations Decade for Women
(a) Review and appraisal of progress made
(b) Preparatory work for the 1980 World Conference
4. International instruments and standards relating to the status of women:
(a) Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and related instruments
(b) Special problems relating to the human rights of women detained or imprisoned
5. Influence of the mass communication media
6. Measures to alleviate the condition of women and children in particular situations of hardship, emergency and armed conflict:
(a) Condition of women and children in particular situations of armed conflict and emergency
(b) Effects of apartheid on the status of women
7. Communications concerning the status of women
8. Programme of work
9. Draft provisional agenda for the twenty-eighth session
10. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its twenty-seventh session
386. In the course of the discussion, some representatives considered that the
first substantive item should deal with international instruments and standards
relating to the status of women and be followed by the item on developments
relating to the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women. It was also
felt that the item on the effects of apartheid on the status of women should
constitute a separate item rather than a subitem and that the item dealing with
the condition of women and children in particular situations of armed conflict and
emergency should be rephrased to conform more closely to the relevant resolutions
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of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council and also constitute a separate item. Opinions were divided on the inclusion of an item on special problems relating to the human rights of women detained or imprisoned. Those who supported its inclusion considered that it should he a separate item. They also stressed the urgent need for the Commission to consider the condition and treatment of women prisoners and detainees, which question had been inadequately studied to date. It was noted that the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities had specifically requested the Commission to take up this question. Others believed, however, that the item should he studied by the Commission on Human Rights rather than the Commission on the Status of Women, which was not the appropriate body to consider the question of women prisoners and which, in any case, already had a very heavy work programme.
387. Some representatives requested the inclusion of an item on the influence of activities of foreign economic and other interests on the living conditions of women in dependent territories, following the recommendations contained in Economic and Social Council resolution 1516 (XLVIII). In this resolution, the Council had called for a study of this question hut the Commission had not subsequently received any report from the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
388. It was agreed that the Secretary-General would take these observations and suggestions into consideration when drawing up, in consultation with the Chairman, the provisional agenda for adoption at the twenty-seventh session.
VIII. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OP THE COMMISSION ON ITS TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION
389. At its 659th meeting, on 1 October 1976, the Commission adopted without a
vote its draft report on agenda item 3 (a) and on the subitem of agenda item 4
which included the Programme for the Decade for Women (E/CN.6/L.681 and Add.1-6).
At its 679th meeting, on 17 December 1976, the Commission adopted without a vote
the draft report on its resumed twenty-sixth session (E/CN.6/L.716 and Add.1-5)
at which it completed all the items on its agenda.
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IX. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION
Opening and duration of the session
390. The Commission on the Status of Women held its twenty-sixth and resumed twenty-sixth sessions at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 13 September to 1 October and from 6 to 17 December 1976 respectively. The Commission held 50 plenary meetings (630th-679th meetings).
391 The session was opened by the Assistant Secretary-General for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs.
Attendance
392. The following States members of the Commission were represented: Belgium,, Byelorussian .Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Colombia,, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, German Democratic Republic, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Madagascar, Mexico, Pakistan, Senegal, Sweden,, Thailand, Togo, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and northern Ireland, United States of America and Venezuela. The following States members of the Commission were not represented: China, Ethiopia, Gabon,, Nicaragua and Zaire. Observers of other States Members of the United Nations, representatives of bodies of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, a liberation movement and non-governmental organizations also attended the session. A complete list is given in annex I.
Election of officers
393. At its 633rd meeting, on 14 September 1976, the Commission elected the following officers by acclamation: Chairman, Anasixta Gonzalez de Cuadros (Colombia); Vice-Chairmen: Hanna Bokor-Szego (Hungary); Janet Cockcroft (United Kingdom); Lena Gueye (Senegal); Rapporteur, Homa Rouhi (Iran).
Agenda
394. The Commission considered its agenda at its 631st meeting. It had before it the provisional agenda (E/CN.6/590) drawn up by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chairman of the Commission at its twenty-fifth session. The provisional agenda was adopted without objection and is reproduced in annex II.
Organization of work
395. By 1 October 1976, the Commission had completed consideration of only part of agenda item 3 (a) and items 4 (a) and (b), under which it had adopted the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women. Owing to lack of time, it
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was unable to complete consideration of subitems (c) and (d) of item 4 or to consider items 5-8.
396. At its 659th meeting, on 1 October 1976, therefore, the Commission adopted
the following draft resolution without a vote.
''The Commission on the Status of Women,
"Noting the provisions of resolution 3521 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, by which the General Assembly requested the Commission on the Status of Women to complete in 1976 the elaboration of the draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.,
''Regretting its inability to conclude its work on the drafting of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other items of the agenda,
"Noting the extreme importance of completing this work, particularly in the light of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, 1976-1985,
"Strongly recommends to the Economic and Social Council that it authorize the holding of a resumed twenty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 1976, preferably in New York, to enable it to complete the remainder of its agenda, with special priority to the drafting of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the preparatory work for the world Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980."
397. The Economic and Social Council, at its 2035th meeting, on 27 October 1976,
decided, by decision 195 (LXI), to approve the holding of a resumed, twenty-sixth
session of the Commission at Geneva from 6 to 17 December 1976.
398. At the same meeting, by its decision 196 (LXI), the Council also decided, as an exception, (a) to take note of the decision adopted by the Commission at its twenty-sixth session concerning the Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women (see para. 293), (b) to transmit the Programme to the General Assembly at its thirty-first session for its information, 31/ and (c) to consider the report of the Commission as a whole at the sixty-second session.
Summary records, resolutions and recommendations
399. The Commission decided, at its 631st meeting, to have summary records prepared of the discussion of items 3 (a) 4 and 6.
400. The draft resolutions recommended for adoption by the Economic and Social Council and the decision taken by the Commission at its twenty-sixth session and which is of special relevance to the Council, are reproduced in chapter I of the present report.
31/ The General Assembly subsequently, in its resolution 31/136 of 16 December 1976, approved the Programme as adopted by the Commission.
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401. The documents "before the Commission at its twenty-sixth session are listed in annex VI.
Consultations with non-governmental organizations
402. In accordance with rule 75 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, the observers of the following non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Council made statements during the twenty-sixth session:
Category I: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (item 3), International Planned Parenthood Federation (item 4), Women's International Democratic Federation (item 4) .
Category II: World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (item 3), International Federation of Business and Professional Women (item 4), International Federation of Women in Legal Careers (item 4), World Women's Christian Temperance Union (item 4), Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (item 6).
403. Written statements submitted by non-governmental organizations are listed in annex VI.
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ANNEXES
Annex I ATTENDANCE
Members
Belgium: M. A. Coene; E. Foucart-Floor;* S. Oschinsky;* S. Gerlo-Van Loey;* P. Noterdaeme;* a/ G. Van Duyse;* J. Harroy*
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic: E. K. Romanovich; V. I. Lukyanovich* a/
Canada: Rita Cadieux
China:b/
Colombia: Anasixta Gonzalez de Cuadros; Angela Herran*
Cuba: Esther Velis Diaz de Villalvilla; Maria Yolanda Ferrer G6mez;* Leonor Rodriguez* a/
Denmark: Karen Dahlerup; Wanna Dahlerup;* Grethe Fenger Miller;* Tyge Lehmann;* Marianne Lehmann* a/
Dominican Republic: Licelott Marte de Barrios;c/ Diana Elisa Noelting*
Egypt: Aziza Hussein; M. Tallawy;* Minou Serry*
Ethiopia:!)/
France: Marcelle Devaud; Germaine Hirlemann*
German Democratic Republic: Helga Hoerz; Hans-Juergen Micheel;* Horst Muller*
Gabon:b/
Greece: Anna Venezi-Cosmetatos
Guinea: Sophie Maka
Hungary: Hanna Bokor-Szego; Gyorgy Szenasi*
* Alternate.
a/ Attended the resumed twenty-sixth session only.
b/ Not represented at the session.
c/ Did not attend the session.
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India: Kamila Tyabji; K. S. Sodhi*
Indonesia: Suwarni Salyo;d/ Kustijah Prodjolalito*
Iran: Princess Shraf Pahlavi;c_,' Manaz Afkhani;* d/ Mehdi Ehsasij Homa Rouhi;* Haleh Esfandiari;* d/ Shahnaz Vokhshourfar* a/
Madagascar: Lucette Ramanantsoavina; Hafa Lamina*
Mexico: Aida Gonzalez Martinezjd/ Jose Luis Vallarta;*a/ Gloria Bras defer*
Nicaragua:b/
Pakistan: Tazeen Faridi; Khalid Saleem*
Senegal: Lena Gueye
Sweden: Maj Britt Sandlund;d/ K. Sonja Fredgardh;a/ Karin M. Ahrland*a/
Thailand: Princess Ng. Prem Purachatra
Togo : Adjoavi Sika Thompson-Trenouja/ Madoc Sivomey*a/
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: Tatiana Nikolaeva
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Janet Cockcroft; Eric Callway*
United States of America: Patricia Hutar; Shirley B. Hendsch;* Virginia Y. Trotter*
Venezuela: Veronica Penalver de Lepage ;d/ Blanca Canache Mata;*d/ Irama Balza Rodriguez;* a/ Rosa Lisboa de Necer* a/
Zaire:b/
States Members of the United Nations represented by observers
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Finland, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ireland., Israel., Japan, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Republic, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey
United Nations Secretariat
Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and. the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA)
d/ Attended the twenty-sixth session only.
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United Nations bodies
United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Fund for Population Activities, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
Specialized agencies
International Labour Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Other intergovernmental organizations represented by observers
Commission on the Status of Arab Women, European Economic Communities, Inter-American Commission of Women
Liberation movement Palestine Liberation Organization
Non-governmental organizations
Category I: International Alliance of Women, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, International Council of Women, International Planned Parenthood Federation, International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations, Women's International Democratic Federation
Category II: All-India Women's Conference, All-Pakistan Women's Association, Arab Lawyers Union, Associated Country Women of the World, Baha'i International Community, The Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, Friends World Committee for Consultation, International Catholic Child Bureau, International Confederation of Catholic Charities, International Council of Jewish Women, International Council of Social Democratic Women, International Council on Social Welfare, International Federation for Human Rights, International Federation of Business and Professional Women, International Federation of University Women, International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, International Federation of Women Lawyers, International Movement for Fraternal Union among Races and Peoples, International Union for Child Welfare, Pan-Pacific and South-East Asia Women's Association, Soroptimist International, St. Joan's International Alliance, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Women's International Zionist Organization, World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, World Women's Christian Temperance Union, World Young Women's Christian Association, Zonta International
Roster: World Peace Council
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Annex II AGENDA
1. Election of officers
2. Adoption of the agenda
3. International instruments relating to the status of women:
(a) Draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
(b) Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination. against Women
4. The United Nations Decade for Women: Equality. Development and Peace, 1976-1985:
(a) Evaluation of activities undertaken during the International Women's Year
(b) The programme for the Decade and related questions, including technical co--operation activities
(c) Review and appraisal of progress made under the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade and in the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year
(d) Preparatory work for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980
5. Influence of the mass communication media on attitudes towards the roles of women and men in present-day society
6. Communications concerning the status of women
7. Programme of work
8. Draft provisional agenda for the twenty-seventh session
9. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its twenty-sixth session

Annex III
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION AT ITS TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION
Draft resolution I
1. Under the terms of article 19, paragraph 3, of the draft Convention on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women (see chap. I above, draft resolution I,
annex), the Commission on the Status of Women shall establish an ad hoc Group
consisting of 10 to 15 persons elected by the Commission from among, its own members
who are States Parties to the Convention and from an additional list of persons
nominated by States Parties who are not members of the Commission, consideration
"being given to the principle of equitable geographical distribution and
representation of differing legal systems. Those elected to the Group shall serve
in their personal capacity and shall be elected for a two-year term. Paragraph 4
of the same article provides that the Group shall meet for a period of not more
than two weeks "before the opening of the regular session of the Commission and
paragraph 5 that it shall report to the Commission on the Status of Women which
shall transmit its report., together with its own comments, to the Economic and
Social Council.
2, Should this article be adopted, financial implications would arise. These
have been calculated based on the following assumptions:
(a) That the ad hoc Group would meet in New York and that its members, serving
in their personal capacity; would be provided with first-class travel and
subsistence allowance:
(b) The Group would meet for a period of two weeks.;
(c) There would be two meetings daily:
(d) Simultaneous interpretation in English, French, Russian and Spanish would "be required,; whether Chinese would be required would depend on the composition of the Group ;
(e) No summary records would be prepared, but sound recording would be required-,
(f) There would be 300 pages of pre-session, 100 pages of in-session and 50 pages of post-session documentation,, all to be translated from the original version into three other languages, subject to the possible inclusion of Chinese; the report of the Group to the Economic and Social Council would in any event have to be translated into Chinese;
(g) Supplementary staff resources would be required to undertake the additional work involved (including the preparation of the summary, requested under article 19, para. 7, of information received from States Parties and specialized agencies., on measures taken and progress made in achieving full observance of the rights recognized in the Convention).
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3. On the basis of the above assumptions, the total cost of the meeting of the ad hoc Group to the United Nations regular "budget is estimated as follows;
Travel and subsistence of members of the ad hoc Group (15 members - average $1,870 per member) .............
Interpretation: 12 interpreters, on basis of meetings in New York with 7 non-local interpreters travelling from Geneva to New York and return . ...........
Pre-session documentation: 180 work days of translation and 90 work days of revision . .
In-session documentation: 60 work days of translation and 30 work days of revision . .
Post-session documentation: 4O work days of translation and 20 work days of revision . .
Typing: pre-session 210 work days ) . . . . in-session 70 work days ) . . . . post-session 45 work days )
Reproduction and distribution of pre-,, in- and
post-session documentation a/
Other support staff: 1 conference officer and 1 documents officer .............
Additional staff resources: 1 P-4 post with common staff costs . . ...........
TOTAL

United States dollars 28.050
26,028 20,803
6,934
4,623 11,375
l4,480 840
31,200
$l44,333

If Chinese were to be included,, the following additional costs would arise:
a/ Includes cost of translation into Chinese of the report to the Economic and Social Council.
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Three interpreters .............
Pre-session documentation: 60 work days of translation and 30 work days of revision ..................
In-session documentation: 20 work days of translation and 10 work days of revision .................
Typing: pre-session, 60 work days ) in-session, 20 work days )
Reproduction and distribution of documents .
TOTAL

United States dollars
5,6l6 6,934
2,311 2,800
810 $18,471

Draft resolution VIII
5. Under the terms of paragraph 1 of draft resolution VIII (see chap. I above),
the Economic and Social Council would decide to establish, on the basis of
equitable geographical distribution, an ad hoc Committee composed of
16 representatives of the Governments members of the Commission on the Status of Women and responsible for submitting to the Commission at its twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth sessions in 1978 and 1980, proposals concerning the substantive and organizational arrangements for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980. The ad hoc Committee would meet, if possible, immediately before the 1978 and 1980 sessions of the Commission with an additional meeting of the Committee being held in 1979 if deemed necessary.
6. Should the Council approve the establishment of this ad hoc Committee,
financial implications would arise. For the purpose of establishing the costs
the following assumptions apply:
(a) The ad hoc Committee would meet in New York;
(b) The duration of each meeting would be five days;
(c) The Committee would meet twice daily ;
(d) The documentation would be in English, French and Spanish, its volume being estimated as follows:

Pre-session:
In-session:
Post-session:

20 pages 10 pages 20 pages;

(e) No summary records would be prepared, but sound recording would be provided;
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(f) Travel of Committee members would be paid 'by the United Nations at the economy rate, hut they would receive no per diem inasmuch as they are representatives of Governments members of the Commission;
(g) Temporary assistance would he required.
7. The cost of each meeting would be apportioned as follows:
United States dollars
Travel of representatives ............... 22,470
Temporary personnel:
Interpreters .................. 5,18°
Translators . . ........... 1,650
Revisers .................... 600
Typists ...................... 500
Reproduction and distribution of documents 1,660
Miscellaneous ..................... 300
TOTAL $32,360
8. If the Committee were to meet prior to the 1978 and 1980 sessions of the
Commission, the travel costs of the representatives (estimated at $22,470) would
not arise, making a total cost per meeting of $9,890.
Draft resolution IX
9. Under draft resolution IX, paragraph 8 (see chap. I above), the Economic and Social Council would decide to appoint a special rapporteur to prepare a study on the impact of the mass communication media on the changing roles of men and women, including action taken by the public and private sectors at national, regional and international levels, to remove prejudices and sex-role stereotyping0 to accelerate the acceptance of women's new and expanded roles in society, and to promote their integration into the development process as equal partners with men.
10. Should the Council appoint a special rapporteur, financial implications would arise, based on the following assumptions:
(a) No honorarium would be paid to the special rapporteur;
(b) Two visits to United Nations Headquarters for consultations would be required, each of one week's duration;
(c) One visit to Paris for consultations with UNESCO, also for one week, would be required.

11. The total cost would tie as follows:
United States dollars
Two one-week visits to New York
(first-class travel) .,...... 2,860
Subsistence . . 920 3,780
One one-week visit to Paris (first class travel) . . 1,915
Subsistence ........... 370. 2,285
TOTAL 6,065

Annex IV
DRAFT CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN
Text of the Preamble and articles 1-13 recommended "by the Style Committee
PREAMBLE
The States Parties to the present Convention,
Considering that the Charter of the United Nations reaffirmed faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women,
Considering that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the principle of non-discrimination and proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, including any distinction based on sex,
Considering that the international covenants on human rights impose on States the obligation to ensure to men and women the equal right to enjoyment of all economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,
Talking into account the conventions concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and the resolutions, declarations and recommendations adopted by those organizations in favour of equal rights of women and men,
Concerned to find that, despite those various instruments, extensive discrimination against women continues to exist,
Recalling that discrimination against women violates the principles of equal rights and respect for human dignity, hampers the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their country, is an obstacle to the growth of the well-being of society and of the family, and makes more difficult the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their country and humanity,
Concerned particularly that scientific and technological progress has, in general, improved the potential for employment and the development of new skills but without benefiting women to the same extent as men,
Affirming that the strengthening of international peace and security, friendly co-operation among States irrespective of their social and economic systems, general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, the elimination of colonialism and racism in all their forms including apartheid, the elimination of the gap between developing and developed countries,
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and the right to self-determination are vital in promoting the fundamental rights of women, in the achievement of which they should play their full part,
Convinced that the full and complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields,
Conscious of the great contribution made "by women to the progress of society, which contribution has not yet been fully recognized, of the social significance of maternity and of the role of parents in the family and in the rearing of children,
Determined to implement the principles set forth in the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and, for that purpose, to adopt the necessary measures to eliminate de facto and de jure discrimination,
Have agreed upon the following:
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1
For the purpose of the present Convention the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect of or the purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition., enjoyment or exercise by women, on a basis of equality with men, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social and cultural fields or any other field of public life.
Article 2
The States Parties condemn discrimination against women and undertake to pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end:
(a) Each State Party undertakes to embody the principle of the equality of men and women in its national Constitution, if not yet incorporated therein, and to ensure, through law or by other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;
(b) Each State Party undertakes to adopt legislative and/or all other appropriate measures, accompanied by sanctions, prohibiting all discrimination against women and guaranteeing the realization of the principle of equality of rights;
(c) Each State Party undertakes to establish legal protection for the equality of rights of men and women;
(d) Each State Party undertakes not to engage in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and public institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;,
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(e) Each State Party undertakes to take all necessary measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person or organization;
(f) Each State Party shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which are discriminatory to women;
(g) Each State Party undertakes to promote organizations and movements whose purpose is to advance the status of women and eliminate discrimination against them.
Article 3
The States Parties shall undertake in all fields, particularly in the political, social, economic and cultural areas, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men.
Article 4
1. Adoption by States of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto
equality shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail, as a consequence, the maintenance of unequal or Separate standards; these measures should be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity and treatment have been achieved.
2. Adoption by States of special measures aimed at protecting maternity,
including those measures contained in the present Convention, shall not be
considered discriminatory.
Article 5
1. The States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, notably educational„ to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women.
2. Suitable family education should include a proper understanding of motherhood as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of both men and women in the upbringing and development of their children.
Article 6
Each State Party undertakes to repeal all provisions of national penal legislation which constitute discrimination against women.
Article 7
Each State Party agrees to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to combat all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women.
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POLITICAL RIGHTS
Article 8
The States Parties shall undertake all appropriate measures to ensure to women, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination, opportunities to participate in the political and public life of the country and, in particular:
(a) To vote in all elections and be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
(b) To participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and exercise all public functions at the national and local levels 5
(c) To vote in all public referenda;
(d) To participate in non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country.
Article 9
1. The States Parties shall grant spouses the same rights to acquire, change or retain their nationality and shall, in particular, make provisions to ensure that neither marriage of a person to, nor dissolution of marriage from, an alien nor change of nationality by an alien during marriage will automatically change such person's nationality, render him or her stateless or force upon him or her the nationality of the spouse.
2. The States Parties may permit the alien husband or wife of one of their nationals, at his or her request, to acquire the nationality of his or her spouse through specially privileged naturalization procedures; the granting of such nationality is subject to such limitations as may be imposed in the interests of national security or public policy, or by virtue of certain penal or administrative measures taken against the applicant.
3. The present Convention shall not be construed as affecting any legislation or judicial practice by which the alien husband or wife of a national of one of the States Parties may, at his/her request, acquire his/her spouse's nationality as a matter of right.
4. The States Parties undertake to grant women the same rights as men to transmit their own nationality to their children.
SOCIAL AMD ECONOMIC RIGHTS
Article 10
Each State Party agrees to take all appropriate measures to ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in the field of education. Education shall be directed towards the full development of the human personality and the sense of dignity and shall strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, each State shall ensure:
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(a) Equal conditions for career guidance, access to studies and earning of degrees or diplomas in educational institutions of all categories in rural, a:; well as in urban areas; this equality is to be ensured in pre-school, general, technical, professional and higher, including higher technical education, as well as in all types of vocational training;
(b) Equal access to the same curricula, the same examinations, teaching staff with qualifications of the same standard and school premises and equipment of the same quality, whether the institutions are coeducational or not:
(c) The speedy achievement of coeducation, which will also help to eliminate any stereotyped concept of masculine and feminine roles, at all levels and in all forms of education;
(d) Equal opportunities to benefit from scholarships and other study grants-
(e) Equal opportunity for access to programmes of continuing education, including adult and functional literacy programmes, particularly aimed at reducing as soon as possible the existing knowledge gap between men and women;
(f) Measures to reduce the school drop-out rate among girls and provision of programmes for young girls who have left school early;
(g) Access to specific educational information which will help to ensure the health and well-being of families, including information and advice on family planning.
Article 11
1. The States Parties shall undertake to adopt all appropriate measures to ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in economic and social life and, in particular:
(a,) The right to work as an inalienable right of all human beings:
(b) The right, without discrimination on grounds of civil status or any other grounds, to receive vocational training and retraining, to free choice of profession and employment and to promotion and job security;
(c) The right to equal remuneration with men for work of equal value and to equality of treatment with respect to the evaluation of quality of work of equal value, as defined in the Convention of the International Labour Organisation on this subject;
(d) The right, on equal terms with men to social security, particularly with respect to retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and old age or other incapacity to work, as well as the right to paid leave;
(e) The right to family benefits on equal terms for men and women;
(f) Equal employment opportunities for women and the prevention of discrimination in employment on the basis of sex.
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2. In order to prevent discrimination against women on account of marriage or maternity and to ensure their effective right to work, the States Parties shall undertake measures:
(a) Prohibiting - and making punishable - dismissal on grounds of marriage, pregnancy or maternity leave;
(b) Progressively introducing paid leave for pregnancy and maternity without loss of the job held and without loss of social allowances and benefits the periods of leave being treated as equivalent to periods of work actually performed; the cost of this protection should be borne by social security systems or other public funds or collective systems;
(c) Encouraging the provision of the necessary support services, including child-care services, and granting women free medical services during pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period.
Article 12
The States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to guarantee them equality as participants and as beneficiaries of agricultural and rural development and particularly the right to:
(a) Participate fully in the formulation and implementation of development planning from the local to the national levels;
(b) Receive adequate medical and health facilities, including family planning advice and services, as well as personal rights to social security on equal basis with men:
(c_) Have access to all types of training and education, formal and non-formal, including functional literacy, as well as the benefit of all community and extension services;
(d) Participate equally in all community activities including co-operatives;
(e) Have equal access to credit and loans, marketing facilities and appropriate technologies and receive equal treatment in land and agrarian reform as well as in land resettlement schemes.
Article 13
1. The States Parties shall encourage measures to enable parents to combine fulfilment of family and parental obligations with activity in the labour force, in professions and in public life and shall, for that purpose, promote the establishment of child-care facilities as needed, as a co-operative effort of Government, business and industry and other institutions and organizations in the private sector.
2. The States Parties shall adopt appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the health and safety of all workers, male and female, in their working conditions.
3. Protective legislation applying to women should be reviewed in the light of
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scientific and technological knowledge, and should be revised, repealed or extended to all workers as necessary.
4. The States Parties shall adopt measures to extend special protection to women for types of work which have been proved to be harmful to them from the standpoint of their social function of reproduction. Such measures shall be periodically reviewed and brought up to date in cases where such limitations are discriminatory with regard to free choice of employment of women and in the light of advances in scientific and technological knowledge.
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Annex V PROGRAMME FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN a/
I. UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: POLICIES, PRINCIPLES AND MANDATES
1. The policies, principles and mandates for the Programme for the United Nations
Decade for Women are set forth in a number of international documents, b/ including
in particular:
(a) The Declaration of Mexico on the Equality of Women and their Contribution to Development and Peace, 1975, the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year, the regional plans of action for Asia and the Pacific and for Africa and related resolutions of the Conference, c/ endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 2530 (XXX);
(b) General Assembly resolutions 3490 (XXX), 3505 (XXX), 3518 (XXX) to 3524 (XXX) and 3416 (XXX) of December 1975;
(c) Economic and Social Council resolutions 1998 (LX), 1999 (LX) and 2005 (LX) of May 1976.
These international documents, and especially the World Plan of Action, stress the importance of national action, supported by action at the regional and global levels, involving all organizations in the United Nations system. The World Plan of Action and the regional plans provide detailed guidelines for such action.
2. In addition to the above-mentioned texts, a number of resolutions and declarations have been adopted during the International Women's Year by the specialized agencies. These resolutions and declarations request action by these agencies in various technical subjects which are included in the Programme for the Decade and for which they should, according to the mandate given to them in the United Nations system, continue to have the technical responsibility.
3. At the same time the World Plan of Action provides that "each country should decide upon its own national strategy and identify its own targets and priorities within the present World Plan (para. 28). It also stipulates that, by 1980, the achievement of the following should be envisaged and that these minimum objectives should be developed in more specific terms in regional plans of action (para. 46):
a/ See paras. 257-293 of the present report.
b/ The inclusion of this paragraph should not be interpreted as indicating a change in the positions taken by certain delegations when the documents and resolutions referred to in the paragraph were adopted.
c/ Report of the World Conference of the International Women's Year (United Nations publication, Sales No.: E/76.IV.I), chaps. I-III.
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"(a) Marked increase in literacy and civic education of women, especially in rural areas;
"(b) The extension of co-educational technical and vocational training in basic skills to women and men in the industrial and agricultural sectors;
"(c) Equal access at every level of education, compulsory primary school education and the measures necessary to prevent school drop-outs;
"(d) Increased employment opportunities for -women, reduction of unemployment and increased efforts to eliminate discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment;
"(e) The establishment and increase of the infrastructural services required in both rural and urban areas;
"(f) The enactment of legislation on voting and eligibility for election on equal terms with men and equal opportunity and conditions of employment including remuneration, and on equality in legal capacity and the exercise thereof;
"(g) Encouragement of a greater participation of women in policy-making positions at the local, national and international levels;
"(h) Increased provision for comprehensive measures for health education and services, sanitation, nutrition, family education, family planning and other welfare services;
"(i) Provision for parity in the exercise of civil, social and political rights such as those pertaining to marriage, citizenship and commerce;
"(j) Recognition of the economic value of women's work in the home, in domestic food production and marketing and voluntary activities not traditionally remunerated;
"(k) Direction of formal, non-formal and life-long education towards the re-evaluation of the man and woman, in order to ensure their full realization as individuals in the family and in society;
"(I) The promotion of women's organizations as an interim measure within workers' organizations, and educational, economic and professional institutions;
"(m) The development of modern rural technology, cottage industry, pre-school day centres, time and energy saving devices so as to help reduce the heavy work load of women, particularly those living in rural sectors and the urban poor and thus facilitate the full participation of women in community, national and international affairs;
"(n) The establishment of an interdisciplinary and multisectoral machinery within the Government for accelerating the achievement of equal opportunities for women and their full integration into national life,"
4. The General Assembly, in proclaiming the United Nations Decade for Women:
Equality, Development and Peace (resolution 3520 (XXX), called upon Governments,
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as a matter of urgency, to examine the recommendations contained in the World Plan of Action and related resolutions of the Conference including action to be taken at the national level, such as:
"(a) The establishment of short-term, medium-term and long-term targets, and priorities to this end, taking into account the guidelines set forth in sections I and II of the World Plan of Action, including the minimum objectives recommended for achievement by 1980;
"(b) The adoption of national strategies, plans and programmes for the implementation of the recommendations within the framework of over-all development plans, policies and programmes;
"(c) The undertaking of regular reviews and appraisals of progress made at the national and local levels in achieving the goals and objectives of the World Plan of Action within the framework of over-all development plans, policies and programmes."
5. The Assembly also called for the co-operation of the entire United Nations system in implementing the World Plan, and the development and implementation within the framework of the Administrative Co-ordination Committee of a joint interagency programme for the integration of women in development. This joint programme now has the title: "Joint Inter-Organizational Programme for the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace".
6. The Assembly also urged non-governmental organizations to assist in implementing the World Plan and related recommendations of the Conference within their particular areas of interest and competence.
7. It is proposed to implement the Programme for the Decade in two phases: 1976-1980the year of the World Conference for the Decade, and the period 1981-1985, constituting the second half of the Decade.
8. The programme outlined below focuses on the first half of the Decade, 1976-1980.
9. In order to ensure the effective integrated implementation of the Programme, it is essential to strengthen the organizational structures responsible for the over-all co-ordination, development of programmes, public information and evaluation of the Decade for Women, at all levels, international, regional and national. Such structures should be basically responsive to the realistic needs of women at country level, in urban and rural areas.
10. The Programme, if it is to achieve its objectives, will require resources, both within the regular budgets of organizations in the United Nations system and through bilateral and multilateral extrabudgetary funds, including the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women.
11. It is recommended that adequate resources from the regular budget, both for staffing for Headquarters and for the secretariats of regional commissions, be provided as they are essential to ensure the continuity in the infrastructure required for the satisfactory implementation of the Programme for the Decade at the international and regional levels.
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II. SPECIFIC AREAS FOR ACTION TO ATTAIN THE THREEFOLD OBJECTIVES OF THE DECADE
A. Formulation and implementation of international and national standards to eliminate discrimination against women
International and regional action, 1976-198O
1. Adoption and entry into force of the Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women with effective measures for its implementation
Adoption of the Convention by the General Assembly, entry into force of the Convention and application of its implementation measures as soon as possible.
2. Implementation of existing international instruments relating to the status
of women
(a) Biennial review by the Commission on the Status of Women of the implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other international instruments with related provisions (Economic and Social Council resolution l677 (LII)).
(b) Review of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women when it has been adopted, in accordance with the implementation provisions laid down in it.
(c) Biennial review by the General Assembly and other relevant bodies of progress achieved in the promotion of full equality with men in all spheres of life, in accordance with international standards and in particular the participation of women in political life, in international co-operation and in the strengthening of international peace in accordance with General Assembly resolution 3520 (XXX) (see also section C below).
(d) Review of existing instruments by relevant international organizations, including the United Nations specialized agencies, to ensure that they do not contain obstacles to the full integration, utilization and participation of women in development, with a view to amending them where necessary.
3. Studies in specific areas with a view to the elaboration of new instruments
(conventions, declarations, recommendations)
The objective is to broaden the field of studies and preparation of international standards in specific areas, so as to seek and find the best way of introducing new definitions of family functions in terms of rights and responsibilities, with a view to improving the status of women by changing the present patterns of behaviour.
(a) Comparative studies on different aspects of civil and family law to be submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1849 (LVI).
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Such studies should cover legislation, regulations and customs relating to age of marriage, legal capacity, rights and responsibilities on entering marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution, laws on inheritance and taxation and rights and responsibilities of parents vis-a-vis their children.
(b) Studies relating to the sharing of family responsibilities to be submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women in accordance with its resolution 2 (XXIII).
These studies should take into account the need to reform school curricula to do away with traditional stereotypes of men and women and to renew, in the best possible way, the picture generally given to boys and girls of their respective roles and of the sharing of the tasks in the family and in the society.
(c) The International Labour Organisation should study the application of Recommendation No. 123 of 1965 and the elaboration of a convention on the employment of women with family responsibilities.
4. Activities to increase knowledge and awareness of international standards
United Nations regional commissions and regional centres and other concerned international organs as well as competent regional intergovernmental organizations should:
(a) Take all appropriate measures to disseminate information on all the United Nations instruments dealing with the status of women and to assist and encourage the Governments in their respective regions to ratify and implement these instruments.
(b) Promote studies in and between countries to assess the effects of existing legislation and determine further legislative needs and promote technical seminars, workshops or similar meetings to discuss these matters at national and intercountry levels.
5. Appropriate public information activities designed to ensure that men and women in urban and rural areas will be made aware of their rights and responsibilities under international instruments (e.g. pamphlets, publications, audio-visual means, seminars, meetings and non-governmental activities).
National action, 1976-1980
(a) The principle of eliminating discrimination on grounds of sex should be secured through constitutional and legislative or other appropriate measures;
(b) Enactment of legislation to bring national laws into conformity with international instruments and review of national legislation in order to ensure equality between men and women;
(c) Ratification of or accession to relevant international conventions;
(d) Adoption of measures to inform and advise women, with the assistance of non-governmental organizations, of their rights and responsibilities and to assist them in securing their implementation.
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B. Integration of women in development
In elaborating programmes promoting the integration of women in development, international, regional and national bodies and organizations may, as an initial step, establish separate programmes exclusively for women where their status is particularly low and where discriminatory attitudes towards them are strong. The aim of programmes for the advancement of women, however, is ultimately to integrate their activities with those of men in all sectors so that women do not remain isolated in their activities. Separate programmes for the integration of women in development should therefore be appropriately phased out as women gain more confidence in themselves and as men accept more readily the role of women as equal partners in development.
Priority should be given to the elaboration of programmes which tend towards the implementation of the new international economic order in order to help eliminate situations in which any human being may be exploited or left out of society and to emphasize that inadequate conditions of the population, including the female population, are closely linked to the inadequate internal structures of countries. Programmes for the integration of women in the process of development must be periodically revised in the light of the socio-economic progress of the countries.
International and regional action, 1976-1980
1. Structural organization
(a) All organizations in the United Nations system should participate in implementing the Programme for the Decade.
(b) At the regional level, the United Nations regional commissions and existing intergovernmental commissions should play an important role in stimulating national action through the development of regional programmes for the Decade:
(i) Where they have not yet done so, the regional commissions should create appropriate machinery such as regional standing committees, following the guidelines of the World Plan of Action, paragraph 207;
(ii) Regional bureaux and/or regional research and training centres should also be established in each region. d/
(c) Establishment in 1977 of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1998 (LX).
(d) In accordance with resolution 1998 (LX), the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of "Women should work in close collaboration with all relevant organizations within the United Nations system. In particular, it should co-ordinate its activities with those of the regional centres, regional commissions and other regional intergovernmental organizations.
d/ The African Training and Research Centre for Women already exists in Addis Ababa and an Asian Institute for Research and Training will shortly be established in Teheran.
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(e) The activities of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women should not be restricted to research but should be a part of a general methodological and research process in order that the Institute maybe of major assistance in programming aimed at the integration of women in development. It should:
(i) Constitute one of the key elements for assisting in the implementation of the programme for the United Nations Decade for Women, in accordance with the goals of the World Conference of the International Women's Year;
(ii) Make a substantial contribution to the preparation of the 1980 World Conference for the Decade.
2. Improvement of the data base and information necessary for drawing up programmes and policies
(a) General research and methodologies
(i) Collection and analysis, by sex, of all census and survey data relating to such factors as urban/rural residence, age, marital status, including consentual unions, literacy, education, income, levels of skill and participation in both modern and traditional economic activities and household and family composition.
(ii) Special efforts should be made to measure:
The extent of women's activities in food production (cash crop and subsistence agriculture), in water and fuel supply, in marketing and in transportation;
- The economic and social contribution of housework and other domestic chores, handicrafts and other home-based economic activities,
(iii) The development of social and economic indicators,, sensitive to the situation and needs of women, in particular regional and subregional indicators to enable better and more realistic evaluation of progress to be made and to assist Governments in using relevant data to increase the contribution of women to development.
(iv) Development of methodologies required to measure the total human resource needs of countries,
(b) Studies in specific areas
The studies mentioned in this section all have specific mandates as indicated. Priorities will have to be established among all the studies requested in the light of the survey undertaken under subparagraph (i) below. Some of the studies may ultimately be undertaken by the Institute and, where appropriate, by interested agencies, within the framework of the joint interorganizational programme for the Decade,
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(i) Survey, by 1977, of existing data and information available in United Nations organizations and other international;, regional and national institutes.
(ii) Study on the extent to which women participate in agriculture, industry, trade, science and technology, with recommendations for increasing and upgrading their participation (General Assembly resolution 3505 (XXX)).
(iii) Preparation of guidelines for non-formal education programmes for rural "women and biennial review by the General Assembly of progress achieved in developing programmes and projects aimed at the full integration of rural women in development (General Assembly resolution 3523 (XXX)).
(iv) Studies on the interrelationship of the role of women, population, change and development (Economic and Social Council resolution 1854 (LVI); World Plan of Action, paras. l42 and 146; Conference resolution 11).
(v) Study on the impact of scientific and technological developments on the status of women and their contribution to development (Economic and Social Council resolution 1849 (LVI)).
(vi) Study of questions relating to prostitution and the traffic in women (World Plan of Action, paras. 159 and 160; Conference resolution 7).
(vii) Cross-cultural study of the causes of discriminatory customs, practices and attitudes which impede women's contribution to the development process and mechanisms of change (World Plan of Action, para. 17l)
(viii) Cross-cultural study of the influence on the condition of women in the family and in society of family and children's allowances and benefits, motherhood awards and similar measures (ibid., para. 134).
(ix) Study on the needs of women at different life cycles: youth, adult and elderly.
(x) Studies in the field of health and nutrition, including the special health problems of women and the improvement of maternal and child health and family planning (ibid., para. 113; Conference resolutions 5 and and 9).
(xi) Review of the International Standard Classifications of Occupations with a view to redefining current classifications (Conference resolution 23).
(xii) Study on the impact of foreign economic interests on the condition of women (World Plan of Action, para. 8).
3. Regional and global programmes for the integration of women in development
(a) Elaboration and implementation of a joint interorganizational programme for the Decade for Women
(i) The joint interorganizational programme is based on a synthesis of
organizations' activities in relation to nine agreed principal objectives and a number of specific objectives relating to:
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- National development plans and programmes; political life and
international co-operation, social welfare and peace and policy
making; economic life; education and training; culture and leisure-
time activities; attitude and practices; health, nutrition and social
well-being; family and community life; situations of armed conflict
and emergency.
(ii) The synthesis of activities will be updated every two years.
(iii) Areas identified by organizations in the United Nations system for
concentrated joint interorganizational action in assisting countries for the period 1976-1900 are:
- National development planning and evaluation of progress;
- Participation in political life and decision making;
- Participation in economic life;
- Education and training;
- Maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition and health and social services.
The organizations of the United Nations system have decided that:
(i) Priority will be given to country level activities, particularly in the least developed and the most seriously affected countries, with special attention to the poorest areas and most vulnerable groups;
(ii) Public information and communication support activities should be developed as integral inputs of programmes;
(iii) Mechanisms for evaluation and monitoring should be a built-in part of all projects.
(b) Development of regional and subregional programmes to promote the integration of women in development
(i) Adoption, by 1977, of regional plans of action for those regions which have not yet adopted them.
(ii) Incorporation, by 1977, in regional action plans of the minimum objectives set forth in paragraph 46 of the World Plan of Action,
(iii) Regional commissions and interregional commissions, in collaboration with the United Nations system, should in particular:
- Provide Governments which so request and non-governmental organizations
with the technical support and information they require to formulate
and implement effective strategies to further the objectives of the
World Plan of Action;
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- Assist Governments when they ask in the preparation of development projects designed to improve opportunities for women and engage in continuous consultation with regional officers of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for that purpose;
- Assist Governments and non-governmental organizations to develop policies, strategies and programmes to strengthen the role of women in national development, especially in rural areas, and to formulate requests for technical and financial assistance;
- Promote technical co-operation among developing countries in the region, making use of available knowledge and expertise and encouraging existing sources of bilateral and multilateral assistance to make greater contributions of funds for the financing of programmes for the advancement of women and seeking new sources of funds, including by the establishment of revolving funds at national and local levels.
(c) Co-ordination of activities with United Nations Headquarters, between
regional commissions and with interested regional intergovernmental
organizations outside the United Nations system
(i) A network system should be established between United Nations Headquarters, the United Nations system, the regional commissions, regional intergovernmental commissions and offices of the specialized agencies to facilitate the exchange of information concerning projects and programmes and mutual assistance to strengthen the integration of women in development on a world-wide basis.
(ii) Regional commissions should establish links with existing and future United Nations centres, including the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women and other regional and national centres working in related fields.
(d) Expansion of technical co-operation activities to support the integration
of women in development
(i) Special attention should be given to the development of programmes in the following areas:
- Integrated rural development: special attention should be given to women's role as producers, processors and vendors of food, stressing the need for training women and girls; training is especially needed in modern methods of farming, marketing, purchasing and sales techniques, basic accounting and organizational methods, fundamentals of hygiene and nutrition, crafts and co-operatives;
- Technological assistance for women, including full participation in community and extension services, particularly in the rural areas, including access to loans, credit facilities and co-operatives, on the same basis as men;
- Health, reproduction and growth and development, including family and child health, family planning, nutrition and health education;
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Education and training at all levels and in all sectors, including on the job training in production centres, related to the creation of employment opportunities so that women can play an economic, social and political role which corresponds to their training, in the interest of their society as a whole;
- Youth projects, which should he examined to make sure that they
include adequate emphasis on the participation of young women;
Public administration, with the aim of preparing women to participate in development planning and policy-making, especially in middle- and higher-level posts,
(ii) UNDP resident representatives should collaborate with Governments in formulating requests for technical assistance as part of country programming, at the same time providing for periodic review of the programmes to suggest crucial areas where special support might be needed and to assess their influence and success in improving the position of women.
(iii) Women should participate fully in planning and implementing UNDP country programmes and regional, interregional and global projects under the auspices of the United Nations and other international agencies.
(iv) Organizations of the United Nations system, especially UNDP, and national Governments should give better opportunity for women to participate as technical experts in providing assistance among developing countries.
(v) Special attention should be paid to the provision of employment
opportunities for women in the developing countries. Short-term training courses should be set up at the rural and smaller urban levels for training nursery school teachers and day-care personnel. Production centres should also be established where on-the-job teaching can continue, with provision of marketing facilities for the production centres so that the whole scheme can be made self-supporting. This integrated approach of training, production and marketing should be followed at all levels, starting from the villages right up to the big cities.
(vi) The United Nations specialized agencies, national Governments and
non-governmental organizations, in co-operation with regional commissions, should give attention within their existing consultative services to the need for creating a corps of experts to provide guidance to countries on request in the adaptation and implementation of the World Plan of Action, in accordance with specific country needs. These experts should have the necessary qualifications to assist intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, regional commissions and national machinery in the following areas:
- Designing of projects adapted from the World Plan of Action and relevant to national needs and priorities;
- The techniques for creating an awareness among women's groups in order to get their full support for such projects;
- The strengthening of national machinery for the effective implementation of the World Plan of Action during the Decade for Women.
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National action, 1976-1980
At the national level, efforts to widen opportunities for women to participate in development will require action by society at large through its governmental machinery, non-governmental organizations and other groups and individuals, all of which may he supported by international and regional organizations. To this end,, appropriate machinery and administrative procedures are essential.
The following objectives should be taken into account when national programmes are being drawn up:
- That equality between men and women means equality of dignity and value as human beings, as well as equality of rights, opportunities and duties;
- The removal of all obstacles to women's enjoyment of equal status with men, with a view to ensuring the full participation of women in the social and economic development of their countries;
- The achievement of full participation by women in the task of maintaining international peace and security.
National machinery and mechanisms
1. National machinery and mechanisms (national commissions, women's bureaux,
information and documentation centres) should have mandates and resources sufficient
to ensure the inclusion of women in planning and other activities for development,
and to propose special programmes for women as necessary, based on the World Plan
of Action, the regional plans and relevant General Assembly resolutions.
National bodies would be entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining under constant review national laws and regulations and reporting to Governments every second year on the result achieved, with the aim of ensuring that the objects of the Decade will be secured on a national basis.
In the elaboration of the programme to implement the World Plan of Action, the national mechanism will take into account the opinion of the interested sectors concerned with the integration of women in development.
2. Programmes to integrate women in development should be included in the over-all national development plans, based on the World Plan of Action, the regional plans and relevant General Assembly resolutions.
3. All national plans and programmes for economic development should include positive policies and targets for increasing the employment of women in both the public and private sectors, so as to achieve equality with men.
4. Programmes should be established with concrete targets and measures, including financial allocations, as well as a system of in-built evaluation to monitor progress in the implementation of the programme.
5. Measures should be adopted to ensure participation of women in development planning and policy making.
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C. Increased involvement of women in political life and in international co-operation and the maintenance of peace
International and regional action, 1976-1980
1. Review of the nature and extent of women's participation in political life
and in international co-operation and the maintenance of peace
(a) Periodic collection and publication of reports containing data and other relevant information concerning women's participation In public and political life at the national, regional and international levels, including their participation in efforts to achieve general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international controls, international co-operation and peace.
(b) Study, under the terms of General Assembly resolution 3519 (XXX), on women's participation in the strengthening of international peace and security and in the struggle against colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, foreign aggression, occupation and all forms of foreign domination.
2. Development of programmes to increase women's involvement in international
co-operation and the maintenance of peace
(a) Development of training programmes for women, especially in the areas of public administration and management and international politics, mediation, peacemaking and peace-building.
Particular attention should be paid to the institutions which endeavour to stimulate greater participation by women in political activities and processes, urban and rural development programmes and communal and youth programmes and to facilitate their access to training for the direction of such programmes.
(b) Establishment in consultation with Governments and in co-operation, as appropriate, with non-governmental organizations of rosters of women qualified to participate in decision making relating to international co-operation and the maintenance of peace.
(c_) Organization, in consultation with Governments and in co-operation, as appropriate, with non-governmental organizations, of panel discussions, seminars, conferences and similar meetings to create greater awareness among women of national and international issues.
(d) Organization of courses, seminars, lectures and similar activities to encourage the participation of women in the promotion of friendship between the peoples and the effort to achieve general and complete disarmament under strict and effective International control.
3. Measures to alleviate the condition of women and children in particular
situations of hardship, emergency and armed conflict
(a) Studies (to be carried out every four years) for the Commission on the Status of Women on the condition of women and children in emergency and armed
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conflict, in the struggle for peace, self-determination, national liberation and independence and elaboration and/or implementation of international conventions, declarations and similar instruments in this field (Economic and Social Council resolution 1687 (LII)).
(b) Development of measures for the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict as set forth in General Assembly resolution 3318 (XXIX).
(c) Study on the effects of apartheid on the condition of women and on their role in the struggle against apartheid. Submission of a report by the Secretary-General to the Commission on the Status of Women at its twenty-seventh session and to the Special Committee against Apartheid on the effects of apartheid in South Africa (Conference resolution 3, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 3505 (XXX)).
National action, 1976-1980
1. Increase in the participation of women in political life and decision making at all levels - local, national and international.
2. Establishment of specific goals, strategies and time-tables to achieve the above end.
3. Measures to encourage women to take part on an equal footing with men, in all international meetings on political and legal subjects, on economic development, on planning, administration and financing, on science and technology, on the environment, on human settlements and on population.
III. INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE DECADE
International and regional action, 1976-1980
1. Dissemination of information
(a) Development and maintenance of channels of communication at the national, regional and international levels (e.g. liaison officers, national correspondents, national and regional machinery, non-governmental organizations, universities and academic institutions).
(b) Use of the symbol of the International Women's Year to promote the Decade.
(c) Publication of the Programme for the Decade, in pamphlet form.
(d.) Publicity for the Decade by means of radio, television, films and audio-visual programmes for all socio-economic categories of men and women.
(e) Issuance of pamphlets, posters etc.
(f) Commemorative postage stamps .

(g) Commemorative publications etc.
(h) Publication of a Decade bulletin (at least twice a year), a calendar of forthcoming United Nations events and special supplements to the Development Forum.
(I) Dissemination of information on the situation of women in every country through the preparation of a publication such as a yearbook.
(j) Development of programmes with non-governmental organizations to reach women at the grass-roots level.
2. Exchange of information and experience
Organization of international and regional symposia, seminars, workshops or other types of meetings and briefings:
(i) Meetings for planners and policy makers of relevant Government departments, educational authorities and opinion leaders;
(ii) Organization of seminars for writers, journalists, film and broadcasting producers on treatment of news relating to and production of programmes on women;
(iii) Provision of technical assistance and consultative advice for information programmes, mass media campaigns etc.
3. Establishment of information networks
(a) The establishment of information research centres to serve as key repositories of relevant documentation for United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, regional commissions etc. and of audio-visual material, films, recorded radio and television programmes.
(b) The creation of information feedback systems relating to women.
4. Educational activities
(a) Encouragement of the inclusion in school curricula of teaching about the principles of the United Nations, human rights, non-discrimination on grounds of sex, the history of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the International Women's Year, the Conference of Mexico and the United Nations Programme for the Decade for Women.
(b) Encouragement of the elimination from school textbooks of stereotypes about "masculine" and “feminine" roles and occupations.
(c) Undertaking of research and development of guidelines for media on images of women projected by the media and publishing of studies on women and the media.
(d) Study of the use of the mass communication media as a vehicle to enhance the status of women and encouragement of the use of the media in accelerating the acceptance of women's new and expanding roles in society (World Plan of Action, para. 174).
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(e) Organization of training activities for qualified women in journalism and in all aspects of the media - programming, production, management etc.
(f) Use of radio and television for educational purposes in addition to their informational role.
National action, 1976-1980
All the informational and educational activities listed under "international and regional action" should he carried out and developed at the national levels by Governments, schools systems, media authorities, non-governmental organizations etc. as appropriate.
IV. REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF PROGRESS MADE II RELATION TO THE THREEFOLD THEME OF THE DECADE: EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
International and regional action, 1976-198O
1. Development of procedures, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 3490 (XXX) and 3520 (XXX), for a system-wide "biennial review and appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action as an input to the process of review and appraisal of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, taking into account the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order.
Such procedures should begin in 1976 and ensure that items on the implementation of the World Plan of Action will be included, at two-year intervals, in the agenda of the sessions of the Economic and Social Council and its relevant functional commissions and advisory bodies.
2. Biennial review of material received from Governments, the organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations concerning the implementation of the World Plan of Action and the International Development Strategy and determination of major trends and policies with regard to the status of women and their integration in development.
Under General Assembly resolution 3490 (XXX), the Commission on the Status of Women is requested to report its findings and conclusions on major trends and policies with regard to the status of women, particularly their integration in development, to the Economic and Social Council through the Committee for Development Planning and the Committee on Review and Appraisal.
The review and appraisal of progress made should also include:
(i) Assessment of current development programmes and projects and evaluation as to their relevance for women, the adequacy of current financial support, and whether they meet the objectives and goals of the World Plan of Action;
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(ii) Evaluation of women's voluntary organization projects to determine
whether or not they should be strengthened through support from technical assistance agencies and national Governments, particularly as they relate to the goals of development and the priority needs of women.
National action, 1976-1980
1. Appropriate machinery and mechanisms should be established to undertake regular biennial reviews and appraisals of progress made in implementing the World Plan of Action and the regional plans at the local and national levels.
2. Such reviews should he carried out within the framework of over-all development plans, policies and programmes.
3. All organizations of the United Nations system and national Governments should he urged to make all efforts for the achievement, by 1980, of the minimum objectives set forth in paragraph 46 of the V7orld Plan of Action.

Annex VI LIST OF DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ITS TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION
Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/574 3 Consideration of proposals concerning a
new instrument or instruments of international law to eliminate discrimination against women: Report of the Working Group to the Commission on the Status of Women
E/CN.6/581 5 Report of the Secretary-General on the
influence of mass communication media on the formation of a new attitude towards the role of women in present-day society
E/CN.6/590 2 Provisional agenda of the twenty-sixth
session
E/CN.6/591 3 (a) Working paper prepared by the Secretary-
General on a draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
E/CN.6/591/Add.1 and Corr.1 3 (a) Comments received from the Government of
Belgium in response to the request contained in resolution 1 (XXV) of the Commission
E/CN.6/592 and Add.1 3 (b) Reports of the Secretary-General analyzing
information received from Governments on
implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
E/CN.6/593 4(a) Report of the Secretary-General on
E/CN.6/593 - evaluation of activities undertaken
during the International Women's Year and evaluation of their impact
E/CN.6/594 and Corr.1 4 (b) Reports of the Secretary-General
and Add.1
4 (b) Report of the Secretary-General on technical
E/CN.6/595 4 (b) co-operation activities for the
advancement of women

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/596 4 (b) Report of the Inter-American Commission
of Women
E/CN.6/597 4 (b) Report of the Commission on the Status of
Arab Women
E/CN.6/598 and Add.1 and 2 4 (c) Reports of the Secretary-General on
measures undertaken under the International Development Strategy of the Second United Nations Development Decade and in implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year
E/CN.6/599 4 (c) Procedures concerning future review and
appraisal of the implementation of the World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women's Year: note by the Secretary-General
E/CN.6/600 4 (d.) Note by the Secretary-General
E/CN.6/601 and Corr.1 5 Progress report of the Secretary-General
E/CN.6/602 " 6 Note by the Secretary-General
E/CN.6/603 4 (b) Report of the International Labour
Organisation on its activities of special interest to women
E/CN.6/604 4 (b) Report of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization on its activities of special interest to women
E/CN.6/605 3 (a) Report of the Working Group on the Draft
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
E/CN.6/606 3 (b) Communication from the Permanent
Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva transmitting a declaration on the rights of women by Begum Nusrat Bhutto, President of the National Organizing and Co-ordinating Committee for Women's activities in Pakistan

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
Title or description
E/CN.6/607 4 (b) Complementary report of the Inter-American
Commission of Women
E/CN.6/INF/29 and Corr.1 List 0f representatives to the twenty-sixth
and Add.1 and 2 session
E/CN.6/L.676 3 (a) Cuba: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
1/CN.6/L.677 3 (a) Belgium and Prance: amendment to documents
E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.678 3 (a) United States of America: amendment to
documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.679 3 (a) Belgium and France: amendment to documents
E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.680 3 (a) United States of America: amendments to
documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.68l and Add.1-6 9 Draft report of the Commission on its
twenty-sixth session
E/CN,6/L.682 4 The United Nations Programme for the Decade
for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, 1976-1985 - working paper prepared by the Secretariat
E/CN.6/L.683 and 3 (a) Text of articles of the draft Convention on
Add.1 and 2 the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women adopted by the Commission at its twenty-sixth session
E/CN.6/L.684 4 Denmark, Iran, Thailand and United States
of America: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.684/Rev.1 4 Denmark, Iran, Thailand and United States
of America: revised draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.685 4 (b) United States of America: amendments to
document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.686 6 Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Thailand,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.687 3 (a) Egypt, German Democratic Republic, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and
United States of America: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/L.688 3 (a.) United States of America: amendment to
documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.689 3 (a) United States of America: amendment to
documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.690 5 Denmark, Iran and United States of America:
draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.690/Rev.1 5 Denmark, Iran, Togo and United States of
America: revised draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.691 4 Sweden: amendment to document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.692 4 Food and Agriculture Organization and
International Labour Organisation: suggestion for the amendment of document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.693 4 United States of America: amendment to
document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.693/Rev.1 4 United States of America: revised
amendment to document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.694 4 Iran: amendment to document E/CN.6/L.682
E/CN.6/L.695 4 (c) Colombia, Egypt, Guinea, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Mexico, Senegal and Venezuela: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.696 4 (c) Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Prance, Greece and
Sweden: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.696/Rev.1 4 (c) Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece,
India and Sweden: revised draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.697 4 (a) Colombia, Iran, Mexico, United States of
America and Venezuela: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.698 8 Draft provisional agenda for the twenty-
seventh session
E/CN.6/L.698/Rev.1 8 Revised draft provisional agenda for the
twenty-seventh session
E/CN.6/L.699 3 (a) Text of articles of the draft Convention on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted by the Commission at its twenty-sixth session

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/L.700 3 (a) Belgium: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.701 3 (a) Denmark: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.702 3 (a) United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.703 3 (a) German Democratic Republic: amendment to
documents E/CN.6/591 and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.704 3 (a) Text of the eighth paragraph of the preamble
of the draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women approved by the Working Group
E/CN.6/L.705 3 (a) India: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.706 3 (a) Iran: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.707 3 (a) India: amendments to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.708 3 (a) Egypt: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.709 3 (a) Text of articles of the draft Convention on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted by the Commission at its resumed twenty-sixth session
E/CN.6/L.710 3 (a) Denmark: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.711 4 Canada and India: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.712 3 (a) and 4 (c) India and Thailand: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.712/Rev.1 3 (a) and 4 (c) India, Thailand and Togo: revised draft
resolution
E/CN.6/L.713 4 (d) United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland: suggestions regarding the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, 1980

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/L.714 5 Belgium: amendment to document E/CN.6/L.690
E/CN.6/L.715 3 (a) Suggested new version of article 21 of the
draft Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
E/CN.6/L.716 and Corr.1 9 Draft report of the Commission on its
and Add.1-5 resumed twenty-sixth session
E/CN.6/L.717 4 (d) Colombia, Egypt, Guinea, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Mexico, Senegal and Venezuela: draft resolution
E/CN.6/L.718 3 (a) Belgium: amendment to documents E/CN.6/591
and Add.1 and Corr.1
E/CN.6/L.719 5 Mexico: amendment to document E/CN.6/L.69O
E/CN.6/L.720 5 Sweden: amendments to document E/CN.6/L.69O
E/CN.6/L.721 5 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics:
amendments to document E/CN.6/L.690
E/CN.6/L.722 5 India: amendments to document E/CN.6/L.69O
E/CN.6/L.723 5 Egypt: amendments to document E/CN.6/L.69O
E/CN.6/L.724 5 Pakistan and Thailand: amendments to
document E/CN.6/L.69O
E/CN/6/L.725 3 (a) Text of articles of the draft Convention on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted by the Commission at its resumed twenty-sixth session
E/CN.6/L.726 3 (a) Report of the Style Committee
E/CN.6/NG0/258 4 (d) Statement submitted by the International
Federation of Business and Professional Women (category II)
E/CN.6/NG0/259 3 (a) Statement submitted by the International
Alliance of Women, the International Council of Women (category I), the Associated Country Women of the World, the Baha'i International Community, the Consultative Council of Jewish Organizations, the International Catholic Migration Commission, the International Council of Social Democratic Women, the International Federation of Business and

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
Professional Women, the Pan-Pacific and South-East Asia Women's Association, Soroptimist International, St. Joan's International Alliance, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the World Muslim Congress, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, the World Women's Christian Temperance Union, Zonta International (category II), the Christian Peace Conference, the International Peace Academy, the International Society for Community Development and the National Organization for Women (roster)
E/CN.6/NG0/260 4 (b) Statement submitted by the Associated
Country Women of the World (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/261 4 (a) Statement submitted by the International
Federation of Business and Professional Women (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/262 6 Statement submitted by the International
Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (category l)
E/CN.6/NGO/263 3 (b) Statement submitted by the All-Pakistan
Women's Association (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/264 3 (b) Statement submitted by the Baha'i
International Community (category IT.)
E/CN.6/NGO/265 4 (b) Statement submitted by the International
Catholic Child Bureau (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/266 and Add.1 4 (c) Statement submitted by: the International
Alliance for Women, the International Council of Women, the Women's International Democratic Federation, the World Federation of Labour, the World Federation of Trade Unions (category I), the All India Women's Conference, the Arab Lawyers Union, the International Federation of Human Rights, the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, the International. Movement for Fraternal Union among Races and Peoples, So optimist International, St. Joan's International Alliance, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the World Alliance of Young Men's

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
Christian Associations, the World Association of World Federalists, the World Muslim Congress, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (category II) and the World Peace Council (roster)
E/CN.6/NGO/267 and Add.1 4 (c) Statement submitted by the International
Alliance of Women, the International Council of Women, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (category I), the All-India Women's Conference, the International Council of Jewish Women, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Soroptimist International, the Women's International Zionist Organization, the World Women's Christian Temperance Union and the World Young Women's Christian Association (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/268 4 (c) Statement submitted by the International
Federation of Women in Legal Careers (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/269 4 (b) and (d) Statement submitted by So optimist
International (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/270 and 4 (b) Statement submitted by the International
Corr.1 and Add.1 Alliance of Women, the International
Council of Women, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (category I) the All-India Women's Conference, the International Confederation of Catholic Charities, the International Council of Jewish Women, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, Soroptimist International and the World Women's Christian Temperance Union (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/271 7 Statement submitted by the International
Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (category I) and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (category II)

Agenda
Document number item Title or description
E/CN.6/NGO/272 and Add.1 3 (a) Statement submitted by the International
Alliance of Women, the International Council of Women (category I) the All-India Women' s Conference, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, the International Federation of University Women, the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, the International Federation of Women Lawyers and the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/273 3 (a) Statement submitted by the International
Alliance of Women, the International Council of Women (category I), the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, the International Federation of University Women, the Pan-Pacific and South-East Asia Women's Associations and the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/274 6 Statement submitted by the Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom (category II)
E/CN.6/NGO/275 3 (a) Statement submitted by the International
Council of Women (category I)