23rd plenary meeting

4 May 1982

Women and children under apartheid

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 35/206 N of l6 December l980, on women and children under apartheid,

Recalling also resolution 45, adopted by the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women,

Reaffirming that apartheid is a crime against humanity,

Noting with admiration the great sacrifices of the women and children in South Africa and Namibia in the struggle for their inalienable rights and their national liberation,

Recognizing that the so-called constitutional and other reforms by the racist minority regimes are no more than mere adjustments within the framework of apartheid,

Affirming its full solidarity with the women of South Africa and Namibia in the struggle for liberation under the leadership of their national liberation movements,

Considering that international efforts should be greatly intensified to publicize the plight of women and children in South Africa and Namibia and to promote greater solidarity with and assistance to them in the context of their heroic struggle for the liberation of South Africa and Namibia,

Appreciating the valuable contribution made by the various United Nations voluntary funds for southern Africa, including the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa,

Gravely concerned about the inhuman oppression of millions of women and children under apartheid, resulting in the killing, detention and torture of school children protesting against discrimination, the enforced separation of women from their husbands and mass starvation in the reserves,

Commending the Special Committee against Apartheid and its Task Force on Women and Children for giving special attention to the plight of women and children under apartheid,

Noting with appreciation the establishment of the International Committee of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women in South Africa and Namibia,

1. Reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to the total eradication of apartheid and the promotion of the establishment of a democratic society in which all the people of South Africa as a whole, irrespective of race, colour, sex or creed, will enjoy equal and full human rights and fundamental freedoms and will participate freely in the determination of their destiny;

2. Invites all Governments and organizations to observe 9 August annually as the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women in South Africa and Namibia;

3. Appeals to all Governments and organizations to provide generous contributions to the projects of the national liberation movements and front-line States for assistance to refugee women and children from South Africa and Namibia;

4. Further appeals to all Governments to make generous contributions to the various trust funds for southern Africa, including the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa;

5. Welcomes the decision of the Special Committee against Apartheid to organize, in co-operation with the International Committee of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women in South Africa and Namibia, an international conference on women and apartheid, to be held at Brussels from l7 to l9 May l982;

6. Invites women's organizations all over the world to intensify their action in solidarity with the struggle for liberation in South Africa and Namibia and to consider a greater co-ordination of their efforts in co-operation with the Special Committee against Apartheid.