3 December 1982

Status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

The General Assembly,

Considering that one of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in Articles 1 and 55 of the Charter, is to promote universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of any kind, including any distinction as to sex,

Affirming that women and men should, on a basis of equality, participate in and contribute to the social, economic and political processes of development and should share equally in improved conditions of life,

Recalling its resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979, by which it adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

Recalling also its resolutions 35/140 of 11 December 1980 and 36/131 of 14 December 1981,

Noting that the Convention entered into force on 3 September 1981,

Having noted the report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention,

1. Notes with appreciation the increasing number of Member States which have ratified or acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;

2. Notes further that an important number of Member States have signed the Convention;

3. Invites all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention by ratifying or acceding to it;

4. Welcomes the election on 16 April 1982 of twenty-three members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the fact that the Committee has already commenced its work;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session a report on the status of the Convention.