26 May 1983

Communications concerning the status of women

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 76 (V) of 5 August 1947 and 304 (XI) of 14 and 17 July 1950, which continue to form the basis for the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women to receive at each of its regular sessions a list of confidential and non-confidential communications relating to the status of women,

Recalling also its resolution 1980/39 of 2 May 1980,

Recognizing the desirability of strengthening the capacity of the Commission on the Status of Women to deal with communications and, in this respect, taking note of paragraph 274 of the Programme of Action for the Second Half of the United Nations Decade for Women, in which it was emphasized that the Commission's ability to consider communications should be improved,

Considering that, since the beginning of the United Nations Decade for Women, the volume of communications on the status of women has increased substantially,

Affirming that discrimination against women is incompatible with human dignity and that women and men should participate on the basis of equality, irrespective of race or creed, in the social, economic and political processes of their countries,

1. Reaffirms the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women to consider confidential and non-confidential communications on the status of women;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission, beginning at its thirtieth session, a report on confidential and non-confidential communications on the status of women, which shall include:

(a) Communications received under Council resolutions 76 (V) and 304 (XI), including the comments of Governments thereon, if any;

(b) Communications received by the specialized agencies, regional commissions and other United Nations bodies, together with information on action that may have been taken following the receipt of such communications;

3. Also requests the Secretary-General to solicit the co-operation of the specialized agencies, regional commissions and other United Nations bodies in compiling the report called for under paragraph 2 above;

4. Authorizes the Commission on the Status of Women henceforth to appoint a working group consisting of not more than five of its members, selected with due regard for geographical distribution, to meet in closed meetings during each session of the Commission in order that it may perform the following functions:

(a) Consideration of all communications, including the replies of Governments thereon, if any, with a view to bringing to the attention of the Commission those communications, including the replies of Governments, which appear to reveal a consistent pattern of reliably attested injustice and discriminatory practices against women;

(b) Preparation of a report, based on its analysis of the confidential and non-confidential communications, which will indicate the categories in which communications are most frequently submitted to the Commission;

5. Requests the Commission on the Status of Women to examine the report of the working group and to avoid duplication of the work undertaken by other organs of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission being, in this respect, empowered only to make recommendations to the Council, which shall then decide what action may appropriately be taken on the emerging trends and patterns of communications;

6. Decides that all actions envisaged in the implementation of the present resolution by the Commission on the Status of Women shall remain confidential until such time as the Commission may decide to make recommendations to the Economic and Social Council;

7. Decides to authorize the Secretary-General to provide, within existing budgetary resources, the services and facilities necessary for the implementation of the present resolution.