24 May 1984

Meeting 19

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

The Economic and Social Council,

Bearing in mind that one of the purposes of the United Nations, set forth 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 participate equally in social, economic and political development, should contribute equally to such development and should share equally in improved conditions of life,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979, by which the Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women annexed thereto,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 35/140 of 11 December 1980, 36/131 of 14 December 1981, 37/64 of 3 December 1982, 38/18 of 22 November 1983 and 38/109 of 16 December 1983, and Council resolution 1983/1 of 17 May 1983,

Having taken note of the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its first session,

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

2. Expresses its grave concern about continuing discrimination against women and infringement of their rights in a number of States;

3. Urges all States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention to do so as soon as possible, taking into account the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, to be held in 1985;

4. Welcomes the fact that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women began its work successfully and, in particular, adopted at its second session general guidelines regarding the form and content of reports received from States parties under article 18 of the Convention;

5. Decides to include in the agenda of the thirty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women the question of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.