24 May 1984

Meeting 19

Women under apartheid

The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of women and children living under racist minority regimes and in the occupied Arab territories and other occupied territories,

Bearing in mind the conclusions of the International Conference on Women and Apartheid, held at Brussels from 17 to 19 May 1982, and of the Declaration adopted by the Conference,

Noting the wide observance of 9 August annually as the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women in South Africa and Namibia, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 36/172/K of 17 December 1981,

1. Expresses its appreciation to 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, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 36/172/K;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the International Committee of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women in South Africa and Namibia for undertaking activities in support of women and children living under apartheid, and urges the Committee to exert greater efforts in support of women and children living under apartheid;

3. Urges all Governments, United Nations bodies, international, regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, women's and anti-apartheid groups and other concerned groups to give the highest priority to measures of assistance to women in South Africa and Namibia until the end of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace and beyond;

4. Invites the Special Committee against Apartheid and its Task Force on Women and Children to continue their activities in promoting the widest possible dissemination of information concerning women and children living under apartheid;

5. Appeals to all Governments, United Nations bodies, international, regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, women's and anti-apartheid groups and other concerned groups to support the various projects of the national liberation movements and front-line States designed to assist refugee women and children from South Africa and Namibia;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-first session a preliminary report on measures of assistance provided to women inside South Africa and Namibia and to women from South Africa and Namibia who have become refugees as the result of the practice of apartheid;

7. Calls upon all women's organizations to support the women of Namibia in their efforts to attain independence, in accordance with Security Council resolution 435(1978) of 29 September 1978.