21 May 1986

16th plenary meeting

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

The Economic and Social Council,

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, 38/109 of 16 December 1983, 39/130 of 14 December 1984 and 40/39 of 29 November 1985, and Economic and Social Council resolutions 1983/1 of 17 May 1983, 1984/8 of 22 May 1984, 1984/10 of 24 May 1984 and 1985/18 of 28 May 1985,

Aware of the important contribution which the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women can make to eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and to achieving legal and de facto equality between women and men,

Noting the emphasis placed by the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace on the ratification of and accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

Having considered the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its fifth session, notably the general recommendation, suggestion and general observations of the Committee, as well as its resolution on the International Year of Peace,

Recalling the decision of the third meeting of the States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to request the Secretary-General to seek the views of States parties to the Convention on reservations which could be considered to come within the scope of article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention and to include those comments in his report to the General Assembly at its forty-first session, and to include in the agenda of their next meeting the question of reservations to the Convention,

1. Welcomes the ratification of or accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by an increasing number of Member States;

2. Urges all States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention to do so as soon as possible;

3. Emphasizes the importance of the strictest compliance by States parties with their obligations under the Convention;

4. Urges States parties to make all possible efforts to submit their initial implementation reports in accordance with article 18 of the Convention and the guidelines of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women;

5. Takes note of the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its fifth session;

6. Notes with concern the Committee's account of the present constraints within which it operates with regard to the backlog of reports awaiting examination and encourages a continuing discussion of ways and means of dealing with this problem, including possible adjustment of the reporting system;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to make all efforts to ensure adequate servicing of the Committee;

8. Takes note of the general recommendation and suggestion adopted by the Committee pursuant to its discussion at its fifth session on ways and means of implementing article 21 of the Convention;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to the General Assembly at its forty-first session and to the Commission on the Status of Women, for information.