26 May 1987

14th 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,

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, 40/39 of 29 November 1985 and 41/108 of 4 December 1986, and Economic and Social Council resolutions 1983/1 of 17 May 1983, 1984/8 of 22 May 1984, 1984/10 of 24 May 1984, 1985/18 of 28 May 1985 and 1986/4 of 21 May 1986,

Aware of the important contribution that 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 sixth session, notably general recommendations 2, 3 and 4 of the Committee on ways and means of implementing article 21 of the Convention,

Noting the concern expressed by delegations during the first regular session of 1987 of the Economic and Social Council that certain references to Islamic law as contained in the report of the Committee, in particular in paragraphs 511, 516 and 517, are inappropriate,

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 consider doing 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 its sixth session and the views expressed by delegations at the first regular session of 1987 of the Economic and Social Council;

6. Takes note also of the general recommendations adopted by the Committee pursuant to its discussion at its sixth session on ways and means of implementing article 21 of the Convention;

7. Recommends to the General Assembly at its forty-second session that no action be taken on decision 4 adopted by the Committee and that the Committee be requested to review that decision, taking into account the views expressed by delegations at the first regular session of 1987 of the Economic and Social Council;

8. Recommends also that the General Assembly, at its forty-second session, consider the request of the Committee for additional meetings, on an exceptional basis, as contained in its report, taking into account the views expressed by delegations, the financial situation of the United Nations and the priorities identified by the Secretary-General in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1988-1989;

9. 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 that problem, including possible adjustment of the reporting system;

10. Welcomes the efforts made by the Committee to rationalize its procedures and expedite the consideration of periodic reports, and encourages the Committee to continue its endeavours to those ends;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to make every effort to ensure adequate servicing of the Committee;

12. Requests the Secretary-General, within existing resources and drawing in particular on funds available to the Department of Public Information, to provide, facilitate and encourage public information activities relating to the Committee and the Convention, giving priority to the dissemination of the Convention in the official languages of the United Nations;

13. Also requests the Secretary-General to transmit the report of the Committee to the General Assembly at its forty-second session and to the Commission on the Status of Women.