26 May 1988

15th plenary meeting

Participation of women in promoting international peace and co-operation

The Economic and Social Council,

Reaffirming the interrelationship of the objectives of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace,

Expressing the need for equal participation of women in all efforts to strengthen and maintain international peace and security and to promote

international co-operation, disarmament, the process of detente and respect for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Referring to General Assembly resolution 37/63 of 3 December 1982, by which the Assembly proclaimed the Declaration on the Participation of Women in Promoting International Peace and Co-operation,

Recalling that the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, in adopting the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women for the period up to the year 2000, emphasized that the main principles and directions formulated in the Declaration for women's activities aimed at strengthening peace should be put into practice,

Noting General Assembly resolution 42/61 of 30 November 1987, in which the Assembly invited the Commission on the Status of Women to give adequate attention to all the priority themes under the headings of equality, development and peace in recognition of the complexity of all the subject areas addressed in the Forward-looking Strategies and in other policy documents, including the participation of women in promoting international peace and co-operation,

Stressing that access to information, education for peace and the eradication of violence against women within the family and society are important for the implementation of the Declaration,

Welcoming the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-range and Shorter-range Missiles as an important step to promote international peace and co-operation and a contribution to the creation of favourable conditions for the attainment of the objectives of the United Nations Decade for Women:

Equality, Development and Peace,

Noting that the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament will provide manifold opportunities to support the participation of women in all activities related to peace, disarmament and security at the national, regional and international levels,

Wishing to encourage the active participation of women in promoting international peace, security and co-operation and the elimination of violence against women within the family and society,

1. Urges the Commission on the Status of Women to continue to give adequate attention to the implementation of the Declaration on the Participation of Women in Promoting International Peace and Co-operation and to the elimination of violence against women within the family and society;

2. Appeals to all Governments to take practical institutional, educational and organizational measures to facilitate women's participation on an equal footing with men in activities related to peace, disarmament negotiations and the resolution of conflicts and to inform the Secretary-General of the activities that they have undertaken at all levels to implement the Declaration;

3. Invites Member States to use the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament as an occasion to support the full participation of women in the establishment of conditions conducive to the maintenance of peace and to the elimination of inequality, poverty and violence against women within the family and society;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its third special session devoted to disarmament on programmes and activities undertaken by the United Nations system in the area of women and peace, in particular those activities related to the implementation of the Declaration on the Participation of Women in Promoting International Peace and Co-operation and the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to take adequate steps to ensure that publicity is given to the Declaration.