27 May 1988

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,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 42/60 of 30 November 1987 and 42/105 of 7 December 1987 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1987/3 of 26 May 1987,

Recalling in particular the decisions of the fourth meeting of the States parties 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 seventh session, notably general recommendations 5, 6, 7 and 8 and suggestion 1 on ways and means of implementing article 21 of the Convention,

Noting that the Committee agreed, in examining reports, to take due account of the different cultural and socio-economic systems of States parties 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 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. Takes note of the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its seventh session;

5. Reiterates the decision of the General Assembly, in paragraph 9 of resolution 42/60, that no action should be taken on decision 4 adopted by the Committee at its sixth session;

6. Urges States parties to the Convention to make all possible efforts to submit their initial implementation reports, as well as their second and subsequent periodic reports, in accordance with article 18 of the Convention and the guidelines of the Committee;

7. Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the Committee to rationalize its procedures and expedite the consideration of periodic reports, and encourages the Committee to continue those efforts;

8. Notes with deep concern the problems encountered by the Committee as a result of the lack of resources, including technical and substantive support, and the backlog of reports awaiting examination;

9. Requests the Secretary-General, in preparing the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1990-1991, to take due account of article 17, paragraph 9, of the Convention by providing the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of the functions of the Committee, in order to enable it to carry out its mandate as efficiently as other human rights treaty bodies;

10. Recommends that the General Assembly at its forty-third session consider the request made by the Committee for additional meetings, on an exceptional basis, in order to advance consideration of reports already submitted to the Committee;

11. Further requests the Secretary-General, within existing resources and drawing, in particular, on funds available to the Department of Public Information, to provide for, 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;

12. Also requests the Secretary-General to transmit the report of the Committee to the Commission on the Status of Women for information.