30 July 1992

40th plenary meeting

Women and children under apartheid

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolution 1991/20 of 30 May 1991,

Reaffirming the provisions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa, contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution S-16/1 of 14 December 1989,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 46/79 of 13 December 1991,

Alarmed by the grave socio-economic deprivation to which the majority of the people, especially the women and children, are subjected as a direct consequence of apartheid,

Deeply concerned about the alleged State complicity in politically motivated violence that has to date claimed thousands of lives and has left hundreds of thousands homeless, the majority of whom are women and children,

Noting the positive changes initiated by the South African authorities aimed at dismantling apartheid, which were the result of the relentless struggle waged by the people of South Africa as well as the pressure exerted by the international community,

Noting with satisfaction the signing of the National Peace Accord in September 1991 and the convening of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa in December 1991, and expressing the hope that this will constitute a major contribution towards the final ending of violence in South Africa,

Welcoming the holding of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa as an attempt to resolve the problems of South Africa by peaceful means as envisaged in the Declaration on Apartheid,

Recognizing that the equality of women and men cannot be achieved without the success of the struggle towards a united, non-racist, non-sexist and democratic South Africa,

Aware of the attention given by the United Nations, and, in particular, the Centre against Apartheid and the Division for the Advancement of Women, to the issue of assisting South African women to participate fully in the process of establishing a non-racist democracy in their country,

1. Commends those women both inside and outside South Africa who have resisted oppression and who have remained steadfast in their opposition to apartheid;

2. Demands the immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners and detainees, among whom are women and children, in accordance with the undertaking of the South African authorities;

3. Urges those involved in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa to place high on their agenda issues concerning women such as freedom, justice and equality, development and the environment;

4. Also urges the South African authorities to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, at the earliest possible opportunity;

5. Appeals to all countries and United Nations bodies, in conformity with General Assembly resolution 46/79 and in consultation with liberation movements, to increase their support for educational, health, vocational training and employment opportunities for women and children living under apartheid;

6. Requests the Centre against Apartheid to widen and strengthen its cooperation with the Division for the Advancement of Women, with a view to creating specific programmes of assistance to South African women to enable them to participate fully in the process of transition of their country towards a non-racist democracy;

7. Appeals to the international community to give its full and concerted support to the vulnerable and critical process now under way in South Africa through a phased application of appropriate pressures on the South African authorities as warranted by developments, and to provide assistance to the opponents of apartheid and the disadvantaged sectors of society in order to ensure the rapid and peaceful attainment of the objectives of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa;

8. Decides to remain seized of the issue of women and children living under apartheid;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-seventh session.