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A short note on Discrimination against Women

 

Declaration on the elimination of discrimination against women -

The Declaration on the elimination of discrimination against women was adopted unanimously by the General Assembly on 7th November, 1967. In the preamble to the declaration it has been laid down that as the discrimination against women has continued to exist even after the charter of the United Nations, the universal Declaration of human Rights, the International covenant on Human Rights and other instruments and the progress made in the matter of equality of rights,it became necessary to make this declaration in order to attain equality of rights of men and women and the elimination of discrimination based on sex. This Delclaration ,on one hand, restates and consolidates a number of principles incorporated in various earlier instruments and sets forth, on the other hand, new principles which did not find mention in the earlier treaties and recommendations. 

 The Declaration consists of 11 article and lays down following principles those are - 

  1. That the discrimination against women, denying or limiting their equality of right with men is fundamentally unjust and constitutes an offence against human dignity. 

  2. That the existing laws, customs, regulations and practices which are discriminatory against women must be abolished. The adequate legal protection for equal rights of men and women must be provided. The international instruments of the United Nations and specialised agencies relating to the elimination of discrimination against women and their full implementation must be ratified or acceed to, as soon as possible.

  3. That there is need to educate public opinion and to direct national aspirations towards the eradication of prejudice and the abolition of customary and all other practices which are based on the ideal of the inferiority of women.

  4. That all appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure to women, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination, the right to vote in all elections and be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies and the right to hold public office and exercise all public functions. 

  5. That women shall have the same rights as men to acquire change or retain their nationality and that marriage to an alien shall not automatically affect the nationality of the wife.

  6. That all appropriate measures, particularly legislative measures , shall be taken to ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in the field of civil law .

  7. That all provisions in penal code which constitute discrimination against women shall be repealed.

  8. That all appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure to girls and women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in education at all levels.

  9. That all appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure to women equal rights with men in the field of economic and social life and

  10. That all appropriate measures shall be taken to combat all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women .


On the recommendation of the commission on the status of women, the Economic and Social Council has initiated in May 1968 a reporting system on the implementation of the Delclaration. All the member states, the specialised agencies and the non governmental organisations are requested to give wide publicity to the principles contained in the Declaration and send report to the Secretary-General regarding the actions taken by them for the implementation of those principles. The Secretary-General, in turn, is required to send his report on the information so received to the commission on the status of women for it's consideration.



Provisions of the convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women - 


The convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women also contains provisions for the improvement of the situation of rural women. Keeping in view the significant role played by rural women in the economic survival of their families and their contribution in the non-monetised sector of the economy, the states parties have agreed to ensure to such women the right.

  1. To participate in the elaboration and implementation of development planning at all levels.

  2. To have access to adequate health care facilities, including information, counselling and services in family planning.

  3. To benefit directly from social security programmers.

  4. To obtain all types of training and education, formal and non formal, including that relating to functional literacy, as well as, the benefit of all community and extension services ,in order to increase their technical proficiency. 

  5. To organise self help groups and cooperatives in order to obtain equal access to economic opportunities through employmet or self employment.

  6. To participate in all community activities.

  7. To have access to agricultural credit and loans, marketing facilities, appropriate technology and equal treatment in land and agrarian reform as well as in land resettlement schemes and 

  8. To enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communications.




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