The General Assembly,
Considering that the peoples of the United
Nations have, in the Charter, reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human
rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of
men and women, Considering that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
asserts the principle of non-discrimination and proclaims that all human beings
are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to
all the rights and freedoms set forth therein without distinction of any kind,
including any distinction as to sex,
Taking into account the resolutions,
declarations, conventions and recommendations of the United Nations and the
specialized agencies designed to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to
promote equal rights for men and women,
Concerned that, despite the
Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenants on Human Rights and other instruments of the United
Nations and the specialized agencies and despite the progress made in the
matter of equality of rights, there continues to exist considerable
discrimination against women,
Considering that discrimination
against women is incompatible with human dignity and with the welfare of the
family and of society, prevents their participation, on equal terms with men,
in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries and is
an obstacle to the full development of the potentialities of women in the
service of their countries and of humanity,
Bearing in mind the great
contribution made by women to social, political, economic and cultural life and
the part they play in the family and particularly in the rearing of children,
Convinced that the full and
complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of
peace require the maximum participation of women as well as men in all fields,
Considering that it is necessary
to ensure the universal recognition in law and in fact of the principle of
equality of men and women,
Solemnly proclaims this Declaration:
Article 1
Discrimination against women, denying or
limiting as it does their equality of rights with men, is fundamentally unjust
and constitutes an offence against human dignity.
Article 2
All appropriate measures shall be taken to
abolish existing laws, customs, regulations and practices which are discriminatory
against women, and to establish adequate legal protection for equal rights of
men and women, in particular:
(a) The principle of equality of rights shall
be embodied in the constitution or otherwise guaranteed by law;
(b) The international instruments of the
United Nations and the specialized agencies relating to the elimination of
discrimination against women shall be ratified or acceded to and fully
implemented as soon as practicable.
Article 3
All appropriate measures shall be taken 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 idea of the inferiority of women.
Article 4
All appropriate measures shall be taken to
ensure to women on equal terms with men, without any discrimination:
(a) The right to vote in all elections and be
eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
(b) The right to vote in all public referenda;
(c) The right to hold public office and to
exercise all public functions.
Such rights shall be guaranteed by
legislation.
Article 5
Women shall have the same rights as men to
acquire, change or retain their nationality. Marriage to an alien shall not
automatically affect the nationality of the wife either by rendering her
stateless or by forcing upon her the nationality of her husband.
Article 6
1. Without prejudice to the safeguarding of
the unity and the harmony of the family, which remains the basic unit of any
society, 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, and in particular:
(a) The right to acquire, administer, enjoy,
dispose of and inherit property, including property acquired during marriage;
(b) The right to equality in legal capacity
and the exercise thereof;
(c) The same rights as men with regard to the
law on the movement of persons.
2. All appropriate measures shall be taken to
ensure the principle of equality of status of the husband and wife, and in
particular:
(a) Women shall have the same right as men to
free choice of a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their free and
full consent;
(b) Women shall have equal rights with men
during marriage and at its dissolution. In all cases the interest of the
children shall be paramount;
(c) Parents shall have equal rights and duties
in matters relating to their children. In all cases the interest of the
children shall be paramount.
3. Child marriage and the betrothal of young
girls before puberty shall be prohibited, and effective action, including
legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make
the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.
Article 7
All provisions of penal codes which constitute
discrimination against women shall be repealed.
Article 8
All appropriate measures, including
legislation, shall be taken to combat all forms of traffic in women and
exploitation of prostitution of women.
Article 9
All appropriate measures shall be taken to
ensure to girls and women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in
education at all levels, and in particular:
(a) Equal conditions of access to, and study
in, educational institutions of all types, including universities and
vocational, technical and professional schools;
(b) The same choice of curricula, the same
examinations, teaching staff with qualifications of the same standard, and
school premises and equipment of the same quality, whether the institutions are
co-educational or not;
(c) Equal opportunities to benefit from
scholarships and other study grants;
(d) Equal opportunities for access to
programmes of continuing education, including adult literacy programmes;
(e) Access to educational information to help
in ensuring the health and well-being of families.
Article 10
1. All appropriate measures shall be taken to
ensure to women, married or unmarried, equal rights with men in the field of
economic and social life, and in particular:
(a) The right, without discrimination on
grounds of marital status or any other grounds, to receive vocational training,
to work, to free choice of profession and employment, and to professional and
vocational advancement;
(b) The right to equal remuneration with men
and to equality of treatment in respect of work of equal value;
(c) The right to leave with pay, retirement
privileges and provision for security in respect of unemployment, sickness, old
age or other incapacity to work;
(d) The right to receive family allowances on
equal terms with men.
2. In order to prevent discrimination against
women on account of marriage or maternity and to ensure their effective right
to work, measures shall be taken to prevent their dismissal in the event of
marriage or maternity and to provide paid maternity leave, with the guarantee
of returning to former employment, and to provide the necessary social
services, including child-care facilities.
3. Measures taken to protect women in certain
types of work, for reasons inherent in their physical nature, shall not be
regarded as discriminatory.
Article 11
1. The principle of equality of rights of men
and women demands implementation in all States in accordance with the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
2. Governments, non-governmental organizations
and individuals are urged, therefore, to do all in their power to promote the
implementation of the principles contained in this Declaration.
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Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
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