IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 38
Urging the President to complete the review of the Convention on the Elimi-
nation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in order that
the Senate may give its advice and consent to ratification.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 21, 1993
Ms. WOOLSEY (for herself and Mr. HAMILTON) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Urging the President to complete the review of the Conven-
tion on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women in order that the Senate may give its
advice and consent to ratification.
Whereas the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (hereafter referred to as
the ‘‘Women’s Human Rights Convention’’) seeks to ad-
vance the status of women worldwide for the purpose of
guaranteeing the human rights and fundamental free-
doms of women on a basis of equality with men in all re-
spects: political, civil, social, cultural, and economic;
Whereas the Women’s Human Rights Convention was adopt-
ed by the United Nations General Assembly on December
18, 1979;
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Whereas the United States was an active participant in draft-
ing the Women’s Human Rights Convention and signed
the Convention on July 17, 1980;
Whereas on November 12, 1980, the President transmitted
the Women’s Human Rights Convention to the Senate,
but at that time did not submit the necessary reserva-
tions, understandings, and declarations required for Sen-
ate advice and consent to ratification;
Whereas over 100 nations have ratified and acceded to the
Women’s Human Rights Convention;
Whereas there is a continuing gap between the status and
rights of women and men, and there is still no nation in
the world where this gap has been eliminated in all major
fields of activity;
Whereas the Women’s Human Rights Convention calls on na-
tions which are parties to the convention to take all ap-
propriate measures to ensure women, on an equal basis
with men, access to education, economic opportunities,
legal protection, representation in government, and health
care;
Whereas two-thirds of the world’s illiterates are women;
Whereas women produce more than half of the food in devel-
oping countries, as much as 80 percent of the food pro-
duced in Africa, and perform two-thirds of the world’s
work hours, yet receive only 10 percent of the world’s in-
come and own less than 1 percent of the world’s prop-
erty;
Whereas worldwide, including in the United States, women
earn only two-thirds as much as their male counterparts,
contributing to the growing feminization of poverty;
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Whereas as a result of unequal economic opportunities
women are the growing majority at the poverty level
worldwide, and approximately 78 percent of all people liv-
ing in poverty in the United States are women and their
children;
Whereas in many nations women do not have the same legal
or constitutional rights as men, particularly regarding
family law—marriage, inheritance, property rights, di-
vorce, alimony, and child support;
Whereas enactment of laws ensuring the rights and fun-
damental freedoms of women are ineffectual unless gov-
ernments are willing to enforce them;
Whereas in most countries women attained the right to vote
only in the last 35–45 years, and in some countries
women still do not have the right to vote;
Whereas only approximately 10 percent of the representatives
in the world’s parliaments are women;
Whereas childbearing carries the highest risk of death for
women of reproductive age in the developing world, re-
sulting in approximately 500,000 deaths each year, the
majority of which could be prevented with adequate
health care;
Whereas the Women’s Human Rights Convention calls on na-
tions which are parties to the convention to take meas-
ures to modify the social and cultural practices of men
and women with a view to eliminating prejudices and
practices which are based on the belief of the inferiority
or superiority of either of the sexes;
Whereas violence against women is the extreme expression of
the belief in women’s inferiority and occurs in all cultures
and countries;
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Whereas there is a high degree of official and social tolerance
of violence against women, and family violence is the
most prevalent form of violence against women;
Whereas trafficking and slavery of women and female chil-
dren for the sex trade and as forced labor takes place in
many regions of the world and is a result of the subjuga-
tion of women;
Whereas preference for sons results in the severe neglect of
daughters with respect to food, medical care, and edu-
cation, and as a consequence girls aged two to four die
at twice the rate of boys in some regions, female infan-
ticide is practiced, and worldwide female children are
three times more likely to suffer from malnutrition than
male children;
Whereas the Women’s Human Rights Convention emphasizes
the equal responsibilities of men and women in the con-
text of family life, and until that occurs women will never
be able to exercise and enjoy full equal rights and they
and their children both will suffer;
Whereas when women are better informed and educated,
their family’s health and income benefit, and when
women are given training and skills, their nation’s pro-
ductivity increases and its economy grows;
Whereas worldwide there are women’s and human rights
groups working under adverse circumstances to promote
and implement the principles of the Women’s Human
Rights Convention; and
Whereas by ratifying and acceding to the Women’s Human
Rights Convention the United States will become a more
credible proponent of the rights of women and a more ef-
fective advocate in encouraging other countries to protect
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the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that—
(1) the full realization of the rights of women
is vital to the development and well-being of people
of all nations; and
(2) the President should, therefore, promptly
complete the review of the Women’s Human Rights
Convention and submit to the Senate any reserva-
tions, understandings, or declarations that he con-
siders necessary in order that the Senate may give
its advice and consent to ratification.
Æ