Evening star., 1947-02-09

help is needed in a task SO difficult
and complex. But women cannot
iput their full and best efforts to the
job if they are hampered by lack
Of political, civil, social and eco
nomic rights. Hence the effort to
free" women so that their minds.
hands, energy and power may be
mobilized behind an implacable
drive for peace.
The commission (Which succeeds
an original nuclear subcommission
attached to the Commission on HUI
man Rights is meeting for the first
time with full commission status. It's
job is to advise the Council on how
to promote women's rights in politi-
cal, economic, social and educational
fields everywhere.
Among the commissions tasks
this session will be studying how to
make effective the resolutions on
Women's political rights passed last
fall by the General Assembly. About
II per cent Of the United Nations
still do not give women equal politi-
cal rights.
This resolution can be used as
an instrument to arouse public
opinion" said Judge Dorothy Ken
yon, New York lawyer and former
judge of the New York Municipal
Court, who is the United States del
egate to the commission. "Women's
organizations everywhere can rally
around it and use it to strengthen
their position. The governments Of
the United Nations cannot ignore a
resolution passed by the General
Assembly"
Conference Dates Set.
The commission will have
chance for informal discussion with
international women's organizations
from February 10 to IA when the
United Nations will sponsor a con-
ference on nongovernmental organ
izations, including many women's
groups, for the purpose of acquaint-
ing them with u N. operations. The
commission also will have a chance
to confer with some of the special
lied agencies such as the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization and the In
ternational Labor Office.
at is unrealistic to work for votes
for women without also working to
equip women to vote intelligently
once they get the VOTE" says Judge
Kenyon. This means we must work
to help UNESCO abolish illiteracy.
We also must help the newly en-
franchised women along the lines
which the League of Women Voters
used so successfully when American
women first got the vote. The
league set up citizenship schools
and gave information, in ABC Ian
guage, about the voting, the candi-
dates and the issues. Education in
citizenship Is as important as know
ing how to read and write"
The commissions second big job
is to survey the first two parts of
a report drafted by the original sub
commission outlining the most am
bilious women's rights ever evolved.
The commission will have to decide
whether to follow the plan outlined
or to make changes.
Members of Commission
The women's rights program as
originally outlined calls for equal
rights to vote, hold public office,
work, acquire, hold, administer and
inherit property, as well as freedom
of choice in choosing the marriage
partner, privilege Of retaining native
citizenship after marriage, equal
right to breach the marriage and to
have guardianship OF children, equal
opportunity for compulsory, free
and full education, and the right to
enjoy scientific discoveries applied
to human growth and development.
According to the report, realiza-
ton of the program might be fur
thered by a worldwide survey of
laws pertaining to the status of
women, polls to sound public opin-
ion, a forum to hear the view of
consultative agents, the calling of a
United Nations women's conference,
international exchange Of all kinds
of manual and intellectual workers,
the systematized collection of rec
ords on women's affairs and the
creation of worldwide public opin-
ion in support of womens rights.
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