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.
