The General Assembly,
Having considered the recommendation of the Economic
and Social Council contained in its resolution 1861 (LVI) of
16 May 1974,
Expressing its deep concern over the sufferings of women
and children belonging to the civilian population who in periods
of emergency and armed conflict in the struggle for peace, self-determination,
national liberation and independence are too often the victims
of inhuman acts and consequently suffer serious harm,
Aware of the suffering of women and children in many
areas of the world, especially in those areas subject to suppression,
aggression, colonialism, racism, alien domination and foreign
subjugation,
Deeply concerned by the fact that, despite general and
unequivocal condemnation, colonialism, racism and alien and
foreign domination continue to subject many peoples under their
yoke, cruelly suppressing the national liberation movements
and inflicting heavy losses and incalculable sufferings on the
populations under their domination, including women and children,
Deploring the fact that grave attacks are still being
made on fundamental freedoms and the dignity of the human person
and that colonial and racist foreign domination Powers continue
to violate international humanitarian law,
Recalling the relevant provisions contained in the instruments
of international humanitarian law relative to the protection
of women and children in time of peace and war,
Recalling, among other important documents, its resolutions
2444 (XXIII) of 19 December 1968, 2597 (XXIV) of 16 December
1969 and 2674 (XXV) and 2675 (XXV) of 9 December 1970, on respect
for human rights and on basic principles for the protection
of civilian populations in armed conflicts, as well as Economic
and Social Council resolution 1515 (XLVIII) of 28 May 1970 in
which the Council requested the General Assembly to consider
the possibility of drafting a declaration on the protection
of women and children in emergency or wartime,
Conscious of its responsibility for the destiny of the
rising generation and for the destiny of mothers, who play an
important role in society, in the family and particularly in
the upbringing of children,
Bearing in mind the need to provide special protection
of women and children belonging to the civilian population,
Solemnly proclaims this Declaration on the Protection of
Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict and calls
for the strict observance of the Declaration by all Member States:
1. Attacks and bombings on the civilian population, inflicting
incalculable suffering, especially on women and children, who
are the most vulnerable members of the population, shall be
prohibited, and such acts shall be condemned.
2. The use of chemical and bacteriological weapons in the course
of military operations constitutes one of the most flagrant
violations of the Geneva Protocol of 1925, the Geneva Conventions
of 1949 and the principles of international humanitarian law
and inflicts heavy losses on civilian populations, including
defenceless women and children, and shall be severely condemned.
3. All States shall abide fully by their obligations under
the Geneva Protocol of 1925 and the Geneva Conventions of 1949,
as well as other instruments of international law relative to
respect for human rights in armed conflicts, which offer important
guarantees for the protection of women and children.
4. All efforts shall be made by States involved in armed conflicts,
military operations in foreign territories or military operations
in territories still under colonial domination to spare women
and children from the ravages of war. All the necessary steps
shall be taken to ensure the prohibition of measures such as
persecution, torture, punitive measures, degrading treatment
and violence, particularly against that part of the civilian
population that consists of women and children.
5. All forms of repression and cruel and inhuman treatment
of women and children, including imprisonment, torture, shooting,
mass arrests, collective punishment, destruction of dwellings
and forcible eviction, committed by belligerents in the course
of military operations or in occupied territories shall be considered
criminal.
6. Women and children belonging to the civilian population
and finding themselves in circumstances of emergency and armed
conflict in the struggle for peace, self-determination, national
liberation and independence, or who live in occupied territories,
shall not be deprived of shelter, food, medical aid or other
inalienable rights, in accordance with the provisions of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration of the
Rights of the Child or other instruments of international law.
