WUNRN
Direct Link to Full 24-Page
Document:
By Torild Skard, Senior
Researcher, Chair
Norwegian Association of
Women’s Rights.
UN CHARTER GENDER EQUALITY INCLUSION
+
HISTORY OF THE UN COMMISSION ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN - CSW
See pp. 53-55 +
"Maybe it was the idea of a
special women's commission came up too late, or it was discussed, though it
does not appear in the summary records, but did not obtain sufficient support
to be included in the UN Charter. And, according to the rules of the
conference, the committee could not pass resolutions on other subjects. So
there was no formal vote.
The UN Charter gives ECOSOC the
possibility, however, of setting up commissions as may be required in addition
to those mentioned in the founding text (Article 68). Though there was no
formal decision at the UNCIO (United Nations Conference on International
Organisation), a clear majority expressed themselves in favour of a Commission
on the Status of Women. When the United Nations held its inaugural meetings in
London in February 1946, women's rights were a prominent item on the agenda.
The former First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, a social.
reformer and human rights advocate, was now appointed a delegate. She read 'An
Open Letter to the Women of the World' from the 17 women attending the session,
expressing the hope that women's involvement in the UN would grow, and calling
on governments to encourage women to be active in national and international
affairs and in building peace. At the meeting a subcommission on the status of
women was created under the Human Rights Commission.
Many delegates and NGO
representatives felt, however, that a separate body specifically dedicated to
women's issues was required.......At its first meeting, the
subcommission.......recommended a fully-fledged Commission on the Status of
Women. Eleanor Roosevelt was elected Chair of the Human Rights Commission and
first opposed the change, but then relented. The 4-month old subcommission was
upgraded to a full commission directly under ECOSOC, and women's NGO's were
invited to work closely with it."
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