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UN CHARTER GENDER EQUALITY INCLUSION + HISTORY OF THE UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN - CSW
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By Torild Skard, Senior Researcher, Chair - Norwegian Association of Women’s Rights.
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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