21 July 1995

Doc. 7367

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Message regarding equality between women and men

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 July 1995

at the 541st bis meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

1.       In the Declaration adopted on 25 June 1993 by the World Conference on Human Rights, it is stated that "the human rights of women and of the girl-child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights". The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe welcomes this statement all the more so that it is convinced that the values underpinning pluralist democracy, human rights and the rule of law cannot be fully achieved until equality between women and men has been obtained. For its part, already in 1988, it has emphasised that equality between women and men is a sine qua non of democracy and an imperative of social justice.

2.       On the occasion of the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women, to be held in Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995, the Committee of Ministers wishes to reassert its faith in the universality and indivisibility of human rights of both women and men. As reaffirmed by the World Conference on Human Rights, all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. To ensure these rights - which include economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights -is the duty of every state, irrespective of social, cultural, moral or religious traditions, economic or political systems.

3.       Being committed to enhancing the legal protection of the right of women and men to equality, the Committee of Ministers has initiated work with a view to the possible inclusion of this right in the European Convention on Human Rights. This would imply that respect of this right would be submitted to international judicial procedures.

4.       The Committee of Ministers wishes to reiterate its commitment to the principle of equality between women and men as a fundamental principle of human rights and to express the firm hope that this principle will be approached in the same vein at the 4th World Conference on Women.