Many States ratify convention

Press, 24 July 1985, Page 31

Many States ratify convention

NZPA Nairobi Nearly half the world’s countries have ratified the United Nations convention on the elimination of discrimination against women, and more are expected to ratify as a result of the United Nations Conference on Women in Nairobi. This was anounced by Desiree Bernard, of Guyana, who is chairing the committee set up to monitor the convention’s progress. The convention was ratified in New Zealand last December after opposition from fundamentalist Church groups. But it has not been an issue at the world women’s conference. Rather it has been hailed by many delegations as one of the outstanding achievements of the decade for women. The convention has so far been signed by 93 of the 159 member States of the United Nations. Seventy-six countries have taken the further step of ratification, which obliges them to present regular reports to the United Nations on progress for women in their countries. Countries frhich have ratified must make an intitial report to the United Nations within the first year. New Zealand’s report will be due at the end of this year.

New Zealand is one of 11 countries to have ratified the convention this year, the others being Britain, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, St Christopher-Nevis, Senegal, Turkey, West Germany, and Zambia. Some countries which have not yet ratified have indicated problems in reconciling the convention with religious laws preventing the equal participation of women, Mrs Bernard said. Others, mainly under-de-veloped countries, lacked the resources to implement programmes for women’s equality. “Their main concern is basic survival of their people,” she said. She called on member States to provide such countries with technical assistance to help them compile statistics on the condition of women as a first step. Some opponents of the convention in New Zealand have said that it would override domestic law and allow United Nations teams to make tours of inspection. But Mrs Bernard said such claims were “utterly and completely wrong.” “The only force the convention has is moral force. We hope that signatories will work towards fulfilling its provisions but there is no sanction we can impose if they don’t.”