United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/58/142
Distr.: General
10 February 2004
Fifty-eighth session
Agenda item 110
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22 December 2003
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/58/501)]
58/142. Women and political participation
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the obligations of all States to promote and protect human rights
and fundamental freedoms as stated in the Charter of the United Nations, and guided
by the purposes and principles of human rights instruments,
Reaffirming also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 which states
that everyone has the right to take part in the government of his or her country and
the right of equal access to public service,
Recalling the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2 which
states, inter alia, that every citizen shall have the right and opportunity to take part
in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives, to
vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections and to have access, on general
terms of equality, to public service in his or her country,
Recalling also the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, 3 which states, inter alia, that States parties shall take
all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political
and public life of the country,
Recalling further the Convention on the Political Rights of Women, 4 which
states that women shall be, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination,
entitled to vote in all elections, eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies
established by national law and entitled to hold public office and to exercise all
public functions established by national law,
Recalling the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 5 the outcome of the
twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000:
_______________
1
Resolution 217 A (III).
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
3
Resolution 34/180, annex.
4
Resolution 640 (VII), annex.
5
Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United Nations
publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II.
2
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