A/RES/54/4
Page 3
Also noting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights5 proclaims that all human beings are born
free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein,
without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on sex,
Recalling that the International Covenants on Human Rights6 and other international human rights
instruments prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex,
Also recalling the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women4 (“the
Convention”), in which the States Parties thereto condemn discrimination against women in all its forms and
agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against
women,
Reaffirming their determination to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by women of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms and to take effective action to prevent violations of these rights and freedoms,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
A State Party to the present Protocol (“State Party”) recognizes the competence of the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women (“the Committee”) to receive and consider communications
submitted in accordance with article 2.
Article 2
Communications may be submitted by or on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals, under the
jurisdiction of a State Party, claiming to be victims of a violation of any of the rights set forth in the Convention
by that State Party. Where a communication is submitted on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals, this
shall be with their consent unless the author can justify acting on their behalf without such consent.
Article 3
Communications shall be in writing and shall not be anonymous. No communication shall be received by
the Committee if it concerns a State Party to the Convention that is not a party to the present Protocol.
Article 4
1. The Committee shall not consider a communication unless it has ascertained that all available domestic
remedies have been exhausted unless the application of such remedies is unreasonably prolonged or unlikely
to bring effective relief.
5
Resolution 217 A (III).
6
Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
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