A/HRC/RES/26/5
to ensure the enjoyment by women and men, and girls and boys, of their civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights on a basis of equality,
Recognizing that the full, equal and effective participation of women of all ages in
all spheres of life on an equal basis with men is essential for the full and complete
economic, political and social development of a country and for achieving lasting solutions
to global challenges, and that gender equality and the empowerment of women benefit
women, men, girls and boys and society as a whole,
Mindful of the fact that the elimination of discrimination against women and girls
requires the consideration of their specific socioeconomic context, and recognizing that
laws, policies, customs and traditions that restrict their equal access to full and effective
participation in development processes and economic and social life are discriminatory, and
that the non-participation of women in decision-making contributes to the feminization of
poverty and hampers sustainable development and economic growth,
Mindful also of the gender gaps in salaries, social security, pensions, decisionmaking and access to resources, capital and financial services, the burden of unpaid care
work and the concentration of women in higher numbers than men in the informal sector,
Bearing in mind the challenges still faced by all countries throughout the world to
overcome inequality between men and women, and the need to intensify efforts to eliminate
all forms of discrimination against women and girls throughout the world,
Recognizing and deeply regretting that many women and girls face multiple forms
of discrimination and are still subject to significant disadvantage as the result of
discriminatory laws and practices, and that de jure and de facto equality has not been
achieved,
Deeply concerned by the widespread persistence of various forms of violence
against girls and women of all ages,
Acknowledging the work undertaken by the United Nations Entity for Gender
Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the Commission on the Status of Women, the
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the special procedures
mandate holders of the Human Rights Council and other relevant United Nations bodies,
funds, agencies and mechanisms to eliminate discrimination in law and in practice
throughout the world, and noting the work undertaken by the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights on the issue,
Recognizing that gender responsiveness is an essential part of the role played by
national human rights institutions as established by the principles relating to the status of
national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles)
adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993,
Underscoring that periods of economic and financial crisis pose additional
challenges to the advancement of women’s equal participation and representation in
economic, political and social spheres,
1.
Welcomes the work undertaken by the Working Group on the issue of
discrimination against women in law and in practice, and takes note with appreciation of its
report,1 in which it focused on discrimination against women in economic and social life;
1
2
A/HRC/26/39.