Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to
Women
(Signed at the Ninth International Conference of American States
Bogotá, Colombia, March 30- May 2, 1948)
The governments represented at the Ninth International Conference of American States,
Considering:
That the majority of the American Republics, inspired by lofty principles of justice, have
granted political rights to women;
That it has been a constant aspiration of the American community of nations to equalize the
status for men and women in the enjoyment and exercise of political rights;
That Resolution XX of the Eighth International Conference of American States expressly
declares: "That women have the right to political treatment on the basis of equality with
men";
That long before the women of America demanded their rights they were able to carry out
nobly all their responsibilities side by side with men;
That the principle of equality of human rights for men and women is contained in the
Charter of the United Nations,
Have Resolved:
To authorize their respective Representatives, whose Full Powers have been found to be in
good and due form, to sign the following articles:
Article 1
The High Contracting Parties agree that the right to vote and to be elected to national office
shall not be denied or abridged by reason of sex.
Article 2
The present Convention shall be open for signature by the American States and shall be
ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures. The original
instrument, the Spanish, English, Portuguese and French texts of which are equally
authentic, shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American
States, which shall transmit certified copies to the Governments for the purpose of
ratification. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of
the Organization of American States, which shall notify the signatory governments of the
said deposit. Such notification shall serve as an exchange of ratifications.