A/RES/S-21/2
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All Governments are encouraged to sign, ratify and implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women6 and are also encouraged to promote consideration by the Economic and Social
Council and the General Assembly of the Optional Protocol thereto,7 and interested States parties are encouraged
to work towards removing all existing reservations that are incompatible with the objective and purpose of the
Convention. In the implementation of the goals of the Programme of Action and those of other United Nations
conferences, measures aimed at promoting and achieving gender equality and equity in a systematic and
comprehensive manner should be coordinated and harmonized.
40. The implementation of population and development policies by Governments should continue to incorporate
reproductive rights in accordance with paragraphs 1.15, 7.3 and 8.25 of the Programme of Action. Governments
should take strong measures to promote the human rights of women. Governments are encouraged to strengthen,
as appropriate, the reproductive and sexual health as well as the reproductive rights focus on population and
development policies and programmes. The work of relevant United Nations bodies on indicators for the promotion
and protection of the human rights of women should incorporate issues related to sexual and reproductive health.
Governments should ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of adolescents, including married adolescent
girls, to reproductive health education, information and care. Countries should establish mechanisms for
consultation with all relevant groups, including women's organizations. In this context, Governments are urged
to incorporate human rights into both formal and informal education processes.
41. Governments, civil society and the United Nations system should advocate for the human rights of women
and the girl child. Governments, in reporting to the human rights treaty bodies, are encouraged to consult, as
appropriate, with civil society on and promote civil society awareness of the reporting process, to ensure the
broadest representation in the area of human rights, including reproductive rights.
42. Governments should promote and protect the human rights of the girl child and young women, which include
economic and social rights as well as freedom from coercion, discrimination and violence, including harmful
practices and sexual exploitation. Governments should review all legislation and amend and revoke that which
discriminates against the girl child and young women.
B. The empowerment of women
43. Governments should establish mechanisms to accelerate women's equal participation and equitable
representation at all levels of the political process and public life in each community and society and enable
women to articulate their concerns and needs and ensure the full and equal participation of women in decisionmaking processes in all spheres of life. Governments and civil society should take actions to eliminate attitudes
and practices that discriminate against and subordinate girls and women and that reinforce gender inequality.
6
Resolution 34/180, annex.
7
Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1999, Supplement No. 7 (E/1999/27), chap. I, sect. A.
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