HRI/GEN/1/Rev.9 (Vol. I)
equal enjoyment of all Covenant rights. States parties should furnish appropriate information on
those aspects of tradition, history, cultural practices and religious attitudes which jeopardize, or
may jeopardize, compliance with article 3, and indicate what measures they have taken or intend
to take to overcome such factors.
6. In order to fulfil the obligation set forth in article 3, States parties should take account of the
factors which impede the equal enjoyment by women and men of each right specified in the
Covenant. To enable the Committee to obtain a complete picture of the situation of women in
each State party as regards the implementation of the rights in the Covenant, this general
comment identifies some of the factors affecting the equal enjoyment by women of the rights
under the Covenant and spells out the type of information that is required with regard to these
rights.
7. The equal enjoyment of human rights by women must be protected during a state of emergency
(art. 4). States parties which take measures derogating from their obligations under the
Covenant in time of public emergency, as provided in article 4, should provide information to
the Committee with respect to the impact on the situation of women of such measures and
should demonstrate that they are non-discriminatory.
8. Women are particularly vulnerable in times of internal or international armed conflicts.States
parties should inform the Committee of all measures taken during these situations to protect
women from rape, abduction and other forms of gender-based violence.
9. In becoming parties to the Covenant, States undertake, in accordance with article 3, to ensure
the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in
the Covenant, and in accordance with article 5, nothing in the Covenant may be interpreted as
implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act
aimed at the destruction of any of the rights provided for in article 3, or at limitations not
covered by the Covenant. Moreover, there shall be no restriction upon or derogation from the
equal enjoyment by women of all fundamental human rights recognized or existing pursuant to
law, conventions, regulations or customs, on the pretext that the Covenant does not recognize
such rights or that it recognizes them to a lesser extent.
10. When reporting on the right to life protected by article 6, States parties should provide data on
birth rates and on pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths of women. Gender-disaggregated
data should be provided on infant mortality rates. States parties should give information on any
measures taken by the State to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies, and to ensure that
they do not have to undergo life-threatening clandestine abortions. States parties should also
report on measures to protect women from practices that violate their right to life, such as
female infanticide, the burning of widows and dowry killings. The Committee also wishes to
have information on the particular impact on women of poverty and deprivation that may pose a
threat to their lives.
11. To assess compliance with article 7 of the Covenant, as well as with article 24, which mandates
special protection for children, the Committee needs to be provided information on national
laws and practice with regard to domestic and other types of violence against women, including
rape. It also needs to know whether the State party gives access to safe abortion to women who
have become pregnant as a result of rape. The States parties should also provide the Committee
with information on measures to prevent forced abortion or forced sterilization. In States parties
where the practice of genital mutilation exists information on its extent and on measures to
eliminate it should be provided. The information provided by States parties on all these issues
should include measures of protection, including legal remedies, for women whose rights under
article 7 have been violated.