Resolution 40/1. Release of women and children taken hostage in armed conflicts and imprisoned* The Commission on the Status of Women, Recalling its resolution 39/2 of 31 March 1995, Recalling the relevant provisions contained in the instruments of international humanitarian law relative to the protection of women and children in areas of armed conflict, Welcoming the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the Fourth World Conference on Women, 11/ including the provisions regarding violence against women and children, Expressing grave concern at the continuation of armed conflicts in many regions throughout the world and at the human suffering and humanitarian emergencies that they have caused, Emphasizing that all forms of violence committed against women and children in areas of armed conflict, including capturing them as hostages, seriously contravene international humanitarian law, Expressing its strong belief that the rapid and unconditional release of women and children taken hostage in areas of armed conflict will promote the implementation of the noble goals enshrined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1. Condemns violent acts in contravention of international humanitarian law against civilian women and children in areas of armed conflict, and calls for an effective response to such acts, including the immediate release of such women and children taken hostage in areas of armed conflict; 2. Strongly urges all parties to norms of international humanitarian law measures required for the protection of immediate release of women and children armed conflicts to respect fully the in armed conflict and to take all women and children, in particular the taken hostage or imprisoned; 3. Urges all parties to conflicts to provide information and unimpeded access to specialized assistance for women and children taken hostage in areas of armed conflict; 4. Requests the Secretary-General and all relevant international organizations to use all their capabilities and efforts to facilitate the release of all women and children taken hostage in areas of armed conflict; 5. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Commission on the Status of Women at its forty-first session. * For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 32-35. 11/ Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (A/CONF.177/20 and Add.1), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II. -18-