enable them to improve their social, cultural, civil
and political engagement, achieve greater economic
independence and build more sustainable and
resilient communities, and notes the contribution of
indigenous peoples to the broader economy.
women human rights defenders and girls’ and
youth-led organizations, in placing the interests,
needs and visions of women and girls on local,
national, regional and international agendas,
including the 2030 Agenda, and recognizes the
importance of having an open, inclusive and
transparent engagement with civil society in the
implementation of measures on women’s economic
empowerment in the changing world of work.
35. The Commission recognizes the important contribution of women and girls of African descent to
the development of societies and the promotion of
mutual understanding and multiculturalism, recalls
the commitment of States to mainstream a gender
perspective when designing and monitoring public
policies, taking into account the specific needs and
realities of women and girls of African descent and
bearing in mind the programme of activities for
the implementation of the International Decade
for People of African Descent. The Commission also
recognizes the importance of the economic empowerment of women of African descent.
40. The Commission urges governments at all levels
and, as appropriate, with the relevant entities of
the United Nations system and international and
regional organizations, within their respective
mandates and bearing in mind national priorities,
and invites civil society, the private sector, employer
organizations and trade unions, as applicable, to take
the following actions:
Strengthening normative and legal
frameworks
36. The Commission recognizes the positive contribution
of migrant women and girls, in particular women
migrant workers, to sustainable development
in countries of origin, transit and destination. It
underlines the value and dignity of migrant women’s
labour in all sectors, including the labour of domestic
and care workers.
(a) Consider ratifying or acceding to, as a matter of
particular priority, the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and
the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the
Optional Protocols thereto, limit the extent of any
reservations, formulate any such reservations as
precisely and as narrowly as possible to ensure that
no reservations are incompatible with the object and
purpose of the Conventions, review their reservations
regularly with a view to withdrawing them, withdraw reservations that are contrary to the object and
purpose of the relevant Convention and implement
the Conventions fully by, inter alia, putting in place
effective national legislation and policies;
37. The Commission recalls the need to address the
special situation and vulnerability of migrant women
and girls. It is concerned that many migrant women,
particularly those who are employed in the informal
economy and in less skilled work, are especially
vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, underlining
in this regard the obligation of States to protect
the human rights of migrants so as to prevent and
address abuse and exploitation.
38. The Commission expresses its concern about the
low labour force participation rate of women with
disabilities, who face multiple and intersecting
forms of discrimination and encounter structural,
physical and attitudinal barriers hindering their
access to and participation in the workplace on an
equal basis with others, and emphasizes the need
for measures to ensure that the implementation of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is
inclusive of persons with disabilities.
(b) Consider ratification and, for those that have done so,
implementation of the fundamental conventions of
the International Labour Organization, namely, the
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right
to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87), the Right to
Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949
(No. 98), the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.
29), the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957
(No. 105), the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.
138), the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention,
1999 (No. 182), the Equal Remuneration Convention,
1951 (No. 100) and the Discrimination (Employment
and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), in order
39. The Commission welcomes the major contributions
made by civil society, including women’s and
community-based organizations, feminist groups,
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