A/HRC/RES/35/18 discrimination and are still subject to discriminatory laws and practices, and that de jure and de facto equality has not been achieved, Expressing profound concern about the backlash against the progress made by civil society, including women’s and community-based organizations, feminist groups, women human rights defenders and girls’ and youth-led organizations, to fulfil women’s human rights, Recognizing the need for States to accelerate the implementation of strategies that respect, protect and fulfil women’s right to the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights without discrimination by adopting good practices, and affirming that realizing their human rights requires the full, effective and meaningful participation and contribution of women and girls in all aspects of public, political, economic, cultural, social and family life, on an equal footing with men and boys, Underscoring that international human rights treaties prohibit discrimination on, inter alia, the basis of gender, and that national legislation should adhere to each State’s international obligations, Recognizing that legal provisions related to gender equality create the framework from which women’s rights can most comprehensively be promoted, protected and fulfilled, and constitute an essential mechanism for women’s and girls’ full and equal enjoyment of all human rights, and recognizing also that laws alone are insufficient to eliminate discrimination against women and girls and must be accompanied by supportive and sustainable environments in all sectors of society in which they can be meaningfully implemented, Recognizing also that discrimination against women and girls is inherently linked to deep-rooted gender stereotypes, that discriminatory attitudes, behaviours, norms, perceptions, customs and harmful practices have direct negative implications for the status and treatment of women and girls, and that gender-biased environments impede the implementation of legislative and normative frameworks that guarantee gender equality and prohibit discrimination against women and girls, Fully recognizing that the participation of women in public affairs, leadership and decision-making positions is key for advancing women’s rights and empowerment and has enabled the development of support and skills to address a democratic deficit due to the history of women’s exclusion from public life, including the implementation of all measures to remove all barriers preventing women from being elected, Emphasizing the significant role that women play in economic development and in the eradication of poverty, while acknowledging that structural barriers to gender equality and gender-based discrimination persist in labour markets worldwide, and stressing the need to promote equal pay for equal work or work of equal value as a critical measure to eliminate the gender pay gap, recognizing women’s full and equal access to economic resources, including the equal right to inheritance and ownership of land and other property, to promote decent paid care and domestic work by providing social protection and safe work conditions, and to develop and promote policies that facilitate the reconciliation and sharing of work and family responsibilities for both women and men, Recognizing that progress has been made in increasing access to education for both boys and girls, in reducing the gender gap in youth literacy, in expanding universal primary education, in particular in developing countries, and in reducing the number of out-ofschool children of primary school age worldwide, Fully recognizing that ending discrimination against women and girls is critical to ensure peace, security, sustainable development and respect for human rights, that everyone benefits from the achievement of gender equality and that the negative impact of gender 2