A/RES/56/229 Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 4 and the Optional Protocol thereto, 5 Recalling that, in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, 6 heads of State and Government resolved to implement the Convention, Welcoming the progress made in the implementation of the Convention, but expressing concern about the remaining challenges, Welcoming also the growing number of States parties to the Convention, which now stands at one hundred and sixty-eight, Welcoming further the entry into force on 22 December 2000 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Bearing in mind the recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women that national reports should contain information on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, 7 in accordance with paragraph 323 of the Platform, Having considered the report of the Committee on its twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth sessions, 8 Expressing concern at the great number of reports that are overdue and that continue to be overdue, in particular initial reports, which constitutes an obstacle to the full implementation of the Convention, 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General 9 on the status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; 4 2. Expresses disappointment that universal ratification of the Convention was not achieved by 2000, and urges all States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention to do so; 3. Emphasizes the importance of full compliance by States parties with their obligations under the Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto;5 4. Welcomes the rapidly growing number of State parties to the Optional Protocol, which now stands at twenty-eight, and urges other States parties to the Convention to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the Optional Protocol; 5. Also welcomes the fact that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has adopted the rules governing its work under the Optional Protocol as part of its revised rules of procedure; 10 6. Notes that some States parties have modified their reservations, expresses satisfaction that some reservations have been withdrawn, and urges States parties to limit the extent of any reservations that they lodge to the Convention, to formulate _______________ 4 Resolution 34/180, annex. Resolution 54/4, annex. 6 See resolution 55/2. 7 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II. 8 Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 38 (A/56/38). 9 A/56/328. 10 Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 38 (A/56/38), annex I. 5 2