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36. The World Conference on Human Rights urges the full and equal enjoyment by women of all
human rights and that this be a priority for Governments and for the United Nations. The World
Conference on Human Rights also underlines the importance of the integration and full participation of
women as both agents and beneficiaries in the development process, and reiterates the objectives
established on global action for women towards sustainable and equitable development set forth in the
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and chapter 24 of Agenda 21, adopted by the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3-14 June 1992).
37. The equal status of women and the human rights of women should be integrated into the
mainstream of United Nations system-wide activity. These issues should be regularly and
systematically addressed throughout relevant United Nations bodies and mechanisms. In particular,
steps should be taken to increase cooperation and promote further integration of objectives and goals
between the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights, the Committee
for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the United Nations Development Fund for
Women, the United Nations Development Programme and other United Nations agencies. In this
context, cooperation and coordination should be strengthened between the Centre for Human Rights
and the Division for the Advancement of Women.
38. In particular, the World Conference on Human Rights stresses the importance of working towards
the elimination of violence against women in public and private life, the elimination of all forms of
sexual harassment, exploitation and trafficking in women, the elimination of gender bias in the
administration of justice and the eradication of any conflicts which may arise between the rights of
women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and
religious extremism. The World Conference on Human Rights calls upon the General Assembly to adopt
the draft declaration on violence against women and urges States to combat violence against women
in accordance with its provisions. Violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed
conflict are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian
law. All violations of this kind, including in particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery, and
forced pregnancy, require a particularly effective response.
39. The World Conference on Human Rights urges the eradication of all forms of discrimination against
women, both hidden and overt. The United Nations should encourage the goal of universal ratification
by all States of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by the
year 2000. Ways and means of addressing the particularly large number of reservations to the
Convention should be encouraged. Inter alia , the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women should continue its review of reservations to the Convention. States are urged to
withdraw reservations that are contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention or which are
otherwise incompatible with international treaty law.
40. Treaty monitoring bodies should disseminate necessary information to enable women to make
more effective use of existing implementation procedures in their pursuit of full and equal enjoyment
of human rights and non-discrimination. New procedures should also be adopted to strengthen
implementation of the commitment to women's equality and the human rights of women. The
Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women should quickly examine the possibility of introducing the right of petition through the
preparation of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women. The World Conference on Human Rights welcomes the decision of the Commission on
Human Rights to consider the appointment of a special rapporteur on violence against women at its
fiftieth session.
41. The World Conference on Human Rights recognizes the importance of the enjoyment by women of
the highest standard of physical and mental health throughout their life span. In the context of the
World Conference on Women and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, as well as the Proclamation of Tehran of 1968, the World Conference on Human
Rights reaffirms, on the basis of equality between women and men, a woman's right to accessible and
adequate health care and the widest range of family planning services, as well as equal access to
education at all levels.
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