"".. 157. The observance of legislation to protect. W~1en in matters relating to work, social life and motherhood was monitored by the Standing Commission of the Supreme Sov~et of the Ukr~inian SSR and similar committees at the reg~onal level. The Standing Commission was empowered to sponsor legislative proposals concerning health, culture and social life. It also investi9ated the working co~ditions of women in various industrial sectors and formulated appropriate recommendations. 158. The representative of the State party was commended both on her presentation and on the organization of the report. Members were impressed with the measures taken to ~mplement the Convention and with the details on legislative measures given in the report. Similarities between the Ukraini~n SSR and the USSR reports were noted by some experts and they were attributed to the aamf Lar a t Lea of the social, political and economic systems. 159. It was ohserved that there was a definite emphasis placed on motherhood, its ana emulat10n as reflected 1n referencp.s to the honorary title of "Mother Heroin'a ll , the order of "Glory of Motherhood" and the maternity medals, tirst and second class. C~arltication was sought about the basis for the granting of such A.~.aras. protect~on 160. RegaLding article 2 of the Convention, the experts asked in what ways constitutional guarantees were implemented and if the Convention could be referred to ~n the courts. They were also interested to know if ~omen were informed about their rights, what were the remedies available for w~.. '0 were victims of discrimination, whether such cases had been brought befo~ _ the courts and whether legal aid was provided. In that conection, the experts noted that there had been a special committee on the problems of women and children since 1976 and asked if it had been inspired by the World Conference of the International Women's Year, held at Mexico City in 1975, or had anything to do with the United Nations Decade for Women. They wished to know whether the special committee could make recommendations and, if so, to which body, and, if women could make a complaint to it and what, if any, were the remedies provided. 161. Noting the mention in the report of the task of eliminating all prejudices (artlcle 5), the experts wished to know if all prejudices and stereotyped attitudes had disappeared from Ukrainian society and, if not, what measures were being taken to that end, particularly regarding customs based on the idea of superiority of one of the sexes. Regarding matters covered by article 16 of the Convention, the experts were interested in knowing what were the "customs of the past" referred to in the reports, and to what extent it was expected that the law could really ach~eve thelr erad1cation. They also asked for examples of such customs. 162. Regarding the participation of women in political life and 1n the decisionmaking process (article 7), the experts requested examples of legislative initiatives taken by women in such bodies. Since the report stated that Ukrainian women represented the~r country 1n international forums as well as in the United Nations system, statistics on numbers, proportions and levels of those women were also requested. 163. The experts noted the detailed information given in the report about the acqu~sition and loss of nationality (article 9) and asked whether a choice was given to the spouses in case one of them wanted to acquire the nationality of the other. Noting that the nationality of a child was to be determined by agreement between the parents, the experts wished to know what happened if no agreement COUld be reached. -26- 164. S IIharmf asked elim~n 165. T Ukran1 of a s then expert contra 166. N regard criter women cor res sector 167. V marria referr provis regard dut~es cases 169. T but lt centre abort1 ch1ldr to fam' facllit 170. Se propert how spe part 0 a~so b interv advant extende both p specifi 171. Co article stress motherh