International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific

Full Text of General Recommendations

General Recommendation No. 11

Technical advisory services for reporting obligations
(Eighth session, 1989)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Bearing in mind that, as at 3 March 1989, 96 States had ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
Taking into account the fact that by that date 60 initial and 19 second periodic reports had been received,
Noting that 36 initial and 36 second periodic reports were due by 3 March 1989 and had not yet been received,
Welcoming the request in General Assembly resolution 43/115, paragraph 9, that the Secretary-General should arrange, within existing resources and taking into account the priorities of the programme of advisory services, further training courses for those countries experiencing the most serious difficulties in meeting their reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights,
Recommends to States parties that they should encourage, support and cooperate in projects for technical advisory services, including training seminars, to assist States parties on their request in fulfilling their reporting obligations under article 18 of the Convention.
General Recommendation No. 12

Violence against women
(Eighth session, 1989)*
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Considering that articles 2, 5, 11, 12 and 16 of the Convention require the States parties to act to protect women against violence of any kind occurring within the family, at the workplace or in any other area of social life,
Taking into account Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/27,
Recommends to the States parties that they should include in their periodic reports to the Committee information about:

The legislation in force to protect women against the incidence of all kinds of violence in everyday life (including sexual violence, abuses in the family, sexual harassment at the workplace, etc.);

Other measures adopted to eradicate this violence;

The existence of support services for women who are the victims of aggression or abuses;

Statistical data on the incidence of violence of all kinds against women and on women who are the victims of violence.

General Recommendation No. 13

Equal remuneration for work of equal value
(Eighth session, 1989)*
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Recalling International Labour Organisation Convention No. 100 concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, which has been ratified by a large majority of States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
Recalling also that it has considered 51 initial and 5 second periodic reports of States parties since 1983,
Considering that although reports of States parties indicate that, even though the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value has been accepted in the legislation of many countries, more remains to be done to ensure the application of that principle in practice, in order to overcome the gender-segregation in the labour market,
Recommends to the States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women that:

In order to implement fully the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, those States parties that have not yet ratified ILO Convention No. 100 should be encouraged to do so;

They should consider the study, development and adoption of job evaluation systems based on gender-neutral criteria that would facilitate the comparison of the value of those jobs of a different nature, in which women presently predominate, with those jobs in which men presently predominate, and they should include the results achieved in their reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women;

They should support, as far as practicable, the creation of implementation machinery and encourage the efforts of the parties to collective agreements, where they apply, to ensure the application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value.

General Recommendation No. 14

Female circumcision
(Ninth session, 1990)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Concerned about the continuation of the practice of female circumcision and other traditional practices harmful to the health of women,
Noting with satisfaction that Governments, where such practices exist, national women's organizations, non-governmental organizations, specialized agencies, such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, as well as the Commission on Human Rights and its Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, remain seized of the issue having particularly recognized that such traditional practices as female circumcision have serious health and other consequences for women and children,
Noting with interest the study of the Special Rapporteur on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children, as well as the study of the Special Working Group on Traditional Practices,
Recognizing that women are taking important action themselves to identify and to combat practices that are prejudicial to the health and well-being of women and children,
Convinced that the important action that is being taken by women and by all interested groups needs to be supported and encouraged by Governments,
Noting with grave concern that there are continuing cultural, traditional and economic pressures which help to perpetuate harmful practices, such as female circumcision,
Recommends to States parties:

That States parties take appropriate and effective measures with a view to eradicating the practice of female circumcision. Such measures could include:

The collection and dissemination by universities, medical or nursing associations, national women's organizations or other bodies of basic data about such traditional practices;

The support of women's organizations at the national and local levels working for the elimination of female circumcision and other practices harmful to women;

The encouragement of politicians, professionals, religious and community leaders at all levels including the media and the arts to cooperate in influencing attitudes towards the eradication of female circumcision;

The introduction of appropriate educational and training programmes and seminars based on research findings about the problems arising from female circumcision;

That States parties include in their national health policies appropriate strategies aimed at eradicating female circumcision in public health care. Such strategies could include the special responsibility of health personnel including traditional birth attendants to explain the harmful effects of female circumcision;

That States parties invite assistance, information and advice from the appropriate organizations of the United Nations system to support and assist efforts being deployed to eliminate harmful traditional practices;

That States parties include in their reports to the Committee under articles 10 and 12 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women information about measures taken to eliminate female circumcision.

General Recommendation No. 15

Avoidance of discrimination against women in national strategies for the prevention and control of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
(Ninth session, 1990)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Having considered information brought to its attention on the potential effects of both the global pandemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and strategies to control it on the exercise of the rights of women,
Having regard to the reports and materials prepared by the World Health Organization and other United Nations organizations, organs and bodies in relation to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and, in particular, the note by the Secretary-General to the Commission on the Status of Women on the effects of AIDS on the advancement of women and the Final Document of the International Consultation on AIDS and Human Rights, held at Geneva from 26 to 28 July 1989,
Noting World Health Assembly resolution WHA 41.24 on the avoidance of discrimination in relation to HIV-infected people and people with AIDS of 13 May 1988, resolution 1989/11 of the Commission on Human Rights on non-discrimination in the field of health, of 2 March 1989, and in particular the Paris Declaration on Women, Children and AIDS, of 30 November 1989,
Noting that the World Health Organization has announced that the theme of World Aids Day, 1 December 1990, will be "Women and Aids",
Recommends:

That States parties intensify efforts in disseminating information to increase public awareness of the risk of HIV infection and AIDS, especially in women and children, and of its effects on them;

That programmes to combat AIDS should give special attention to the rights and needs of women and children, and to the factors relating to the reproductive role of women and their subordinate position in some societies which make them especially vulnerable to HIV infection;

That States parties ensure the active participation of women in primary health care and take measures to enhance their role as care providers, health workers and educators in the prevention of infection with HIV;

That all States parties include in their reports under article 12 of the Convention information on the effects of AIDS on the situation of women and on the action taken to cater to the needs of those women who are infected and to prevent specific discrimination against women in response to AIDS.

General Recommendation No. 16

Unpaid women workers in rural and urban family enterprises
(Tenth session, 1991)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Bearing in mind articles 2 (c) and 11 (c), (d) and (e) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and general recommendation No. 9 (eighth session, 1989) on statistical data concerning the situation of women,
Taking into consideration that a high percentage of women in the States parties work without payment, social security and social benefits in enterprises owned usually by a male member of the family,
Noting that the reports presented to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women generally do not refer to the problem of unpaid women workers of family enterprises,
Affirming that unpaid work constitutes a form of women's exploitation that is contrary to the Convention,
Recommends that States parties:

Include in their reports to the Committee information on the legal and social situation of unpaid women working in family enterprises;

Collect statistical data on women who work without payment, social security and social benefits in enterprises owned by a family member, and include these data in their report to the Committee;

Take the necessary steps to guarantee payment, social security and social benefits for women who work without such benefits in enterprises owned by a family member

General Recommendation No. 17

Measurement and quantification of the unremunerated domestic activities of women and their recognition in the gross national product
(Tenth session, 1991)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Bearing in mind article 11 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
Recalling paragraph 120 of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women,
Affirming that the measurement and quantification of the unremunerated domestic activities of women, which contribute to development in each country, will help to reveal the de facto economic role of women,
Convinced that such measurement and quantification offers a basis for the formulation of further policies related to the advancement of women,
Noting the discussions of the Statistical Commission, at its twenty-first session, on the current revision of the System of National Accounts and the development of statistics on women,
Recommends that States parties:

Encourage and support research and experimental studies to measure and value the unremunerated domestic activities of women; for example, by conducting time-use surveys as part of their national household survey programmes and by collecting statistics disaggregated by gender on time spent on activities both in the household and on the labour market;

Take steps, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, to quantify and include the unremunerated domestic activities of women in the gross national product;

Include in their reports submitted under article 18 of the Convention information on the research and experimental studies undertaken to measure and value unremunerated domestic activities, as well as on the progress made in the incorporation of the unremunerated domestic activities of women in national accounts.

General Recommendation No. 18

Disabled women
(Tenth session, 1991)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Taking into consideration particularly Article 3 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
Having considered more than 60 periodic reports of States parties, and having recognized that they provide scarce information on disabled women,
Concerned about the situation of disabled women, who suffer from a double discrimination linked to their special living conditions,
Recalling paragraph 296 of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in which disabled women are considered as a vulnerable group under the heading "areas of special concern",
Affirming its support for the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1982),
Recommends that States parties provide information on disabled women in their periodic reports, and on measures taken to deal with their particular situation, including special measures to ensure that they have equal access to education and employment, health services and social security, and to ensure that they can participate in all areas of social and cultural life.