Socialist International Women is the international organisation of the women's organisations of the socialist, social democratic and labour parties affiliated to the Socialist International.
There are currently 145 organisations from all parts of the world.

UN Special Rapporteur on Legislation Discriminating Against Women

XIX Congress, Athens, Greece, 27-28 June 2008

Resolution

Socialist International Women (SIW) deplores the fact that no agreement could be reached at the 51st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in March 2007, to appoint a Special Rapporteur on legislation discriminating against women.

The necessary review, monitoring and evaluation of national legislation 'with a view to... remove discriminatory provisions' concerning the status of women was demanded by the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 'to ensure equality and non-discrimination under the law and practice' and 'to revoke any remaining laws that discriminate on the basis of sex and remove gender bias in the administration of justice'.

SIW recalls that the UN Secretary General in his 2006 report stressed the 'advisability' of such an appointment.

Socialist International Women therefore:

• Calls on its member organisations to lobby their respective governments to draft and/or support a resolution to be presented for adoption at the 53rd session of the CSW in 2009;
• Encourages its member organisations to cooperate with other women NGOs to draft such a resolution and consequently present it to their respective governments;
• Urges those governments that did not support such a draft resolution in 2007, to reconsider their position on this essential demand by women all over the world.