CM/Res.991 (XLII)
RESOLUTION ON PREPARATORY MEETING OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE TO REVIEW AND APPRAISE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE UN DECADE FOR WOMEN
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Forty- second Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 10 to 17 July, 1985,
Having considered the report of the OAU Secretary-General a.i. on the Regional Inter-governmental Preparatory Meeting of the World Conference to review and appraise the achievements of the Untied Nations Decade for Women (CM/1310 (XLII),
Recalling Resolution CM/Res.714 (XXXII) adopted by the Thirty-second Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers and requesting, among others, the establishment of an office and the formulation of the draft programmes of the OAU on the status of women,
Further recalling Resolution CM/Res.876 (XXXVII) adopted by the Thirty-seventh Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers, and requesting inter alia the strengthening of the said programme on the status of women and that all measures be taken for Africa to adopt a common stand during the World Conference on Women, scheduled to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 15 to 26 July 1985,
Considering the resolution on women adopted by the Fourth Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Social Affairs meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 18 to 26 March 1985,
Stressing the importance of the implementation of the Lagos Plan of Action particularly in the field of advancement of women,
Recalling also its resolution CM/Res.985 (XLI) by which it called upon all African States to harmonize their positions and participate at the highest level in the World Conference on the UN Decade for Women,
Gravely concerned with the deteriorating situation of women and children under the racist regime in both South Africa and Namibia:
STRONGLY SUPPORTS forward looking strategies for the advancement of women beyond the Decade and up to the year 2000 as formulated during the Arusha meeting;
URGES OAU Member States to pay special attention to the implementation of strategies aimed among other things, at a better utilization of the human resources of the continent;
ENDORSES the recommendations of the Secretary-General a.i. for an effective implementation of the Arusha Strategies;
AUTHORIZES the OAU Secretary-General to draw up a programme for women within the General Secretariat to monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of the said strategies;
FURTHER AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General to approach the UNDP, ILO and donor agencies to supplement the funds necessary for the formulation and effective execution of the said programme;
APPEALS to Member States which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;
TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Secretary-General a.i. on the regional conference on women held in Arusha;
FURTHER APPEALS to the World Conference on the UN Decade for Women to take into account the special situation of women in developing countries in general and Africa in particular in the adoption of policies and programme so as to ensure equitable benefits to them;
URGES the World Conference on the UN Decade for Women to express total solidarity with the liberation movement of Africa and to support fully the intensified struggle being waged in Southern Africa against racist domination and exploitation;
URGES African delegations participating in the Conference to adopt a unified stand on the grave situation of women and children in South Africa and Namibia in the context of the inter-relationship of the various objectives of the Decade as well as the deteriorating international situation;
REQUESTS the Secretariat of the OAU to extend all assistance to the African Group at the Conference.