HR0739 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0739 LRB093 13683 HSS 48683 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 1979, became an international treaty on September 3, 1981, and by 2003, well over three-fourths of the world, 174 nations, have agreed to be bound by the Convention's provisions; and

WHEREAS, The United States supports and has a position of leadership in the United Nations, and was an active participant in the drafting and is a signatory to the Convention; and

WHEREAS, The spirit of the Convention is rooted in the goals of the United Nations and the United States to affirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women; and

WHEREAS, The Convention provides a comprehensive framework for challenging the various forces that have created and sustained discrimination based on sex against half the world's population; the nations in support of the present Convention have agreed to follow Convention prescriptions; and

WHEREAS, Although women have made major gains in the struggle for equality in social, business, political, legal, educational, and other fields in this century, there is much yet to be accomplished and, through its support, leadership, and prestige, the United States can help create a world where women are no longer discriminated against and have achieved one of the most fundamental of human rights, equality; and

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush and the Secretary of State have put this treaty, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, in Category III of priority in order to accelerate the Treaty's passage through the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the full U.S. Senate with the goal of United States ratification; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we exhort the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to again pass this Treaty favorably out of Committee; and send it to the Senate floor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we strongly urge the Senate of the United States to vote favorably to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to support the Convention's continuing goals; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Chair and the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.