SR0954 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United States of America has been a member of the United Nations since the adoption of the United Nations Charter in October of 1945; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, the United Nations and its members have adopted various resolutions, implemented international agreements, and engaged in policy commitments regarding violence against women and girls and gender discrimination and inequality; and

WHEREAS, In December of 1979, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women which affirmed human rights and fundamental freedoms and equality for women around the world while establishing an agenda to end all forms of discrimination against women; and

WHEREAS, By accepting and ratifying the Convention, Member States commit to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women, including the incorporation of the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system and abolishing all laws which discriminate against women; and

WHEREAS, The United States was one of the 99 signatories to the Convention; however, the United States is one of only 2 signatories which have not yet ratified the Convention; and

WHEREAS, In September of 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted unanimously at the Fourth World Conference on Women; and

WHEREAS, The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is an agenda for women's empowerment aimed at removing all obstacles to women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural, and political decision-making; and

WHEREAS, The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action provides progressive road maps for gender equality and identifies specific actions for governments to take to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls; and

WHEREAS, At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September of 2000, promoting gender equality and empowering women was set as one of the Millennium Development Goals, with a target of eliminating gender disparity in all levels of education by 2015; and

WHEREAS, September of 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, as well as the deadline to adopt a post-2015 agenda with new sustainable development goals, including goals on gender equality; and

WHEREAS, The United States Report on the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action declares that the United States strongly supports a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women's and girl's empowerment in the post-2015 development goals; and

WHEREAS, The United Nations Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda will be held on September 25-27, 2015; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the hard work and effort put forth by all parties assisting with the adoption of the post-2015 agenda for sustainable development by the United Nations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we support a stand-alone goal in the post-2015 development agenda on gender equality, women's rights, and women's empowerment; a goal that is grounded in human rights and tackles unequal power relations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we support goals that address violence against women, the need to expand women's choices and equal opportunities, and the need to ensure that all women have a voice within households and in public and private decision-making; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we, as elected representatives of the people, respectfully but emphatically urge the United States to participate in the Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up For Gender Equality Campaign through the following actions: (1) by committing to promote gender equality through the implementation of new and strengthening of existing laws; (2) the establishment of national action plans, strategies, and policies; (3) enhancing women's leadership and participation at all levels of decision-making; (4) confronting and addressing social norms and stereotypes that perpetuate gender inequality, discrimination, and violence against women and girls; (5) investing in gender equality at all levels; and (6) launching public mobilization and national awareness campaigns to promote gender equality; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Senate to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to further the commitment to gender equality; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to United States President Barack Obama, United States Secretary of State John Kerry, and the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.