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RECOMMENDATION 1229 (1994) [1]

on equality of rights between men and women

The Assembly affirms that equality of rights between women and men is a fundamental principle of democracy, being a factor in the recognition of the legitimacy of women's status in public life.

It considers that equality of rights between men and women presupposes that both sexes have the same opportunities to deploy their skills in all sectors of occupational, political, family and cultural life.

It is aware that, despite equality before the law, there is still discrimination against women in Europe to various extent in such fields as education, the family, work or social policy.

It has regard to the Final Declaration of the United Nations Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993.

It stresses that the fundamental rights of women and girls are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.

It is convinced that greater participation by women in all levels of political life - based on the principle of "parity democracy" (equal representation) - would enable politicians of both sexes to gain a fuller understanding and perception of all the issues facing a modern democratic society.

It welcomes the progress made in the Nordic countries regarding women's representation in parliaments.

The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

- establish the principle of equality of rights between women and men as a fundamental human right in an additional protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

- overcome the ambiguity of the French term droits de l'homme by replacing it with droits de la personne;

- pursue and intensify its work on equality of rights between women and men in order to achieve complete de jure and de facto equality, placing particular emphasis on equal participation in political life and the decision-making process;

- pay proper attention to ways of increasing the number of women in the representative organs of the Council of Europe, as well as at all levels of its Secretariat, including the highest grades, and provide the requisite administrative assistance at Secretariat level for activities relating to equality between women and men;

- introduce in French the feminist form of titles and names of functions into current language, for instance by extending and implementing the French circular of 11 March 1986 on feminisation of names of professions, functions, grades or titles.

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[1] Assembly debate on 24 January 1994 (1st Sitting) (see Doc. 6985, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Rapporteur: Mrs Err).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 24 January 1994 (1st Sitting).