Mrs. ROOSEVELT (United States of America), Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights:

Concerning the report of the Subcommission on the Status of Women, presented to the Economic and Social Council through the Commission on Human Rights, Mrs. Roosevelt pointed out that the Commission had chosen the most important recommendations of the Subcommission's report and incorporated them in its own report.

(2) SUBCOMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

The PRESIDENT invited Mrs. Bodil Begtrup, Chairman of the Subcommission on the Status of Women, to address the Council. He said that normally the chairman of the subcommission reports to the commission and Mrs. Begtrup had already made her report to the Commission on Human Rights. She had, however, asked to be allowed to make some supplementary remarks on the report to the Council and the Council was prepared to grant her that privilege.

Mrs. Bodil BEGTRUP (Denmark), thanked the Economic and Social Council for its wisdom and foresight in taking up the question of the status of women so early in its work. This action had shown a deep understanding of the fundamental social and economic inequalities between men and women.

At the outset, the members of the Subcommission had agreed that the purpose of their work must cover all fields of human enterprise in which progress was needed and they had, therefore, proposed that their aims should be classified under the following headings: political, civil, social, economic and educational.

To help in achieving its aims, the Subcommission had recommended that world-wide public opinion should be stimulated in favor of raising the status of women. It hoped that the United Nations information service could help it in this project.

The recommendations which it considered of immediate importance were the setting up of an office to deal with women's affairs in the United Nations Secretariat. It considered this very important since women all over the world would feel great satisfaction that there was a women's office at the headquarters of the United Nations. The Subcommission had also proposed that a universal up-to-date survey of laws pertaining to the status of women, and their application, should be made. It had taken into consideration the study already prepared by the League of Nations but had come to the conclusion that this was already out of date; that it covered a very limited regional field and that it

dealt with laws only and not their application. When the survey was completed they recommended the calling of a United Nations women's conference to discuss the aims of the Subcommission. It had also included a recommendation in its report that all governments should be called upon to accord suffrage to women, since it felt that little progress could be made in raising the status of women without the grant of political rights.

With regard to the composition of the full Subcommission, it had recommended that the members should be drawn from different regions which had different stages of social development. The Subcommission considered that members should be chosen in their individual capacity and they felt very strongly that those who had already served on the nuclear Subcommission should be allowed to continue to serve at the end of their year of office. So that there should be some continuity in the work which they were planning. Mrs. Begtrup said that she wished to point out that they hoped that men would be included in the membership and that both men and women would serve in the office which they had recommended should be set up.

She wished to stress that some of the work which they had planned would need to be carried out in collaboration with specialized agencies such as the ILO and UNESCO, and with other commissions.

The members of the Subcommission were aware why the Economic and Social Council, in establishing the Subcommission, had placed it under the wing of the Commission on Human Rights. Nevertheless, the Subcommission felt that it should work under the best possible conditions and not be dependent on the pace of another commission. It, therefore, wished to recommend to the Council that the Subcommission should be established as a full commission.

In conclusion, she wished to say that the time had come for changes in the status of women. Women had worked during the war in resistance movements, and in other activities had taken their place with men. The time had now come to put into effect the principles outlined in the preamble to the Charter. The action of the Economic and Social Council had aroused great feeling and interest among women all over the world and gratitude that in the midst of such urgent and pressing problems the Council should have time to devote to the question of the raising of the status of women.

The PRESIDENT thanked Mrs. Begtrup for her report and said that the Council would consider the proposals which the

members of the Subcommission had made, including the proposal that the Subcommission should be made into a full commission.

RESOLUTION CREATING COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN, 21 JUNE 1946 1

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, having considered the report of the nuclear Commission on Human Rights and of the nuclear Subcommission on the Status of Women of 21 May 1946 (document E/38/Rev. 1), DECIDES to confer upon the Subcommission the status of a full commission to be known as the COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN.

1. Functions

The functions of the Commission shall be to prepare recommendations and reports to the Economic and Social Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, social, and educational fields. The Commission shall also make recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights.

The Commission may submit proposals to the Council regarding its terms of reference.

2. Composition

(a) The Commission on the Status of Women shall consist of one representative from each of fifteen members of the United Nations selected by the Council.

(b) With a view to securing a balanced representation in the various fields covered by the Commission, the Secretary-General shall consult with the governments so selected before the representatives are finally nominated by these governments and confirmed by the Council.

(c) Except for the initial period, the term of office shall be for three years. For the initial period, one-third of the members shall serve for two years, one-third for three years, and one-third for four years, the term of each member to be determined by lot. (d) Retiring members shall be eligible for reelection.

(e) In the event that a member of the Commission is unable to serve for the full three-year term, the vacancy thus arising shall be filled by a representative designated by the member government, subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) above.

1 Source: United Nations, E/90 and E/84, paragraph 6; Journal of the Economic and Social Council, First Year, No. 29, 13 July 1946, p. 525 ff.

3. Policy and Program

Sections I and II of the report of the Subcommission, concerning policy and program, shall be referred for study to the Commission on the Status of Women.

4. Documentation

In order to assist the Commission on the Status of Women, the Secretary-General is requested to make arrangements for a complete and detailed study of the legislation concerning the status of women and the practical application of such legislation. EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTATION WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, 21 JUNE 1946 1

I. Principles To Be Applied in Placing Organizations on the List of Non-Governmental Organizations Eligible for Consultation Under Article 71

The Committee, taking note of the organizations which have expressed their interest in consultation, and considering that many other organizations are likely to indicate such an interest, recommends that the following principles be applied in establishing a list of non-governmental organizations 2 which would be eligible for consultation:

1. The organization shall be concerned with matters falling within the competence of the Economic and Social Council with respect to international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters.

2. The aims and purposes of the organization should be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

3. Organizations proved to be discredited by past collaboration in fascist activities shall not for the present, be admitted.

4. The organization shall be of recognized standing and shall represent a substantial proportion of the organized persons within the particular interest field in which it operates.

1 Source: United Nations, Official No. E/43/Rev. 2; Journal of the Economic and Social Council, First Year, No. 29, 13 July 1946, p. 481 ff.

This committee known as the Council NGO Committee was composed of the President of the Council and representatives from the following countries: China, Cuba, France, Greece, Lebanon, Peru, Ukraine, United Kingdom, U.S.A., U.S.S.R., Yugoslavia. Source: Journal of the Economic and Social Council, First Year, No. 12, 10 April 1946, p. 123.

2 Any international organization which is not established by inter-governmental agreement shall be considered as a non-governmental international organization.

To meet this requirement, a group of organizations may form a joint committee or other body authorized to carry on consultation for the group as a whole.

5. The organization shall have an established headquarters, with an executive officer. It shall have a conference, convention, or other policy-making body.

6. The organization shall have authority to speak for its members through its authorized representatives. Evidence of this authority shall be presented, if requested.

7. The organization should be international in its structure, with members who exercise voting rights in relation to the policies or action of the international organization.

8. National organizations should normally present their views through their respective governments or through international non-governmental organizations to which they belong. It would not, save in exceptional cases, be appropriate to include national organizations which are affiliated to an international non-governmental organization covering the same subjects on an international basis. National organizations, however, may be included in the list after consultation with the member state concerned if they cover a field which is not covered by any international organization or have special experience upon which the Council wishes to draw.

9. The Committee recommends that the Council, in determining the scope and methods of consultation with each non-governmental organization, take as a basis the nature and scope of activities of each organization considering the assistance that may be expected by the Council from this Organization in carrying out the tasks set out in chapter IX of the Charter of the United Nations.

10. The Committee considers that most close consultative connection should be established with the World Federation of Trade Unions which has already applied to the Economic and Social Council with a request to establish connection.

II. Machinery for Applying the Principles for Placing Organizations on the Eligible List

1. The Economic and Social Council shall establish a standing Committee composed of the President of the Council and five members of the Council who will be assisted by the Assistant Secretaries-General for Economic and Social Affairs respectively. This Committee will review applications for consultative status submitted by non-governmental organiza