AG/DEC. 18 (XXVIII-O/98)

DECLARATION ON EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN AND MEN AND GENDER EQUITY IN INTER-AMERICAN LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

(Declaration adopted at the third plenary session, held on June 2, 1998)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING that the Charter of the Organization of American States proclaims the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex as one of its fundamental principles;

BEARING IN MIND that the purpose of all inter-American legal instruments relating to the rights of the individual has been to consider the individual as having these rights, without discrimination of any kind;

RECOGNIZING that, notwithstanding the progress made in the promotion and protection of the rights of the individual and, in particular, in equality of women and men before the law, equal opportunity for women and men, and gender equity, a number of specific initiatives need to be carried out to promote these concepts at both the national and international levels;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the "Opinion of the Inter-American Juridical Committee on the Draft Protocol of Amendment to the Charter of the OAS and the Draft Resolution on Amendment of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man" (CJI/doc.30/98 rev. 2) of March 18, 1998; and

ON THE OCCASION of the 50th anniversary of the Charter of the Organization of American States,

DECLARES that all inter-American legal instruments relating to the rights of individuals should be applied by the member states of the OAS as well as by its organs, specialized agencies, and departments, in such a way as to ensure equality of women and men before the law, equal opportunity for women and men, and gender equity.

URGES the member states to unequivocally embrace the aforementioned principle when applying those legal instruments.

CALLS UPON the member states to take concrete steps to promote equality of women and men before the law, equal opportunity for men and women, and gender equity, at both the national and international levels.

RECOMMENDS to the member states that any relevant inter-American instruments adopted in the future on the rights of individuals expressly ensure the equality of women and men before the law, equal opportunity for men and women, and gender equity.