United Nations

S/RES/02 (2013)

General Assembly: SOCHUM

Submitted by: South Korea Co-submitted by: Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States The General Assembly: Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, Reaffirming the commitment made by all States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote and encourage fundamental human rights for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Keeping in mind the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights regarding gender discrimination, Guided by the Millennium Development Goals, particularly goal three, promote gender equality and empower women, on which significant progress has been made, and from which further goals should be set after 2015, Bearing in mind that the issue of gender inequality is not only limited in the scope of males and female balances, but also extends to homosexuality and transgenderism, Acknowledging the evident progress in the effort of establishing gender equality, Expressing concern at continued discrimination and barriers to rights or welfare, despite work done at local, regional and international levels, Noting with regret the waste of human resources and the detrimental effects on global productivity due to unequal opportunities stemming from gender bias, Emphasizes that full gender equality should be made an international priority as a vital step to further and comprehensive human development. Urges cooperation among States to extinguish the issue of gender inequality by taking measures to allow persons of all genders access to basic education, health, equality of economic opportunity, and political empowerment, Calls upon States to take further action to bring about gender equality,

1. Urges all Member States, including governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to provide all necessary forms of support and assistance to relevant parties in the promotion and implementation of programs that foster equal opportunities in gender and gender identity, by ways including but not limited to: a. Ensuring the provision of basic necessities, essential healthcare and child/ mother developmental services: i. Protect fair, equitable and affordable access to food, water, and shelter, such that in the process girls and women do not get marginalized, ii. Improve infant and child mortality rates, particularly by lessening the likelihood of child abandonment or infanticide due to gender preferences, iii. Provide sanitary facilities and sufficient medical equipment, technology and personnel during pre-birth and childbirth healthcare, including if possible the access to female doctors, iv. Prevent infectious and waterborne diseases, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV AIDS, as well as lessening their socio-economic impacts, v. Provide access to free or subsidized family planning and support services, including childcare facilities and personnel, vi. Promote the inclusion of women in society and the recognition of their rights, including freedom over marriage, fertility, and choices over their children, as well as freedom from abuse and violence, b. Providing equal opportunities in education as well as technical or skills training, to enhance the value of women in the workplace: i. Ensure quality universal primary education for all, including removing accessibility barriers such as transport, which should not impair the ability of families to sustain themselves economically, ii. Move towards gender equality in access to school at secondary and tertiary levels, and inclusivity for women in gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue specialist or professional careers, as well as leadership opportunities, iii. Improving development of the whole person and character in education, including focus on healthy relationships and sex, preventing diseases, as well as on gender rights and liberties, iv. Raising awareness of gender equality and sexual identity through workshops and courses for teachers, administrators, and students, v. Providing additional support to LGBT, pregnant and other minority students, c. Engaging and collaborating with business organizations to:

i. Remove gender considerations or barriers in employment and promotion decisions, as well as terms and conditions stipulated by contracts, ii. Introduce corporate structures that safeguard and protect the interests of women, including safe and confidential channels to report sexual harassment or assault, 2. Requests, especially for developing states, and in agricultural areas, increasing womens access to land to protect womens basic means for subsistence and market production, and recommends that the following supplementary acts that ensure women have the capacities to use land effectively be endorsed: a. Dissemination of knowledge and techniques to farm, b. Financial aid to women to purchase seeds, crops, farming machines and other necessary farming inputs, c. Technological support such as organic and sustainable farming, d. Extension services including but not limited to: the introduction of markets; 3. Proposes a Workplace Equality Act, or similar legislation, to ensure that all people, regardless of sex or sexual orientation, are protected by an effective legal framework that explicitly grants equal opportunities and access to employment without discrimination, in ways such as but not limited to: a. Ensuring equal remuneration and employment of men and women in the workforce, b. Permitting paid maternity and paternity leave for up to 15 weeks, without repercussions in the form of reduced pay, resources, etc. when workers resume work, c. Allowing nursing mothers entitlement to breast-feed, i. Providing designated private areas for the purposes of milk expression, ii. Enacting flexible scheduling for mothers, 4. Recommends that states establish an independent statutory body, separate from the government and the police, for law enforcement, prevention and education regarding gender equality and expresses its hope that this independent body will be of convenience to victims to seek justice and consultation; 5. Encourages nations to endeavor to reduce sexual assault and domestic violence, especially towards females, as well as enact policies that will ensure fair punishment for offenders, 6. Supports efforts to decriminalize homosexuality and to take steps towards an official stance of non-discrimination, in ways such as, but not limited to: a. Repeal of anti-sodomy laws, b. Allowing LGBT people the right to openly serve in the military, c. Promoting inclusion of transgendered and intersex people into the community, d. Establishing transition houses and sexual assault and womens centers for victims of hate crimes or marginalization in school and employment, 7. Acknowledges the importance of gradual development in member states for the avocation and adoption of the following, whilst recognizing the unique historical, cultural or traditional backgrounds and sensitivities to the issue and thus

suggesting that member states move to legislate on, when and where appropriate: a. Homosexual civil union, or marriage, b. Adoption of children by LGBT couples, c. LGBT parenting, d. Anti-bullying and anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT individuals as well as children of LGBT couples 8. Decides to remain actively seized in the matter.