Office of the Historian

340. Telegram From the Department of State to Multiple Diplomatic and Consular Posts1

Washington, June 4, 1980, 0711Z

146120. Subject: UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

1. The Department is presently coordinating a review by the Executive Branch of the subject Convention which was adopted by consensus and opened for signature by the UN General Assembly on December 28, 1979,2 in order to determine whether the U.S. will be able to participate in a signing ceremony scheduled during the UN Mid-Decade World Conference to be held in Copenhagen from July 14–30, 1980.

2. Informal consultations are also underway with the U.S. human rights community and with feminists, and women’s nongovernmental organizations and other interested groups, and private citizens. The Department has received a number of communications from the private sector expressing support for U.S. signature and ratification of the Convention as a means of eliminating sex discrimination in this country and elsewhere. While the U.S. fully supports the general thrust and underlying principles of the Convention, certain preambular paragraphs contain objectionable political rhetoric. The majority of the provisions in the Convention are consistent with U.S. law and policy, and the remainder can be dealt with by means of U.S. reservations, declarations, or understandings.

3. Sweden, Poland, Rwanda, Cuba, Portugal and Guinea have already signed. The Department learned informally that the following countries are considering signing the Convention at Copenhagen: Finland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The U.S., along with Canada and Australia’s federal system of government will undoubtedly require a “federalism” reservation to the Convention.

4. Prior to a final determination as to whether the U.S. will sign the Convention, the Department would appreciate posts querying the appropriate host country office to determine whether a final decision has been made to sign the Convention at Copenhagen.

Muskie
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800273–0276. Unclassified. Drafted by Good; cleared by Thomas Johnson (L/UNA) and in M/WCW; approved by Creekmore. Sent to Ankara, Belgrade, Bonn, Brussels, Canberra, Copenhagen, Geneva, Helsinki, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Madrid, Mexico City, New Delhi, Oslo, Ottawa, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, The Hague, Tokyo, Vienna, and Wellington.↩
  2. The Convention is annexed to UN General Assembly Resolution 34/180 adopted December 18, 1979.↩