WHEREAS, a new international Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was approved by the United Nations in December, 1979, signed by seventy-five nations in Copenhagen in July, 1980, and is now awaiting ratification by member nations; and

WHEREAS, this Convention, signed by the delegates of Canada and the United States in Copenhagen, now awaits ratification by Parliament and the US Senate, respectively; and

WHEREAS, this Convention provides a well-developed, detailed, internationally accepted call for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, with common standards for achieving this goal; and

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists recognize that discrimination against women, which is incompatible with a respect for the dignity and worth of every person, is an obstacle to full development of the potentialities of women and prevents the contributions of women to the health and welfare of this world and its inhabitants;

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that all Unitarian Universalist societies and individuals takes as a major concern in this coming year the study and understanding of the United Nations Convention and campaign for ratification in Canada and the United States; that the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation, and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office cooperate to prepare working materials to help achieve this goal; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Canadian Unitarian Council be urged to take similar action; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the International Association for Religious Freedom to take timely action in support of this convention.