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II SÉRIE - NÚMERO 53

In particular, they shall give women equal rights to conclude contracts and to administer property and shall treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and tribunals.

3 — States Parties agree that all contracts and all other private instruments of any kind with a legal effect which is directed at restricting the legal capacity of women shall be deemed null and void.

4 — States Parties shall accord to men and women the same rights with regard to the law relating to the movement of persons and the freedom to choose their residence and domicile.

article 16

1 — States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and, in particular, shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women:

a) The same right to enter into marriage;

b) The same right freely to choose a spouse and

to enter into marriage only with their free and full consent;

c) The same rights and responsibilities during

marriage and at its dissolution;

d) The same rights and responsibilities as parents

irrespective of their marital status, in matters relating to their children; in all cases, the interests of the children shall be paramount;

e) The same rights to decide freely and respon-

sibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights; /) The same rights and responsibilities with regard to guardianship, wardship, trusteeship and adoption of children, or similar institutions, where these concepts exist in national legislation; in all cases, the interests of the children shall be paramount;

g) The same personal rights as husband and

wife, including the right to choose a family name, a profession and an occupation;

h) The same rights for both spouses in respect

of the ownership, acquisition, management, administration, enjoyment and disposition of property, whether free of charge or for a valuable consideration.

2 — The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.

Part V

article 17

1 — For the purpose of considering the progress made in the implementation of the present Convention, there shall be established a Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (here-

inafter referred to as the Committee), consisting, at the time of entry into force of the Convention, of eighteen and, after ratification of or accession to the Convention by the thirty-fifth State Party, of twenty-three experts of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention. The experts shall be elected by States Parties from among their nationals and shall serve in their personal capacity, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to the representation of the different forms of civilization, as well as the principal legal systems.

2 — The members of the Committee shall be elected by secre: ballot from a list of persons nominated by States Parties. Each State Party may nominate one person from among its own nationals.

3 — The initial election shall be held six months after the date of the entry into force of the present Convention. At least three months before the date of each election the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall address a letter to the States Parties inviting them to submit their nominations within two months. The Secretary-General shall prepare a list in alphabetical order of all persons thus nominated, indicating the States Parties which have nominated then, and shall submit it to the States Parties.

4 — Elections of the members of the Committee shall be held at a meeting of States Parties convened by the Secretary-General at United Nations headquarters. At that meeting, for which two thirds of the States Parties shall constitute a quorum, the persons elected to the Committee shall be those nominees who obtain the largest number of votes and an absolute majority of the votes of the representatives of States Parties present and voting.

5 — The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of four years. However, the terms of nine of the members elected at the first election shall expire at the end of two years; immediately after the first election the names of these nine members shall be chosen by lot by the chairman of the Committee.

6—The election of the five additional members of the Committee shall be held in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this article, following the 35th ratification or accession. The terms of two of the additional members elected on this occasion shall expire at the end of two years, the names of these two members having been chosen by lot by the chairman of the Committee.

7 — For the filling of casual vacancies, the State Party whose expert has ceased to function as a member cf the Committee shall appoint another expert from among its nationals, subject to the approval of the Committee.

8 — The members of the Committee shall, with the approval of the General Assembly, receive emoluments from United Nations resources on such terms and conditions as the Assembiey may decide, having regard to the importance of the Committee's responsibilities.

9 — The Secretary-General cf the United Nations shall provide the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of the functions of the Committee under the present Convention.