Human Rights of Groups Based on the above the Convention declares that Women's nationality shall not

be automatically effected either due to marriage or its dissolution. Similarly it

will not be automatically changed due to change of nationality by husband. In
other words women has the right to retain or change her nationality independent
of that of husband.

8.5.3 Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age of

Marriage and Registration of Marriage (1962)
This Convention is based on Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights that states:

1) Men and Women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality
or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled
to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and its dissolutions.

2) Marriage shall be entered into with the free and full consent of the intending
spouses.

In view of the above the Convention provides:

1) No marriage shall be legally entered into without the full and free consent
of both parties.

2) States shall take legislative action to specify a minimum age of marriage.

3) All marriages shall be registered in an appropriate official register by the

competent authority.

8.6 CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF

ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
WOMEN
Since the mid-1970s United Nations has been particularly active with regard to
rights of women. One aspect of this has been adoption in 1979 of the Convention
on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women as a core Human
Rights Conventions. As discussed in Unit 5, the core conventions provide for
monitoring mechanisms for better protection and promotion of rights.

As with the other major international human rights instruments, the Convention
provided for the establishment of a Committee to consider the progress made in
the implementation of the Convention. The Comniittee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women consists of 23 independent experts, elected by
the States parties from among their nationals. At present, the Committee is
authorized only to consider reports submitted by States parties, as no mechanism
exists for the consideration of complaints from States or from individuals,
although the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna in 1993, had
proposed the adoption of an optional protocol authorizing it to receive
communications from individuals.

In its annual report submitted to the General Assembly through the Economic
and Social Council, the Committee can request the United Nations to conduct
studies either directly or indirectly on important aspects of women's rights. The
Committee's reports are also transmitted for information to the Commission on
the Status of Women.