Legal > Nationality of women : report / by the Secretary-General

[Distributed to the Members
of the League, the Assembly
and the Council.]
Official No.: A. 19. 1931. V.
Geneva, July 27th, 1931.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
NATIONALITY OF WOMEN
Report by the Secretary-General.
I. Resolution of the Council placing the Question on the Assembly’s Agenda.
On January 24th, 1931, the following proposal was submitted to the Council by the
representatives of Guatemala, Peru and Venezuela :
The Council will remember that the question of the nationality of women was
discussed at length at the Conference for the Codification of International Law held
at The Hague in March and April 1930. The discussions did not result in an international
settlement of this question. The States were, in particular, recommended to study the
question whether it would not be possible (1) to introduce into their law the principle
of the equality of the sexes in matters of nationality, taking particularly into consideration
the interests of the children, and (2) especially to decide that, in principle, the nationality
of the wife should henceforth not be affected without her consent either by the mere
fact of marriage or by any change in the nationality of her husband.
It is to be noted that there is a clear movement of opinion throughout the world
in favour of a suitable settlement of this question.
Various members of the Council have received petitions from women’s organisa¬
tions urging the Council to appoint a committee of women to consider the question of
the nationality of women and submit a report on the subject to the 1931 Assembly.
“We venture to propose the adoption by the Council of the following resolution :
“ ‘ The Council,
“ 4 Decides to place on the agenda of the next session of the Assembly the question
of the continued study of the nationality of women, and
“ 4 Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly a report on the
question after consultation of the following organisations1, which have been specially
concerned with the nationality of women :
44 4 The International Council of Women,
4 The International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship,
44 4 The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom,
44 4 The Inter-American Commission of Women,
4 4 4 The Equal Rights International,
“ ‘ The World Union of Women for International Concord,
44 4 The All-Asian Conference of Women,
4 The International Federation of University Women,
4 The World’s Young Women’s Christian Association.
The Secretary-General might, if he thinks fit, request the above-named
organisations to set up a committee, consisting of two representatives of each
organisation, with the task of formulating joint proposals to be attached to the
report to be submitted to the Assembly. ’ ”
The resolution proposed was adopted by the Council.
I1) Where abbreviated titles were employed in the text of the Council’s resolution, the full titles of the organisations
have been substituted.
Series of League of Nations Publications
V. LEGAL
1931. V. 7.
S.d.N. 1.820 (F). 1.500 (A).8/31. Imp. Granchamp.