Armament > Collaboration of women in the organisation of peace

Official No.: Conf. D. 75.
Geneva, February 12th, 1932.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
CONFERENCE FOR THE REDUCTION AND LIMITATION
OF ARMAMENTS
COLLABORATION OF WOMEN IN THE ORGANISATION
OF PEACE
Note by the Secretary-General:
In accordance with a decision taken by the Council of the League of Nations at its meeting
on January 26th, 1932, the Secretary-General has the honour to communicate to the delegates
at the Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments a memorandum on the question
of the Collaboration of Women in the Organisation of Peace, with particular reference to their
possible collaboration during the Conference. The report by the representative of Spain, adopted
at the above-mentioned meeting of the Council, is added for easy reference.
I. CO-OPERATION OF WOMEN IN THE ORGANISATION OF PEACE.
Memorandum by the Secretary-General. 1
The Twelfth Assembly of the League of Nations adopted on September 24th, 1931, a resolution
introduced by the Spanish delegation regarding the co-operation of women in the organisation
of peace. The resolution was as follows:
“ The Assembly,
“ Convinced of the great value of the contribution of women to the work of peace and
the good understanding between the nations, which is the principal aim of the League of
Nations,
" Requests the Council to examine the possibility of women co-operating more fully
in the work of the League.”
When this resolution was referred to it, the Council, at its meeting on September 29th, decided,
as a first step, to consult the women’s organisations, in order to ascertain their views as to the means
of giving effect to the resolution. It instructed the Secretary-General to carry out this consultation,
adding that it should refer both to the ways in which women could co-operate at the Disarmament
Conference and also to their collaboration in the general work of the League. The results of the
first consultation were to be communicated to the Council before the Disarmament Conference
met— i.e., at its January session, while a complete report would be submitted to the Assembly
in September 1932.
In order to facilitate this consultation of women’s organisations, the Secretary-General had
a circular letter drawn up which referred inter alia to the Assembly resolution, and also contained
a commentary taken from the report of the Third Committee of the Assembly and the report to
the Council inviting the associations to send before January 1st, 1932, any observations they
might wish to make on5'their co-operation with the Disarmament Conference.
This circular letter was sent towards the end of November to twenty-two women’s international
organisations, to certain national organisations with which the Secretariat is in particularly close
touch and to a number of prominent persons in different countries, more especially the women
delegates; to the League of Nations Assembly.
1 Council document C. 77. 1932, dated Jaunary 2'2nd 1932.
Series of League of Nations Publications
IX. DISARMAMENT
1932. IX. 19.
S.d.N. 3.330 (F.) 2.475 (A.) 2/32. Imp. Kundig.