THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

BEARING IN MIND that, in 1948, the Ninth International Conference of American States adopted the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, which is based on human dignity, essential human rights and duties, and the need to create increasingly favorable conditions for the full observance of those values;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that the aforementioned Conference also determined that the promotion and protection of the human rights enshrined in the American Declaration should be strengthened on an ongoing basis;

RECALLING that Article II of the Declaration provides that "…all persons are equal before the law and have the rights and duties established in this Declaration, without distinction as to race, sex, language, creed or any other factor";

BEARING IN MIND that the Permanent Council of the Organization set up a "coordination" for the topic "Status of Women in the Americas" to follow up on the various activities conducted at the inter-American level, and offers its full support to the Inter-American Commission of Women, according to the report presented by the Chair of the Permanent Council on this subject;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that one of the proposals contained in the report is to change the title of the Declaration from "American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man" to "American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Persons," and to replace the word "man" with "person" in the text, as appropriate, given the need to introduce legal equality and equal opportunity for women and men, as well as gender equity at all levels, including the language of international instruments; and

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the opinion of the Inter-American Juridical Committee on the draft protocol of amendment to the OAS Charter and on the draft resolution on amendment of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (CJI/doc.30/98 rev. 2), dated March 18, 1998,

RESOLVES:

1. To study within the Permanent Council and to propose, if appropriate, changing the title "American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man" to "American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Persons," or any other agreed term, and replacing the word "man" in the text with "person," or any other agreed term, where appropriate.

2. To request the Permanent Council to report on the fulfillment of this mandate to the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session.