1976 United Nations — Treaty Series • Nations Unies — Recueil des Traités 179 Article 23. 1. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of soci ety and is entitled to protection by society and the State. 2. The right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to found a family shall be recognized. 3. No marriage shall be entered into without the free and full consent of the in tending spouses. 4. States Parties to the present Covenant shall take appropriate steps to ensure equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. In the case of dissolution, provision shall be made for the necessary protection of any children. Article 24. 1. Every child shall have, without any discrimination as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property or birth, the right to such measures of protection as are required by his status as a minor, on the part of his family, society and the State. 2. Every child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have a name. 3. Every child has the right to acquire a nationality. Article 25. Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives; (6) To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free ex pression of the will of the electors; (c) To have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his country. Article 26. All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall pro hibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground such as race, .colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Article 27. In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities ex ist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language. PART IV Article 28. 1. There shall be established a Human Rights Committee (here after referred to in the present Covenant as the Committee). It shall consist of eigh teen members and shall carry out the functions hereinafter provided. 2. The Committee shall be composed of nationals of the States Parties to the present Covenant who shall be persons of high moral character and recognized com petence in the field of human rights, consideration being given to the usefulness of the participation of some persons having legal experience. 3. The members of the Committee shall be elected and shall serve in their per sonal capacity. Vol.999,1-14668