| United Nations | A/50/744 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
10 November 1995
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH
Fiftieth session
Agenda item 165
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE
ON WOMEN: ACTION FOR EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
Report of the Secretary-General
SUMMARY
The present report has been prepared in response to General Assembly
resolution 49/161 of 23 December 1994. It provides an overview of the
provisions and recommendations for action contained in the Declaration and
Platform for Action adopted by consensus by the Fourth World Conference on
Women, held in Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995. The report focuses, in
particular, on those recommendations which have immediate implications for
action at the international level, including those requiring consideration
by the General Assembly at its fiftieth session.
95-34993 (E) 131195/...
*9534993*
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION ...........................................1 -103
II. FOLLOW-UP TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN ......11 -924
A. Response of the international community and the
United Nations system ..............................11 - 304
B. Specific provisions of the Platform for Action
relating to follow-up ..............................31 - 929
1. National level .................................31 - 339
2. Regional/subregional level .....................34 - 369
3. International level ............................37 - 9210
(a) General Assembly ..........................39 - 4010
(b) Economic and Social Council ...............41 - 4411
(c) Commission on the Status of Women .........45 - 4711
(d) Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women ..............48 - 4912
(e) Role of the Secretary-General .............50 - 6112
(f) United Nations Secretariat ................62 - 7515
(g) United Nations Development Fund for Women .76 - 7819
(h) International Research and Training
Institute for the Advancement of Women ....79 - 8019
(i) Other organizations of the United Nations
system ....................................81 - 8920
(j) Non-governmental organizations ............90 - 9222
III. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT
ITS FIFTIETH SESSION ................................... 9323
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I. INTRODUCTION
1. The General Assembly, in its resolution 49/161 of 23 December 1994,
requested the Secretary-General to prepare for consideration by the
Assembly at its fiftieth session a report on the follow-up to the Fourth
World Conference on Women, held in Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995.
The present report is being submitted to the General Assembly in accordance
with that request. The report of the Fourth World Conference on Women is
currently before the Assembly. 1/
2. The General Assembly's decision, in its resolution 45/129 of 14
December 1990, to convene a Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 was
adopted against the background of a strong concern, reflected in Economic
and Social Council resolutions 1990/12, 1990/14 and 1990/15, at the pace of
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women, 2/ in particular with regard to the objectives of
ensuring equality for women, promoting their integration in development and
advancing their participation in efforts to promote peace. The themes of
the United Nations Decade for Women - equality, development and peace -
were also chosen as the themes of the Fourth World Conference on Women.
3. In its resolution 47/95 of 16 December 1992, the General Assembly
accepted with appreciation the offer of the Government of China to host the
Conference.
4. The Conference was attended by 17,000 representatives of Governments,
non-governmental organizations, international organizations and the media.
Over 30,000 participants attended a parallel forum organized by non-
governmental organizations at Huairou.
5. The Commission on the Status of Women served as the preparatory
committee for the Conference and the Division for the Advancement of Women
of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of
the Secretariat served as the secretariat of the Conference; Mrs. Gertrude
Mongella was appointed as its Secretary-General.
6. The preparatory activities for the Conference were characterized by
intense collaboration among Governments, the Secretariat and the
organizations of the United Nations system, and by the unprecedented
involvement and strong support of other intergovernmental organizations and
an extremely broad spectrum of non-governmental actors at the
international, regional, subregional and national levels.
7. Activities at the national level were wide-ranging and included the
preparation of national reports on the review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies. Such reports
were submitted by 165 Member and Observer States. Several countries also
convened national meetings and/or set up national preparatory committees.
8. Each of the five regional commissions of the United Nations convened a
regional preparatory meeting. These meetings, which were held at Jakarta,
Vienna, Mar del Plata, Argentina, Dakar and Amman, resulted in regional
plans or programmes of action that provided regional perspectives for the
Platform for Action. Consultations organized with representatives of youth
organizations at each regional meeting resulted in youth statements on the
Platform for Action and further mobilization of youth activities at
national and regional level.
9. Support for the Conference at the international level was furthered by
the establishment by the Secretary-General of an Advisory Group composed of
19 eminent persons. The Group met three times prior to the Conference. It
provided valuable advice to the Secretary-General and assisted in
mobilizing political interest and public attention for the Conference.
10. A Trust Fund, to which a number of Member States and other donors
contributed generously, augmented the resources available from the regular
budget for the preparatory work.
II. FOLLOW-UP TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN
A. Response of the international community and the
United Nations system
11. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 3/ were adopted by
consensus on 15 September 1995 by 189 Governments. The Declaration
embodies the commitment of the international community to advance the goals
of equality, development and peace and to implement the Platform for
Action, ensuring that a gender perspective is reflected in all policies and
programmes. The Platform for Action sets out measures for national and
international action for the advancement of women.
12. The Fourth World Conference on Women was a conference of commitment.
During the Conference, Governments, non-governmental organizations and
intergovernmental bodies made specific commitments to implement the goals
and objectives of the Conference. Those commitments must be sustained and
translated into concrete policies and actions.
13. The Conference brought together the cross-cutting issues of
development, equality and peace, and analysed them from a gender
perspective. It defined an agenda for action to empower women in the
social, political and economic spheres, in both private and public life,
and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. It emphasized
the connection between advancement of women and progress for society as a
whole. It reaffirmed clearly that societal issues must be addressed from a
gender perspective in order to ensure sustainable development. This
agenda, and the approaches it embodies, must guide follow-up action at all
levels.
14. As agreed in Beijing, the set of actions set out in the Platform for
Action "should lead to fundamental change". To that end "immediate action
and accountability are essential if the targets are to be met by the year
2000. Implementation is primarily the responsibility of Governments, but is
also dependent on a wide range of institutions in the public, private and
non-governmental sectors at the community, national, subregional/regional
and international levels" (para. 286).
15. The overriding message of the Fourth World Conference on Women was
that the issues addressed in the Platform for Action are global and
universal. Deeply entrenched attitudes and practices perpetuate inequality
and discrimination against women, in public and private life, in all parts
of the world. Accordingly, implementation will require changes in values,
attitudes, practices and priorities at the national, regional and
international levels. A clear commitment to international norms and
standards of equality between men and women, and measures to protect and
promote the human rights of women and girl children as an integral part of
universal human rights must underlie all action. Institutions at all levels
must be reoriented to expedite implementation. An active and visible
policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective should be promoted by
Governments, the United Nations system and all other relevant
organizations.
16. National-level action and supporting action at the international and
regional levels should be focused on the 12 critical areas of concern
addressed by the Platform for Action (see chap. IV):
(a) The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women;
(b) Inequalities and inadequacies in, and unequal access to, education
and training;
(c) Inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to health care
and related services;
(d) Violence against women;
(e) The effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women, including
those living under foreign occupation;
(f) Inequality in economic structures and policies, in all forms of
productive activities and in access to resources;
(g) Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and
decisionmaking at all levels;
(h) Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of
women;
(i) Lack of respect for, and inadequate promotion and protection of, the
human rights of women;
(j) Stereotyping of women and inequality in women's access to and
participation in all communication systems, especially in the media;
(k) Gender inequalities in the management of natural resources and in
the safeguarding of the environment;
(l) Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of the
girl child.
17. Effective action will require the broadest possible cooperation. As
indicated in paragraph 306:
"The Platform for Action needs to be implemented through the work of all
bodies and organizations of the United Nations system during the period
1995-2000, specifically and as an integral part of wider programming. An
enhanced framework for international cooperation for gender issues must be
developed ... in order to ensure the integrated and comprehensive
implementation, follow-up and assessment of the Platform for Action, taking
into account the results of global United Nations summits and conferences.
The fact that at all of these summits and conferences, Governments have
committed themselves to the empowerment of women in different areas, makes
coordination crucial to the follow-up strategies for this Platform for
Action. The Agenda for Development and the Agenda for Peace should take
into account the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on
Women."
18. The Platform for Action further states (para. 307) that "the
institutional capacity of the United Nations system to carry out and
coordinate its responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action, as
well as its expertise and working methods to promote the advancement of
women, should be improved" and that "responsibility for ensuring the
implementation of the Platform for Action and the integration of a gender
perspective into all policies and programmes of the United Nations system
must rest at the highest levels" (para. 308).
19. The Secretary-General is in agreement with the Conference's conclusion
that "to improve the system's efficiency and effectiveness in providing
support for equality and women's empowerment at the national level and to
enhance its capacity to achieve the objectives of the Platform for Action,
there is a need to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United
Nations system" (para 309). At the level of the United Nations and its
agencies, the strengthening of the capacity of the system to support an
integrated, effective follow-up to the Fourth World Conference as part of
the overall effort to ensure the coordinated implementation of the results
of the series of recent global conferences should be a key objective in
pursuing further the ongoing reform process.
20. There must be a new unity of purpose and action in the Organization
and the system as a whole contributing to the provision of effective,
coordinated support for national action; coherent support for policy-making
by the concerned intergovernmental bodies to further the key role of the
Organization in respect of standard-setting, policy coordination and
advocacy; mutual feedback and reinforcement between national and
international action; and effective mainstreaming that ensures that the
gender dimension is fully integrated in all aspects of the work of the
United Nations.
21. In accordance with chapters V and VI of the Platform for Action,
effective implementation of the Conference recommendations will require
that existing machinery and institutions sharpen their focus, set clear
priorities for action, evaluation and coordination, establish
accountability mechanisms and use available resources efficiently.
22. Against this background, the Secretary-General intends to pursue
vigorously his efforts to create a stronger, better coordinated programme
for the advancement of women. In this regard a key new role will be played
by his Senior Adviser (see paras. 54-57 below) and, at the system-wide
level, by the proposed Administrative Committee on Coordination task force
(see paras. 53 and 89 below).
23. Within the United Nations itself, the requirements from the Platform
for Action have given added force to the provisions of General Assembly
resolution 48/111 of 20 December 1993, in which it urged that interaction
between the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women, the Commission
on the Status of Women, and the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women be reviewed and rationalized within the
context of ongoing efforts to revitalize the Economic and Social Council in
pursuance of a stronger, more unified programme for the advancement of
women.
24. Accordingly, the Secretary-General will review the different United
Nations mechanisms for the advancement of women with a view to making them
more mutually supportive and effective, eliminating any duplication and
ensuring that the essential linkages are strengthened between the standard-
setting and normative work of the Organization and operational activities.
A key element of this review and, more generally, a central objective of
the overall reform process, should be the enhancement of the capacity of
the Organization in support of global policy-making and mainstreaming,
mobilizing in a coordinated way the contributions of all parts of the
Organization and the system. The SecretaryGeneral will be guided, inter
alia, by the Platform of Action, which envisages "reviewing and
strengthening the strategies and working methods of different United
Nations mechanisms for the advancement of women with a view to
rationalizing and, as appropriate, strengthening their advisory, catalytic
and monitoring functions in relation to mainstream bodies and agencies.
Women/
gender units are important for effective mainstreaming, but strategies must
be further developed to prevent inadvertent marginalization as opposed to
mainstreaming of the gender dimension throughout all operations" (para.
309).
25. The capacity of UNIFEM to provide effective operational support for
followup action at the national level and to exercise a catalytic role in
promoting an effective inter-agency coordination at the country level,
through the resident coordinator system, and in bringing country-level
experience to bear on relevant aspects of the work of the system at the
global level will need to be fully utilized.
26. Proposals for strengthening the research and training capacity of the
Organization in pursuance of a stronger, more unified programme for the
advancement of women, as outlined in successive reports of the Secretary-
General (E/1993/82, A/48/591 and A/49/365-E/1994/119), are already before
the General Assembly. They require further consideration pursuant to the
relevant Economic and Social Council and General Assembly resolutions on
the merger of INSTRAW and UNIFEM. The objectives embodied in those
resolutions should be actively pursued as an integral part of the effort to
enhance the capacity of the Organization to promote a coherent and
sustained follow-up to the Conference.
27. Enhancing coordination and improving the substantive services
provided to the Commission on the Status of Women, the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other relevant bodies is
another critical objective. The Division for the Advancement of Women has
a key responsibility in this regard in support of global policy-making and
mainstreaming.
28. The decisions to be taken by the General Assembly at its current
session, including on the role and support requirements of the Commission
on the Status of Women and other relevant bodies, and subsequent
deliberations in those bodies should further the process of renewal, reform
and revitalization referred to in paragraph 309 of the Platform for Action.
In that light, the Secretary-General, in consultation with the chairpersons
of these bodies and drawing on the advice of the proposed high-level board
referred to in paragraph 61 below, will submit a further report to the
General Assembly at its fifty-first session on ways to enhance the capacity
of the Organization to support the ongoing follow-up to the Conference in
the most integrated and effective way.
29. The mobilization of adequate resources is another key requirement for
the effective implementation of the Platform for Action. The Conference
made a strong call for such global mobilization. As stated in paragraph
345:
"To implement the Platform for Action, funding will need to be identified
and mobilized from all sources and across all sectors. The reformulation
of policies and reallocation of resources may be needed within and among
programmes, but some policy changes may not necessarily have financial
implications. Mobilization of additional resources both public and
private, including resources from innovative sources of funding, may also
be necessary."
In paragraph 361 there is a call for effective and efficient use of funds
by the United Nations system in its efforts to promote the advancement of
women and to enhance its capacity to further the objectives of the Platform
for Action. The Platform underlines the need "to renew, reform and
revitalize various parts of the United Nations system" and to allocate
"additional resources from within the United Nations regular budget in
order to implement the Platform for Action". It further states (para. 310):
"In following up the Fourth World Conference on Women, all entities of the
United Nations system focusing on the advancement of women should have the
necessary resources and support to carry out follow-up activities. The
efforts of gender focal points within organizations should be well
integrated into overall policy, planning, programming and budgeting."
30. The following paragraphs recall specific provisions of the Platform
for Action concerning follow-up, focusing on the recommendations in its
chapters V and VI, and immediate actions required to initiate their
implementation. Follow-up by the United Nations system as a whole will be
covered in greater detail in future reports to the General Assembly and
other concerned intergovernmental bodies, including through the revised
system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period
1996-2001. 4/
B. Specific provisions of the Platform for Action
relating to follow-up
1. National level
31. Governments, according to paragraph 293 of the Platform for Action,
"have the primary responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action".
Governments are called upon "to take a leading role in coordinating,
monitoring and assessing progress in the advancement of women".
Governments, with financial and advisory assistance from regional and
international organizations (para. 300), are called upon (para. 296) "to
establish or improve the effectiveness of national machineries for the
advancement of women at the highest political level, appropriate intra- and
inter-ministerial procedures and staffing, and other institutions with the
mandate and capacity to broaden women's participation and integrate gender
analysis into policies and programmes".
32. In paragraph 297 Governments are called upon to begin as soon as
possible to develop implementation strategies for the Platform for Action,
preferably by the end of 1995, with a view to completion by the end of
1996. National planning should be broad-based and participatory,
comprehensive and time-bound, and should include proposals for allocating
or reallocating resources for implementation.
33. The United Nations resident coordinators at the country level will
have a key role in assisting Governments in these efforts (para. 341).
2. Regional/subregional level
34. In its paragraphs 301-305, 351 and 352, the Platform for Action
recommends actions to be taken at the regional and subregional levels. The
regional commissions of the United Nations and other subregional/regional
structures are called upon to promote and assist national institutions in
monitoring and implementing the global Platform for Action within their
mandates. This should be done, according to paragraph 301, "in
coordination with the implementation of the respective regional platforms
or plans of action and in close collaboration with the Commission on the
Status of Women, taking into account the need for a coordinated follow-up
to United Nations conferences in the economic, social, human rights and
related fields".
35. In order to facilitate regional implementation, monitoring and
evaluation, as called for in paragraph 302, the Economic and Social Council
should "consider reviewing the institutional capacity of the United Nations
regional commissions within their mandates, including their women's focal
points/units, to deal with gender issues in the light of the Platform for
Action, as well as the regional platforms or plans of action.
Consideration should be given, inter alia, and, where appropriate, to
strengthening capacity in this respect". The Platform also calls for
regular coordination by United Nations agencies and bodies at the regional
level in relation to technical assistance and operational activities (para.
304).
36. The Secretary-General will make every effort to strengthen the gender
dimension in all the activities of the regional commissions and to ensure
that their capacities are fully utilized to follow up the Platform for
Action, and to assist in the coordination of relevant activities by United
Nations organizations, including the development of concerted action
programmes in support of the objectives of the Conference at the regional
level.
3. International level
37. In section C of chapter V the Platform for Action contains detailed
recommendations on the responsibilities to be exercised by the United
Nations intergovernmental machinery in respect of the follow-up to the
Conference. It places special emphasis on its role in promoting the
development of an enhanced framework for international cooperation for
gender issues and the comprehensive implementation of the Platform,
integrating the results of other global United Nations conferences.
38. With respect to the United Nations system, the Platform for Action
calls for the integration of a gender perspective into all policies and
programmes through mainstreaming actions and stresses that responsibility
for ensuring implementation of the Platform must rest at the highest level.
Accordingly, the Secretary-General will propose to the Administrative
Committee on Coordination the establishment of an inter-agency task force
on the empowerment and the advancement of women. This task force will be
an integral part of the arrangements being established under the aegis of
the Administrative Committee for the integrated and coordinated follow-up
to United Nations conferences (see also paras. 53 and 89 below). In
paragraph 336, the Platform recommends that each organization set out the
specific actions it will undertake, including goals and targets to realign
priorities and redirect resources to meet the global priorities identified
in the Platform for Action, with clear delineation of responsibility and
accountability. These new orientations should be reflected in the revised
system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period
1996-2001. 4/ The Secretary-General will ensure that this task is given
priority attention.
(a) General Assembly
39. In paragraph 312 the Platform for Action points out that the General
Assembly "is the principal policy-making and appraisal organ on matters
relating to the follow-up to the Conference, and as such should integrate
gender issues throughout its work", recognizing that these issues cut
across social, political and economic policy. The General Assembly is
invited "to include the follow-up to the Conference as part of its
continuing work on advancement of women" and to review its implementation
in 1996, 1998 and 2000.
40. As part of the ongoing rationalization of the work of the General
Assembly, care must be taken to ensure that the advancement of women
remains a major focus, and that the gender dimension is fully integrated in
the consideration of all issues before it, including those relating to
peace and security.
(b) Economic and Social Council
41. According to paragraphs 313 to 316 of the Platform for Action, the
Economic and Social Council should oversee system-wide coordination of
implementation of the Platform and make recommendations in this regard. It
should review the implementation of the Platform giving due consideration
to reports of the Commission on the Status of Women.
42. The Platform recommends that the General Assembly and the Economic and
Social Council review and strengthen the mandate of the Commission on the
Status of Women taking into account the need for effective coordination
with other related commissions and Conference follow-up.
"The Council should incorporate gender issues into its discussion of all
policy questions, giving due consideration to recommendations prepared by
the Commission. It should consider dedicating at least one high-level
segment before the year 2000 to the advancement of women ... with active
... participation ... of the specialized agencies, including the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund." (para. 313)
The Council is also requested to consider dedicating at least one
coordination segment before the year 2000 to coordination of the
advancement of women, based on the system-wide medium-term plan, 4/ and one
operational activities segment to the coordination of development
activities related to gender (paras. 314 and 315).
43. In paragraph 321 the Platform for Action calls upon other functional
commissions of the Economic and Social Council to "take due account of the
Platform for Action and ensure the integration of gender aspects in their
respective work".
44. The recommendations on the Economic and Social Council in the Platform
for Action should be seen in the light of efforts to coordinate the follow-
up to recent global conferences, taking into consideration the importance
of mainstreaming gender issues, on the one hand, and ensuring continuing
attention to the specific measures required to ensure the advancement of
women, on the other. At its substantive session of 1995 the Council
decided that, each year, within the framework of its coordination segment,
it would carry out a review of cross-cutting themes common to major
international conferences and/or contribute to an overall review of the
implementation of the programme of action of a given conference.
(c) Commission on the Status of Women
45. The Commission on the Status of Women has been assisting the Economic
and Social Council on issues relating to the advancement of women since
1946. The Platform for Action makes recommendations on the role of the
Commission in paragraphs 317 to 320. It calls for a review and
strengthening of the Commission's mandate, taking into account, inter alia,
the need for synergy with other functional commissions. It states that the
Commission should have a central role, within the United Nations system, in
monitoring the implementation of the Platform and in assisting the Council
in coordination of reporting on implementation. It notes the need for the
allocation of sufficient resources in support of the Commission.
46. The Platform for Action calls upon the Commission, in developing its
work programme for the period 1996-2000, to "review the critical areas of
concern in the Platform for Action and consider how to integrate in its
agenda the followup to the World Conference on Women. In this context, the
Commission ... should consider how it could further develop its catalytic
role in mainstreaming a gender perspective in United Nations activities"
(para. 320). The follow-up to the Conference is already included in the
provisional agenda of the Commission for its fortieth session, in 1996.
47. The Secretary-General intends to put forward proposals to the
Commission at its next session to assist the Commission in developing its
work programme to follow up the Platform for Action, including with respect
to monitoring implementation of the recommendations in the Platform at all
levels, and in enhancing its role in the coordinated follow-up to the
continuum of conferences, taking into consideration related
intergovernmental and inter-agency follow-up processes.
(d) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
48. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was
established in 1981 to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It is a treaty
body devoted specifically to the rights of women. The Platform for Action
underscores its important role in securing enjoyment by women of their
human rights. In paragraph 324 the Platform states that the ability of the
Committee to monitor implementation of the Convention should be
strengthened "through the provision of human and financial resources within
the regular budget of the United Nations, including expert legal assistance
and ... sufficient meeting time for the Committee" in keeping with the
decision made by the meeting of the States parties in May 1995. It also
calls for the Committee to "increase its coordination with other human
rights treaty bodies, taking into account the recommendations of the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action". 5/
49. The Secretary-General will make every effort to provide coordinated
secretariat support to the Committee, bearing in mind that the promotion of
the enjoyment by women of their human rights is central to the overall
effort for the advancement of the status of women. The Committee is
expected to consider the implications for its work of the outcome of the
Fourth World Conference on Women at its fifteenth session, in January 1996.
(e) Role of the Secretary-General
50. The Secretary-General is strongly committed to assuming
"responsibility for coordination of policy within the United Nations for
the implementation of the Platform for Action and for the mainstreaming of
a system-wide gender perspective in all activities of the United Nations",
as requested in paragraph 326 of the Platform for Action.
51. In his statement to the closing session of the Conference, the
Secretary-General indicated that he would ensure that the recommendations
addressed to him were implemented swiftly and effectively, and that he was
committed to integrating the gender perspective into all aspects of the
work of the Organization. He added that he would work with his colleagues,
the executive heads of the United Nations specialized agencies and the
United Nations programmes and funds to ensure a coordinated system-wide
response, integrating the follow-up of this Conference with that of other
global conferences.
52. The Secretary-General welcomes the emphasis on policy coordination and
mainstreaming in paragraph 326. These requirements were a major
consideration in the restructuring of the economic and social sectors and,
in particular, in the location of the Division for the Advancement of Women
in the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development. In
the same context, the Secretary-General requested the Administrator of the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to assist him in ensuring
policy coherence and coordination of operational activities. These
requirements will continue to guide the Secretary-General in integrating
the gender dimension in the programme management and human resource
development strategies of the Organization and in ensuring a coordinated
follow-up within the United Nations to recent global conferences, all of
which have addressed the advancement of women as a central issue.
53. In relation to the system as a whole, at the initiative of the
SecretaryGeneral, the Administrative Committee on Coordination, at its
first session for 1995, adopted a comprehensive statement reaffirming the
strong commitment of executive heads to ensuring that the advancement of
women is a policy priority within the organizations of the common system
and to taking the necessary action to improve the status of women in their
respective secretariats. At its most recent session, on 12 and 13 October
1995, the Administrative Committee on Coordination agreed that the gender
perspective must be fully integrated into the work of the inter-agency task
forces, under lead agency arrangements, which will follow up recent global
conferences on the basis of cross-sectoral themes (see para. 89 below). As
the Platform for Action encompasses but goes well beyond these themes, the
Administrative Committee also decided to consider, following the current
session of the General Assembly, the best means of promoting sustained and
coordinated follow-up to the Platform, and of ensuring that the improvement
of the status of women in all its aspects is placed in the mainstream of
the work of the system.
54. The Secretary-General has given careful consideration in this context
to the invitation "to establish a high-level post in the Office of the
SecretaryGeneral, using existing human and financial resources, to act as
[his] adviser on gender issues and to help ensure system-wide
implementation of the Platform for Action in close cooperation with the
Division for the Advancement of Women" (para. 326).
55. The Secretary-General is strongly of the view that, for effective
mainstreaming, all organizational entities must exercise their line
responsibilities for implementing relevant recommendations in the Platform
for Action, without duplication. In this light, and in view of ongoing
efforts to streamline high-level posts and to avoid additional managerial
layers, the Secretary-General does not consider it appropriate to request
an appropriation for an additional high-level post and related requirements
at the present time.
56. Using existing human and financial resources, the Secretary-General
would propose to integrate the functions referred to in paragraph 54 above
into the portfolio of one of his Senior Advisers in the Executive Office of
the Secretary-General. The Senior Adviser to the Secretary-General would
not have line responsibilities or duplicate the work of units working on
issues relating to the advancement of women. Rather, the Senior Adviser
would have a role of overview and coordination, assisting the Secretary-
General to ensure that the gender perspective is integrated into overall
policy-making and programming, including in the political area, and is
taken into account in all aspects of the work of the system and in
furthering the Organization's linkages with civil society. The Secretary-
General will propose that his Senior Adviser chair, in this capacity, the
Administrative Committee on Coordination task force referred to in
paragraph 89 below. Within the Executive Office of the Secretary-General,
this senior official would also ensure that all statements and reports
emanating from the Secretary-General are gender-sensitive. The Senior
Adviser would also serve as a spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the
above matters.
57. The Senior Adviser would draw upon the expertise and assistance of all
existing entities working in this area, including the Division for the
Advancement of Women of the Department for Policy Coordination and
Sustainable Development, as well as UNIFEM, INSTRAW, the Focal Point on
Women in the Department of Administration and Management and other
concerned units within United Nations departments, funds and programmes.
58. As part of the effort to broaden participation and strengthen
accountability, as well as to integrate effectively the gender dimension in
the work of the Organization, the Secretary-General is requesting all
United Nations departments and offices to review their programmes to
determine how they can contribute to the implementation of the
recommendations of the Conference. The Secretary-General will also ensure
that the gender dimension is fully integrated in the perspective of the
next medium-term plan, for the period 1998-2001.
59. Likewise, with respect to the status of women within the United
Nations itself, the Secretary-General will pursue his efforts to integrate
the measures in his strategic plan of action for the improvement of the
status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000) (see A/49/587 and Corr.1)
within his overall human resources management strategy for the Organization
as a whole. He intends to hold all programme managers accountable for
implementation.
60. The participatory and inclusive character of the preparatory process
and of the Conference itself was a key element in its success. The
Secretary-General believes it essential that the follow-up to the
Conference should also be as broadly based as possible. In particular, he
considers it important that the expectations and concerns of major
constituencies and groups on gender-related issues should be fully taken
into account in implementing the Platform for Action, within the United
Nations as well as the system as a whole.
61. To that end, the Secretary-General proposes to establish a high-level
board on the advancement of women to advise him on the follow-up to the
Conference. The board, which would consist of 15 to 20 eminent persons
representing a broad range of experience and disciplines, would contribute
to the building and strengthening of partnerships between the United
Nations and major constituencies on gender-related issues; assist the
Secretary-General and his Senior Adviser in promoting knowledge and
understanding of, and mobilizing support for, United Nations activities for
the advancement of women in general and the follow-up to the Conference in
particular; and bring to the attention of the Secretary-General and,
through him, to concerned intergovernmental and inter-agency bodies,
emerging issues related to the implementation of the Platform for Action,
and ways and means of addressing them. The Secretary-General trusts that
the Board will be a source of innovative ideas and approaches in the
follow-up to the Conference, and a source of strong support to the
Organization in its efforts to improve the status of women.
(f) United Nations Secretariat
(i) Division for the Advancement of Women
62. The Division for the Advancement of Women of the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development is the principal unit within the
United Nations Secretariat dealing with issues relating to the improvement
of the status of women. The placement of the Division within the
Department by the Secretary-General during the restructuring of the
economic and social sectors was aimed at ensuring the integration of
gender issues in policy formulation and coordination, including the
servicing of the intergovernmental machinery. Effective substantive support
of the intergovernmental machinery, especially the Commission on the Status
of Women, will require the involvement and cooperation of all organizations
of the United Nations system, including in particular UNIFEM and INSTRAW.
63. In paragraphs 327 and 328 the Platform for Action notes that:
"The primary function of the Division for the Advancement of Women of the
Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development is to
provide substantive servicing to the Commission on the Status of Women and
other intergovernmental bodies when they are concerned with the advancement
of women, as well as to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women. It has been designated focal point for the implementation
of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies."
The Platform states (para. 328):
"The Division should examine the obstacles to the advancement of women
through the application of gender-impact analysis in policy studies for the
Commission on the Status of Women and through support to other subsidiary
bodies. After the Fourth World Conference on Women it should play a
coordinating role in preparing the revision of the system-wide medium-term
plan ... 1996-2001 and should continue serving as the secretariat for
inter-agency coordination for the advancement of women. It should continue
to maintain a flow of information with national commissions, national
institutions for the advancement of women and non-governmental
organizations with regard to the implementation of the Platform for
Action."
The Platform requests the Secretary-General "to ensure more effective
functioning of the Division by, inter alia, providing sufficient human and
financial resources within the regular budget of the United Nations" (para.
327).
64. As indicated above, the Division for the Advancement of Women will
have a key role to play with respect to the implementation of the
recommendations of the Conference, in support of the work of the
intergovernmental machinery, of the organizations of the United Nations
system and of other actors in the implementation of the Platform for Action
and in promoting the integration of a gender perspective in all policies
and programmes. There are, in particular, three areas in which the
reinforcement of the Division is called for in order to enable it to carry
out its new and expanded functions, in collaboration with other parts of
the Secretariat and system, namely, capacity for gender analysis; the
advancement of human rights of women; and the promotion of a system-wide
approach to the implementation of the Platform, including outreach
activities.
65. Gender-impact analysis of United Nations policies and programmes - a
major prerequisite for mainstreaming - requires review of, interaction with
and input into, a wide range of activities in all areas covered by the
Organization. Pursuant to paragraph 328 of the Platform for Action and to
respond to follow-up action by the Commission on the Status of Women and
the Economic and Social Council, the Division will, in particular, need to
enhance its capacity to conduct and coordinate studies, applying gender
impact analysis, to examine relationships between the advancement of women
and other global issues dealt with by the United Nations and ways and means
of promoting consistency and coherence in mainstreaming the gender
dimension throughout the Organization. In addition to policy studies for
the Commission on the Status of Women, outputs will include recommendations
to the Secretary-General, the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women and, as appropriate, the Economic and Social
Council and the General Assembly.
66. The role of the Division for the Advancement of Women in ensuring that
the overall regime of protection of the human rights of women is
strengthened is stressed in both the Platform for Action and the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action. 5/ This implies a broader role in
providing gender-based information to various human rights treaty bodies,
as well as in taking steps "to ensure that the human rights activities of
the United Nations regularly address violations of women's human rights,
including gender-specific abuses". 6/ In view of the importance accorded
to the elimination of violence against women by the Platform for Action and
previous intergovernmental decisions - including, inter alia, resolution
39/5 of the Commission on the Status of Women - the Division, together with
other relevant United Nations bodies, will be called upon to provide
enhanced support to the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and to
assist in monitoring implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination
of Violence against Women (see General Assembly resolution 48/104). In
this regard, the Division will need to develop its database on the subject.
In addition, the Division will be required to support the Commission on the
Status of Women in relation to the communications procedure (Economic and
Social Council resolution 1993/11) and in pursuing the proposal in the
Platform for Action to elaborate a draft optional protocol to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
on the right to petition.
67. A third area relates to inter-agency coordination and the monitoring
of intergovernmental decisions concerning the implementation of the
Platform for Action, in support of the coordinating and monitoring roles of
the Commission on the Status of Women and the Economic and Social Council,
and to accompanying outreach activities with entities outside the system.
A decentralized model of implementation places a high premium on monitoring
as a means of maintaining consistency and avoiding duplication of effort at
all levels. Given the scope and diversity of the Platform for Action, the
Division will need, in the exercise of its functions, to interact with a
wider range and larger number of institutions and actors than in the past.
It will play a central role in developing further the system-wide medium-
term plan for the advancement of women, 4/ which will need to reflect new
methodologies and concepts.
68. The number of non-governmental organizations involved in the
Conference and in the parallel NGO Forum was unprecedented. The process of
mobilizing this vast and diverse support for the advancement of women will
require considerable expansion of the Division's outreach capacity,
including through publications, increased use of new information
technologies, support for dissemination of information through mass media
and women's networks, advisory services and database and network linkages.
69. The programme activities and the related resource requirements
resulting from the new orientations and additional responsibilities
outlined above were not included in the proposed programme budget for the
biennium 1996-1997, 7/ before the General Assembly at the present session,
which specifically provides for revision on the basis of the outcome of the
Conference. A separate statement will be submitted in this regard.
(ii)Other units of the United Nations Secretariat referred to in the
Platform for Action
70. The Platform for Action recommends (para. 331) that the Office of
Human Resources Management:
"... continue to accord priority to the recruitment and promotion of women
in posts subject to geographical distribution, particularly in senior
policy-level and decision-making posts, in order to achieve the goals set
out in General Assembly resolutions 45/125 and 45/239 C and reaffirmed in
General Assembly resolutions 46/100, 47/93, 48/106 and 49/167. The
training service should design and conduct regular gender-sensitivity
training or include gender-sensitivity training in all of its activities."
71. The General Assembly has before it at its present session a separate
report of the Secretary-General on the improvement of the status of women
in the Secretariat (A/50/691), which addresses the requirements referred to
above, including plans to reach the target of 50 per cent women by the year
2000 and developments in the area of training. Gender-equality issues will
also be addressed in the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001 in the
context of the Secretary-General's overall strategy for human resource
management, approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 49/222 B of
20 July 1995. Implementation of the strategic plan of action for the
improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000) (see
A/49/587 and Corr.1) will be monitored closely.
72. The Platform for Action further states
"The Department of Public Information should seek to integrate a gender
perspective in its general information activities and, within existing
resources, strengthen and improve its programmes on women and the girl
child. To this end, the Department should formulate a multimedia
communications strategy to support the implementation of the Platform for
Action, taking new technology fully into account. Regular outputs of the
Department should promote the goals of the Platform, particularly in
developing countries." (para. 332)
73. In formulating such a communications strategy, the Department of
Public Information will build on the momentum generated in the media by its
information activities in support of the Fourth World Conference on Women,
and integrate this strategy within the overall information programme to
follow up the current cycle of major United Nations development
conferences. Utilizing the full array of promotional activities and
multimedia products undertaken by the Department, the communications
strategy will draw on the Department's network of information centres and
services located in 67 countries and the inter-agency coordination
mechanism, the Joint United Nations Information Committee.
74. With respect to the Statistical Division of the Department for
Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, in paragraph 333 the
Platform for Action recommends that the Statistical Division should have an
important coordinating role in international work in statistics, as
described in chapter IV, strategic objective H.3.
75. In the period 1996-2001, implementation of the interrelated mandates
of the International Conference on Population and Development, held at
Cairo from 5 to 13 September 1994, the World Summit for Social Development,
held at Copenhagen from 6 to 12 March 1995, and the Fourth World Conference
on Women will require the development and dissemination of indicators on
women and men with respect to the informal sector, unremunerated work,
poverty, youth, elderly and disabled persons (para. 206 (e)-(h) and (k) and
para. 208 (b)). It will also require the compilation and dissemination of
the database and methodologies underlying these indicators, as well as the
provision of technical support for work at the national level in these
fields (para. 206 (b)). Statistical concepts and methods will need to be
developed to measure and value unremunerated work. This would involve
developing an international classification of activities for time-use
statistics that is sensitive to the differences between women and men in
remunerated and unremunerated work (para. 206 (g)), and working on the
analytical framework and policy uses of supplementary accounts to the 1993
System of National Accounts that recognize the economic contribution of
women. In this regard, the Statistical Division will interact with the
inter-agency task force referred to above (para. 38), as well as with the
Administrative Committee on Coordination task force on basic social
services for all (see para. 89 below), which will address, inter alia,
database issues emerging from the International Conference on Population
and Development, the World Summit for Social Development, as well as the
Fourth World Conference on Women.
(g) United Nations Development Fund for Women
76. As indicated in the Platform for Action:
"UNIFEM has the mandate to increase options and opportunities for women's
economic and social development in developing countries by providing
technical and financial assistance to incorporate the women's dimension
into development at all levels. Therefore, UNIFEM should review and
strengthen, as appropriate, its work programme in the light of the Platform
for Action, focusing on women's political and economic empowerment. Its
advocacy role should concentrate on fostering a multilateral policy
dialogue on women's empowerment. Adequate resources for carrying out its
functions should be made available." (para. 335)
77. The operational role of UNIFEM in the follow-up to the Fourth World
Conference on Women will be consolidated. It will continue to focus its
work at the country level within the context of the resident coordinator
system. UNIFEM will also work to bring its experience in programme
countries to the attention of other organizations in the United Nations
system with a view to strengthening the gender perspective of development
programmes and increasing synergy with other United Nations organizations.
UNIFEM will concentrate, as specified in the Platform for Action, on
women's economic and political empowerment. With respect to women's
economic empowerment, UNIFEM will concentrate on globalization and economic
restructuring with a focus on trade and structural adjustment policies,
gender-sensitive development policy and the promotion of sustainable
livelihoods, including thorough new approaches to both micro-enterprise
development and natural resource management. Its work with respect to
political empowerment will focus on strengthening the role of women in
governance, women's human rights, conflict prevention and peace-building,
and empowering women to participate effectively in the global conference
processes and the implementation of conference outcomes.
78. UNIFEM will support women's organizations to increase leadership
opportunities for decision-making and advocacy for women. UNIFEM will play
a key role in supporting the implementation of the Platform for Action at
the country level, including through the proposed inter-agency task force,
and the resident coordinator system.
(h) International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women
79. The Platform for Action states:
"INSTRAW has a mandate to promote research and training on women's
situation and development. In the light of the Platform for Action,
INSTRAW should review its work programme and develop a programme for
implementing those aspects of the Platform for Action that fall within its
mandate. It should identify those types of research and research
methodologies to be given priority, strengthen national capacities to carry
out women's studies and gender research, including that on the status of
the girl child, and develop networks of research institutions that can be
mobilized for that purpose. It should also identify those types of
education and training that can be effectively supported and promoted by
the Institute." (para. 334)
80. Research and training activities to further the advancement of women
requiring priority attention in the light of the Fourth World Conference on
Women and other global United Nations conferences will include the study
and understanding of the obstacles to the full recognition of women's
participation in sustainable development, including
methodological/conceptual development; concrete research and training
programmes focusing on ways and means to solve the extreme poverty
affecting women world wide, in particular in developing countries; and the
dissemination of research findings and analytical tools to assist the
efforts of intergovernmental agencies, governmental officials and policy
makers, as well as academic and research centres and non-governmental
organizations. Sections A and E to L in chapter IV of the Platform for
Action are of particular relevance to the work of the Institute.
(i) Other organizations of the United Nations system
81. In paragraphs 336 to 344 of the Platform for Action, the specialized
agencies and organizations of the United Nations are called upon to
strengthen their support for actions at the national level and to enhance
their contributions to coordinated follow-up by the United Nations.
"... each organization should set out the specific actions they will
undertake, including goals and targets to realign priorities and redirect
resources to meet the global priorities identified in the Platform for
Action. There should be a clear delineation of responsibility and
accountability. These proposals should in turn be reflected in the
systemwide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period
1996-2001." (para. 336)
The Platform for Action additionally calls for gender mainstreaming and
gender focal points in each agency.
82. The Platform for Action also recommends that "the Administrative
Committee on Coordination consider how its participating entities might
best coordinate their activities, inter alia, through existing procedures
at the inter-agency level for ensuring system-wide coordination to
implement and help follow up objectives of the Platform for Action" (para.
316).
83. Each organization should "take steps to enhance and support the roles
and responsibilities of its focal points on women issues" (para. 337);
"cooperate more [when providing technical assistance] to ensure the
continuing promotion of the advancement of women" (para. 338); "provide
appropriate technical assistance and other forms of assistance to the
countries with economies in transition in order to facilitate solution of
their specific problems regarding the advancement of women" (para. 339);
and "accord greater priority to the recruitment and promotion of women at
the Professional level to achieve gender balance, particularly at decision-
making levels ... Due regard should be paid to the importance of
recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
Organizations should report regularly to their governing bodies on progress
towards this goal" (para. 340). The Platform for Action proposes that
"coordination of United Nations operational activities for development at
the country level should be improved through the resident coordinator
system in accordance with relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, in
particular General Assembly resolution 47/199, to take full account of the
Platform" (para. 341).
84. Paragraphs 342 to 344 of the Platform for Action encourage
international financial institutions, in implementing the Platform:
"To review and revise policies, procedures and staffing to ensure that
investments and programmes benefit women and thus contribute to sustainable
development. They are also encouraged to increase the number of women in
high-level positions, increase staff training in gender analysis and
institute policies and guidelines to ensure full consideration of the
differential impact of lending programmes and other activities on women and
men. In this regard, the Bretton Woods institutions, the United Nations,
as well as its funds and programmes and the specialized agencies, should
establish regular and substantive dialogue, including dialogue at the field
level, for more efficient and effective coordination of their assistance in
order to strengthen the effectiveness of their programmes for the benefit
of women and their families." (para. 342)
85. Moreover, in paragraph 354, the Platform for Action proposes that the
international financial institutions and regional development banks "should
be invited to examine their grants and lending and to allocate loans and
grants to programmes for implementing the Platform for Action in developing
countries, especially in Africa and the least developed countries". The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank along with the
organizations and bodies of the United Nations system are invited to assist
countries with economies in transition to design and implement policies and
programmes for the advancement of women" (para. 356).
86. The Platform for Action recommends that consideration should be given
"to inviting the World Trade Organization to consider how it might
contribute to the implementation of the Platform for Action, including
activities in cooperation with the United Nations system" (para. 343).
87. These recommendations will be brought to the attention of all
concerned organizations, and their responses will be covered in subsequent
reports. The concerned organizations, including the Bretton Woods
institutions and the World Trade Organization, will be invited to
participate in the proposed inter-agency task force (see para. 38 above).
88. The revised system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women
for the period 1996-2001, which will reflect the proposals for action
agreed to in Beijing and at other recent global conferences, will provide a
basis for monitoring the implementation by the United Nations system of the
Platform for Action and related recommendations on gender issues formulated
by other conferences. It will provide a mechanism for mobilizing and
monitoring joint activities and for identifying gaps in the implementation
of the Platform. The plan is scheduled for review by the Commission on the
Status of Women, the Administrative Committee on Coordination, the
Committee for Programme and Coordination and the Economic and Social
Council in 1996.
89. At the second regular session for 1995 of the Administrative Committee
on Coordination, held on 12 and 13 October, executive heads agreed that
monitoring the follow-up by the United Nations system to the International
Conference on Population and Development, the World Social Summit for
Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women will be a main concern
of the Committee in the period ahead. The Administrative Committee on
Coordination decided that it will, to the extent possible, undertake this
work on the basis of cross-sectoral themes, bringing together related
results of recent global conferences. The Committee also decided to
strengthen coordinated support for follow-up action at the country level,
through inter-agency task forces organized around three interrelated
themes: (a) the enabling environment for social and economic development;
(b) employment and sustainable livelihoods; and (c) basic social services
for all. It directed that the gender dimension should be taken fully into
account in the work of each of these task forces. Noting that the Platform
for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women encompasses but
goes well beyond these themes, the Secretary-General, following action by
the General Assembly, will propose to the Administrative Committee on
Coordination the establishment of a goal-oriented, inter-agency task force
on the empowerment and advancement of women in order to promote sustained
and coordinated follow-up to the Platform for Action and to ensure that the
improvement of the status of women in all its aspects is placed in the
mainstream of the work of the system. The experience of the Ad Hoc Inter-
Agency Group on Women, a network of focal points on women's issues that has
been meeting within the framework of the Administrative Committee on
Coordination since International Women's Year, in 1975, will be drawn upon
in this regard.
(j) Non-governmental organizations
90. As noted above, the Conference was characterized by the unprecedented
involvement of civil society, including the participation of an
unprecedented number of non-governmental organizations. In recognition of
this contribution, the Platform for Action states that the active support
and participation of a broad and diverse range of institutional actors
should be encouraged, including "legislative bodies, academic and research
institutions, professional associations, trade unions, cooperatives, local
community groups, non-governmental organizations, including women's
organizations and feminist groups, the media, religious groups, youth
organizations and cultural groups, as well as financial and non-profit
organizations" (para. 295).
91. The Platform for Action provides for a role for non-governmental
organizations in the design and implementation of national strategies or
plans of action (para. 297). It further states that non-governmental
organizations should be encouraged "to develop their own programmes to
complement government efforts. Women's organizations and feminist groups,
in collaboration with other non-governmental organizations, should be
encouraged to organize networks, as necessary, and to advocate for and
support the implementation of the Platform for Action by Governments and
regional and international bodies" (para. 298). The Platform calls for
strengthening the capacity of non-governmental organizations to mobilize
and contribute resources towards implementation of the Platform (para.
350). Underscoring the role that non-governmental organizations have in
implementing the Platform for Action, the Platform calls for consideration
to be given to "establishing a mechanism for collaborating with non-
governmental organizations to promote the implementation of the Platform at
various levels" (para. 344).
92. The Secretary-General attaches great importance to the continued
mobilization of all elements of civil society in promoting an effective
follow-up to the Conference and expects that the Commission on the Status
of Women will give consideration to means of promoting the effective
implementation of the provisions of the Platform for Action relating to
non-governmental organizations, including the establishment of appropriate
mechanisms to enhance collaboration with these organizations.
III. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AT ITS FIFTIETH SESSION
93. Consideration by the General Assembly of the report on the Fourth
World Conference on Women should serve to consolidate the commitments
entered into by Member States and the international community in Beijing.
To that end, the Assembly at its current session may wish to consider
taking the following action:
(a) Calling upon Member States and the international community to commit
themselves to full and effective implementation of the Platform for Action
through the early development of specific implementation strategies,
including the establishment or improvement of national machineries for the
advancement of women and measures to integrate the gender dimension into
all policies and programmes;
(b) Calling upon the organizations of the United Nations system to
extend their full support to Governments and the international community in
the implementation of the Platform for Action in the context of an
integrated follow-up to all recent global conferences;
(c) Inviting all elements of civil society to contribute actively to the
fulfilment of the objectives of the Platform for Action;
(d) Deciding to review the implementation of the Platform for Action on
a biennial basis;
(e) Inviting the Economic and Social Council to utilize its high-level,
coordination and operational activities segments to further policy
coordination and inter-agency cooperation towards the achievement of the
objectives of the Platform for Action, in accordance with the
recommendations of the Conference;
(f) Inviting the Economic and Social Council to review and strengthen
the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, taking into account
the need for effective coordination with other related commissions and
Conference follow-up, so as to enable the Commission to play a central
role, within the United Nations system, in monitoring the implementation of
the Platform for Action, and in assisting the Council in coordination of
reporting on implementation;
(g) Inviting the Commission on the Status of Women, in developing its
work programme for the period 1996-2000, to consider modalities for
maximizing its contribution to the follow-up to the Conference, including
monitoring of implementation, policy development with respect to the
critical areas of concern in the Platform for Action and the strengthening
of its catalytic role in mainstreaming a gender perspective in United
Nations activities;
(h) Also inviting, within their mandates, all other United Nations
organs and their subsidiary bodies to take due account of the Platform for
Action and to ensure the integration of the gender dimension in their
respective policymaking activities;
(i) Calling for mobilization of resources from all sources to further
the implementation of the Platform for Action, including sustained
contributions to voluntarily funded programmes of the United Nations system
for activities on gender and development;
(j) Noting the commitment of the Secretary-General to exercise
responsibility for coordination of policy within the United Nations for the
implementation of the Platform for Action and for the mainstreaming of a
systemwide gender perspective in all activities of the United Nations at
all levels, and the arrangements being made by the Secretary-General in
this regard;
(k) Noting the intention of the Secretary-General to establish a
highlevel advisory board on the advancement of women to ensure that the
expectations and concerns of major constituencies on gender-related issues
are fully taken into account in implementing the Platform for Action;
(l) Noting the key roles to be played by the Administrative Committee on
Coordination, through, inter alia, the proposed inter-agency task force,
the regional commissions and the resident coordinator system, in
contributing to the coordinated implementation of the Platform for Action
at the inter-agency, regional and national levels;
(m) Providing for the strengthening of the capacity of relevant entities
within the United Nations to contribute, in a coordinated manner, to the
effective follow-up to the Conference.
Notes
1/ Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15
September 1995 (A/CONF.177/20).
2/ Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the
Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development
and Peace, Nairobi, 15-26 July 1985 (United Nations publication, Sales No.
E.85.IV.10), chap. I, sect. A.
3/ Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women ..., chap. I,
resolution 1, annexes I and II respectively.
4/ Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1993, Supplement
No. 9 (E/1993/29).
5/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June
1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.
6/ Ibid., para. 42.
7/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Fiftieth Session,
Supplement No. 6 (A/50/6/Rev.1).
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