****************************************************************************** This document has been made available in electronic format by the United Nations. Reproduction and dissemination of the document - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available. ***************************************************************************** UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ACC/1994/8 30 June 1994 ENGLISH ONLY REPORT OF THE EIGHTEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN (New York, 3 and 4 March 1994 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page INTRODUCTION ............................................... 1 4 I. MATTERS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON COORDINATION ............................ 2 - 3 4 II. PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, 1995 ................................................. 4 4 III. REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NAIROBI FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN .............. 5 - 6 5 IV. COORDINATION OF THE PREPARATION OF REPORTS ........... 7 - 13 6 A. Preparation of reports on the priority themes for the thirty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women .................................. 7 - 11 6 B. Preparation of the 1994 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development .......................... 12 - 13 7 V. PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS ....................................... 14 7 VI. OTHER MATTERS ........................................ 15 - 16 8 VII. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NINETEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN ..................................... 17 8 Annexes Page I. AGENDA FOR THE EIGHTEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN ... 9 II. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ............................................. 10 III. JOINT STATEMENT OF THE EIGHTEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN TO THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AT ITS THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION ............................................ 13 IV. PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE NINETEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN, MARCH 1995 ................................................ 22 SUMMARY The main work of the eighteenth Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women centred on the preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995, including discussions of the preparatory process at national, regional and global levels, the Platform for Action, and the second review and appraisal of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 1/ with respect to the progress made in their implementation. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to have a preparatory process that remained sustainable beyond the Conference. Issues such as institutional arrangements and financial resources as part of the accountability for implementing the Platform for Action after its adoption were highlighted as critical. A joint statement on the preparations for the Conference (annex III) was prepared for delivery to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth session. Two proposals were put forward to the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) concerning the status of the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women after the Fourth World Conference on Women and the inclusion of a gender perspective in any efforts of the United Nations to prepare an agenda for development. The preparation of the reports on the priority themes for the Commission on the Status of Women (1995) and of the 1994 edition of the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2/ was discussed. The meeting was briefed on preparations for the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. INTRODUCTION 1. The eighteenth Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women was held at New York on 3 and 4 March 1994, prior to the thirty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The agenda for the meeting and the list of participants are contained in annexes I and II, respectively. I. MATTERS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON COORDINATION Recommendations 2. With regard to the status of the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women, it was recommended that ACC give urgent attention to regularizing the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women as one of its subsidiary bodies beyond 1995 and to strengthening its mandate and terms of reference in light of the results of the Fourth World Conference on Women, particularly its decisions on institutional arrangements for the implementation of the Platform for Action and for the programme for the advancement of women. 3. In the event that an agenda for development was to be formulated, the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women recommended that this be carried out through a broad consultative process and that a gender perspective be integrated throughout the document. II. PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, 1995 4. The Meeting discussed the following elements of Conference preparations: (a) General aspects: participants emphasized that the preparations were a process that should remain sustainable beyond the Conference in 1995. National preparations should be encouraged up to Beijing and beyond. It was suggested that deadlines for national report preparations ought to be understood as being indicative rather than exclusive in order to encourage broad-based input into national preparations. The function of national reports as catalysts at the national level was underlined. The Meeting stressed the importance of active agency participation in preparations at the national and the regional level. The role of the resident coordinators in encouraging and facilitating preparations at the national level, including agency involvement, was underlined. The need for financial and technical assistance for national and regional preparations was stressed. The role of non-governmental organizations in the preparatory process at all levels was discussed; (b) Regional preparations: the Meeting discussed the status of preparations at the regional level, with regard both to the regional preparatory conferences and to national preparations in the region. Agency participation in these activities was encouraged. It was decided that the annotated agendas for the regional conferences would be circulated among all members of the Meeting. (c) Platform for Action: (i) The Meeting took note of the first draft of the Platform for Action (E/CN.6/1994/10, annex) that had been prepared by the United Nations Secretariat on the basis of the structure set out in the annex to resolution 37/7 of the Commission on the Status of Women and the results of the Inter-sessional Working Group of the Commission on the Status of Women (10-14 January 1994). The relationship between the Platform for Action and regional plans was discussed. Participants discussed the challenge of reconciling the need for generalization of global trends in a concise document of a global nature, including the need to arrive at a minimum consensus, and the reality of regional differences and disparities; (ii) In discussing the Platform for Action, the Meeting stressed the need for consistency from a gender perspective between the Platform for Action and any agenda for development that might be formulated by the United Nations; (iii) Extensive comments on the Platform for Action were brought to the attention of the Conference secretariat. A joint statement reflecting these views (annex III) was prepared and addressed to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth session. Specific suggestions of participants on individual paragraphs of the draft Platform for Action would be brought to the attention of the planned working group of the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth session. (d) Agency input: the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat (DAW) expressed appreciation for input already received from agencies towards the preparation of the Platform for Action. Individual agency statements at the thirty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women were encouraged; (e) Institutional follow-up and financial arrangements: the Meeting discussed the critical importance of effective mechanisms both within the United Nations system and within Governments to ensure implementation of the Platform for Action. With regard to financial matters, participants agreed that the key element was a redirection or reallocation of resources as part of accountability at the international, regional and national levels for the implementation of the Platform for Action. III. REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NAIROBI FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN 5. The Meeting was briefed on the discussion of the draft outline of the second review and appraisal of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women which had taken place at the thirty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Based on that discussion, the Secretariat had prepared, in cooperation with members of the United Nations system, a new set of indicators, as part of the guidelines for the preparation of national reports, which had been sent to all Governments. Since the second review and appraisal would back up the Platform for Action, the suggestion was put forward to organize the review and appraisal along the lines of the structure of the Platform for Action, while maintaining the links with the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies. The review and appraisal would focus on highlighting factual changes since 1985, and on lessons learned in terms of successful actions. 6. The meeting agreed on the need for DAW to redraft the outline of the second review and appraisal along the lines of the structure of the Platform for Action. In preparing the first draft of the document, DAW would use material already made available by the members of the United Nations system, as well as any new material that was received. The draft thus prepared would be circulated to all members for comments. It would highlight areas where information was missing with a request for additional information from agencies. The meeting further agreed that DAW would draw up a schedule of documents to be prepared by DAW requiring agency inputs including deadlines for the submission of contributions. IV. COORDINATION OF THE PREPARATION OF REPORTS A. Preparation of reports on the priority themes for the thirty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women 7. Participants received a note on the approach proposed for the preparation of reports on the priority themes for the thirty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The priority theme under equality would be "Equality in economic decision-making". Under development, the theme would be "Promotion of literacy, education and training, including technological skills". Under peace, the theme would be "Women in international decision-making". Agency participation in, and contribution to, the preparation of all the reports under the priority themes were encouraged, including in the planned expert group meetings and seminars. 8. With regard to the theme under development, participants expressed support for the suggested approach focusing, inter alia, on an evaluation of the quality of girls' education and lifelong learning. They considered it important to look the diversification of skills, which would enable women access to gainful employment. 9. As for the theme under peace, participants agreed that the emphasis would be on an analysis, from a gender perspective of the difference that a greater number of women might make with regard to decision-making processes. The analysis would focus on clusters of global issues such as peace-keeping, humanitarian issues and, structural adjustment. The point was made that the involvement of women in international decision-making could not be limited to the area of peace alone, but was relevant also in the other areas of equality and development. Participants cautioned against a strict separation of the national level and the international level. 10. The Meeting agreed that for the priority theme under peace, as many agencies as possible would prepare case-studies to document whether women in decision-making made a difference. Contrasting studies would also be very useful. As many agencies as possible would participate in the planned expert group meeting towards the end of 1994. DAW would prepare an aide-m‚moire to serve as framework for the preparation of case-studies and other input. 11. The Meeting stressed that in considering each of these priority themes, including women in economic decision-making, the interlinkages among the three themes should be strongly emphasized. B. Preparation of the 1994 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 12. The Meeting was informed that the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development would focus on three major areas, namely, poverty, productive employment, and women in economic decision-making. DAW expressed appreciation to the agencies for the very useful input that had already been provided. The Meeting discussed the process for arriving at the final text, including the preparation of strong conclusions. Participants highlighted the need for close cooperation with the secretariat for the World Summit for Social Development, which was covering similar issues, and in particular the timely sharing of information with the secretariat unit responsible for preparation of World Summit for Social Development documentation. It was suggested that the preliminary version of the updated World Survey - which the General Assembly in its resolution 48/108 had requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Economic and Social Council, through the Commission on the Status of Women - should be made available to the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit for Social Development at its second session. 13. The Meeting agreed that the additional material would be provided by the agencies as appropriate. DAW would circulate a first draft as soon as possible. It was decided to seek funding for a visit by a consultant from the Development Assistance Committee (of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development)/Women in Development (DAC/WID) group to the agencies to compile relevant information. Subsequently, agency partners would meet in groups in order to develop a common position on specific segments. An informal technical meeting might be convened to finalize the document. V. PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS 14. Information was provided by a representative of the secretariat for the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations on the preparations under way. It was suggested that the secretariat for the fiftieth anniversary link up also with regional preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women. The Meeting appreciated the efforts undertaken by the secretariat for the fiftieth anniversary to ensure gender balance in national committees, as well as in the preparations for the celebrations, and recommended that those efforts be maintained. Note was taken of the fact that this was not yet the case. It was noted that the activities of the United Nations with regard to the advancement of women had contributed greatly to progress in this area. This contribution needed to be acknowledged and celebrated during the anniversary. Inclusion of inputs from the agencies was suggested. VI. OTHER MATTERS 15. The Meeting took note of the suggestion that an informal inter-agency meeting might be convened in the course of 1994 to discuss coordination of preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women and other matters. 16. It was proposed that the Department of Public Information of the United Nations Secretariat seriously address the need to make available at the Conference site of the Fourth World Conference on Women adequate space for exhibitions and displays of agencies. VII. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NINETEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN 17. The nineteenth Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women will take place prior to the thirty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 1995. Annex IV contains the agenda for the nineteenth Meeting. Notes 1/ 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. 2/ United Nations publication, Sales No. E.89.IV.2. Annex I AGENDA FOR THE EIGHTEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN 1. Opening of the meeting. 2. Adoption of the agenda. 3. Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women. 4. Reports on priority themes and the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. 5. Preparations for the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. 6. Programming and coordination matters related to the United Nations and United Nations system. 7. Operational activities. 8. Other matters. 9. Adoption of the report of the eighteenth Meeting. Annex II LIST OF PARTICIPANTS United Nations Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development Division for the Advancement Ms. Gertrude Mongella of Women (Secretary-General of the Fourth World Conference on Women) Ms. Kristen Timothy (Chairperson) Mr. John Mathiason Ms. Christine Brautigam (Secretary) Ms. Maria Hartl Ms. Magaly Roman-Martinez Ms. Natalia Zakharova Ms. Nora Galer Ms. Herta Kaschitz Ms. Matilda Vasquez Ms. Semia Guermas Ms. Annie Tanmizi Ms. Dorota Gierycz Ms. Armelle Domenach Department for Economic and Social Ms. Joann Vanek Information and Policy Analysis Department of Humanitarian Affairs Ms. Joyce Mends-Cole Department of Public Information Ms. Tina Jorgensen Ms. Tina Anderssen Centre for Human Rights Ms. Rukia Hussen-Aden United Nations International Drug Ms. Sylvie Bryant Control Programme, New York office Economic and Social Commission for Ms. Meena Patel Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Economic Commission for Latin Ms. Miriam Krawczyk America and the Caribbean Economic Commission for Africa Ms. Mebo Mwaniki Regional commissions, New York Ms. Harriet Schmidt office Ms. Margaret McCaffery United Nations Children's Fund Ms. Misrak Elias United Nations Development Ms. Elizabeth Lwanga-Okwenja Programme United Nations Volunteers Ms. Jean Anglin United Nations Development Ms. Beti Astolfi Fund for Women Office of the United Nations Ms. Ann M. Howarth-Wiles High Commissioner for Refugees United Nations Population Fund Ms. Talat Jafri International Research and Training Ms. Margaret Shields Institute for the Advancement of Women World Food Programme Ms. E. Kocken United Nations Interregional Crime Ms. Angela Patrignani and Justice Research Institute United Nations University Ms. Valentine Moghadam United Nations Centre for Human Ms. Aliye P. Celik Settlements (Habitat) Non-Governmental Liaison Service Ms. Kirsti Floor International Trade Centre Ms. Ingrid I. Vanore-Speer UNCTAD/GATT Specialized agencies International Labour Organization Ms. Maria Angelica Ducci de Santa Cruz Food and Agriculture Organization Ms. Leena M. Kirjavainen of the United Nations United Nations Educational, Ms. Ingeborg Breines Scientific and Cultural Organization World Health Organization Ms. Carla Abou-Zahr World Bank Mr. Michael Bamberger International Monetary Fund Ms. Harriet Shugarman International Maritime Organization Ms. Pamela Tansey International Fund for Agricultural Ms. Mona Fikri Development United Nations Industrial Development Ms. Marie-Ann Martin Organization Annex III JOINT STATEMENT OF THE EIGHTEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN TO THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AT ITS THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION Madam Chairperson, Madam Secretary-General, Distinguished Delegates, Colleagues and Friends, The representatives of the 31 organizations and specialized agencies of the United Nations system participating in the eighteenth Ad Hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women have the honour to introduce this joint inter-agency statement on the Platform for Action for the Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held in Beijing. Working together in a spirit of cooperation, the United Nations organizations and specialized agencies represented here acknowledge the importance of the draft Platform for Action (E/CN.6/1994/10, annex) for setting in motion, and ensuring in the long term, the shaping and implementation of a gender-sensitive development agenda. The Platform for Action will indeed provide the framework for concerted action at the international, national and local levels for achieving the objectives of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women during the rest of the 1990s and beyond. It will emphasize the importance of an integrated and cross-sectoral approach towards achieving an equitable partnership for sustainable and peaceful development, and it will stress the creative participation of all actors in its implementation. Therefore, noting with appreciation that most of the suggestions made in the joint statement delivered to the Commission at its thirty-seventh session (ACC/1993/9, annex III) were taken into consideration, the agencies and organizations of the United Nations system wish to contribute further to the evolving process of drafting the Platform for Action, by transmitting to the Commission at its thirty-eighth session the following concerns. CONTENT AND APPROACH The Strategic Objectives constitute the core of the Platform for Action and therefore should be sharpened and given more prominence in the overall text. Greater correlation between the sections on "Critical Areas of Concern" and "Strategic Objectives" would add to the overall coherence of the document. The sequence within these two sections could be altered accordingly, moving from the broader issues to the sectoral ones. The sections on "Financial arrangements" and "Institutional arrangements for implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action" are critical. In particular, the collective experience of the United Nations system demonstrates that accountability for implementation is a crucial element in ensuring that the purposes of the Platform for Action will be achieved. Consequently, we reiterate that accountability measures need to be built directly into the Platform for Action. STATEMENT OF MISSION The Statement of Mission should reflect the new ethic for sustainable development, which has as its primary objective the improvement of the quality of life of all human beings, and their active participation as agents of change. This implies balancing economic, cultural and social aims, reconciling growth with equity, and underscoring the interdependence and partnership of women and men. GLOBAL FRAMEWORK In the Global Framework, more emphasis needs to be given to how women's advancement and well-being are affected by the globalization of the economy, international trade and investment, and economic and social restructuring. The Global Framework should also recognize the increasing gaps and disparities between rich and poor countries, urban and rural areas, social classes, age groups, and men and women. The Global Framework should place greater emphasis on the interrelated factors that impinge on women's lives and span their productive and reproductive roles, including access to employment, economic resources, education, health and family planning. Women and girls especially have been adversely affected by unemployment, poverty, forced migration, and displacement of populations within and across national borders as a result of war and regional conflicts, famine, food and nutritional insecurity, and deterioration of natural resources. At present, policies and strategies for development do not take into account how women can contribute actively, through their experience, talents, insights and creativity, to the shaping of our common future. While the post-Nairobi period has witnessed some significant improvements in women's status, it is imperative that setbacks, continuing imbalances, and new problems be clearly identified. This should facilitate the integration of a gender perspective into policies and strategies for development. CRITICAL AREAS While the selection of the critical areas do indeed touch on the major concerns, there is a need to underscore the issues that have undermined the empowerment of women. For the purpose of this presentation, we have noted issues common to most of the areas of concern, yet not fully addressed in the Platform for Action. First, targeting of women is an integral part of the mainstreaming strategy. Second, the involvement of women in the private sector should be brought to light. Third, stronger recognition should be given to women's own responses to increasingly difficult and changing productive, economic and social conditions, based on their know-how, initiatives and capacities. Fourth, gender-disaggregated statistics should be a basis for planning, resource allocation and accountability. Fifth, the widening gap between urban and rural environments, as well as their increasing interdependence, should be seen as having significant impacts on women's social, economic and productive responsibilities. Sixth, training in technical and technological sectors should specifically include training in management, entrepreneurship and marketing. Details of issues for each subheading of the Critical Areas of Concern are as follows: Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels: This subsection deals mainly with women in political and government structures. More emphasis, however, should be placed on the private sector (agriculture, manufacturing, trade and services). Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women: Statistics have an essential role in the elimination of stereotypes, the formulating of policies, and the monitoring of movement towards full equality. While significant improvements have been made, additional work is necessary to further refine concepts and methods to generate new and higher-quality data and to put statistics into the hands of users. Mention should be made of the role of the private sector in advocacy and technical capacities pertaining to the advancement of women. Mainstreaming women's concerns needs to encompass private sector activities as well as public policies and programmes. Care should be taken to ensure that mainstreaming does not lead to the loss of the specific targeting of women where they are at a clear disadvantage. Lack of awareness of, and commitment to, internationally and nationally recognized women's human rights: This subsection should include reference to international standards other than the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, especially those pertaining to human rights and labour standards. The persistent and growing burden of poverty on women: While there is increasing recognition world wide of the critical roles of rural women in development, they still confront considerable discrimination that constitutes a major obstacle to increased productivity, enhanced food security and achievements in environmental stability in agriculture and forestry. Rural women have limited access to productive resources, remunerative employment, social services, education and information and usually little economic, political and legal power to change their circumstances to improve their quality of life. Given the recognition that the number of women-headed households is increasing and the feminization of poverty becoming more of a reality, strategies and actions are needed that move away from the current welfare orientation to address the economic empowerment of women; stem the growing disparity between rural and urban conditions; and move towards environmentally sustainable actions for poverty alleviation. Stronger recognition should be given to women's own responses to increasingly difficult and changing productive and economic conditions, based on their know-how, initiatives and capacities. Inequality in women's access to and participation in the definition of economic structures and policies and the productive process itself: The title should explicitly include "participation in economic structures and policies, in employment and in the productive process itself". Equal pay for work of equal value in the formal and informal sectors and in the rural sector needs to be highlighted as a fundamental right of women. Job segregation on the basis of sex is both a cause and a consequence of inequality for women in the world of work. Diversification of training opportunities for women and the elimination of sex stereotyping of jobs and occupations are essential to combat job segregation and for women's access to higher levels in the occupational structure. The recognition of the economic and social value of household work and equal sharing of family responsibilities between men and women are the basis for equal opportunities and treatment for both sexes in employment. The participation of women in trade unions and in employers' organizations, as well as the paying of greater attention by these organizations to equality concerns, needs to be highlighted. Increasing unemployment and the casualization of jobs are an additional threat to equal opportunities for women. Inequality in access to education, health and related services and other means of maximizing the use of women's capacities: This strategic goal contains two major areas. Splitting them up could be considered. It is suggested that the titles be altered. When mentioning health and related services, family planning should be added. The opening statement in paragraph 35 of the draft Platform for Action is not in accordance with recent data. Gender parity at primary and secondary levels is being achieved in only two regions of the world. For example, developing countries as a whole have seen an increase of only 1 per cent in female enrolment between 1985 and 1991. At the tertiary level, the gender disparity is wide. Both literacy and basic education for all, as well as technical and vocational education for girls and women, are of great concern. The educational content should reflect the needs, interests and aspirations of girls and women, and stimulate their creative and entrepreneurial potential. Particular incentives are needed in curricula, teaching material, and teacher training, with regard to role models and in classroom situations, to ensure that both boys and girls are emancipated from stereotyped roles and expectations. Violence against women: Emphasis should be given to an analysis of the roots of violence against women and girls, addressing their causes, and whether they are of historical, social, cultural or religious origin. A gender analysis of violence against women will lead to solutions and programmes that include men. We believe it is crucial to raise issues related to sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, as well as those related to trafficking in women and girls for the purposes of prostitution. The particular vulnerability of stateless women such as refugees and displaced women who can no longer avail themselves of their Government's legal protection should be highlighted. Effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women: The effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women should not be viewed uniquely from the perspective of "effects" but more importantly from that of complex and interrelated root causes. Severe economic and environmental problems may contribute to or exacerbate social and ethnic tensions resulting in persecution and large-scale movements of marginalized populations. Solutions include culturally and socially sensitive development planning, women's involvement in peacemaking, and community reconciliation. Women's involvement in creating and sustaining peaceful societies should be seen in a perspective broader than that encompassing only the issue of peace-keeping forces. Women's experience derived from their caring and nurturing functions, their survival skills and their flexibility are vital contributors to the peace process and should be drawn upon in negotiations and forums for conflict resolution. Insufficient use of mass media to promote women's positive contributions to society: The title should be changed to "Insufficient cooperation with the mass media in promoting women's positive contribution to society". The same concern relates to the Strategic Objective under subsection IV.J of the draft Platform for Action. In both instances, the Platform for Action should stress better cooperation between the mass media and advocates for women's advancement in order to promote a less stereotyped and exploitative image of women. This subsection should elaborate on the ways in which the media can project more positive representations of women, such as those emphasizing women's productive and creative contributions to society. Lack of adequate recognition and support for women's contribution to managing natural resources and safeguarding the environment: Technological and scientific development should include women's concerns. More attention should be paid to research focusing on alternative energy sources that would be environment-friendly and could alleviate women's daily burden. Equally important is women's need to participate in all areas pertaining to genetic research, policies, and programmes, as these areas have implications for women's reproductive rights and health. This subsection should refer to the natural as well as the built environment areas. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES The Strategic Objectives, to the extent that they convey the forward-looking approach of the Platform for Action, should be sharpened and elaborated to provide clear guidance for action. The introduction to this section should stress the linkages among the various Objectives and the mutually reinforcing effect of their achievement within an integrated strategy. Furthermore, the introduction should highlight those Objectives aimed at responding to the most strategic needs of women in terms of ensuring a long-lasting enabling environment for a sustainable progress towards gender equality. In this regard, the participation of women in power structures and decision-making at all levels, and the systematic integration of gender concerns in policies, planning and implementation in all sectors, are critical for consolidating the basis for future and continued development of gender equity in all spheres. Similarly, mention should be made of the linkages between the Strategic Objectives contained in the Platform for Action, and the broader United Nations agenda for development. Outputs from other global United Nations events will offer an updated framework for refining the Strategic Objectives of the Platform for Action. The strength of this section could be enhanced by a concise statement elaborating the strategic nature of each Objective. Time-bound targets for each Strategic Objective should be specified, urging the establishment of incentives and support measures for its attainment. Actions to be taken for the achievement of each Strategic Objective are stated separately for Governments, non-governmental organizations and international organizations. Though this may help in the assignment of specific responsibilities in the implementation of the Platform for Action, it is important to underscore the need for concerted efforts, joint action and convergence among all these categories. Most actions should involve the three categories simultaneously, and the open participation of a broader span of institutions, organizations and individuals should be encouraged in both the public and the private sectors. There could be a reorganization of the sequence of the Strategic Objectives, moving upwards those objectives that cut across all areas and lay the groundwork for facilitating the achievement of all the other objectives. The titles could be more straightforward. For instance, the Objective of "Strengthening factors that promote the full participation of women in power structures and decision-making at all levels" should encompass the participation of women in a wide range of organizations and institutions in the public and private sectors. The strategic nature of this Objective lies in its potential for strengthening democracy, for ensuring equality in the long term, and for enriching the development process with diversity and innovation. Governments, non-governmental organizations and the United Nations system should jointly pursue this Objective in all spheres and not only within their respective decision-making structures. The Objective of "Mobilizing information so as to integrate gender considerations into policy and programme planning and implementation at all levels" could be rephrased so as to read "mobilizing information so as to integrate gender concerns in development policies and programme planning and implementation in all sectors and at all levels". The strategic value of this Objective lies in the creation of a permanent and solid base for a truly gender-sensitive agenda for development. Therefore, it should be given more prominence and placed second in the sequence. The Objective of "Applying and enforcing international norms and standards to safeguard the human rights of women" should elaborate on the concept of women's rights from the time they are born and throughout their life cycle and should refer explicitly to the broader range of available international conventions and normative instruments. The Objective pertaining to productive resources should explicitly include access to employment and appropriate working conditions, and access to markets, in addition to land, capital and technology. The Objective referring to poverty should reflect a more proactive and less "welfare-oriented" approach to poverty alleviation programmes. Women's organizational skills should be valued, and the innovative strategies already deployed by women to overcome poverty should be supported. The remaining Objectives are sectoral and, consequently, should be precisely spelt out, identifying concise areas of intervention and including quantifiable targets. They should be elaborated on to identify their projected impact as regards responding to the practical needs of women, while emphasizing the qualitative approach that is needed to ensure the accomplishment of their strategic aim. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS To attain gender equitable development it is necessary to marshal resources towards achieving the strategic objectives set within time-bound targets. Therefore, actions foreseen should be costed, so that Governments, agencies and donors can commit the necessary financial and human resources. While actions directly targeting women are relatively easy to budget, allocations for mainstream actions, such as public spending on social services, need to specify the resources devoted to the improvement of the situation of women. It should be noted that actions benefiting women do not always involve additional resources; they do, however, require a change in approach to, and reallocation and specification of, funding to ensure women's benefit and participation. Resources should favour actions that are most cost-effective and have the maximum multiplier effect. Accountability measures should be put in place to ensure that this is done. Efforts should be made to pool resources and to initiate joint ventures and mobilize all potential sources and partners, including the local community itself. Coordination and cooperation between bilateral and multilateral assistance will enhance and expand the impact of activities. Governments and non-governmental organizations should also strengthen their partnership in negotiating and coordinating international cooperation. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Institutional Arrangements for Implementation and Monitoring of the Platform for Action need to be clearly defined, in particular taking into account the fact that gender concerns cut across all areas of development and therefore involve multiple institutions and actors at all levels. A core structure directly concerned with coordinating, monitoring and evaluating implementation of and accountability to the Platform for Action is required at the international, regional and national levels. Coordination on gender issues at the policy level among existing United Nations commissions and committees (Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on Human Rights, Population Commission, Commission on the Status of Women, and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)) should be improved. Similarly, a comprehensive and open dialogue and record of experience between multilateral and bilateral organizations and representatives of civil society should be an integral part of institutional arrangements at the international level. The capacity of machineries, structures and institutions with mandates for the advancement of women needs to be strengthened through increased human and financial resources. Mainstreaming women's needs and perspectives in the global agenda for development requires clear mandates, policies and management commitment in all the institutions involved. Furthermore, it depends upon strong independent women's networks and technical capacities linked to information, statistics, research and training. Countries should be urged to prepare a national platform for action setting specific targets relevant to their own situation. Policy guidelines for programming have been established in the past decade through the initiatives of gender or women-in-development units. The responsibility for implementing the provisions of the Platform for Action should be shifted to all units of agencies and Governments with accountability mechanisms for measurable outcomes that demonstrate gender balance. Critical instruments to ensure competence and achievements in terms of gender are strengthening of institutions, in particular those with a specific mandate for the advancement of women; recruitment and personnel practices; results-oriented training, budget allocations related to performance; and evaluation of impact analysis. Accountability requires realistic measurable goals and the adoption of enforcement mechanisms. Mobilization and partnership with people, organizations and institutions are a key to effective accountability. Madam Chairperson, The organizations and agencies of the United Nations system are fully aware of the need for continued coordination of their policies, strategies and programmes in support of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the year 2000. Therefore, ensuring the continued functioning and formalization of an inter-agency coordination mechanism is of the utmost importance. In closing, we wish to reaffirm that you and the Commission can rely fully on the agencies and organizations represented in this statement to cooperate in and support the efforts to ensure the success of the Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held in Beijing. Thank you. Annex IV PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE NINETEENTH AD HOC INTER-AGENCY MEETING ON WOMEN, MARCH 1995 1. Opening of the meeting. 2. Adoption of the agenda. 3. Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: (a) Platform for Action; (b) Regional preparations; (c) National preparations; (d) Agency preparations; (e) Financial and institutional arrangements of the Platform for Action. 4. Coordination of report preparations. 5. Programming and coordination matters of the United Nations and United Nations system related to women: (a) Status of the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Women; (b) Preparations for the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations; (c) Follow-up to international conferences (World Conference on Human Rights, International Conference on Population and Development, World Summit for Social Development). 6. Operational activities. 7. Other matters. 8. Adoption of the report. -----