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CONFERENCE ON WOMEN LIMITED A/CONF.177/L.1 24 May 1995 Beijing, China 4-15 September 1995 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH PROPOSALS FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE PREPARATION OF A DRAFT DECLARATION DRAFT PLATFORM FOR ACTION Note by the Secretary-General At its thirty-ninth session, held at United Nations Headquarters from 15 March to 7 April 1995, the Commission on the Status of Women, acting as the preparatory body for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, decided to transmit to the Conference, for its consideration, the material for a draft declaration, contained in an informal paper, and the draft platform for action, contained in documents E/CN.6/1995/L.17 and the relevant addenda, as amended by the Commission. I. PROPOSED BEIJING DECLARATION TO ACCOMPANY THE DRAFT PLATFORM FOR ACTION: MATERIAL SUBMITTED BY PATRICIA B. LICUANAN (PHILIPPINES), CHAIRPERSON OF THE THIRTY-NINTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Representatives of regional groups and of countries at the consultations all agreed that there should be a declaration accompanying the Platform for Action. It was also agreed that negotiations on the text of the declaration were not yet possible but that ideas should first be solicited. Below are the main points raised during the discussion. General characteristics of the Declaration 1. Short and concise. 2. Understandable and appealing to a wide range of audiences. It should be able to communicate to parliamentarians and rural women alike what the Fourth World Conference on Women was about. 3. Focused on main (a few) "cross-cutting" themes rather than covering the 12 areas of concern in the Platform. It should present main messages rather than a summary. 4. Broad rather than specific or detailed. 5. Rousing and inspiring. Main elements of the Declaration Preamble 1. Expression of concern about the situation of women. A sense of urgency; need to act now. 2. Goals/objectives (what do we want from the Fourth World Conference on Women?) ~ Equality, development and peace (old goals which still have to be attained) ~ Themes that cut across all areas of concern: Empowerment of women Full and equal partnership between women and men Mainstreaming women in the development process as agents as well as beneficiaries Diversity of women and their situations 3. Previous international instruments: ~ Charter of the United Nations ~ Universal Declaration of Human Rights ~ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ~ Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 4. Link with the past/historical context (what has been achieved so far?): ~ 1945, United Nations ~ 1975, Mexico ~ 1980, Copenhagen ~ 1985, Nairobi Global environment (descriptive) 1. World changes, new century, new millennium 2. Situation of women Enabling environment (prescriptive) 1. Empowerment of women 2. Full and equal partnership between women and men 3. Mainstreaming women in development 4. Faith/hope in future generations Commitments 1. Conference on commitments 2. High-level political commitment to the implementation of the Platform for Action 3. Actions required at national and international levels Finally, it was decided that the above summary, along with the four texts submitted, should be presented to the Commission in plenary meeting for submission to the Conference. It is intended that these texts serve as the basis for drafting a Beijing declaration. The texts submitted by the Group of 77, the European Union, the United States of America and Canada are contained in annexes I to IV below. Annex I INITIAL POSITION OF THE GROUP OF 77 (To be developed further by the Group of 77) Beijing Declaration We, the Governments, the women and men, participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women, gathered here in Beijing, in September 1995, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Reaffirming: faith in the equal rights of women and men enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the objectives of equality, development and peace in the Nairobi Forward- looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, the commitment made through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convinced: that equal rights, equitable sharing of responsibilities, opportunities and harmonious partnership between women and men are vital to the well-being of humanity, that sustained economic growth and sustainable development require full and equal participation of women and men as both agents and beneficiaries, that national, regional and global peace is attainable and women are a fundamental force in leadership and for the promotion of lasting peace, Determined: to intensify efforts to achieve the goals of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women by the end of this century, to take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and women and remove all obstacles to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, to promote and respect the human rights of women and girls, to develop and mobilize the fullest potential of girls and women of all ages to build a better world for all, Hereby adopt and commit ourselves to implement the following Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women. Annex II EUROPEAN UNION POSITION ON THE DRAFT DECLARATION SUBMITTED BY THE GROUP OF 77 The European Union supports the principle of a concise declaration drafted in language that is clear and understandable to all. The Group of 77 text contains positive elements, but does not meet the expectations of the European Union. At this stage in the negotiations, however, it does not appear to be necessary to enter into a difficult drafting exercise. The European Union would nevertheless like to bring to the attention of delegations a non-exhaustive list of important points which should be included in the Beijing Declaration: ~ Promotion of women's economic independence, realization of their economic potential and the eradication of poverty ~ Women's contribution to sustainable development ~ Equal sharing of power and responsibility ~ Respect for the human rights of women and girls ~ Equal access to education and health care ~ The role of women in promoting peace ~ "Integration" of the question of the relationship between the sexes in all programmes and policies ~ Reconciliation of family and professional life for women and men ~ An end to violence ~ Encouragement of women and men to work together for equality ~ Empowerment of women Annex III AMENDMENTS TO THE INITIAL POSITION OF THE GROUP OF 77, SUBMITTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Beijing Declaration We, the Governments, the women and men, participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women, gathered here in Beijing, in September 1995, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Celebrating the voices of women from throughout the world, the work of women who paved the way before us and the hope present in our youth, Recognizing: that the world has undergone significant change in the past decade that has advanced the status of women in many aspects, that now, more than ever before, the critical and multi-faceted roles of women in economic, social, cultural and political life are being duly affirmed, that continuing poverty and failure to adhere to human rights threaten further improvements in the status of women, Reaffirming: faith in the equal rights of women and men enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, the objectives of equality, development and peace in the Nairobi Forward- looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, the commitment made through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, that the Fourth World Conference on Women builds upon the fundamental progress made at previous United Nations conferences - on women in Nairobi in 1985, on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, on human rights in Vienna in 1993 and on population and development in Cairo in 1994 - and at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, Convinced: that equal rights, equal sharing of responsibilities, opportunities and harmonious partnership between women and men are vital to the well-being of humanity, that sustainable development requires full and equal participation of women and men as both agents and beneficiaries, that national, regional and global peace is attainable and women are a fundamental force in leadership and for the promotion of lasting peace. Annex IV AMENDMENTS TO THE INITIAL POSITION OF THE GROUP OF 77, SUBMITTED BY CANADA Beijing Declaration We, the Governments participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women, gathered here in Beijing, in September 1995, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, recognize that the status of women has advanced in important respects in the past decade but that progress has been uneven and inequalities between women and men have continued. This has serious consequences for the well-being of all people and requires urgent action in a spirit of hope and determination, now and to carry us forward into the next century. We reaffirm: our commitment to the equal rights of women and men enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, to the objectives of equality, development and peace in the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, our obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the commitments made at previous United Nations summits and world conferences. We are convinced that: ~ equal rights, equal sharing of responsibilities and opportunities in all aspects of life and harmonious partnership between women and men are critical to the well-being of humanity ~ people-centred sustainable development requires the full and equal participation of women and men as both agents and beneficiaries ~ national, regional and global peace is attainable and women are a fundamental force in leadership and for the promotion of lasting peace ~ it is both essential and possible to design and implement effective, efficient and mutually reinforcing policies that will foster equality, development and peace. We are determined to: ~ intensify efforts to achieve the goals of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women by the end of this century ~ take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and women and remove all obstacles to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls ~ promote and protect the human rights of all women and girls ~ promote the full and equal participation of girls and women of all ages in building a better world for all. We hereby adopt and commit ourselves, as Governments, to implement the following Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women. We call upon the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and all other actors in civil society, as well as individual women and men, to fully contribute to the implementation of this agenda for action. II. DRAFT PLATFORM FOR ACTION Chapter I MISSION STATEMENT 1. The Platform for Action is an agenda for women's empowerment. It aims at accelerating the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 1/ and at removing the all obstacles to women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making. This means that the principle of shared power and responsibility should be established between women and men at home, in the workplace and in the wider national and international communities. Equality between women and men is a matter of human rights and a condition for social justice and is also a necessary and fundamental prerequisite for equality, development and peace. A transformed partnership based on equality between women and men is a condition for people-centred sustainable development. A sustained and long-term commitment is essential, so that women and men can work together for themselves, for their children and for society to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. 2. [The Platform for Action reaffirms the fundamental principle, set forth in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 2/ adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights that the human rights of women and of the girl child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.] As an agenda for action, the Platform seeks to promote and protect [the full enjoyment of all universal] all human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all women throughout their life cycle. 3. The Platform for Action emphasizes that women share common concerns that can be addressed only by working together and in partnership with men towards the common goal of gender equality around the world. It respects and values the full diversity of women's situations and conditions and recognizes that some women face particular barriers to their empowerment. 4. The Platform for Action requires immediate and concerted action by all to create a peaceful, just, humane and [equitable] world based on the [universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the] principle of equality [and equity] for all people of all ages and from all walks of life. 5. The success of the Platform for Action will require a strong commitment on the part of Governments, international organizations and institutions at all levels as well as [adequate] [new and additional] resources for the implementation of the agreements made; a commitment to equal rights, equal responsibilities and equal opportunities and to the equal participation of women and men in all national, regional and international bodies and policy-making processes; and the establishment or strengthening of mechanisms at all levels for accountability to the world's women. Chapter II GLOBAL FRAMEWORK 6. The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace is taking place as the world stands poised on the threshold of a new millennium. 7. The present Platform for Action upholds the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 3/ and builds upon the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, as well as relevant resolutions adopted by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly. The formulation of the Platform for Action is aimed at establishing a basic group of priority actions that should be carried out during the next five years. 8. The Platform for Action recognizes the importance of the agreements reached at the World Summit for Children, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the World Conference on Human Rights, the International Conference on Population and Development and the World Summit for Social Development which set out specific approaches and commitments to fostering sustainable development and international cooperation and to strengthening the role of the United Nations to that end. Similarly, the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, the International Conference on Nutrition, the International Conference on Primary Health Care and the World Conference on Education for All have addressed the various facets of development and [universally recognized] human rights, within their specific perspectives, paying significant attention to the role of women and girls. In addition, the International Year for the World's Indigenous People, 4/ the International Year of the Family, 5/ the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 6/ the Geneva Declaration for Rural Women, 7/ and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women 8/ have also emphasized the issues of women's empowerment and equality. 9. [The Platform for Action is drawn up in full conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. It is recognized that the formulation and implementation of strategies, policies, programmes and actions in all areas of concern are the responsibility of each country, with full respect for the various [religious and ethical values, cultural background and philosophical convictions of all its people] and in conformity with all [universal] human rights and fundamental freedoms.] 10. Since the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, held at Nairobi in 1985, and the adoption of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, the world has experienced profound political, economic, social and cultural changes, which have had both positive and negative effects on women. 11. [The World Conference on Human Rights recognized that the human rights of women and the girl child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. [The universal nature of these human rights and freedoms is beyond question.] The full and equal participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life at the national, regional and international levels, and the eradication of all forms of discrimination on the grounds of sex are priority objectives of the international community.] 12. [The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the solemn commitment of all States to fulfil their obligations to promote universal respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, other instruments related to human rights and international law. The universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question.] 13. The end of the cold war has resulted in international changes and diminished competition between the super-Powers. The threat of a global armed conflict has diminished, while international relations have improved and prospects for peace among nations have increased. Although the threat of global conflict has been reduced, wars of aggression, armed conflicts, [alien domination and foreign occupation], civil wars, terrorism and [extremist violence] continue to plague many parts of the world. Grave violations of the human rights of women occur, particularly in times of armed conflict, and include murder, torture, systematic rape, [forced pregnancy] and forced abortion, in particular under policies of "ethnic cleansing". 14. The maintenance of peace and security at the global, regional and local levels, together with the prevention of policies of aggression and ethnic cleansing and the resolution of armed conflict, is crucial for the protection of the [universal] human rights of women and girl children, as well as for the elimination of all forms of violence against them and of their use as a weapon of war. 15. [Consequently, a huge portion of global expenditures has been devoted to the production of arms and trafficking and trade in arms, thus substantially reducing resources for social development. Moreover, the debt burden has forced many developing countries to undertake structural adjustment policies that are detrimental to their social development. The number of people living in poverty has therefore increased disproportionately in most developing countries, particularly the heavily indebted countries, during the past decade.] 16. [In this context, the social dimension of development should be emphasized. Accelerated economic growth, although necessary for social development, does not by itself improve the quality of life of the population: indeed, it can aggravate social inequality and marginalization. Hence, it is indispensable to search for new alternatives based on a holistic approach to all aspects of development: growth, equity, sustainable development, solidarity, participation, peace and respect for human rights.] 17. A worldwide movement towards democratization has opened up the political process in many nations, but the popular participation of women in key decision-making as full and equal partners with men, particularly in politics, has not yet been achieved. [South Africa's policy of institutionalized racism - apartheid - has been dismantled and a peaceful and democratic transfer of power has occurred.] [Similarly, in Central and Eastern Europe the transition to parliamentary democracy has been rapid and relatively peaceful. In some countries of the same region, this process has been followed by armed conflict that has resulted in grave violations of human rights.] 18. Widespread economic recession, as well as political instability in some regions, has been responsible for setting back development goals in many countries. This has led to the expansion of unspeakable poverty. Of the more than 1 billion people living in abject poverty, women are an overwhelming majority. The rapid process of change and adjustment in all sectors has also led to increased unemployment and underemployment, with particular impact on women. In [many] cases, structural adjustment programmes have not been designed to minimize their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups or on women, nor have they been designed to assure positive effects on those groups by preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities. The Final Act of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations 9/ underscored the increasing interdependence of national economies, as well as the importance of trade liberalization and access to open, dynamic markets. There has also been heavy military spending in some regions. Despite increases in official development assistance (ODA) by some countries, ODA has recently declined overall. 19. Absolute poverty and the feminization of poverty, unemployment, the increasing fragility of the environment, continued violence against women and the widespread exclusion of half of humanity from institutions of power and governance underscore the need to continue the search for development, peace and security and for ways of assuring people-centred sustainable development. The participation and leadership of the half of humanity that is female is essential to the success of that search. Therefore, only [a just and equitable social and economic international order and] a radical transformation of the relationship between women and men to one of full and equal partnership will enable the world to meet the challenges of the twenty- first century. 20. Recent international economic developments have had in many cases a disproportionate impact on women and children, the majority of whom live in developing countries. For those States that have carried a large burden of foreign debt, structural adjustment programmes and measures, though beneficial in the long term, have led to a reduction in social expenditures, thereby adversely affecting women, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries. This is exacerbated when responsibilities for basic social services have shifted from Governments to women. 21. Economic recession in many developed and developing countries, as well as ongoing restructuring in countries with economies in transition, have had a disproportionately negative impact on women's employment. Women often have no choice but to take employment that lacks long-term job security or involves dangerous working conditions, to work in unprotected home-based production or to be unemployed. Many women enter the labour market in under-remunerated and undervalued jobs, seeking to improve their household income; others decide to migrate for the same purpose. Without any reduction in their other responsibilities, this has increased the total burden of work for women. 22. Macro and microeconomic policies and programmes, including structural adjustment, have not always been designed to take account of their impact on women and girl children, especially those living in poverty. Poverty has increased in both absolute and relative terms, and the number of women living in poverty has increased in most regions. There are many urban women living in poverty; however, the plight of women living in rural and remote areas deserves special attention given the stagnation of development in such areas. In developing countries, even those in which national indicators have shown improvement, the majority of rural women continue to live in conditions of economic underdevelopment and social marginalization. 23. Women are key contributors to the economy and to combating poverty through both remunerated and unremunerated work at home, in the community and in the workplace. Growing numbers of women have achieved economic independence through gainful employment. 24. One fourth of all households worldwide are headed by women and many other households are dependent on female income even where men are present. Female- maintained households are very often among the poorest because of wage discrimination, occupational segregation patterns in the labour market and other gender-based barriers. Family disintegration, population movements between urban and rural areas within countries, international migration, war and internal displacements are factors contributing to the rise of female- headed households. 25. Recognizing that the achievement and maintenance of peace and security are a precondition for economic and social progress, women are increasingly establishing themselves as central actors in a variety of capacities in the movement of humanity for peace. Their full participation in decision-making, conflict prevention and resolution and all other peace initiatives is essential to the realization of lasting peace. 26. The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace should accelerate the process that formally began in 1975, which was proclaimed International Women's Year by the United Nations General Assembly. The Year was a turning-point in that it put women's issues on the agenda. The United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985) was a worldwide effort to examine the status and rights of women and to bring women into decision-making at all levels. In 1979, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which entered into force in 1981 and set an international standard for what was meant by equality between women and men. In 1985, the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace adopted the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, to be implemented by the year 2000. There has been important progress in achieving equality between women and men. Many Governments have enacted legislation to promote equality between women and men and have established national machineries to ensure the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in all spheres of society. International agencies have focused greater attention on women's status and roles. 27. The growing strength of the non-governmental sector, particularly women's organizations [and others that support feminist ideals] has become a driving force for change. Non-governmental organizations have played an important advocacy role in advancing legislation or mechanisms to ensure the promotion of women. They have also become catalysts for new approaches to development. Many Governments have increasingly recognized the important role that non-governmental organizations play and the importance of working with them for progress. [Yet, in some countries, Governments continue to restrict the ability of non-governmental organizations to operate freely.] Women, through non-governmental organizations, have participated in and strongly influenced community, national, regional and global forums and international debates. 28. Since 1975, knowledge of the status of women and men, respectively, has increased and is contributing to further actions aimed at promoting equality between women and men. In several countries, there have been important changes in the relationships between women and men, especially where there have been major advances in education for women and significant increases in their participation in the paid labour force. The boundaries of the gender division of labour between productive and reproductive roles are gradually being crossed as women have started to enter formerly male-dominated areas of work and men have started to accept greater responsibility for domestic tasks, including child care. However, changes in women's roles have been greater and much more rapid than changes in men's roles. In many countries, the differences between women's and men's achievements and activities are still not recognized as the consequences of socially constructed gender roles rather than immutable biological differences. 29. Moreover, 10 years after the Nairobi Conference equality between women and men has still not been achieved. On average, women represent a mere 10 per cent of all elected legislators worldwide and in most national and international administrative structures, both public and private, they remain underrepresented. The United Nations is no exception. Fifty years after its creation, the United Nations is continuing to deny itself the benefits of women's leadership by their underrepresentation at decision-making levels within the Secretariat and the specialized agencies. 30. [Women play a critical role in the family, the basic unit of society. States Parties that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women have done so bearing in mind the great contribution of women to the welfare of the family and to the development of society, which is still not fully recognized. They have also borne in mind the social significance of maternity and the role of both parents in the family and in the upbringing of children, and are aware that the role of women in procreation should not be a basis for discrimination but that the upbringing of children requires a sharing of responsibility between women and men and society as a whole.] 31. [Religion plays a central role in the lives of millions of women, in the way they live and the aspirations they have for the future. While any form of extremism, religious or secular, has a negative impact on women in the form of violence and discrimination, a moral and ethical climate that prevents all forms of corruption in society and exploitation of women is needed if equality, development and peace are to be realized. The serious issues with which the world is confronted today require a more effective response by societies not only to the material but also to the spiritual needs of individuals, including women.] 32. While the rate of growth of world population is on the decline, world population is at an all-time high in absolute numbers, with current increments approaching 90 million persons annually. Two other major demographic trends have had profound repercussions on the dependency ratio within families. In many developing countries, 45 to 50 per cent of the population is less than 25 years old, while in industrialized nations both the number and proportion of elderly people are increasing. According to United Nations estimates, by the year 2025 70 per cent of the population over 60 years of age will be living in developing countries, and more than half of that population will be women. Care of children, the sick and the elderly is a responsibility that falls disproportionately on women, owing to lack of equality and the unbalanced distribution of remunerated and unremunerated work between women and men. 33. Many women face particular barriers because of various diverse factors in addition to their gender. Often these diverse factors isolate or marginalize such women - they are, inter alia denied their [universal] human rights, they lack access or are denied access to education and vocational training, employment, housing and economic self-sufficiency and they are excluded from decision-making processes. Such women are often denied the opportunity to contribute to their communities as part of the mainstream. 34. The past decade has also witnessed a growing recognition of the distinct interests and concerns of indigenous women, whose identity, cultural traditions and forms of social organization enhance and strengthen the communities in which they live. Indigenous women often face barriers both as women and as members of indigenous communities. 35. In the past 20 years, the world has seen an explosion in the field of communications. With advances in computer technology and satellite and cable television, global access to information continues to increase and expand, creating new opportunities for the participation of women in communications and the mass media and for the dissemination of information about women. On the other hand, the global communication networks have been used to spread stereotyped and demeaning images of women for narrow commercial and consumerist purposes. Until women participate equally in both the technical and decision-making areas of communications and the mass media, including the arts, they will continue to be misrepresented and awareness of the reality of women's lives will continue to be lacking. [The commitment to promoting human values and dignity on the part of the mass media is seriously lacking]. 36. Continuing environmental degradation that affects all human lives often has a more direct impact on women. Women's health and their livelihood are threatened by pollution and toxic wastes, large-scale deforestation, desertification, drought and depletion of the soil and of coastal and marine resources, with a rising incidence of environmentally related health problems and even death reported among women and girls. Those most affected are rural and indigenous women, whose livelihood and daily subsistence depends directly on sustainable ecosystems. 37. [The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, which is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances.] Therefore, equitable social development that recognizes empowering people living in poverty, particularly women, to utilize environmental resources sustainably is a necessary foundation for sustainable development. Women as citizens can help change consumption patterns in their multiple role as consumers, householders, workers and voters. 38. Global trends have brought profound changes in family survival strategies and structure[s]. Rural to urban migration has increased substantially in all regions. The global urban population is projected to reach 57 per cent of the total population by the year 2000. An estimated 125 million people are migrants, refugees and displaced persons, half of whom live in developing countries. These massive movements of people have profound consequences for family structure[s] and well-being and have unequal consequences for women and men, including in many cases the sexual exploitation of women. 39. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, by the beginning of 1995 the number of cumulative cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was 4.5 million. An estimated 19.5 million men, women and children have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since it was first diagnosed and it is projected that another 20 million will be infected by the end of the decade. Among new cases, women are twice as likely to be infected as men. In the early stage of the AIDS pandemic, women were not infected in large numbers; however, about 8 million women are now infected. Young women and adolescents are particularly vulnerable. It is estimated that by the year 2000 more than 13 million women will be infected and 4 million women will have died from AIDS-related conditions. In addition, about 250 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases are estimated to occur every year. The rate of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, is increasing at an alarming rate among women and girls, especially in developing countries. 40. Since 1975, significant knowledge and information has been generated about the status of women and the conditions in which they live. Throughout their entire life cycle, women's daily existence and long-term aspirations are restricted by discriminatory attitudes, unjust social and economic structures, and a lack of resources in most countries that prevent their full and equal participation. In a number of countries, the practice of prenatal sex selection, higher rates of mortality among very young girls and lower rates of school enrolment for girls as compared with boys suggest that "son preference" is curtailing the access of girl children to food, education and health care [and even life itself]. [Discrimination against women begins even before birth and must therefore be addressed from birth/then onwards.] 41. [Girls of today are the women of tomorrow. The skills, ideas and energy of girls are vital for full attainment of the goals of equality, development and peace. [For a girl to develop her full potential she needs to be nurtured in an enabling environment, where her needs for survival, protection and development are met and her equal rights safeguarded.] [If women are to be equal partners with men, now is the time to recognize the [human] dignity and worth of the girl child and to ensure the full enjoyment of her human rights and fundamental freedoms.] [If tomorrow's women are to become equal partners with men in social change and development, now is the time to [accord the girl child her rightful share of human dignity and opportunity and ensure the full enjoyment [respect] of all human rights [and fundamental freedoms] [including by universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child 10/ of the girl child]. Yet there exists worldwide evidence of discrimination and violence against girls [that begins even before they are born [from conception] and continues unabated throughout their lives.] They often have less access to nutrition, physical and mental health care and education and enjoy fewer rights, fewer opportunities and fewer benefits of childhood and adolescence than do boys. They are often subjected to sexual and economic exploitation, violence and harmful practices such as [foeticide], infanticide [at conception], [prenatal sex selection], incest female genital mutilation and early marriage. Their daily existence and long-term aspirations are restricted by attitudes, structures and lack of resources that prevent their full and equal participation in society.] 42. More than half the world's population is under the age of 25 and most of the world's youth - more than 80 per cent - live in developing countries. Policy makers must recognize the implications of these demographic factors. Special measures must be taken to ensure that young women have the life skills necessary for active and effective participation in all levels of social, cultural, political and economic leadership. It will be critical for the international community to demonstrate a new commitment to the future - a commitment to inspiring a new generation of women and men to work together for a more just society. This new generation of leaders must accept and promote a world in which every child is free from injustice, oppression and inequality and free to develop her/his own potential. The principle of equality [and equity] of women and men must therefore be integral to the socialization process. * * * The following paragraph is proposed for inclusion in chapter IV: [Short-term measures and the reformulation of long-term social policies and investments are required for a more [equitable] [equal] sharing of family responsibilities between women and men. [Women have different requirements at various stages of their life cycle, which need to be addressed by policy planning and programme and project implementation based on gender-sensitive analyses.]] The following paragraph is proposed for inclusion in chapter V: [The international conferences, summits and processes described above are evidence that there are significant challenges facing the world that the world is prepared to meet. Recognition of the role of women in meeting these challenges is a prerequisite for achieving equality and for the shared responsibility of women and men. International consensus exists on the role of women in development and the international community must commit itself to action to implement the strategies outlined in the Platform for Action. However, implementation also requires commitments from Governments. Thus, as the Fourth World Conference on Women is a conference of commitment and action, States have responded to the challenge by separately stating national commitments for national action within the context of the Platform for Action, which will result in practical outcomes for girls and women of all ages. The specific commitments of each nation appear in an annex to the present Platform for Action.] Chapter III CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCERN 43. The advancement of women and the achievement of [respect for their innate dignity and the fundamental] equality between women and men are [a matter of human rights and a condition for] [not simply an issue of] social justice and should not be seen in isolation as a women's issue. They are the only way to build a sustainable, just and developed society. Empowerment of women and equality [and equity] between women and men are prerequisites for achieving political, social, economic, cultural and environmental security among all peoples. 44. Most of the goals set out in the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women have not been achieved. Barriers to women's empowerment remain, despite the efforts of Governments, as well as non-governmental organizations and women and men everywhere. [Vast political, economic and ecological crises, systemic or de facto discrimination, armed conflict [colonial and other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation] [failure to protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women, including the right to development] and ingrained prejudicial attitudes towards women and girls are but a few of the impediments encountered since the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, in 1985]. 45. A review of progress since the Nairobi Conference highlights special concerns - areas of particular urgency that stand out as priorities for action. All actors should focus action and resources on the strategic objectives relating to the critical areas of concern which are, necessarily, interrelated, interdependent and of high priority. There is a need for these actors to develop and implement mechanisms of accountability for all the areas of concern. 46. To this end, Governments, the international community and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, are called upon to take strategic action in the following critical areas of concern [with full respect for religious and ethical values, cultural backgrounds and philosophical convictions and in conformity with all human rights and fundamental freedoms]: [~ The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women ~ Unequal access to or inadequate educational and training opportunities of good quality at all levels ~ Inequalities in health care and related services ~ All forms of violence against women [and the girl child] ~ Effects of persecution and armed or other kinds of conflict on women [in particular those living under foreign occupation or alien domination] ~ Inequality in women's access to and participation in the definition of economic structures and policies and the productive process itself ~ Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels ~ Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women ~ Promotion and protection of all [universal] human rights of women ~ Women and the media ~ Women and the environment ~ [Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of] [Survival, protection and development of] the girl child Chapter IV STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS 47. In each critical area of concern, the problem is diagnosed and strategic objectives are proposed with concrete actions to be taken by various actors in order to achieve those objectives. The strategic objectives are derived from the critical areas of concern, and specific actions to be taken to achieve them cut across boundaries of equality, development and peace - the goals of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women - and reflect their interdependence. The objectives and actions are interlinked, of high priority and mutually reinforcing. [The programme is intended to improve the condition of all women, irrespective of age, and, while recognizing the differences among women, it seeks to pay special attention to the groups of women that are at highest risk, as well as to rural, indigenous, disabled, refugee and displaced women.] 48. [The actions are directed towards improving the status and situation of all women and therefore recognize that many women face particular barriers because of such factors as their race, age, language, ethnicity, culture, religion, [sexual orientation,] or disability, or because they are indigenous people. Many women face barriers related to their family status, particularly as single parents to their socio-economic status, including their living conditions in rural or isolated areas and in impoverished areas in rural and urban environments, or to their status as immigrants. Particular barriers also exist for refugee, migrant and displaced women, as well as for those who are affected by environmental disasters, serious and infectious diseases, addiction and various forms of violence against women.] A. The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women 49. More than 1 billion people in the world today, the great majority of whom are women, live in unacceptable conditions of poverty, mostly in the developing countries. Poverty has various causes, including structural ones. Poverty is a complex, multidimensional problem, with origins in both the national and international domains. [The uncertain global economic climate has been accompanied by economic restructuring, persistent external debt problems and structural adjustment programmes.] [All types of conflict, displacement of people and environmental degradation have also further undermined the capacity of Governments to meet the basic needs of their populations.] The global transformations of the world economy are profoundly changing the parameters of social development in all countries. One significant trend has been the increased poverty of women, the extent of which varies from region to region. The gender disparities in economic power-sharing are also an important contributing factor to the poverty of women. [Full text on unemployment and underemployment to come.] Migration and consequent changes in family structures have placed additional burdens on women, especially those who provide for several dependants. Macroeconomic policies need rethinking and reformulation to address such trends. These policies focus almost exclusively on the formal sector. They also tend to impede the initiatives of women and fail to consider the differential impact on women and men. The application of gender analysis to a wide range of policies and programmes is therefore critical to poverty reduction strategies. [In order to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, women and men must participate fully and equally in the formulation of macroeconomic and social policies and strategies for the eradication of poverty.] The eradication of poverty cannot be accomplished through anti-poverty programmes alone but will require democratic participation and changes in economic structures in order to ensure access for all women to resources, opportunities and public services. Poverty has various manifestations, including lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure a sustainable livelihood; hunger and malnutrition; ill health; limited or lack of access to education and other basic services; increasing morbidity and mortality from illness; homelessness and inadequate housing; unsafe environments; and social discrimination and exclusion. It is also characterized by lack of participation in decision-making and in civil, social and cultural life. It occurs in all countries - as mass poverty in many developing countries and as pockets of poverty amidst wealth in developed countries. Poverty may be caused by an economic recession that results in loss of livelihood or by disaster or conflict. There is also the poverty of low-wage workers and the utter destitution of people who fall outside family support systems, social institutions and safety nets. 50. In the past decade the number of women living in poverty has increased disproportionately to the number of men, particularly in the developing countries. The feminization of poverty has also recently become a significant problem in the countries with economies in transition as a short-term consequence of the process of political, economic and social transformation. In addition to economic factors, the rigidity of socially ascribed gender roles and women's limited access to power, education, training and productive resources [as well as emerging cultural and social factors that lead to instability and the deterioration of families] are also responsible. The failure to adequately mainstream a gender perspective in all economic analysis and planning and to address the structural causes of poverty is also a contributing factor. 51. Women contribute to the economy and to combating poverty through both remunerated and unremunerated work at home, in the community and in the workplace. The empowerment of women is a critical factor in the eradication of poverty. 52. While poverty affects households as a whole, because of the gender division of labour and responsibilities for household welfare, women bear a disproportionate burden, attempting to manage household consumption and production under conditions of increasing scarcity. Poverty is particularly acute for women living in rural households. 53. Women's poverty is directly related to the absence of economic opportunities and autonomy, lack of access to economic resources, including credit, land ownership and inheritance, lack of access to education and support services and their minimal participation in the decision-making process. Poverty can also force women into situations in which they are vulnerable to sexual exploitation. 54. In too many countries, social welfare systems do not take sufficient account of the specific conditions of women living in poverty, and there is a tendency to scale back the services provided by such systems. The risk of falling into poverty is greater for women than for men, particularly in old age, where social security systems are based on the principle of continuous remunerated employment. In some cases, women do not fulfil this requirement because of interruptions in their work, due to the unbalanced distribution of remunerated and unremunerated work. Moreover, older women also face greater obstacles to labour-market re-entry. 55. In many developed countries, where the level of general education and professional training of women and men are similar and where systems of protection against discrimination are available, in some sectors the economic transformations of the past decade have strongly increased either the unemployment of women or the precarious nature of their employment. The proportion of women among the poor has consequently increased. In countries with a high level of school enrolment of girls, those who leave the educational system the earliest, without any qualification, are among the most vulnerable in the labour market. 56. In countries with economies in transition and in other countries undergoing fundamental political, economic and social transformations, these transformations have often led to a reduction in women's income or to women being deprived of income. 57. Particularly in developing countries, the productive capacity of women should be increased through access to capital, resources, credit, land, technology, information, technical assistance and training so as to raise their income and improve nutrition, education and health care and status within the household. The release of women's productive potential is pivotal to breaking the cycle of poverty so that women can share fully in the benefits of development and in the products of their own labour. 58. Sustainable development and economic growth that is both sustained and sustainable are possible only through improving the economic, social, political, legal and cultural status of women. Equitable social development that recognizes empowering the poor, particularly women, to utilize environmental resources sustainably is a necessary foundation for sustainable development. 59. The success of policies and measures aimed at supporting or strengthening the promotion of gender equality and the improvement of the status of women should be based on the integration of the gender perspective in general policies relating to all spheres of society as well as the implementation of positive measures [with adequate institutional and financial support at all levels]. [Enable women to overcome poverty] Strategic objective A.1. Review, adopt and maintain macroeconomic policies and development strategies that address the needs and efforts of women to overcome poverty within the framework of sustainable development Actions to be taken 60. By Governments: (a) [Review and modify, with the full and equal participation of women, macroeconomic and social policies with a view to achieving the objectives of the Platform for Action;] (b) [Analyse, from a gender perspective, policies and programmes - including those related to macroeconomic stability, structural adjustment, external debt problems, taxation, investments, employment, markets and all relevant sectors of the economy - with respect to their impact on poverty, on inequality and particularly on women; assess their impact on family well-being and conditions; and adjust them, as appropriate, to promote more equitable distribution of productive assets, wealth, opportunities, income and services;] (c) [Pursue and implement sound and stable macroeconomic and sectoral policies, designed with the full and equal participation of women, that encourage broad-based sustained economic growth [in the context of people-centred sustainable development] [sustainable development centred on human beings], address the structural causes of poverty and are geared towards eradicating poverty and reducing gender-based inequality;] (d) [Implement sound macroeconomic and sectoral policies, designed and monitored with the full participation of women, that encourage broad-based sustained economic growth in the context of [people- centred] sustainable development [centred on human beings], address the structural causes of poverty and are geared to eradicating poverty and reducing gender-based inequality;] (e) Restructure and target the allocation of public expenditures to promote women's economic opportunities and equal [and more equitable] access to productive resources and to address the basic social, educational and health needs of women, particularly those living in poverty; (f) Develop agricultural and fishing sectors, where and as necessary, in order to ensure, as appropriate, household and national food security and food self-sufficiency, by allocating the necessary financial, technical and human resources; (g) Develop policies and programmes to promote equitable distribution of food within the household; (h) Provide adequate safety nets and strengthen State-based [and community-based] support systems, as an integral part of social policy, in order to enable women living in poverty to withstand adverse economic environments and preserve their livelihood, assets and revenues in times of crisis; (i) Generate economic policies that have a positive impact on the employment and income of women workers in both the formal and informal sectors and adopt specific measures to address women's unemployment, in particular their long-term unemployment; (j) Formulate and implement, when necessary, specific economic, social, agricultural and related policies in support of female-headed households; (k) Develop and implement anti-poverty programmes, including employment schemes, that improve the access to food for women living in poverty, including through the use of appropriate pricing and distribution mechanisms; (l) [Introduce measures for the empowerment of women migrants and internally displaced women through the easing of stringent and restrictive migration policies, recognition of qualifications and skills of documented immigrants and their full integration into the labour force, and the undertaking of other measures necessary for the full realization of the human rights of internally displaced persons]; (m) [Introduce measures to integrate or reintegrate women living in poverty and socially marginalized women into productive employment and the economic mainstream, ensure that internally displaced women have full access to economic opportunities, and that the qualifications and skills of immigrant and refugee women are recognized;] (n) Enable women to obtain affordable housing and access to land, by, among other things, removing all obstacles to access, with special emphasis on meeting the needs of women, especially those living in poverty and female heads of household; (o) [In the event of a modification to paragraph 48 above or if an earlier section indicating groups of special concern is approved, subparagraph (o) will be deleted: Develop special programmes that reflect the specific needs of children, particularly girls, young women, older women and women with disabilities who are least able to gain access to social services and productive resources, as applicable;] (p) Formulate and implement policies and programmes that enhance the access of women agricultural and fisheries producers (including subsistence farmers and producers, especially in rural areas) to financial, technical, extension and marketing services; provide access to and control of land, appropriate infrastructure and technology in order to increase women's incomes and promote household food security, especially in rural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the development of producer-owned, market- based cooperatives; (q) Create social security systems wherever they do not exist, or review them with a view to placing individual women and men on an equal footing, at every stage of their lives; (r) Ensure access to free or low-cost legal services, including legal literacy, especially designed to reach women living in poverty; (s) Take particular measures to promote and strengthen policies and programmes for indigenous women with their full participation and respect for their cultural diversity, so that they have opportunities and the possibility of choice in the development process in order to eradicate the poverty that affects them. 61. By multilateral financial and development institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions, and through bilateral development cooperation: (a) [[Increase resources allocated] [Allocate resources as appropriate] to the elimination of [absolute] poverty and target women [and families] in poverty.] [Support the developing countries through the allocation of new and additional resources for the eradication of poverty and target women living in poverty]; (b) Strengthen analytical capacity in order to more systematically strengthen gender perspectives and integrate them into the design and implementation of lending programmes, including structural adjustment and economic recovery programmes; (c) [Cancel or substantially reduce the debt burden, or convert the debt service of developing countries, in particular the highly indebted low-income countries, in order to help them to finance programmes and projects targeted at development, including the advancement of women, and to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development without falling into a new debt crisis;] (d) Ensure that structural adjustment programmes are designed to minimize their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and communities and to assure their positive effects on such groups and communities by preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities and devising measures to ensure that they gain access to and control over economic resources and economic and social activities; actions should be taken to reduce inequality and economic disparity; (e) Review the impact of structural adjustment programmes on social development by means of gender-sensitive social impact assessments and other relevant methods, in order to develop policies to reduce their negative effects and improve their positive impact, ensuring that women do not bear a disproportionate burden of transition costs; complement adjustment lending with enhanced, targeted social development lending; (f) Create an enabling environment that allows women to build and maintain sustainable livelihoods. 62. [By national and international non-governmental organizations and women's groups: (a) All parties involved in the development process, including academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and grass-roots and women's groups, should mobilize to improve the effectiveness of anti-poverty programmes directed towards the poorest and most disadvantaged groups of women, such as rural and indigenous women, female heads of households, young women and older women, refugees and migrant women and women with disabilities. However, Governments should not abrogate their responsibility for providing for social well-being by shifting social responsibility to non-governmental organizations and women; (b) Non-governmental organizations and women's organizations should organize pressure groups and establish monitoring mechanisms and other relevant activities to ensure implementation of the recommendations on poverty outlined in the Platform for Action. These activities should aim at ensuring accountability and transparency from the State and private sectors; (c) Women's organizations should include in their activities women with diverse needs by age, ethnicity and culture. They should recognize that youth organizations are increasingly becoming effective partners in development programmes; (d) Women's organizations and other non-governmental organizations, in cooperation with the Government and private sectors, should develop a comprehensive national strategy for improving health, education and social services so that girls and women of all ages living in poverty have full access to such services. Funding should be sought to secure access to services with a gender perspective and to extend those services in order to reach the rural and remote areas that are not covered by government institutions; (e) Women's organizations and non-governmental organizations, in cooperation with Governments, employers, other social partners and relevant parties, should develop education and training and retraining policies to ensure that women can acquire a wide range of skills to meet new demands. Policies are needed to ensure the provision of basic education, to provide vocational and technical training for girls and women of all ages and to increase access to education in science and technology, mathematics, engineering, information technology and high technology, as well as management training; (f) Women's human right to equal access to and control of land, property and credit must be upheld, regardless of customary laws, traditions and practices related to inheritance and marriage. Non-governmental organizations and women's organizations should mobilize to protect the traditional land and property rights of all women, including pastoralists, fishery workers and nomadic groups, indigenous peoples, refugees and migrant workers.] *Strategic objective A.2. Revise laws and administrative practices to recognize women's rights to economic resources and to ensure women's access to economic resources * It is proposed to move this section to F.2. Actions to be taken 63. By Governments: (a) Ensure access to free or low-cost legal services, including legal literacy, especially designed to reach women living in poverty; (b) Undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women full and equal access to economic resources, including the right to inheritance and to [ownership of land] and other property, credit, natural resources and appropriate technologies; (c) Consider ratification of Convention No. 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) as part of their efforts to promote and protect the rights of indigenous people. Strategic objective A.3. Provide women with access to savings mechanisms and institutions and to credit Actions to be taken 64. By Governments: (a) Enhance the access of disadvantaged women, including women entrepreneurs, in rural, remote and urban areas to financial services through strengthening links between the formal banks and intermediary lending organizations, including legislative support, training for women and institutional strengthening for intermediary institutions with a view to mobilizing capital for those institutions and increasing the availability of credit; (b) Encourage links between financial institutions and non-governmental organizations and support innovative lending practices, including those that integrate credit with women's services and training and provide credit facilities to rural women. 65. By commercial banks, specialized financial institutions and the private sector in examining their policies: (a) Use credit and savings methodologies that are effective in reaching women in poverty and innovative in reducing transaction costs and redefining risk; (b) Open special windows for lending to women, including young women, who lack access to traditional sources of collateral; (c) Simplify banking practices, for example by reducing the minimum deposit and other requirements for opening bank accounts; (d) Ensure the participation and joint ownership, where possible, of women clients in the decision-making of institutions providing credit and financial services. 66. By multilateral and bilateral development cooperation organizations: Support, through the provision of capital and/or resources, financial institutions that serve low-income, small-scale and micro-scale women entrepreneurs and producers, in both the formal and informal sectors. 67. By Governments and multilateral financial institutions, as appropriate: Support institutions that meet performance standards in reaching large numbers of low-income women and men through capitalization, refinancing and institutional development support in forms that foster self-sufficiency. 68. By international organizations: [Increase] [Provide adequate] funding for programmes and projects designed to promote sustainable and productive entrepreneurial activities for income-generation among disadvantaged women and women living in poverty. Strategic objective A.4. Conduct research in order to enable women to overcome poverty Actions to be taken 69. By Governments, intergovernmental organizations, academic and research institutions and the private sector: (a) Develop conceptual and practical methodologies for incorporating gender perspectives into all aspects of economic policy-making, including structural adjustment planning and programmes; (b) Apply these methodologies in conducting gender-impact analyses of all policies and programmes, including structural adjustment programmes, and disseminate the research findings. 70. By national and international statistical organizations: (a) Collect gender and age-disaggregated data on poverty and all aspects of economic activity and develop qualitative and quantitative statistical indicators to facilitate the assessment of economic performance from a gender perspective; (b) Devise suitable statistical means to recognize and make visible the full extent of the work of women and all their contributions to the national economy, including their contribution in the unremunerated and domestic sectors, and examine the relationship of women's unremunerated work to the incidence of and their vulnerability to poverty. B. Unequal access to and inadequate educational opportunities 71. Education is a basic [human] right and an essential tool for achieving the goals of equality, development and peace. Non-discriminatory education benefits both girls and boys, and thus ultimately contributes to more equal relationships between women and men. Equality of access to and attainment of educational qualifications is necessary if more women are to become agents of change. Literacy of women is an important key to improving health, nutrition and education in the family and to empowering women to participate in decision-making in society. Investing in formal and non-formal education and training for girls and women, with its exceptionally high social and economic return, has proved to be one of the best means of achieving sustainable development and economic growth that is both sustained and sustainable. 72. On a regional level, girls and boys have achieved equal access to primary education, except in some parts of Africa, in particular sub-Saharan Africa, and Central Asia, where access to education facilities is still inadequate. Progress has been made in secondary education, where equal access of girls and boys has been achieved in some countries. Enrolment of girls and women in tertiary education has increased considerably. In many countries, private schools have also played an important complementary role in improving access to education at all levels. Yet, more than five years after the World Conference on Education for All (Jomtien, Thailand, 1990) adopted the World Declaration on Education for All and the Framework for Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs, 11/ approximately 100 million children, including at least 60 million girls, are without access to primary schooling, and more than two thirds of the world's 960 million illiterate adults are women. The high rate of illiteracy prevailing in most developing countries, in particular in sub-Saharan Africa and some Arab States, remains a severe impediment to the advancement of women and to development. 73. Discrimination in girls' access to education persists in many areas, owing to customary attitudes, [early marriages] and pregnancies, inadequate and gender-biased teaching and educational materials, [sexual harassment] and lack of adequate and physically and otherwise accessible schooling facilities. Girls undertake heavy domestic work at a very early age. Girls and young women are expected to manage both educational and domestic responsibilities, often resulting in poor scholastic performance and early drop-out from the educational system. This has long-lasting consequences for all aspects of women's lives. 74. [Creation of a healthy educational and social environment, in which all human beings, men and women, boys and girls, are consistently encouraged to foster moral and spiritual values, would be extremely effective in the elimination of causes of discrimination against women and inequalities between men and women.] 75. Women should be enabled to benefit from an ongoing acquisition of knowledge and skills beyond those acquired during youth. This concept of lifelong learning includes knowledge and skills gained in formal education and training, as well as learning that occurs in informal ways, including volunteer activity, unremunerated work and traditional knowledge. 76. Curricula and teaching materials remain gender-biased to a large degree, and are rarely sensitive to the specific needs of girls and women. This reinforces traditional female and male roles that deny women opportunities for full and equal partnership in society. Lack of gender awareness by educators at all levels strengthens existing inequities between males and females by reinforcing discriminatory tendencies and undermining girls' self-esteem. [The lack of sexual and reproductive education has a profound impact on women and men] [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]. 77. Science curricula in particular are gender-biased. Science textbooks do not relate to women's and girls' daily experience and fail to give recognition to women scientists. Girls are often deprived of basic education in mathematics and science and technical training, which provide knowledge they could apply to improve their daily lives and enhance their employment opportunities. Advanced study in science and technology prepares women to take an active role in the technological and industrial development of their countries, thus necessitating a diverse approach to vocational and technical training. Technology is rapidly changing the world and has also affected the developing countries. It is essential that women not only benefit from technology, but also participate in the process from the design to the application, monitoring and evaluation stages. 78. [It can be ascertained that, particularly in the developed countries, a substantial improvement in the situation of girls at all levels of education, including the higher level, is one of the factors of their continued progress in professional activities. Nevertheless, it can be noted that girls are still concentrated in a [too] limited number of [the higher] branches.] Even at a higher level of educational qualification, women encounter more prejudices than men in a number of sectors, which makes it difficult for them to maximize the use of their degrees. 79. The mass media are a powerful means of education. As an educational tool the mass media can be an instrument for educators and governmental and non-governmental institutions for the advancement of women and for development. Computerized education and information systems are increasingly becoming an important element in learning and dissemination of knowledge. Television especially has the greatest impact on young people and, as such, has the ability to shape values, attitudes and perceptions of women and girls in both positive and negative ways. It is therefore essential that educators teach critical judgement and analytical skills. 80. [Resources allocated to education in many countries are insufficient and where structural adjustment programmes are in place, are sometimes further diminished. This has a long-term adverse effect on human development, particularly on the development of women. 81. In addressing unequal access to and inadequate educational opportunities, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes, so that, before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men, respectively. [Ensure women's access to quality education and training for self-reliance at all levels and in all fields and sectors] Strategic objective B.1. Ensure equal access to education Actions to be taken 82. By Governments: (a) [Attain the goals of equal access to education without distinction as to sex, race, national origin, age or disability, or any other form of discrimination and ensure that procedures to address grievances are established;] (b) By the year 2000, universal access to basic education and completion of primary education by at least 80 per cent of primary school-age children; closing the gender gap in primary and secondary school education by the year 2005; universal primary education in all countries before the year 2015; (c) Eliminate gender disparities in access to all areas of tertiary education by ensuring that women have equal access to career development, training, scholarship and fellowship, and by adopting positive action when appropriate; (d) Create a gender-sensitive educational system in order to ensure equal educational and training opportunities and full and equal participation of women in educational administration and policy- and decision-making; (e) Provide - in collaboration with parents, non-governmental organizations, including youth organizations, communities and the private sector - young women with academic and technical training, career planning, leadership and social skills and work experience to prepare them to participate fully in society; (f) Increase enrolment and retention rates of girls by allocating appropriate budgetary resources and by enlisting the support of parents and the community, as well as through campaigns, flexible school schedules, incentives, scholarships and other means to minimize the costs of girls' education to their families [and to facilitate parents' ability to choose quality education for the girl child]; [by ensuring that the rights of women and girls to freedom of conscience and religion are respected in educational institutions] [through repealing any discriminatory laws or legislation based on religion, race or culture]; (g) Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that impede the schooling of pregnant adolescents and young mothers, including, as appropriate, affordable and physically accessible child-care facilities and parental education to encourage those who are responsible for the care of their children and siblings during their school years, to return to, or continue with and complete schooling; (h) [Improve the equality of education to ensure that women of all ages are provided with the knowledge, reasoning ability, skills and ethical values required to develop their full capacities in health and dignity and to participate fully in the social, economic and political process of development. In this regard, women and girls should be considered a priority group;] (i) Make available non-discriminatory and gender-sensitive professional school counselling and career education programmes to encourage girls to pursue academic and technical curricula in order to widen their future career opportunities; (j) Encourage ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 12/ where they have not already done so. Strategic objective B.2. Eradicate illiteracy among women worldwide [by the year 2000] Actions to be taken 83. By Governments, national, regional and international bodies, bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental organizations: (a) Reduce the female illiteracy rate to at least half its 1990 level, with emphasis on rural women, migrant, refugee and internally displaced women and women with disabilities; (b) Provide universal access to, and seek to ensure gender equality in the completion of, primary education for girls by the year 2000; (c) Eliminate the gender gap in basic and functional literacy, as recommended in the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien); (d) Narrow the disparities between developed and developing countries; (e) Encourage adult and family engagement in learning to promote total literacy for all people; (f) [Expand the definition of literacy to include scientific and technological knowledge.] Strategic objective B.3. Improve women's access to vocational training, science and technology and continuing education Actions to be taken 84. By Governments, in cooperation with employers, workers and trade unions, international and non-governmental organizations, including women's and youth organizations, and educational institutions: (a) Develop and implement education, training and retraining policies for women, especially young women and women re-entering the labour market, to provide skills to meet the needs of a changing socio-economic context for improving their employment opportunities; (b) Provide recognition to non-formal educational opportunities for girls and women in the educational system; (c) Provide information to women and girls on the availability and benefits of vocational training, training programmes in science and technology and programmes of continuing education; (d) Design educational and training programmes for women who are unemployed in order to provide them with new knowledge and skills that will enhance and broaden their employment opportunities, including self-employment, and development of their entrepreneurial skills; (e) Diversify vocational and technical training and improve access for and retention of girls and women in education and vocational training in such fields as science, mathematics, engineering, environmental sciences and technology, information technology and high technology, as well as management training; (f) Promote women's central role in food and agricultural research, extension and education programmes; (g) Encourage the adaptation of curricula and teaching materials, encourage a supportive training environment and take positive measures to promote training for the full range of occupational choices of non-traditional careers for women and men, including the development of multidisciplinary courses for science and mathematics teachers to sensitize them to the relevance of science and technology to women's lives; (h) Develop curricula and teaching materials and formulate and take positive measures to ensure women better access to and participation in technical and scientific areas, especially areas where they are not represented or are underrepresented; (i) Develop policies and programmes to encourage women to participate in all apprenticeship programmes; (j) Increase training in technical, managerial, agricultural extension and marketing areas for women in agriculture, fisheries, industry and business, arts and crafts, to increase income-generating opportunities, women's participation in economic decision-making, in particular through women's organizations at the grass-roots level, and their contribution to production, marketing, business, and science and technology; (k) Ensure access to [quality] education and training at all appropriate levels for adult women with little or no education, for women with disabilities and for documented migrant, refugee and displaced women to improve their work opportunities. Strategic objective B.4. Develop non-discriminatory education and training Actions to be taken 85. By Governments, educational authorities and other educational and academic institutions: (a) Elaborate recommendations and develop curricula, textbooks and teaching aids free of gender-stereotypes for all levels of education, including teacher training, in association with all concerned: publishers, teachers, public authorities and parents associations; (b) [Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators that raise awareness about the status, role and contribution of women and men in the family and society; in this context, promote equality, [equity], cooperation, mutual respect and shared responsibilities between girls and boys [at an appropriate age, consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children] [from pre-school level onward] [and develop, in particular, educational modules to ensure that boys have the skills necessary to take care of their own domestic needs and to share responsibility for their household and for the care of dependants];] (c) Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators that raise awareness of their own role in the educational process, with a view to providing them with effective strategies for gender- sensitive teaching; (d) Take actions to ensure that female teachers and professors have the same opportunities as and equal status with male teachers and professors, in view of the importance of having female teachers at all levels and in order to attract girls to school and retain them in school; (e) Introduce and promote training in peaceful conflict resolution; (f) Take positive measures to increase the proportion of women gaining access to educational policy- and decision-making, particularly women teachers at all levels of education and in academic disciplines that are traditionally male-dominated, such as the scientific and technological fields; (g) Support and develop gender studies and research at all levels of education, especially at the postgraduate level of academic institutions, and apply them in the development of curricula, including university curricula, textbooks and teaching aids, and in teacher training; (h) Develop leadership training and opportunities for all women to encourage them to take leadership roles both as students and as adults in civil society; (i) Develop appropriate education and information programmes with due respect to multilingualism, particularly in conjunction with the mass media, that make the public, particularly parents, aware of the importance of non-discriminatory education for children and the equal sharing of family responsibilities between girls and boys; (j) Develop human rights education programmes that incorporate the gender dimension at all levels of education, in particular by encouraging higher education institutions, especially in their graduate and postgraduate juridical, social and political science curricula, to include the study of the human rights of women as they appear in United Nations conventions; (k) Remove legal and regulatory barriers to [sexual and reproductive health] education within formal education [regarding women's health issues]; (l) [Encourage, with the support of their parents and in cooperation with educational staff and institutions, the elaboration of educational programmes for girls and boys and the creation of integrated services related to youth sexuality, to raise awareness of their responsibilities and to help them to assume those responsibilities, taking into account the importance of such education and services to personal development and self-esteem, as well as the urgent need to avoid unwanted pregnancy, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, and phenomena such as sexual violence and abuse]; (m) Provide accessible recreational and sports facilities and establish and strengthen gender-sensitive programmes for girls and women of all ages in education and community institutions and support the advancement of women in all areas of sport and physical activity, including coaching, training and administration, and as participants at the national, regional and international levels; (n) Recognize and support the right of indigenous women and girls to education; promote a multicultural approach to education that is responsive to the needs, aspirations and cultures of indigenous women, including by developing appropriate education programmes, curricula and teaching aids, to the extent possible in the languages of indigenous people and by providing for the participation of indigenous women in these processes; (o) Acknowledge and respect the artistic, spiritual and cultural activities of indigenous women; (p) [Ensure that gender, cultural and religious diversity are respected in educational institutions and reflected in educational materials;] (q) Promote education, training and relevant information programmes for rural and farming women through the use of affordable and appropriate technologies and the mass media - for example, radio programmes, cassettes and mobile units; (r) Provide non-formal education, especially for rural women, in order to realize their potential with regard to health, micro-enterprise, agriculture and legal rights; (s) [Remove all barriers to the schooling of pregnant girls and young mothers and provide child care and other support services.] *Strategic objective B.5. Allocate sufficient resources for educational reforms and monitor implementation * It is proposed to consider this section in chapters V and VI. Actions to be taken 86. By Governments: (a) Provide the required budgetary resources to the educational sector, with reallocation within the educational sector to ensure increased funds for basic education, as appropriate; (b) Establish a mechanism at appropriate levels to monitor the implementation of educational reforms and measures in relevant ministries, and establish technical assistance programmes, as appropriate, to address issues raised by the monitoring efforts. 87. [By Governments,] [Invite] private and public institutions, foundations, research institutes and non-governmental organizations: (a) [[to] mobilize additional funds [from organizations in the private sector] [, whenever necessary,] [to meet] [to assist in meeting] the costs of education [for all girls and women with a particular emphasis on under-served populations];] (b) Provide funding for special programmes, such as programmes in mathematics, science and computer technology, to advance opportunities for all girls and women. 88. By multilateral development institutions, including the World Bank, regional development banks, bilateral donors and foundations [, consider]: (a) Increase[ing] funding for the education and training needs of girls and women as a priority in development assistance programmes; (b) [Maintain[ing] or increase[ing] funding levels for education in structural adjustment and economic recovery programmes, including lending and stabilization programmes.] 89. By international and intergovernmental organizations, especially the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), at the global level: (a) [Monitor progress, using educational indicators generated by national, regional and international bodies, and make Governments accountable for implementing measures to close the gap between women and men in education and training opportunities, and in the levels of achievement in all fields, particularly primary and literacy programmes]; (b) Provide technical assistance upon request to developing countries to strengthen the capacity to monitor progress in closing the gap between women and men in education, training and research, and in levels of achievement in all fields, particularly basic education and elimination of illiteracy; (c) Conduct an international campaign promoting the right of women and girls to education; (d) [Allocate a minimum percentage of assistance to basic education for women and girls.] Strategic objective B.6. [To promote lifelong learning [educational processes] for girls and women] Actions to be taken 90. By Governments, educational institutions and communities: (a) Ensure the availability of a broad range of educational and training programmes that lead to ongoing acquisition by women and girls of the knowledge and skills required for living in, contributing to and benefiting from, their communities and nations; (b) Provide support for child care and other services to enable mothers to continue their schooling; (c) Create flexible education, training and retraining programmes for lifelong learning that facilitate transitions between women's activities at all stages of their lives. C. Inequalities in access to health and related services 91. Women have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. The enjoyment of this right is vital to their life and well-being and their ability to participate in all areas of public and private life. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Women's health involves their emotional, social and physical well-being, and is determined by the social, political and economic context of their lives, as well as by biology. However, health and well-being elude the majority of women. [The major] barrier for women to the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health is inequality, both between men and women and [among women]. In national and international forums, women have emphasized that to attain optimal health throughout the life cycle, equality, including the sharing of family responsibilities, development and peace are necessary conditions. 92. Women have different and unequal access to and use of basic health resources, including primary health services for the prevention and treatment of childhood diseases, malnutrition, anaemia, diarrhoeal diseases, communicable diseases, malaria and other tropical diseases and tuberculosis, among others. Women also have different and unequal opportunities for the protection, promotion and maintenance of their health. In many developing countries, the lack of emergency obstetric services is also of particular concern. Health policies and programmes often perpetuate [gender] stereotypes and fail to consider socio-economic disparities and other differences among women and may not fully take account of the lack of autonomy of women regarding their health. Women's health is also affected by [gender] bias in the health system and by the provision of inadequate and inappropriate medical services to women. 93. In many countries, in particular developing and least-developed countries, [structural adjustment,] [the deterioration of public health systems, a decrease in public health spending and, in some cases, increasing privatization of health-care systems without appropriate guarantees of universal access] further reduce health-care availability. This situation not only directly affects the health of girls and women, but also places disproportionate responsibilities on women, whose multiple roles, including their roles within the family and the community, are often not acknowledged; hence they do not receive the necessary social, psychological and economic support. 94. Women's right to the enjoyment of the highest standard of health must be secured throughout the whole life cycle in equality with men. Women are affected by many of the same health conditions as men, but women experience them differently. The prevalence among women of poverty and economic dependence, their experience of violence, negative attitudes towards women and girls, discrimination due to race and other forms of discrimination, [the limited power many women have over their sexual and reproductive lives] and lack of influence in decision-making are social realities which have an adverse impact on their health. Lack of and inequitable distribution of food for girls and women in the household, inadequate access to safe water, sanitation facilities and fuel supplies, particularly in rural and poor urban areas, and deficient housing conditions, all overburden women and their families and have a negative effect on their health. Good health is essential to leading a productive and fulfilling life [and the right of all women to control their own fertility is basic to their empowerment]. 95. Discrimination against girls, often resulting from son preference, in access to nutrition and health-care services endangers their current and future health and well-being. Conditions that force girls into early marriage, pregnancy and child-bearing and subject them to harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, pose grave health risks. Adolescent girls need, but too often do not have, access to necessary health and nutrition services as they mature. [Counselling and access to sexual and reproductive health information and services for adolescents are still inadequate or lacking completely, and a young woman's right to privacy, confidentiality, respect and informed consent is often not considered, taking into account the parents' responsibilities] Adolescent girls are both biologically and psychosocially more vulnerable than boys to sexual abuse, violence and prostitution, and to the consequences of [unprotected] [premature] sexual relations. The trend towards early sexual experience, combined with a lack of information and services, increases the risk of [unwanted] and too early pregnancy, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as [unsafe abortions]. Early child-bearing continues to be an impediment to improvements in the educational, economic and social status of women in all parts of the world. Overall, for young women early marriage and early motherhood can severely curtail educational and employment opportunities and are likely to have a long-term, adverse impact on the quality of their lives and the lives of their children. Young men are often not educated to respect [women's self-determination] and to share responsibility with women in matters of sexuality and reproduction. 96. [Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights documents. Sexual health enhances life and personal relations, and does not merely involve counselling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases.] 97. [Sexual rights include the individual's right to have control over and decide freely on matters related to her or his sexuality, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. Equal relationships between women and men in matters of sexual relations and reproduction, including full respect for the physical integrity of the human body, require mutual consent and willingness to accept responsibility for the consequences of sexual behaviour.] *98. Further, women are subject to particular health risks due to inadequate responsiveness and lack of services to meet health needs related to sexuality and reproduction. Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity of women of reproductive age in many parts of the developing world. Similar problems exist to a certain degree in some countries with economies in transition. [Unsafe abortions] threaten the lives of a large number of women, representing a grave public health problem as it is primarily the poorest and youngest who take the highest risk. [Most of these deaths, health problems and injuries are preventable, [through improved access to adequate health-care services including safe and effective family planning methods and emergency obstetric care] [recognizing the right of women and men to be informed and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate health-care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant.] [These problems and means should be addressed on the basis of the report of the International Conference on Population and Development, with particular reference to paragraphs [1.15], [7.1], 7.2, 7.3, 7.6 and 8.25, among others, of the Programme of Action of the Conference. 13/] In most countries, the neglect of women's [reproductive rights] severely limits their opportunities in public and private life, including opportunities for education and economic and political empowerment. [The ability of women to control their own fertility forms an important basis for the enjoyment of other rights.] Shared responsibility between women and men in matters related to sexual and reproductive behaviour is also essential to improving women's health. * The placement of the paragraph has not yet been determined. 99. HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, the transmission of which is sometimes a consequence of sexual violence, are having a devastating effect on women's health, particularly the health of adolescent girls and young women. Women [and adolescent girls often do not have the power to insist on safe sex practices] [are not able to insist on responsible sexual behaviour on the part of their partners] and have little access to information and services for prevention and treatment. Women, who represent half of all adults newly infected with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, have emphasized that social vulnerability and the unequal power relationships between women and men [are obstacles to negotiating safe sex], in their efforts to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The consequences of HIV/AIDS reach beyond women's health to their role as [mothers,] caregivers and their contribution to the economic support of their families. The social, developmental and health consequences of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases need to be seen from a [gender] perspective. 100. Sexual and [gender-based] violence, including physical and psychological abuse, trafficking in women and girls, other forms of abuse [and prostitution] place girls and women at high risk of physical and mental trauma, disease [and unwanted pregnancy]. Such situations often deter women from using health and other services. 101. Mental disorders related to [alienation][marginalization], powerlessness and poverty, along with overwork and stress and the growing incidence of domestic violence as well as substance abuse are among other health issues of growing concern to women. Women throughout the world, especially young women, are increasing their use of tobacco with serious effects on their health and that of their children. Occupational health issues are also growing in importance, as a large number of women work in low-paid jobs either in the formal or the informal labour market under tedious and unhealthy conditions and the number is rising. Cancers of the breast and cervix and other cancers of the reproductive system as well as infertility affect growing numbers of women and may be preventable, or curable, if detected early. 102. With the increase in life expectancy and the growing numbers of older women, their health concerns require particular attention. The long-term health prospects of women are influenced by changes at menopause, which, in combination with life-long conditions and other factors, such as poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Other diseases of ageing and the interrelationships of ageing and disability among women also need particular attention. 103. Women, like men, particularly in rural areas and poor urban areas, are increasingly exposed to environmental health hazards owing to environmental catastrophes and degradation. Women have a different susceptibility to various environmental hazards, contaminants and substances and they suffer different consequences from exposure to them. 104. The quality of women's health care is often deficient in various ways, depending on local circumstances. [Women are frequently not treated with respect, nor are they guaranteed privacy and confidentiality, nor do they always receive full information about the options and services available.] Furthermore, in some countries, over-medicating women's life events is common, leading to unnecessary surgical intervention and inappropriate medication. 105. Statistical data on health are often not systematically collected, disaggregated and analysed by age, sex and socio-economic status, and [race and ethnicity] [and other relevant variables] among others. Recent and reliable data on mortality and morbidity of women and conditions and diseases particularly affecting women are not available in many countries. Relatively little is known about how social and economic factors affect the health of girls and women of all ages, about the provision of health services to girls and women and the patterns of their use of such services, and about the value of disease prevention and health promotion programmes for women. Subjects of importance to women's health have not been adequately researched and women's health research often lacks funding. Medical research, on heart disease for example, and epidemiological studies in many countries are often based solely on men; they are not gender specific. Clinical trials involving women to establish basic information about dosage, side-effects and effectiveness [including contraceptives] are noticeably absent and do not always conform to ethical standards for research and testing. Many drug therapy protocols and other medical treatments and interventions administered to women are based on research on men without any investigation and adjustment for gender differences. 106. In addressing inequalities in health status and unequal access to and inadequate health care services between women and men, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes, so that, before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects for women and men, respectively. [Increase women's full access throughout the life cycle to appropriate, affordable and quality health care and related services] Strategic objective C.1. Increase women's access throughout the life cycle to appropriate free or affordable and good quality health care and related information and services[*] [* The implementation of the actions to be taken contained in the section on health are the sovereign right of each country, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights.] [The section on health is especially guided by the principles contained in chapter II of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, in particular the introductory paragraphs.] Actions to be taken 107. By Governments, [in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and employers and with the support of international institutions]: (a) Support and implement [their commitments] [the commitments made] [to the report of the International Conference on Population and Development] [in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, taking into account the reservations and declarations made in that document] and the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development 14/ and relevant international agreements, to meet the health needs of girls and women of all ages; (b) Reaffirm the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, protect and promote the attainment of this right for women and girls and incorporate it in national legislation, for example; review existing legislation, including health legislation, as well as policies, where necessary, to reflect a commitment to women's health and to ensure that they meet the changing roles and responsibilities of women wherever they reside; (c) Design and implement, in cooperation with women and community-based organizations, gender-sensitive health programmes, including decentralized health services, that address the needs of women throughout their lives and take into account their multiple roles and responsibilities, the demands on their time, the special needs of rural women and women with disabilities and the diversity of women's needs arising from age, socio-economic and cultural differences, among others, and include women, especially local and indigenous women, in the identification and planning of health-care priorities and programmes; [and remove all barriers to women's health services] [and provide the widest possible access to a broad range of health-care services]; (d) [Allow women access to social security systems in equality with men throughout the whole life cycle;] (e) Provide more accessible, available and affordable primary health- care services of high quality, including [sexual and reproductive health care as well as family planning information and services] and giving particular attention to maternal and emergency obstetric care [as contained in the report of the International Conference on Population and Development] [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development]; (f) Redesign health information, services and training for health workers, so they are [gender] sensitive and reflect the user's perspectives with regard to interpersonal and communications skills and the user's right to privacy and confidentiality. [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] These services, information and training should adopt a holistic approach [as defined by WHO]; (g) [Ensure that all health services and workers conform to human rights and to ethical, professional and gender-sensitive standards in the delivery of women's health services aimed at ensuring responsible, voluntary and informed consent.] [Develop, implement and disseminate widely codes of ethics in this regard.] [Nothing, however, in the present Platform for Action is intended to require any health professional or health facility to provide (or refer for) services to which they have objections on the basis of religious belief or moral conviction as a violation of conscience]; (h) [Take all appropriate measures to eliminate harmful, medically unnecessary or coercive medical interventions, as well as inappropriate medication and over-medication of women. All women should be fully informed of their options, including likely benefits and potential side effects;] (First alternative) [Ensure that women are fully informed by properly trained personnel orally, and in writing where appropriate, of the potential dangers, side effects and contraindications as well as the likely benefits of their health-care options, including medication and any surgical interventions, among others; all appropriate measures should be taken to eliminate harmful, medically unnecessary or coercive medical interventions, as well as inappropriate medication and over- medication of women; ensure that immunization is provided to women and girls according to established ethical medical standards;] (Second alternative) [Ensure that before medication is prescribed, mechanical devices inserted or sterilization performed, women are examined by a physician, who must give them full information, orally and in writing, on the potential dangers, side effects and contraindications of all the available methods of family planning; ensure that immunization of women and girls does not include experimental drugs, vaccines or abortifacients;] (i) Strengthen and reorient health services, particularly primary health care, in order to ensure universal access to quality health services for women and girls, [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] to reduce ill health and maternal morbidity and to achieve worldwide the agreed-upon goal of reducing maternal mortality by at least 50 per cent of the 1990 levels by the year 2000 and a further one half by the year 2015; ensure that the necessary services are available at each level of the health system; and make reproductive health care accessible, through the primary health-care system, to all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than the year 2015; (j) [Recognize and deal with the health impact of unsafe abortion as a major public health concern, as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development;] [Paragraph 8.25 of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development states: "In no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning. All Governments and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are urged to strengthen their commitment to women's health, to deal with the health impact of unsafe abortion 15/ as a major public health concern and to reduce the recourse to abortion through expanded and improved family-planning services. Prevention of unwanted pregnancies must always be given the highest priority and every attempt should be made to eliminate the need for abortion. Women who have unwanted pregnancies should have ready access to reliable information and compassionate counselling. Any measures or changes related to abortion within the health system can only be determined at the national or local level according to the national legislative process. In circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe. In all cases, women should have access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion. Post-abortion counselling, education and family-planning services should be offered promptly, which will also help to avoid repeat abortions."] (k) [Consider reviewing laws containing punitive measures against women who have undergone illegal abortions;] (l) Give particular attention to the needs of girls [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] especially the promotion of healthy behaviour, including physical activities; take specific measures for closing the gender gaps in morbidity and mortality where girls are disadvantaged, while achieving internationally approved goals for the reduction of infant and child mortality - specifically, by the year 2000, the reduction of mortality rates of infants and children under five years of age by one third of the 1990 level, or 50 to 70 per 1,000 live births, whichever is less; by the year 2015 an infant mortality rate below 35 per 1,000 live births and an under-five mortality rate below 45 per 1,000; (m) Ensure that girls [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] have continuing access to necessary health and nutrition information and services as they mature, to facilitate a healthful transition from childhood to adulthood; (n) Develop information, programmes and services to assist women to understand and adapt to changes associated with ageing; and to address and treat the health needs of older women, paying particular attention to those who are physically or psychologically dependent; (o) Ensure that girls and women of all ages with any form of disability receive supportive services; (p) Formulate special policies, design programmes and enact the legislation necessary to alleviate and eliminate environmental and occupational health hazards associated with work in the home, in the workplace and elsewhere [with special attention to pregnant and lactating women]; (q) Integrate mental health services into primary health care systems or other appropriate levels, develop supportive programmes and train primary health workers to recognize and care for girls and women of all ages who have experienced any form of violence especially domestic violence, sexual abuse or other abuse resulting from armed and non-armed conflict; (r) Promote public information on the benefits of breast-feeding; examine ways and means of implementing fully the WHO/UNICEF International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, and enable mothers to breast-feed their infants by providing legal, economic, practical and emotional support; (s) Establish mechanisms to support and involve non-governmental organizations, particularly women's organizations, professional groups and other bodies working to improve the health of girls and women, in government policy-making, programme design, as appropriate, and implementation within the health sector and related sectors at all levels; (t) Support non-governmental organizations working on women's health and help develop networks aimed at improving coordination and collaboration between all sectors that affect health; (u) Rationalize drug procurement and ensure a reliable, continuous supply of high-quality pharmaceutical, [contraceptive] and other supplies and equipment, [using the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs as a guide;] and ensure the safety of drugs and devices through national regulatory drug approval processes; (v) Provide improved access to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation services for women substance abusers and their families; (w) Promote and ensure household and national food security, as appropriate, and implement programmes aimed at improving the nutritional status of all girls and women by implementing the commitments made in the Plan of Action on Nutrition of the International Conference on Nutrition 16/ including a reduction worldwide of severe and moderate malnutrition among children under the age of five by one half of 1990 levels by the year 2000, giving special attention to the gender gap in nutrition, and a reduction in iron deficiency anaemia in girls and women by one third of the 1990 levels by the year 2000; (x) Ensure the availability of and universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation and put in place effective public distribution systems as soon as possible; (y) Ensure full and equal access to health care infrastructure and services for indigenous women. Strategic objective C.2. Strengthen preventive programmes that address threats to women's health Actions to be taken 108. By Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, the mass media, the private sector and relevant international organizations, including United Nations bodies, as appropriate: (a) [Give priority to both formal and informal educational programmes that support and enable women to develop self-esteem, acquire knowledge, make decisions on and take responsibility for their own health, [achieve mutual respect in matters concerning] sexuality and fertility and educate men regarding the importance of women's health and well-being, placing special focus on programmes for both men and women that emphasize the elimination of harmful attitudes and practices, including female genital mutilation, son preference (which results in female infanticide and prenatal sex selection), early marriage, violence against women, [prostitution], sexual abuse, which at times is conducive to infection with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse, discrimination against girls and women in food allocation and other harmful attitudes and practices related to the life, health and well-being of women, and recognizing that some of these practices can be violations of human rights and ethical medical principles;] (b) Pursue social, human development, education and employment policies to eliminate poverty among women in order to reduce their susceptibility to ill health and to improve their health; (c) Encourage men to share equally in child care and household work and to provide their share of [adequate] financial support for their families, even if they do not live with them; (d) [Reinforce laws, reform institutions and promote norms and practices that eliminate discrimination against women and encourage both women and men to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive behaviour; [ensure full respect for the physical integrity of the human body]; [and take action to ensure the conditions necessary for women to exercise their reproductive rights] [and eliminate, where possible, coercive laws and practices];] (e) [Prepare and disseminate accessible information, through public health campaigns, the media, reliable counselling and the education system, designed to ensure that women and men, particularly young people, can acquire knowledge about their health, especially information on sexuality and reproduction, [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development] and [as contained in the report of the International Conference on Population and Development];] (f) Create and support programmes in the educational system, in the workplace and in the community to make opportunities to participate in sport, physical activity and recreation available to girls and women of all ages on the same basis as they are made available to men and boys; (g) [Recognize the specific needs of adolescents, [boys and girls] and implement specific appropriate programmes, such as information [on sexual and reproductive health issues and] on sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, and recognize their right to privacy, confidentiality, respect and informed consent; [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]]; (h) Develop policies that reduce the disproportionate and increasing burden on [mothers] women [who have multiple roles within the family and the community] by providing women with adequate support and programmes from health and social services; (i) Adopt regulations to ensure that the working conditions, including remuneration and promotion of women at all levels of the health system, are non-discriminatory and meet fair and professional standards to enable them to work effectively; (j) Ensure that health and nutritional information and training form an integral part of all adult literacy programmes and school curricula from the primary level; (k) Develop and undertake media campaigns and information and educational programmes that inform women and girls of the health and related risks of substance abuse and addiction and pursue strategies and programmes that discourage substance abuse and addiction and promote rehabilitation and recovery; (l) Devise and implement comprehensive and coherent programmes for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, a condition that predominantly affects women; (m) Establish and/or strengthen programmes and services, including media campaigns, that address the prevention, early detection and [treatment of breast, cervical and other cancers of the reproductive system]; (n) Reduce environmental hazards that pose a growing threat to health, especially in poor regions and communities; apply a precautionary approach, as agreed to in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 17/ and include reporting on women's health risks related to the environment in monitoring the implementation of Agenda 21; (o) Create awareness among women, health professionals, policy makers and the general public about the serious but preventable health hazards stemming from tobacco consumption and the need for regulatory and education measures to reduce smoking as important health promotion and disease prevention activities; (p) [Ensure that medical school curricula and other health care training include comprehensive and mandatory courses on women's health as defined in paragraph 91 above]; (q) Adopt specific preventive measures to protect women, youth and [children] from any abuse - sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking and violence, for example - including the formulation and enforcement of laws and provide legal protection and medical and other assistance. Strategic objective C.3. Undertake [gender-sensitive] multisectoral initiatives that address sexually transmitted diseases, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other [sexual and reproductive health] issues Actions to be taken 109. By Governments, international bodies including relevant United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental organizations: (a) Ensure the involvement of women, especially those infected with HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases or affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, in all decision-making relating to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; (b) [Review and amend laws and practices, as appropriate, that may contribute to women's susceptibility to HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, including enacting legislation against [those socio-cultural practices] that contribute to it], and implement legislation, policies and practices to protect women, adolescents and young girls from discrimination related to HIV/AIDS; (c) Encourage all sectors of society, including the public sector, as well as international organizations, to develop compassionate and supportive, non-discriminatory AIDS/HIV-related policies and practices that protect the rights of infected individuals; (d) Recognize the extent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in their countries, taking particularly into account its impact on women, with a view to ensuring that infected women not suffer stigmatization and discrimination [including during travel]; (e) Develop [gender-sensitive] multisectoral programmes and strategies to end social subordination of women and girls and to ensure their social and economic empowerment and equality; and facilitate promotion of programmes to educate and enable men to assume their responsibilities to prevent HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; (f) Facilitate the development of community strategies that will protect women of all ages from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, provide care and support to infected girls, women and their families and mobilize all parts of the community in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic to exert pressure on all responsible authorities to respond in a timely, effective, sustainable and [gender-sensitive] manner; (g) Support and strengthen national capacity to create and improve [gender-sensitive] policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, including the provision of resources and facilities to women who find themselves the principal caregivers or economic support for those infected with HIV/AIDS or affected by the pandemic, and the survivors, particularly children and older persons; (h) Provide workshops and specialized education and training to parents, decision makers and opinion leaders at all levels of the community, including religious and traditional authorities, on prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and their repercussions on both women and men of all ages; [parental language] (i) [Give all women all relevant information about HIV/AIDS and pregnancy and the implications for the baby, including breast-feeding;] (j) Assist women [of all ages] [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] and their formal and informal organizations to establish and expand effective peer education and outreach programmes and to participate in the design, implementation and monitoring of these programmes; [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]; (k) Give full attention to the promotion of mutually respectful and equitable [gender relations] and, in particular, to meeting the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality, [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development] [as contained in the report of the International Conference on Population and Development]; (l) [Design specific programmes for boys, adolescents, [with the support and guidance of their parents,] [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] and men of all ages, aimed at providing [reliable] [complete and accurate] information and encouraging [abstinence until marriage as responsible sexual behaviour.] safe and responsible sexual and reproductive behaviour, including voluntary, appropriate and effective male methods for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.] [training in the promotion of safe and responsible sexual behaviour, including voluntary abstinence and [condom use]]; (m) Ensure the provision, through the primary health care system, of [universal access of individuals and couples] to appropriate and affordable preventive services with respect to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and expand the provision of counselling and voluntary and confidential diagnostic and treatment services for women; [and ensure that high-quality condoms as well as] drugs for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases are, where possible, supplied and distributed to health services; (n) Support programmes which acknowledge that the higher risk among women of contracting HIV is linked to high-risk behaviour, including intravenous substance use and substance-influenced [unprotected] [irresponsible] sexual behaviour and take appropriate preventive measures; (o) Support and expedite action-oriented research on affordable methods, controlled by women, to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, on strategies empowering women to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and on methods of care, support and treatment of women, ensuring their involvement in all aspects of such research; (p) [Support and initiate research that addresses women's needs and situations, including research on HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases in women, on women-controlled methods of protection, such as non-spermicidal microbicides, and on male and female risk-taking attitudes and practices;]. Strategic objective C.4. Promote research and information dissemination on women's health Actions to be taken 110. By Governments, the United Nations system, health professions, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, donors, pharmaceutical industries and the mass media, as appropriate: (a) Train researchers and introduce systems that allow for the use of data collected, analysed and disaggregated by, among other factors, sex and age, [race and ethnicity] and socio-economic variables, in policy-making, as appropriate, planning, monitoring and evaluation; (b) Promote gender-sensitive and women-centred health research, treatment and technology and link traditional and indigenous knowledge with modern medicine, making information available to women to enable them to make informed and responsible decisions; (c) Increase the number of women in leadership positions in the health professions, including researchers and scientists, to achieve equality at the earliest possible date; (d) Increase financial and other support from all sources for preventive, appropriate biomedical, behavioural, epidemiological and health service research on women's health issues and for research on the social, economic and political causes of women's health problems, and their consequences, including the impact of [gender and] age inequalities, especially with respect to chronic and non-communicable diseases, particularly cardio-vascular diseases and conditions, cancers, reproductive tract infections and injuries, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, domestic violence, occupational health, disabilities, environmentally related health problems, tropical diseases and health aspects of ageing; (e) [Inform women about data which show that hormonal contraception, abortion and promiscuity increase risks of developing cancers and infections of the reproductive tract, so that they can make informed decisions about their health]; (f) Support and fund social, economic, political and cultural research on how gender-based inequalities affect women's health, including etiology, epidemiology, provision and utilization of services and eventual outcome of treatment; (g) Support health service systems and operations research to strengthen access and improve the quality of service delivery, to ensure appropriate support for women as health-care providers and to examine patterns of provision of health services to women and use of such services by women; (h) Provide financial and institutional support for research on safe, effective, affordable and acceptable [drugs and] technologies for [reproductive and sexual health] of women and men, including more safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods [such as natural family planning] [for the regulation of fertility] for both sexes, methods to protect against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and simple and inexpensive methods of diagnosing such diseases, among others. This research needs to be guided at all stages by users and from the perspective of gender, particularly the perspective of women, and should be carried out in strict conformity with internationally accepted legal, ethical, medical and scientific standards for biomedical research; (i) Since [unsafe abortion] 15/ is a major threat to the health and life of women, research to understand and better address the determinants and consequences of induced abortion, including its effects on subsequent fertility, reproductive and mental health and [contraceptive] practice, should be promoted, as well as research on treatment of complications of abortions and post-abortion care; (j) Acknowledge and encourage beneficial traditional health care, especially that practised by indigenous women, with a view to preserving and incorporating the value of traditional health care in the provision of health services, and support research directed towards achieving this aim; (k) Develop mechanisms to evaluate and disseminate available data and research findings to researchers, policy makers, health professionals and women's groups, among others; (l) [Report on all genome and genetic engineering research.] Strategic objective C.5. Increase resources and monitor follow-up for women's health Actions to be taken 111. By Governments [at all levels, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, especially women's and youth organizations]: (a) Increase [where necessary] budgetary allocations for [basic] [primary] health care and social services, with adequate support for secondary and tertiary levels, and give special attention to the [reproductive and sexual] health of girls and women; priority should be given to health programmes in rural and poor urban areas; (b) Develop [where necessary] innovative approaches to funding health services through promoting community participation and local financing; increase [where necessary] budgetary allocations for community health centres and community-based programmes and services that address women's specific health needs; (c) Develop [where appropriate] local health services, promoting the incorporation of gender-sensitive community-based participation and self-care and specially designed preventive health programmes; (d) Develop goals and time-frames, where appropriate, for improving women's health and for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes, based on gender-impact assessments using qualitative and quantitative data disaggregated by sex, age, [race and ethnicity] and socio-economic variables; (e) [Strive to establish [as appropriate] ministerial and interministerial mechanisms, with the participation of non-governmental organizations, responsible for monitoring the implementation of women's health policy and programme reforms and establish focal points in high-level national planning ministries responsible for monitoring to ensure that women's health concerns are mainstreamed in all relevant government agencies and programmes.] 112. By Governments, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, international financial institutions, bilateral donors and the private sector, as appropriate: (a) Formulate policies favourable to [public] investment in women's health and [where appropriate] increase allocations for such investment; (b) [Provide appropriate material, financial and logistical assistance to youth non-governmental organizations in order to strengthen them to address youth concerns in the area of health [including sexual and reproductive health]; (c) [Give higher priority to women's health and develop mechanisms for coordinating and implementing the health objectives of the Platform for Action and relevant [international agreements] to ensure progress.] D. Violence against women 113. Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace.* Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of [their universal] human rights and fundamental freedoms.* The long-standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against women is a matter of concern to all States and should be addressed. Knowledge about its causes and consequences, as well as its incidence and measures to combat it, have been greatly expanded since the Nairobi Conference. In [all] societies, to a greater or lesser degree, women and girls are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture. The low social and economic status of women can be both a cause and a consequence of violence against women. * The placement of this sentence has not yet been determined. 114. The term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. Accordingly, violence against women encompasses but is not limited to the following: (a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry- related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; (b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution; (c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs. 115. Other acts of violence against women include violation of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflict, in particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and [forced pregnancy]. [Acts of violence against women also include terrorism, forced sterilization and [forced abortion], coercive/forced use of contraceptives, [female foeticide/prenatal sex selection and female infanticide]. 116. Some groups of women, such as women belonging to minority groups, indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women in poverty living in rural or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or in detention, female children, women with disabilities, elderly women and women in situations of armed conflict are also particularly vulnerable to violence. 117. [Internally] displaced women, repatriated women, women migrant workers, women living in poverty and [women living in areas under foreign occupation or where acts of terrorism occur] are also particularly vulnerable to violence. 118. Acts or threats of violence, whether occurring within the home or in the community, or perpetrated or condoned by the State, instil fear and insecurity in women's lives and are obstacles to the achievement of equality [and equity] and for development and peace. The fear of violence, including harassment, is a permanent constraint on the mobility of women and limits their access to resources and basic activities. High social, health and economic costs to the individual and society are associated with violence against women. Violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men. In many cases, violence against women and girls occurs in the family or within the home, where violence is often tolerated. The neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and rape of girl-children and women by family members and other members of the household, as well as incidences of spousal and non-spousal abuse, often go unreported and are thus difficult to detect. Even when such violence is reported, there is often a failure to protect victims or punish perpetrators. 119. Violence against women is a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of women's full advancement. Violence against women throughout the life cycle derives essentially from cultural patterns, in particular the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices and all acts of extremism linked to race, sex, language or religion that perpetuate the lower status accorded to women in the family, in the workplace, in the community and in society. Violence against women is exacerbated by social pressures, notably the shame of denouncing certain acts that have been perpetrated against women; women's lack of access to legal information, aid or protection; the lack of laws that effectively prohibit violence against women; failure to reform existing laws; inadequate efforts on the part of public authorities to promote awareness of and to enforce existing laws; and the absence of educational and other means to address the causes and consequences of violence. Images in the media of violence against women, in particular those that depict rape or sexual slavery as well as the use of women and girls as sex objects, including pornography, [are] factors contributing to the continued prevalence of such violence, adversely influencing the community at large, in particular children and young people. 120. Developing a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the challenging task of promoting families, communities and States that are free of violence against women is necessary and achievable. Equality, partnership between women and men and respect for human dignity must permeate all stages of the socialization process. Educational systems should promote self-respect, mutual respect, and cooperation between women and men. 121. The absence of adequate gender-disaggregated data and statistics on the incidence of violence make the elaboration of programmes and monitoring of changes difficult. Lack of or inadequate documentation and research on domestic violence, sexual harassment and violence against women and girls in private and in public, including in the workplace, impede efforts to design specific intervention strategies. Experience in a number of countries shows that women and men can be mobilized to overcome violence in all its forms and that effective public measures can be taken to address both the causes and the consequences of violence. Men's groups mobilizing against gender violence are necessary allies for change. 122. [Refugee, [internally] displaced and migrant girls and women, including women migrant workers, as well as women in detention, and women in situations of armed conflict or [women living under foreign occupation or alien domination] are especially vulnerable to all types of violence, including terrorism, murder, torture, prostitution, including forced prostitution, rape, in particular its systematic use as a weapon of war, [forced pregnancy], sexual abuse, slavery, harassment and other forms of violence, which are often perpetrated by persons in positions of authority. Such practices constitute crimes against humanity and violations of human rights [and relevant Geneva conventions]]. Training of all officials in humanitarian and human rights law and the punishment of perpetrators of violent acts against women would help to ensure that such violence does not take place at the hands of public officials in whom women should be able to place trust, including police and prison officials and security forces. 123. The effective suppression of trafficking in women and girls for the sex trade is a matter of pressing international concern. Implementation of the 1949 Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, 18/ as well as other relevant instruments, needs to be reviewed and strengthened. The use of women in international prostitution and trafficking networks has become a major focus of international organized crime. The Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women [who has explored these act as an additional cause of the violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls,] is invited to address, within her mandate and as a matter of urgency, the issue of international trafficking for the purposes of the sex trade, as well as the issues of forced prostitution, rape, sexual abuse and sex tourism. Women and girls who are victims of this international trade are at an increased risk of further violence, as well as [unwanted pregnancy] and sexually transmitted infection, including infection with HIV/AIDS. 124. In addressing violence against women, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that before decisions are taken an analysis may be made of their effects on women and men, respectively. [Eliminate violence against women] Strategic objective D.1. Take integrated measures to prevent and eliminate violence against women Actions to be taken 125. By Governments: (a) Condemn violence against women and refrain from invoking any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination [consistent with the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women]; (b) Refrain from engaging in violence against women and exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons; (c) Enact and/or reinforce penal, civil, labour and administrative sanctions in domestic legislation to punish and redress the wrongs done to women and girls who are subjected to any form of violence, whether in the home, in the workplace, in the community or in society; (d) Adopt and/or implement and periodically review and analyse legislation to ensure its effectiveness in eliminating violence against women, emphasizing the prevention of violence and the prosecution of offenders; take measures to ensure the protection of women subjected to violence, [compensation for] and healing of victims, and rehabilitation of perpetrators; (e) [Consider,] [ratify and] implement [all relevant] [universally accepted] international human rights [norms] [instruments] as they relate to violence against women, including those contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 19/ the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 12/ the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 12/ and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; 20/ (f) Implement [the norms contained in] the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, taking into account general recommendation 19 adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its eleventh session; 21/ (g) Promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes related to violence against women and actively encourage, support and implement measures and programmes aimed at increasing the knowledge and understanding of the causes, consequences and mechanisms of violence against women among those responsible for implementing these policies, such as law enforcement officers, police personnel and judicial, medical and social workers, as well as those who deal with minority, migration and refugee issues, and develop strategies to ensure that the revictimization of women victims of violence does not occur because of gender-insensitive laws or judicial or enforcement practices; (h) Provide women who are subjected to violence with access to the mechanisms of justice and, as provided for by national legislation, to just and effective remedies for the harm they have suffered and inform women of their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms; (i) Enact and enforce legislation against the perpetrators of practices and acts of violence against women, such as female genital mutilation, [female foeticide/prenatal sex selection] infanticide and dowry-related violence and give vigorous support to efforts of non-governmental and community organizations to eliminate such practices; (j) Formulate and implement [national and local] plans of action to eliminate violence against women; (k) Adopt all appropriate measures, especially in the field of education, to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, and to eliminate prejudices, customary practices and all other practices based on the idea of the inferiority or superiority of either of the sexes and on stereotyped roles for men and women; (l) Create or strengthen institutional mechanisms so that women and girls can report acts of violence against them in a safe and confidential environment, free from the fear of penalties or retaliation, and file charges; (m) Ensure that women with disabilities have access to information and services in the field of violence against women; (n) [Create, fund and improve] or develop, as appropriate, the training of judicial, legal, medical, social, educational and police and immigration personnel, in order to avoid the abuse of power leading to violence against women and sensitize such personnel to the nature of gender-based acts and threats of violence so that fair treatment of female victims can be assured; (o) Adopt laws, where necessary, and reinforce existing laws that punish police, security forces or any other agents of the State who engage in acts of violence against women in the course of the performance of their duties, review existing legislation and take effective measures against the perpetrators of such violence; (p) Allocate adequate resources within the government budget and mobilize community resources for activities related to the elimination of violence against women, including resources for the implementation of [national and local] plans of action; (q) Include in reports submitted in accordance with the provisions of relevant United Nations human rights instruments, information pertaining to violence against women and measures taken to implement the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women; (r) Cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women, in the performance of her mandate and furnish all information requested; cooperate also with other competent mechanisms, such as the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on torture and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on summary, extrajudiciary and arbitrary executions, in relation to violence against women; (s) Recommend that the Commission on Human Rights renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women when her term ends in 1997 and, if warranted, to [update and] strengthen it. 126. By Governments, including local governments, and community organizations, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, the public and private sectors, particularly enterprises, and the mass media, as appropriate: (a) Provide well-funded shelters and relief support for girls and women subjected to violence, as well as medical, psychological and other counselling services and free or low-cost legal aid, where it is needed, as well as appropriate assistance to enable them to find a means of subsistence; (b) Establish linguistically and culturally accessible services for migrant women and girls, including women migrant workers who are victims of gender-based violence; (c) Recognize the vulnerability to violence and other forms of abuse of women migrants, including women migrant workers, whose legal status in the host country depends on employers who may exploit their situation; (d) Support initiatives of women's organizations and non-governmental organizations all over the world to raise awareness on the issue of violence against women and to contribute to its elimination; (e) Organize, support and fund community-based education and training campaigns to raise awareness about violence against women as a violation of women's enjoyment of their human rights and mobilize local communities to use appropriate gender-sensitive traditional and innovative methods of conflict resolution; (f) Recognize, support and promote the fundamental role of intermediate institutions, such as primary-health-care centres, [family-planning centres, existing school health services], mother and baby protection services, centres for migrant families and so forth in the field of information and education related to abuse; (g) [Organize [and fund] information campaigns, educational and training programmes for girls and boys and women and men, in particular those at high risk for violence, about the personal and social detrimental effects of violence in the family, community and society [how to communicate without violence] so that they can learn to protect themselves and others against such violence]; (h) Disseminate information on the assistance available to women and families who are victims of violence; (i) [Encourage the provision of] [provide] [initiate and fund] counselling and rehabilitation for the perpetrators of violence, and promote research to further efforts concerning such counselling and rehabilitation so as to prevent the recurrence of such violence; (j) [Raise awareness of the responsibility of the media in promoting non-stereotyped images of women and men, as well as in eliminating patterns of media presentation that generate violence, and encourage those responsible for media content to establish professional guidelines and codes of conduct; and also raise awareness of the important role of the media in informing and educate people about the causes and effects of violence against women and in stimulating public debate on the topic.] 127. By Governments, employers, trade unions, community and youth organizations and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate: (a) Develop programmes and procedures to eliminate sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women in all educational institutions, workplaces and elsewhere; (b) Develop programmes and procedures to educate and raise awareness of acts of violence against women that constitute a crime and a violation of the human rights of women; (c) Develop counselling, healing and support programmes for girls, adolescents and young women who have been or are involved in abusive relationships, particularly those who live in homes or institutions where abuse occurs; (d) Take special measures to eliminate violence against women, particularly those in vulnerable situations, such as young women, refugee, displaced and internally displaced women, women with disabilities and women migrant workers, including enforcing any existing legislation and developing, as appropriate, new legislation for women migrant workers in both sending and receiving countries. 128. By the Secretary-General of the United Nations: Provide the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women with all necessary assistance, in particular staff and resources required to perform all mandated functions, especially in carrying out and following up on missions [undertaken either separately or jointly with other special rapporteurs and working groups], and adequate assistance for periodic consultations with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and all treaty bodies. 129. By Governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations: Encourage the dissemination and implementation of the UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection of Refugee Women and the UNHCR Guidelines on the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence against Refugees. Strategic objective D.2. Study the causes of violence against women and effective methods of prevention strategies Actions to be taken 130. By Governments, regional organizations, the United Nations, other international organizations, research institutions, women's and youth organizations and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate: (a) Promote research, collect data and compile statistics, especially concerning domestic violence relating to the prevalence of different forms of violence against women and encourage research into the causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of violence against women and the effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress violence against women [in their social, economic, cultural and political context]; (b) Disseminate findings of research and studies widely; (c) Support and initiate research on the impact of violence, such as rape, on women and girl children, and make the resulting information and statistics available to the public; (d) Encourage the media to examine the impact of gender role stereotypes, including those perpetuated by commercial advertisements [which foster] gender-based violence and inequalities, and how they are transmitted during the life cycle and take measures to eliminate these negative images with a view to promoting a violence-free society. Strategic objective D.3 Adopt special measures to eliminate trafficking in women and to assist female victims of violence due to prostitution and trafficking Actions to be taken 131. By Governments of countries of origin, transit and destination, regional and international organizations, as appropriate: (a) Consider the ratification and enforcement of international conventions on trafficking in persons and on slavery; (b) Take appropriate measures to address the root factors, including external factors, that encourage trafficking in women and girls for prostitution, [other commercial sex work], forced marriages and forced labour in order to eliminate trafficking in women, including by strengthening existing legislation with a view to providing better protection of the rights of women and girls and to punishing the perpetrators, through both criminal and civil measures; (c) Step up cooperation and concerted action by all relevant law enforcement authorities and institutions with a view to dismantling [national and international] networks in trafficking; (d) [Allocate resources to provide comprehensive programmes designed [to heal victims of trafficking] including through job training, legal assistance and confidential health care] and take measures to cooperate with non-governmental organizations to provide for the social, medical and psychological care of the victims of trafficking; (e) Develop educational and training programmes and policies and consider enacting legislation aimed at preventing sex tourism and trafficking, giving special emphasis to the protection of young women and children. E. Advance peace, promote conflict resolution and reduce the impact of armed or other conflict on women 132. [An environment which maintains world peace and promotes [universal] human rights, democracy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, [upholding the principles of non-threat or non-use of force and of mutual respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty is a precondition for the advancement of women.] [Without peace, there will be no equality or development.] Armed and other types of conflicts have not decreased since the end of the cold war; aggression, [foreign occupation] ethnic and religious and [other types of] conflicts are an ongoing reality affecting women in nearly every region. Gross and systematic violations and situations that constitute serious obstacles to the full enjoyment of human rights continue to occur in different parts of the world. Such violations and obstacles include, as well as torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or summary and arbitrary detention, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, denial of economic, social and cultural rights and religious intolerance. Terrorism is a new and emerging global phenomenon. International humanitarian law, prohibiting attacks on civilian populations, is systematically ignored; [human rights are being violated by [all] parties in armed conflicts.] Armed conflict has resulted in serious violations of the human rights of women, including murder, torture, systematic rape and [forced pregnancy,] especially in ethnic cleansing as a strategy of war and its consequences. Some of these situations of armed conflict have their origin in the conquest or colonialization of a country by another country or State and the perpetuation of that colonial situation through State and military repression.] 133. The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 1949 [and the Additional Protocols], that women shall especially be protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against humiliating and degrading treatment, rape, enforced prostitution or any form of indecent assault. 22/ The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights, states that "Violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflict are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law". 23/ Gross and systematic violations and situations that constitute serious obstacles to the full enjoyment of human rights continue to occur in different parts of the world. Such violations and obstacles include, as well as torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or summary and arbitrary detention, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, denial of economic, social and cultural rights and religious intolerance. 134. Violations of human rights in situations of armed conflict and military occupation are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law as embodied in international human rights instruments and in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto. [Humanitarian law, prohibiting attacks on civilian populations, and international human rights law are systematically ignored and violated by armed and security forces and other parties to armed conflicts.] Gross human rights violations and policies of ethnic cleansing in war-torn and occupied areas continue to be carried out. These practices have created, inter alia, a mass flow of refugees and [internally] displaced persons, the majority of whom are women, adolescent girls and children. Civilian victims, mostly women and children, often outnumber casualties among combatants. In addition, women often become caregivers for injured combatants and find themselves, as a result of conflict, unexpectedly cast as sole manager of household, sole parent, and caretaker of elderly relatives. 135. In a world of continuing instability and violence, the implementation of cooperative approaches to peace and security is urgently needed. [[In implementing cooperative approaches to peace and security] [This requires that] emphasis [should] be given to preventive strategies and to peace- building as a particular prevention-oriented concept. The perspective of women would provide a more constructive approach to the use of power and the resolution of conflict.] Although women have begun to play an important role in conflict resolution, peace-keeping, and defence and foreign affairs mechanisms, they are still underrepresented in decision-making positions. If women are to play an equal part in securing and maintaining peace, they must be empowered politically and economically and represented adequately at all levels of decision-making. 136. [While entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict, terrorism and [foreign occupation and alien domination], women and girls are particularly affected because of their status in society and their [sex/gender]. Parties to conflict often rape women with impunity, sometimes using systematic rape as a tactic of war and terrorism. The impact of violence against women and violation of the human rights of women in such situations is experienced by women of all ages, who suffer displacement, loss of home and property, loss or involuntary disappearance of close relatives, poverty and family separation and disintegration and who are victims of acts of murder, terrorism, torture, involuntary disappearance, sexual slavery, rape [and its consequences], sexual abuse and [forced pregnancy], especially as a result of policies of ethnic cleansing and other new and emerging forms of violence. This is compounded by the life-long social, economic and psychologically traumatic consequences of armed conflict and [foreign occupation].] 137. Women and children constitute some 80 per cent of the 23 million refugees and of the 26 million [internally] displaced persons in the world. They are threatened by deprivation of property, goods and services and deprivation of their [basic] right to return to their homes of origin as well as by violence and insecurity. Particular attention should be paid to sexual violence against uprooted women and girls employed as a method of persecution in systematic campaigns of terror and intimidation and forcing members of a particular ethnic, cultural or religious group to flee their homes. [Women may also be forced to flee because of [gender-based/through sexual violence,] persecution and they continue to be vulnerable to violence and exploitation while in flight, in countries of asylum and resettlement, and during and after repatriation. Women often experience difficulty in some countries of asylum in being recognized as refugees on the grounds of [gender-based/through sexual violence] persecution.] 138. Refugee, displaced and migrant women in most cases display strength, endurance and resourcefulness and can contribute positively to countries of resettlement or to their countries of origin on their return. They need to be appropriately involved in decisions that affect them. 139. Many women's non-governmental organizations have called for reductions in military expenditures worldwide, as well as in international trade and trafficking in and the proliferation of weapons. Those affected most negatively by [conflict] [excessive military spending] are people living in poverty, who are deprived because of the lack of investment in basic services. Women living in poverty, particularly rural women, also suffer because of the use of arms that are particularly injurious or have indiscriminate effects. There are more than 100 million anti-personnel land-mines scattered in 64 countries globally. [Excessive military spending is one of the main constraints to development.] [At the same time, maintenance of national security and peace [is an important factor] [is essential] for economic growth and development and the empowerment of women.] 140. [International stability and security are prerequisites for economic growth and development. In the new international setting, military strength is no guarantee of security. The effects of mass migration, crime, the drug problem, disease, human rights violations, environmental degradation, pressures of population growth and underdevelopment transcend national borders. These new challenges to peace and security have implications at the local, regional and global levels.] 141. During times of armed conflict and the collapse of communities, the role of women is crucial. They often work to preserve social order in the midst of armed and other conflicts. [Women make an important but often unrecognized contribution as peace educators both in the family/families and in society.] 142. Education to foster a culture of peace that upholds justice and tolerance for all nations and peoples is essential to attaining lasting peace and should be begun at an early age. It should include elements of conflict resolution, mediation, reduction of prejudice and respect for diversity. 143. In addressing armed or other conflicts, an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes should be promoted so that before decisions are taken an analysis is made of the effects on women and men, respectively. [Increase the participation of women in conflict resolution and protect women in armed and other kinds of conflict and under foreign occupation] Strategic objective E.1. Increase and strengthen the participation of women in conflict resolution and decision-making and leadership in peace and security activities and protect women in armed and other conflicts [and living under foreign occupation] Actions to be taken 144. By Governments and international and regional intergovernmental institutions: (a) [Take action to establish a critical mass to promote gender balance and to ensure equal participation of women with due regard to equitable geographical distribution numerically, at all levels, and ensure that opportunities are made available for qualified women to participate in all United Nations forums and peace activities at ambassadorial and decision-making levels, including the United Nations Secretariat;] (b) Strengthen the role of women and [increase the percentage of women at all decision-making levels in national and international institutions which may make or influence policy with regard to matters related to peace-keeping] [including observer missions] [peace-building, fact-finding and preventive diplomacy activities,] and in all stages of peace mediation and negotiations; [in line with the specific recommendations of the Secretary-General in his strategic plan of action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000) (A/49/587, sect. IV)]; (c) [Integrate a [gender perspective] in the result of armed or other conflicts [and foreign occupation] and aim for gender balance when promoting candidates for judicial and other positions in such international bodies as [war crime tribunals, including the United Nations International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda,] the International Court of Justice [as well as in other bodies related to the peaceful settlement of disputes;]] (d) Ensure that these bodies are able to properly address gender issues by providing appropriate training to prosecutors and judges and other officials in handling cases involving rape [and its consequences], [forced pregnancy], indecent assault and other forms of violence against women [in armed conflicts and foreign occupation and integrate a gender perspective into their work]; (e) Strengthen the participation of women in processes of national reconciliation and reconstruction after all forms of conflict. Strategic objective E.2. [Reduce military expenditures and control the availability of armaments] [Reduce and eliminate the availability of instruments of violence against women] Actions to be taken 145. By Governments: (a) Increase and hasten, as appropriate, subject to national security considerations, the conversion of military resources and related industries to [development/peaceful] purposes; (b) Undertake to explore new ways of generating new public and private financial resources, inter alia, through the appropriate reduction of excessive military expenditures, including global military expenditures, trade in arms and investment in arms production and acquisition, taking into consideration national security requirements, so as to permit the possible allocation of additional funds for social and economic development, [in particular for the advancement of women]; (c) [[Submit data to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and consider expanding the Register to widen the scope of weapons covered] [Improve the universality of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms as an effective measure for building confidence at the global level [and include in their annual reports information on military holdings and procurement through national production]. Register, and ultimately eliminate, offensive weapons development, production, deployment and sales and, as a first step, expand the [United Nations Register of Conventional Arms to include production and marketing], making reporting obligatory, and to include all types of weapons, such as nuclear, chemical and biological weapons]; (d) [Recognize and address the dangers to society of armed conflict, the excessive production of and illicit trade in arms, linked to money- laundering and the sale of arms that are particularly injurious or have indiscriminate effects, terrorism, violence, crime, the production and use of and trafficking in illicit drugs and trafficking in women and children.] While acknowledging legitimate national defence needs, the dangers to society of armed conflict and the negative effect of excessive military expenditures, trade in arms, especially those arms that are particularly injurious or have indiscriminate effects, and excessive investment in arms production and acquisition should be recognized and addressed. Similarly, the need to combat illicit arms trafficking, violence, crime, the production and use of and trafficking in illicit drugs, and trafficking in women and children should be recognized; (e) [Immediately adopt/Consider the adoption of a moratorium on the export and planting of anti-personnel land-mines, and facilitate the transfer of mine clearance technology without restriction or discrimination; undertake to destroy current stockpiles of anti-personnel land-mines; promote assistance in mine clearance, in particular to promote scientific research aimed at rapid advancement of mine detection and clearance technology; and consider ratifying the 1981 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects 24/ and the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices 24/ (Protocol II);] (f) [Promote the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons.] Strategic objective E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the incidence of human rights abuse in conflict situations Actions to be taken 146. By Governments: (a) Consider the ratification of or accession to international instruments containing provisions relative to the protection of women and children in armed conflicts, including the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 1949, the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I) and to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II); (b) Respect fully the norms of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts and take all measures required for the protection of women and children, in particular against rape, forced prostitution and any other form of indecent assault. 147. By Governments and international and regional organizations: (a) Reaffirm the right of self-determination of all peoples, in particular of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective realization of this right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 2/ adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights; (b) [Encourage diplomacy, [preventive diplomacy,] negotiation and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4 thereof;] (c) [Consider the establishment of a special United Nations unit for third-party conflict prevention and resolution and the gender composition of any such unit;] (d) Urge the identification and condemnation of the systematic practice of rape and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment of women as a deliberate instrument of war and ethnic cleansing and take steps to ensure that full assistance is provided to the victims of such abuse for their physical and mental rehabilitation; (e) [Declare that rape in the conduct of armed conflict can constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity and under certain circumstances may constitute an act of genocide, take all measures required for the protection of women and children and strengthen mechanisms to investigate and punish rape and other such acts;] (f) Uphold and reinforce standards set out in international humanitarian law and international human rights instruments to prevent all acts of violence against women in situations of armed and other acts of conflict and undertake full investigations of all acts of violence against women committed during war, in particular [systematic rape] and sexual slavery, prosecute all criminals responsible for war crimes against women and provide full redress to women victims; (g) [Call upon the international community to condemn and act against terrorism;] (h) Take action to investigate and punish members of the police, security, and armed forces and others who perpetrate acts of violence against women, violations of [international humanitarian law] and violations of the human rights of women [who violate the human rights of women] in situations of armed conflict; (i) Take into account gender-sensitive concerns in developing training programmes for all relevant personnel on international humanitarian law and [international] human rights awareness and recommend such training for those involved in United Nations peace-keeping and humanitarian aid, with a view to preventing violence against women, in particular; (j) [Encourage the elimination of and abstain from adopting unilateral coercive measures, in violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, that go against the population of affected countries and, in particular, women and that could provoke situations leading to conflicts;] (k) [Take measures in accordance with international law [and legitimacy] with a view to alleviating the negative impact of economic sanctions on women and children.] Strategic objective E.4. Promote women's contribution to fostering a culture of peace Actions to be taken 148. By Governments, international and regional intergovernmental institutions and non-governmental organizations: (a) Promote peaceful conflict resolution and peace, reconciliation and tolerance through education, training, community actions and youth exchange programmes, in particular for young women; (b) [During future] reviews of the implementation of the plan of action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), take into account the results of the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace; [Move subpara. to chap. IV, sect. I.] (c) Encourage the further development of peace research, involving the participation of women, to examine the impact of armed conflict on women and children and the nature and contribution of women's participation in national, regional and international peace movements; engage in research and identify innovative mechanisms for containing violence and for conflict resolution for public dissemination and for use by women and men; (d) Develop and disseminate research on the physical, psychological, economic and social effects of armed conflicts on women, particularly young women and girls, with a view to developing policies and programmes to address the consequences of conflicts; (e) Consider establishing educational programmes for girls and boys to foster a culture of peace, focusing on conflict resolution. [These programmes should promote, among other things, positive models for men and boys that encourage them to use non-violent means to settle conflicts]. Strategic objective E.5. Provide protection, assistance and training to refugee and displaced women [including internally displaced women] Actions to be taken 149. By Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other institutions involved in providing protection, assistance and training to refugees and [internally] displaced persons, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme, as appropriate: (a) Take steps to ensure that women are fully involved in the planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all short-term and long-term projects and programmes providing assistance to refugees and [internally] displaced women, including the management of refugee camps and resources. Ensure that refugees and displaced women and girls have direct access to services provided; (b) Offer adequate protection and assistance to women and children displaced within their country and find solutions to the root causes of their displacement with a view to preventing it and, when appropriate, facilitate their return or resettlement; (c) Take steps to protect the safety and physical integrity of refugee and [internally] displaced women during their displacement and upon their return to their communities of origin, including programmes of rehabilitation; take effective measures to protect from violence women who are refugees or displaced, hold an impartial and thorough investigation of any such violations and bring those responsible to justice; (d) [Take all the necessary steps to ensure the right of refugee and displaced women to safe and protected return to their homes;] (e) Take measures, at the national level with international cooperation, as appropriate, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, to find lasting solutions to questions related to internally displaced women, including their right to voluntary and safe return to their home of origin; (f) [Take account of the specific needs and resources of refugee and displaced women and children, especially their access to appropriate and adequate food, water, shelter and health-care services, including reproductive health services, in the provision of emergency relief and longer term assistance] [Ensure that the international community and the international organizations provide financial and other resources to Governments in [countries of asylum] in order to provide emergency relief and longer term assistance that takes into account the specific needs and resources of refugee and displaced women and children, especially their access to appropriate and adequate food, water, shelter and health-care services including reproductive health services] [including vaccinations; provision of basic medicines and medicines related to tropical diseases, such as malaria and typhoid fever; full maternity care, including prenatal and postnatal care; dental care; and reproductive health care]; (g) Facilitate the availability of educational material in the appropriate language - in emergency situations also - in order to minimize disruption of schooling among refugee and displaced children; (h) Apply international norms to ensure equal access and equal treatment of women and men in refugee determination procedures and the granting of asylum, including full respect and strict observation of the principle of non-refoulement [particularly for women and child refugees] through, inter alia, bringing national immigration regulations into conformity with relevant international instruments, and consider [gender factors in] recognizing as refugees those women whose claim to refugee status is based [upon the well-founded fear of persecution through sexual violence/gender factors for] [on] reasons enumerated in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol and provide access to specially trained officers, including female officials, to interview women regarding sensitive or painful experiences, such as sexual assault; (i) [Support and promote efforts] by States towards [Consider] the development of criteria and guidelines on responses to persecution specifically aimed at women, by sharing information on States' initiatives to develop such criteria and guidelines and by monitoring to ensure their fair and consistent application; (j) Promote the self-reliant capacities of refugee and [internally] displaced women and provide programmes for women, particularly young women, in leadership and decision-making within refugee and returnee communities; (k) Ensure that the human rights of refugee and displaced women are protected and that refugee and displaced women are made aware of these rights; ensure that the vital importance of family reunification is recognized; (l) [Adopt special measures, as appropriate, to provide women who have been determined refugees with access to vocational/professional training programmes, including language training, small-scale enterprise development training and planning and counselling on all forms of violence against women, which should include rehabilitation programmes for victims of torture and trauma, and substantially increase the international contribution to general programmes for assistance to refugees, particularly in countries which host the largest number of refugees;] (m) Raise public awareness of the contribution made by refugee women to their countries of resettlement, promote understanding of their human rights and of their needs and abilities, and encourage mutual understanding and acceptance through educational programmes promoting cross-cultural and interracial harmony; (n) [Provide basic and support services to women who are displaced from their place of origin as a result of terrorism, violence, drug trafficking or other reasons linked to violence situations;] (o) Develop awareness of women's [international] human rights and provide, as appropriate, human rights education and training to military and police personnel operating in areas of armed conflict and areas where there are refugees. 150. By Governments: (a) Disseminate and implement the UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection of Refugee Women and the UNHCR Guidelines on Evaluation and Care of Victims of Trauma and Violence, or provide similar guidance, in close cooperation with refugee women and in all sectors of refugee programmes; (b) [Protect women and children who migrate as family members from abuse or denial of their human rights by sponsors and consider extending their stay, should the family relationship dissolve, within the limits of national legislation;] [Subpara. to be moved.] [New strategic objective E.6. Provide assistance to the women of the colonies Actions to be taken 151. By Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations: (a) [Support and promote the recognition and implementation of the universal right of all peoples to self-determination and ensure that, by virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development, taking into account the interests of women of the colonies and providing special programmes in leadership and in training for decision-making;] (b) [Raise public awareness through the mass media, education at all levels and special programmes to create a better understanding of the situation of women of the colonies].] F. [Inequality in women's access to and participation in the definition of economic structures and policies [and the productive process itself]] [Economic potential and independence of women] [Gender equality in economic structures, policies and all forms of productive activity] 152. There are considerable differences in women's and men's access and opportunities to exert power over economic structures in their societies. In most parts of the world, women are virtually absent from or are poorly represented in economic decision-making, including the formulation of financial, monetary, commercial and other economic policies, as well as tax systems and rules governing pay. Since it is often within the framework of such policies that individual men and women make their decisions, inter alia, on how to divide their time between remunerated and unremunerated work, the actual development of these economic structures and policies has a direct impact on women's and men's access to economic resources, their economic power and consequently the extent of equality between them at the individual and family levels as well as in society as a whole. 153. In many regions, women's participation in remunerated work in the formal and non-formal labour market increased significantly and changed during the past decade. [While women continued to work in agriculture and fisheries, they also became increasingly involved in micro, small and medium-scale enterprises and became more dominant in the expanding informal sector. On the negative side, they were impelled into the workplace by economic hardship and became preferred workers, often with low pay and poor working conditions, because they were seen as easier to subordinate. On the positive side, some entered the workforce by choice as they became more aware of their rights.] [In other regions, women's participation in economic life changed as part of the restructuring process that resulted in a loss of jobs for many professional and skilled women.] Gender segregated employment is still the dominant pattern of the economy, and gaps between female and male wages for equal work and work of equal value continue to be prevalent in both the private and public sectors. Women have increasingly become owners and managers of small and medium-scale enterprises but remain underrepresented in economic decision-making at both the national and international levels. [Similarly, women and gender concerns are largely absent from the policy formulation process in the multilateral institutions [that define the terms of structural adjustment programmes, loans and grants].] 154. Discrimination in education and training, hiring and remuneration, promotion and horizontal mobility practices, as well as inflexible working conditions, lack of access to productive resources and inadequate sharing of family responsibilities, combined with a lack of or insufficient services such as child care, continue to restrict employment, economic, professional and other opportunities and mobility for women and make their involvement stressful. Moreover, attitudinal obstacles inhibit women's participation in developing economic policy and [in some regions, restrict girls' access to] education and training for economic management. 155. Women's share in the labour force continues to rise and almost everywhere women are working more outside the household, although there has not been a parallel lightening of responsibility for unremunerated work in the household and community. Women's income is becoming increasingly necessary to households of all types. In some regions, there has been a growth in women's entrepreneurship and other self-reliant activities, particularly in the informal sector. In many countries, women are the majority of workers in non- standard work, such as temporary, casual, multiple part-time, contract and home-based employment. 156. [Women migrants, especially domestic workers, contribute to the economy of the sending country through their remittances and at the same time contribute to the economy of the receiving country by taking over the domestic work of women nationals who are then able to engage in productive work in the receiving country.] 157. Insufficient attention to gender analysis has meant that women's contributions and concerns remain too often ignored in economic structures, such as financial markets and institutions, labour markets, economics as an academic discipline, economic and social infrastructure, taxation and social security systems, as well as in families and households. As a result, many policies and programmes may continue to contribute to inequalities between women and men. Where progress has been made in integrating gender perspectives, programme and policy effectiveness has also been enhanced. 158. Although many women have advanced in economic structures, for the majority of women, particularly those who face additional barriers, continuing obstacles have hindered women's ability to achieve economic autonomy and to ensure sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their dependants. Women are active in a variety of economic areas, which they often combine, ranging from wage labour and subsistence farming and fishing to the informal sector. However, legal and customary barriers to ownership of or access to land, natural resources, capital, credit, technology and other means of production, as well as wage differentials, contribute to impeding the economic progress of women. [The value of women's unremunerated contribution to the economy, whether working in [the home,] agriculture, food production, family enterprises, community service or [domestic work], is still often undervalued and unrecorded and therefore not reflected in current labour statistics and national accounts.] [Progress is needed in statistical concepts and methods of measuring and [valuing] unremunerated productive activity in the development of economic and social policy.] 159. [Although some new employment opportunities have been created for women as a result of [recent economic events] [the globalization of the economy], there are also trends that have exacerbated inequalities between women and men. In some cases, globalization is undermining women's self-reliant initiatives in savings, production and trade. In some regions, the international and gender division of labour has often reinforced the segregation of women into a limited number of occupations.] 160. These trends have been characterized by low wages, little or no labour standards protection, poor working conditions, particularly with regard to women's occupational health and safety, low skill levels, and a lack of job security and social security, in both the formal and informal sectors. Women's unemployment is a serious and increasing problem in many countries and sectors. Young workers in the informal and rural sectors and migrant female workers remain the least protected by labour and immigration laws. Women, particularly those who are heads of households with young children, are limited in their employment opportunities for reasons that include inflexible working conditions and inadequate sharing, by men and by society, of family responsibilities. 161. [In countries that are undergoing fundamental political, economic and social transformation, the skills of women have constituted a major contribution to the economic life of their countries, but these skills are not well utilized in the emerging new economies.] 162. Lack of employment in the private sector and reductions in public services and public service jobs have affected women disproportionately. In some countries, women take on more unpaid work [by replacing public services], such as the care of children and those who are ill or elderly and in compensating for lost household income [particularly when public services are not available]. In many cases, [employment creation strategies, however, have tended to focus on traditional male occupations and sectors]. 163. [For those women in paid work, many experience obstacles that prevent them from achieving their potential. While some are increasingly found in lower levels of management, attitudinal discrimination often prevents them from being promoted further. The experience of sexual harassment is an affront to a worker's dignity and prevents women from making a contribution commensurate with their abilities. The lack of a family-friendly work environment, including a lack of appropriate and affordable child care, and inflexible working hours further prevent women from achieving their full potential.] 164. In the private sector [including transnational and national enterprises,] women are largely absent from management and policy levels, denoting discriminatory hiring and promotion policies and practices. The unfavourable work environment as well as the limited number of employment opportunities available have led many women to seek alternatives. Women have increasingly become self-employed and owners and managers of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises. The expansion of the informal sector, in many countries, and of self-organized and independent enterprise is in large part due to women, whose [collaborative, self-help and traditional practices and] initiatives in production and trade represent a vital economic resource. When they gain access to and control over capital, credit and other resources, technology and training, women can increase production, marketing and income for sustainable development. 165. Taking into account the fact that continuing inequalities and noticeable progress coexist, rethinking employment policies is necessary in order to integrate the gender perspective and to draw attention to a wider range of opportunities as well as to address any negative gender implications of current patterns of work and employment. To realize fully equality between women and men in their contribution to the economy, active efforts are required for equal recognition and appreciation of the influence that the work, experience, knowledge and values of both women and men have in society. 166. In addressing the economic potential and independence of women, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively. [Promote women's economic self-reliance, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources - land, capital and technology] Strategic objective F.1. [Promote women's self-reliance, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources - land, capital, credit and technology - and guarantee economic opportunities for women] [Secure economic rights for women] Actions to be taken 167. By Governments: (a) Enact and enforce legislation to guarantee the rights of women and men to equal pay for equal work or work of equal value; (b) Adopt and implement laws against discrimination based on sex [age, race and religion] in the labour market, hiring and promotion, the extension of employment benefits and social security, and working conditions; (c) Eliminate discriminatory practices by employers and take appropriate measures in consideration of women's reproductive role and functions, such as the denial of employment and dismissal due to pregnancy or breast-feeding, or requiring proof of contraceptive use, and take effective measures to ensure that pregnant women, women on maternity leave or women re-entering the labour market after childbearing are not discriminated against; (d) Devise mechanisms and take positive action to enable women to gain access to full and equal participation in the formulation of policies and definition of structures through such bodies as ministries of finance and trade, national economic commissions, economic research institutes and other key agencies, as well as through their participation in appropriate international bodies; (e) [Undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women equal rights [equitable rights] with men to economic resources, including access to ownership and control over land and other properties, credit inheritance, natural resources and appropriate new technology;] (f) Conduct reviews of national income and inheritance tax and social security systems to eliminate any existing bias against women; (g) [Seek to] Develop a more comprehensive knowledge of work and employment through, inter alia, efforts to measure and better understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work, particularly work in caring for dependants and unremunerated work done for family farms or businesses, and encourage the sharing and dissemination of information on studies and experience in this field, including the development of methods for assessing its value in quantitative terms, for possible reflection in accounts that may be produced separately from, but consistent with, core national accounts; (h) [Provide developing countries with technical assistance and funding to collect data on unpaid work and to incorporate them into their national accounts and other economic statistics;] (i) Review and amend laws governing the operation of financial institutions to ensure that they provide services to women and men on an equal basis; (j) [Make efforts to facilitate more open and transparent budget processes;] (k) Revise and implement national policies that support the traditional savings, credit and lending mechanisms for women; (l) Seek to ensure that national policies related to international and regional trade agreements do not adversely impact women's new and traditional economic activities; (m) [Ensure that transnational corporations comply with national laws and codes, social security regulations, international environmental laws and other relevant laws;] (n) Adjust employment policies to facilitate the restructuring of work patterns in order to promote the sharing of family responsibilities; (o) Establish mechanisms and other forums to enable women entrepreneurs and women workers to contribute to the formulation of policies and programmes being developed by economic ministries and financial institutions; (p) Enact and enforce equal opportunity laws, take positive action and ensure compliance by the public and private sectors through various means; (q) Use gender-impact analysis in the development of [macro- and micro-] economic and social policies in order to monitor such impact and restructure policies in cases where harmful impact occurs; (r) Promote gender-sensitive policies and measures to empower women as equal partners with men in technical, managerial and entrepreneurial fields; (s) Reform laws or enact national policies that support the establishment of labour laws to ensure the protection of all women workers, including safe work practices, the right to organize and access to justice. Strategic objective F.2. Take positive action to facilitate women's equal access to resources, employment, markets and trade Actions to be taken 168. By Governments: (a) Promote and support women's self-employment and the development of small enterprises, and strengthen women's access to credit and capital on appropriate terms equal to that of men through the scaling-up of institutions dedicated to promoting women's entrepreneurship, including, as appropriate, non-traditional and mutual credit schemes, as well as innovative linkages with financial institutions; (b) Strengthen the incentive role of the State as employer to develop a policy of equal [equitable] opportunities for women and men; (c) Enhance, at the national and local levels, rural women's income- generating potential by facilitating their equal access to and control over productive resources, land, credit, capital, property rights, development programmes and cooperative structures; (d) Promote and strengthen micro-enterprises, new small businesses, cooperative enterprises, expanded markets and other employment opportunities and, where appropriate, facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal sector, especially in rural areas; (e) Create and modify programmes and policies that recognize and strengthen women's vital role in food security and provide paid and unpaid women producers, especially those involved in food production, such as farming, fishing and aquaculture, as well as urban enterprises, with equal access to appropriate technologies, transportation, extension services, marketing and credit facilities at the local and community levels; (f) Establish appropriate mechanisms and encourage intersectoral institutions that enable women's cooperatives to optimize access to necessary services; (g) Increase the proportion of women extension workers and other government personnel who provide technical assistance or administer economic programmes; (h) Review, reformulate, if necessary, and implement policies, including business, commercial and contract law and government regulations, to ensure that they do not discriminate against micro, small and medium-scale enterprises owned by women in rural and urban areas; (i) Analyse, advise on, coordinate and implement policies that integrate the needs and interests of employed, self-employed and entrepreneurial women into sectoral and inter-ministerial policies, programmes and budgets; (j) Ensure equal access for women to effective job training, retraining, counselling and placement services that are not limited to traditional employment areas; (k) Remove policy and regulatory obstacles faced by women in social and development programmes that discourage private and individual initiative; (l) Safeguard and promote respect for basic workers' rights, including the prohibition of forced labour and child labour, freedom of association and the right to organize and bargain collectively, equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and non-discrimination in employment, and fully implement the conventions of the International Labour Organization in the case of States party to those conventions and, taking into account the principles embodied in those conventions in the case of those countries that are not party to those conventions, to thus achieve truly sustained economic growth and sustainable development. 169. By Governments, central banks and national development banks, and private banking institutions, as appropriate: (a) Increase the participation of women, including women entrepreneurs, in advisory boards and other forums to enable women entrepreneurs from all sectors and their organizations to contribute to the formulation and review of policies and programmes being developed by economic ministries and banking institutions; (b) Mobilize the banking sector to increase lending and refinancing through incentives and the development of intermediaries that serve the needs of women entrepreneurs and producers in both rural and urban areas, and include women in their leadership, planning and decision-making; (c) Structure services to reach rural and urban women involved in micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, with special attention to young women, low-income women, those belonging to ethnic and racial minorities, and indigenous women who lack access to capital and assets, expand women's access to financial markets by identifying and encouraging financial supervisory and regulatory reforms that support financial institutions' direct and indirect efforts to better meet the credit and other financial needs of the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises of women; (d) Ensure that women's priorities are included in public investment programmes for economic infrastructure, such as water and sanitation, electrification and energy conservation, transport and road construction. Promote greater involvement of women beneficiaries at the project planning and implementation stages to ensure access to jobs and contracts. 170. By Governments and non-governmental organizations: (a) Pay special attention to women's needs when disseminating market, trade and resource information and provide appropriate training in these fields; (b) Encourage community economic development strategies that build on partnerships among Governments, and encourage members of civil society to create jobs and address the social circumstances of individuals, families and communities. 171. By multilateral funders and regional development banks, as well as bilateral and private funding agencies, at the international, regional and subregional levels: (a) Review, where necessary reformulate, and implement policies, programmes and projects to ensure that a [higher] [more equitable] proportion of resources reach women in rural and remote areas [without attendant conditions that could place women under pressure to act against their ethical and religious values]; (b) Develop flexible funding arrangements to finance intermediary institutions that target women's economic activities, and promote self-sufficiency and increased capacity in and profitability of women's economic enterprises; (c) [Develop strategies for international [development] financial institutions and regional development banks to consolidate and strengthen their assistance to the micro, small and medium-scale enterprise sector, and work together with bilateral agencies to coordinate and enhance the effectiveness of this sector, drawing upon the expertise and financial resources from within their own organizations as well as from bilateral agencies, Governments and non-governmental organizations.] 172. By international, multilateral and bilateral development cooperation organizations: Support, through the provision of capital and/or resources, financial institutions that serve low-income, small and micro-scale women entrepreneurs and producers in both the formal and informal sectors. 173. By Governments and/or multilateral financial institutions: Review rules and procedures of formal national and international financial institutions that obstruct replication of the Grameen Bank prototype, which provides credit facilities to rural women. 174. By international organizations: [Seek to] Provide adequate support for programmes and projects designed to promote sustainable and productive entrepreneurial activities among women, in particular the disadvantaged. Strategic objective F.3. Provide business services and access to markets, information and technology to low-income women Actions to be taken 175. By Governments [in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and the private sector]: (a) Provide public infrastructure to [ensure] [facilitate] equal market access for women and men entrepreneurs; (b) Develop programmes that provide training and retraining, particularly in new technologies and affordable services to women in business management, product development, financing, production and quality control, marketing and the legal aspects of business; (c) Provide outreach programmes to inform low-income and poor women, particularly in rural and remote areas, of opportunities for market and technology access, and provide assistance in taking advantage of such opportunities; (d) Create non-discriminatory [investment funds] [support services] for women's businesses, and target women, particularly low-income women, in trade promotion programmes; (e) Disseminate information about successful women entrepreneurs in both traditional and non-traditional economic activities and the skills necessary to achieve success; facilitate networking and the exchange of information; (f) Take measures to ensure equal access of women to ongoing training in the workplace, including unemployed women, single parents, women re-entering the labour market after an extended temporary exit from employment owing to family responsibilities and other causes, and women displaced by new forms of production or by retrenchment, and increase incentives to enterprises to expand the number of vocational and training centres that provide training for women in non-traditional areas; (g) Provide affordable support services, such as high-quality, flexible and affordable child-care services, that take into account the needs of working men and women. 176. By local, national, regional and international business organizations and non-governmental organizations concerned with women's issues: Advocate, at all levels, for the promotion and support of women's businesses and enterprises, including those in the informal sector, and the equal access of women to productive resources. Strategic objective F.4. Strengthen women's economic capacity and commercial networks Actions to be taken 177. By Governments: (a) Adopt policies that support business organizations, non-governmental organizations, cooperatives, revolving loan funds, credit unions, grass-roots organizations, women's self-help groups and other groups in order to provide services to women entrepreneurs in rural and urban areas; (b) [Design special programmes for women that are affected by economic restructuring [and structural adjustment programmes] and the process of transition to market economies and for women who work in the informal sector;] (c) [Adopt policies that strengthen women's self-help groups and workers' associations through non-conventional forms of support;] (d) Support programmes that enhance the self-reliance of special groups of women, such as young women, women with disabilities, elderly women and women belonging to racial and ethnic minorities; (e) [Use the research of economists, scientists and technologists to promote gender equality;] (f) Support the economic activities of indigenous women, taking into account their traditional knowledge, so as to improve their situation and development; (g) [Adopt policies to extend or maintain the protection of labour laws and social security provisions for those who do paid work in the home;] (h) Recognize and encourage the contribution of research by women scientists and technologists; (i) Ensure that policies and regulations do not discriminate against micro, small and medium-scale enterprises run by women. 178. By [encouraging] financial intermediaries, national training institutes, credit unions, non-governmental organizations, women's associations, professional organizations and the private sector, as appropriate: (a) Provide, at national, regional and international levels, training in a variety of business-related and financial management and technical skills to enable women, especially young women, to participate in economic policy-making at those levels; (b) Provide business services, including marketing and trade information, product design and innovation, technology transfer and quality control, to women's business enterprises, including those in export sectors of the economy; (c) Promote technical and commercial links and establish joint ventures among women entrepreneurs at the national, regional and international levels to support community-based initiatives; (d) Strengthen women's participation in production and marketing cooperatives by providing marketing and financial support, especially in rural and remote areas, including marginalized women; (e) Promote and strengthen women's micro-enterprises, new small businesses, cooperative enterprises, expanded markets and other employment opportunities and, where appropriate, facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal sector, in rural and urban areas; (f) Invest capital and develop investment portfolios to finance women's business enterprises; (g) Give adequate attention to providing technical assistance, advisory services, training and retraining for women connected with the entry to the market economy; (h) Support credit networks and innovative ventures, including traditional savings schemes; (i) Provide networking arrangements for entrepreneurial women, including opportunities for the mentoring of inexperienced women by the more experienced; (j) Encourage community organizations and public authorities to establish loan pools for women entrepreneurs, drawing on successful small-scale cooperative models. 179. By [encouraging] [transnational and national corporations] [the private sector]: (a) Adopt policies and establish mechanisms to grant contracts on a non-discriminatory basis; (b) Recruit women for leadership, decision-making and management, and provide training programmes, all on an equal basis with men; (c) Observe national labour environment, consumer, health and safety laws, particularly those that affect women. Strategic objective F.5. Eliminate occupational segregation and all forms of employment discrimination Actions to be taken 180. By Governments, employers, employees, trade unions and women's organizations: (a) [Implement and enforce laws, regulations and codes of conduct that extend international labour standards and workers' rights to female workers in expert processing zones;] (b) [Enact and enforce laws and introduce implementing measures, including means of redress and access to justice in case of non- compliance, to prohibit direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of sex, sexual orientation and parental status in relation to access to employment, conditions of employment, including training, promotion, health and safety, as well as termination of employment and social security of workers, including legal protection against sexual and racial harassment;] (c) Enact and enforce laws and develop workplace policies against [age and] gender discrimination in the labour market, in hiring and promotion, and in the extension of employment benefits and social security, as well as regarding discriminatory working conditions and sexual harassment; mechanisms should be developed for the regular review and monitoring of such laws; (d) Eliminate discriminatory practices by employers on the basis of women's reproductive roles and functions, including refusal of employment and dismissal of women due to pregnancy and breast- feeding responsibilities; (e) [Develop and promote employment programmes and services for women entering and/or re-entering the labour market, especially poor urban, rural and young women and those affected by structural adjustment programmes, including self-employment;] (f) Implement and monitor positive public and private-sector employment equity and positive action programmes to address systemic discrimination against women in the labour force, in particular women with disabilities and women belonging to other disadvantaged groups, with respect to [employment,] hiring, retention and promotion, and vocational training of women in all sectors; (g) Eliminate occupational segregation, especially by promoting the equal participation of women in highly skilled jobs and senior management positions and other measures, such as counselling and placement, that stimulate their on-the-job career development and upward mobility in the labour market, and by stimulating the diversification of occupational choices by both women and men. Encourage women to take up non-traditional jobs, especially in science and technology [and encourage men to seek employment in the social sector]; (h) Recognize collective bargaining as a right and as an important mechanism for eliminating wage inequality for women and to improve working conditions; (i) Promote the election of women trade union officials and ensure that trade union officials elected to represent women are given job protection and physical security in connection with the discharge of their functions; (j) [Ensure] access to and develop special programmes to enable women with disabilities to obtain and retain employment, and [ensure] access to education and training at all proper levels, in accordance with the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities; 25/ adjust, to the extent possible, working conditions in order to suit the needs of women with disabilities, who should be secured legal protection against unfounded job loss on account of their disabilities; (k) Increase efforts to close the gap between women's and men's pay, take steps to implement the principle of equal remuneration for equal work or work of equal value by strengthening legislation, including compliance with international labour laws and standards, and encourage job evaluation schemes with gender-neutral criteria; (l) Establish and/or strengthen mechanisms to adjudicate matters relating to wage discrimination; (m) Set specific target dates for [eliminating] all forms of child labour that are contrary to accepted international standards and ensure the full enforcement of relevant existing laws and, where appropriate, enact the legislation necessary to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and International Labour Organization standards, ensuring the protection of working children, in particular, street children, through the provision of appropriate health, education and other social services; (n) [Ensure that the strategies to eliminate child labour recognize the excessive demands made on some girls for unpaid work in the household;] (o) Review and analyse [reformulate] the wage structures in female- dominated professions, such as teaching, nursing and child care, with a view to raising their low status and earnings; (p) Facilitate the productive employment of documented migrant women (including women who have been determined refugees according to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees) through greater recognition of foreign education and credentials and by adopting an integrated approach to labour market training that incorporates language training. Strategic objective F.6. [Create a flexible work environment] [Better harmonization of work and family responsibilities for women and men] Actions to be taken 181. By Governments: (a) [Adopt policies to extend the protection of labour and social security laws to part-time and temporary jobs and to seasonal and home-based workers, and enact laws to promote career development based on flexible work conditions;] (b) [Ensure that full and part-time work can be freely chosen by women and men on an equal basis, and consider appropriate protection for atypical workers in terms of access to employment, working conditions, and social security;] (c) [Enact and enforce laws that grant parental leave and parental benefits to both women and men, and promote the equitable sharing of responsibilities for the family by men and women, including through appropriate legislation, incentives and/or encouragement;] (Alternative) [Ensure, through appropriate legislation, incentives and/or encouragement, adequate opportunities for women and men to take parental leave and receive parental benefits;] (d) Develop policies, inter alia, in education to change attitudes that reinforce the division of labour based on gender in order to promote the concept of shared family responsibility for work in the home, particularly in relation to children and elder care; (e) Improve the development of, and access to, technologies that facilitate occupational as well as domestic work, encourage self- support, generate income, transform gender-prescribed roles within the productive process and enable women to move out of low-paying jobs; (f) Examine a range of policies and programmes, including social security legislation and taxation systems, in accordance with national priorities and policies, to determine how to promote gender equality and flexibility in the way people divide their time between and derive benefits from education and training, paid employment, family responsibilities, volunteer activity and other socially useful forms of work, rest and leisure. 182. By Governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations, trade unions and the United Nations, as appropriate: (a) Adopt appropriate measures involving relevant governmental bodies and employers' and employees' associations so that women and men are able to take temporary leave from employment, have transferable employment and retirement benefits and make arrangements to modify work hours without sacrificing their prospects for development and advancement at work and in their careers; (b) Design and provide educational programmes through innovative media campaigns and school and community education programmes to raise awareness on gender equality and non-stereotyped gender roles of women and men within the family; provide support services and facilities, such as on-site child care at workplaces and flexible working arrangements; (c) Enact and enforce laws against sexual and other forms of harassment in all workplaces. G. [Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power [family responsibilities] and decision-making at all levels] [Shared power: women in decision-making] 183. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the Government of his/her country. The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of women's social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable government and administration and sustainable development in all areas of life. The power relations that impede women's attainment of fulfilling lives operate at many levels of society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men in decision-making will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society [and is a prerequisite for the proper functioning of democracy] [and promotes the proper functioning of democracy]. Equality in political decision-making performs a leverage function without which it is highly unlikely that a real integration of the equality dimension in government policy-making is feasible. In this respect, women's equal participation in political life plays a pivotal role in the general process of the advancement of women. Women's equal participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple justice or democracy but can also be seen as a necessary condition for women's interests to be taken into account. Without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women's perspective at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved. 184. Despite the widespread movement towards democratization in most countries, women are largely underrepresented at most levels of government, especially in ministerial and other executive bodies, and have made little progress in attaining political power in legislative bodies or in achieving the target endorsed by the Economic and Social Council of having 30 per cent women in positions at decision-making levels by 1995. Globally, only 10 per cent of the members of legislative bodies and a lower percentage of ministerial positions are now held by women. Indeed, some countries, including those that are undergoing fundamental political, economic and social changes, have seen a significant decrease in the number of women represented in legislative bodies. Although women make up at least half of the electorate in almost all countries and have attained the right to vote and hold office in almost all States Members of the United Nations, women continue to be seriously underrepresented as candidates for public office. The traditional working patterns of many political parties and government structures continue to be barriers to women's participation in public life. Women may be discouraged from seeking political office by discriminatory attitudes and practices, family and child-care responsibilities, and the high cost of seeking and holding public office. Women in politics and decision-making positions in Governments and legislative bodies contribute to redefining political priorities, placing new items on the political agenda that reflect and address women's gender-specific concerns, values and experiences, and providing new perspectives on mainstream political issues. 185. Women have demonstrated considerable leadership in community and informal organizations, as well as in public office. However, socialization and negative stereotyping of women and men, including stereotyping through the media, reinforces the tendency for political decision-making to remain the domain of men. Likewise, the underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions in the areas of art, culture, sports, the media, education, religion and law have prevented women from having a significant impact on many key institutions. 186. Owing to their limited access to the traditional avenues to power, such as the decision-making bodies of political parties, employer organizations and trade unions, women have gained access to power through alternative structures, particularly in the non-governmental organization sector. Through non-governmental organizations and grass-roots organizations, women have been able to articulate their interests and concerns and have placed women's issues on the national, regional and international agendas. 187. Inequality in the public arena can often start [within the family when power relations between men and women are unbalanced] [with discriminatory attitudes and practices within the family]. The unequal division of labour and responsibilities within households based on unequal power relations also limits women's potential to find the time and develop the skills required for participation in decision-making in wider public forums. A more equal sharing of those responsibilities between women and men not only provides a better quality of life for women and their daughters but also enhances their opportunities to shape and design public policy, practice and expenditure so that their interests may be recognized and addressed. [Non-formal networks and patterns of decision-making at the local community level that reflect a dominant male ethos restrict women's ability to participate equally in political, economic and social life.] 188. The low proportion of women among economic and political decision makers at the local, national, regional and international levels reflects structural and attitudinal barriers that need to be addressed through positive measures. Governments, transnational and national corporations, the mass media, banks, academic and scientific institutions, and regional and international organizations, including those in the United Nations system, do not make full use of women's talents as top-level managers, policy makers, [diplomats and negotiators]. 189. The equitable distribution of power and decision-making at all levels is dependent on Governments and other actors undertaking statistical gender analysis and mainstreaming a gender perspective in policy development and the implementation of programmes. [Affirmative action in some countries with 33.3 per cent representation in national and local government has empowered women in the decision-making process.] 190. National, regional and international statistical institutions still have insufficient knowledge of how to present the issues related to the equal treatment of women and men in the economic and social spheres. In particular, there is insufficient use of existing databases and methodologies in the important sphere of decision-making. 191. In addressing the inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively. [Strengthen factors that promote the full and equal participation of women in power structures and decision-making at all levels and in all areas] Strategic objective G.1. [Take special measures to ensure women's equal access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making] Actions to be taken 192. By Governments: (a) Commit themselves to establishing the goal of gender balance in governmental bodies and committees, as well as in public administrative entities, and in the judiciary, including [setting specific targets and] implementing measures to substantially increase the number of women [with a view to achieving equal representation of women and men] in all governmental and public administration positions; (b) [Consider measures in electoral systems that encourage political parties to integrate women in elective and non-elective public positions in the same proportion and levels as men;] (c) Protect and promote the equal rights of women and men to engage in political activities and to freedom of association, including membership in political parties and trade unions; (d) [Review the differential impact of electoral systems on the political representation of women in elected bodies and consider, where appropriate, the adjustment or reform of those systems;] (e) Monitor and evaluate progress on the representation of women through the regular collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative and qualitative data on women and men at all levels in various decision-making positions in the public and private sectors, and disseminate data on the number of women and men employed at various levels in Governments on a yearly basis; ensure that women and men have equal access to the full range of public appointments and set up mechanisms within governmental structures for monitoring progress in this field; (f) Support non-governmental organizations and research institutes that conduct studies on women's participation in and impact on decision- making and the decision-making environment; (g) Encourage greater involvement of indigenous women in decision-making at all levels; (h) [Encourage] [Ensure] that government-funded organizations adopt non-discriminatory policies and practices [in order to increase the number and raise the position of women in their organizations;] (i) [Recognize that shared work and parental responsibilities between women and men promote women's increased participation in public life, and take appropriate measures to achieve this, including measures to reconcile family and professional life;] (j) Aim at gender balance in the lists of national candidates nominated for election or appointment to United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other autonomous organizations of the United Nations system, particularly for posts at the senior level. 193. By political parties: (a) Consider examining party structures and procedures to remove all barriers that directly or indirectly discriminate against the participation of women; (b) Consider developing initiatives that allow women to participate fully in all internal policy-making structures and appointive and electoral nominating processes; (c) Consider incorporating gender issues in their political agenda [and ensuring the participation of women in the leadership of political parties so as to accomplish parity and the integration of both genders]. 194. By Governments, national bodies, the private sector, political parties, trade unions, employers' organizations, research and academic institutions, subregional and regional bodies, and non-governmental and international organizations: (a) Take positive action to build a critical mass of women leaders, executives and managers [with the requisite qualifications] in strategic decision-making positions; (b) [Create regulatory bodies and enforcement mechanisms to monitor women's access to senior levels of decision-making;] (c) Review the criteria for recruitment and appointment to advisory and decision-making bodies and promotion to senior positions to ensure that such criteria are relevant and do not discriminate against women; (d) Encourage efforts by non-governmental organizations, trade unions and the private sector to achieve equality [and equity] between women and men in their ranks, including equal participation in their decision-making bodies and in negotiations in all areas and at all levels; (e) Develop communications strategies to promote public debate on the new roles of men and women in society [and in the family]; (f) Restructure recruitment and career-development programmes to ensure that all women, especially young women, have equal access to managerial, entrepreneurial, technical and leadership training, including on-the-job training; (g) Develop career advancement programmes for women of all ages, that include career planning, tracking, mentoring, coaching, training and retraining; (h) Encourage and support the participation of women's non-governmental organizations in United Nations conferences and their preparatory processes; (i) Aim at and support gender balance in the composition of delegations to the United Nations and other international forums. 195. By the United Nations: (a) [Implement existing and adopt new policies and measures relating to all contracts in order to achieve overall gender parity in employment, particularly at the Professional level, by the year 2000, taking into account equitable geographical distribution in conformity with Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations;] (b) Develop mechanisms to nominate women candidates for appointment to senior posts in the United Nations, the specialized agencies and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system; (c) Continue to collect and disseminate quantitative and qualitative data on women and men in decision-making [and analyse their differential impact on decision-making and monitor progress towards achieving the Secretary-General's target of having women hold 50 per cent, but at least 40 per cent, of managerial and decision- making positions by the year 2000]. 196. By women's organizations, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, social partners, producers, and industrial and professional organizations: (a) Build and strengthen solidarity among women through information, education and sensitization activities; (b) Advocate at all levels to enable women to influence political, economic and social decisions, processes and systems, and work towards seeking accountability from elected representatives on their commitment to gender concerns; (c) [Establish databases on women and their qualifications for use in appointing women to senior decision-making and advisory positions, for dissemination to Governments, regional and international organizations and private enterprise.] Strategic objective G.2. Increase women's capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership Actions to be taken 197. By Governments, national bodies, the private sector, political parties, trade unions, employers' organizations, subregional and regional bodies, non-governmental and international organizations and educational institutions: (a) Provide leadership and self-esteem training to assist women and girls, particularly those with special needs, women with disabilities, and women belonging to racial and ethnic minorities to strengthen their self-esteem and to encourage them to take decision- making positions; (b) Have transparent criteria for decision-making positions and ensure that the selecting bodies have a gender-balanced composition; (c) Create a system of mentoring for inexperienced women and, in particular, offer training, including training in leadership and decision-making, public speaking and self-assertion, as well as in political campaigning; (d) Provide gender-sensitive training for women and men to promote non-discriminatory working relationships and respect for diversity in work and management styles; (e) Develop mechanisms and training to encourage women to participate in the electoral process, political activities and other leadership areas. H. Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women 198. National machineries for the advancement of women have been established in almost every Member State to, inter alia, design, promote the implementation of, [execute,] monitor, evaluate, advocate and mobilize support for policies that promote the advancement of women. National machineries are diverse in form and uneven in their effectiveness, and in some cases have declined. Often marginalized in national government structures, these mechanisms are frequently hampered by unclear mandates, lack of adequate staff, training, data and sufficient resources, and insufficient support from national political leadership. 199. At the regional and international levels, mechanisms and institutions to promote the advancement of women as an integral part of mainstream political, economic, social and cultural development, and of initiatives on development and human rights, encounter similar problems emanating from a lack of commitment at the highest levels. 200. Successive international conferences have underscored the need to take gender factors into account in policy and programme planning. However, in many instances this has not been done. 201. [Regional bodies concerned with the advancement of women have been strengthened, together with international machinery, such as the Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. However, the limited resources available continue to impede full implementation of their mandates.] 202. Methodologies for conducting gender-based analysis in policies and programmes and for dealing with the differential effects of policies on women and men have been developed in many organizations and are available for application but are often not being applied or are not being applied consistently. 203. A national machinery for the advancement of women is the central policy- coordinating unit inside government. Its main task is to support government- wide mainstreaming of a gender-equality perspective in all policy areas. The necessary conditions for an effective functioning of such national machineries include: (a) Location at the highest possible level in the government, [falling under the responsibility of a Cabinet minister]; (b) [Institutional mechanisms or processes that facilitate, as appropriate, decentralized planning, implementation and monitoring with a view to involving non-governmental organizations and community organizations from the grass roots upwards;] (c) Sufficient resources in terms of budget and professional capacity; (d) Opportunity to influence development of all government policies. 204. [In addressing the issue of mechanisms for promoting the advancement of women, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that, before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively.] [Integrate gender-equality dimensions into policy and programme planning and implementation at all levels and in all areas] Strategic objective H.1. Create or strengthen national machineries and other governmental bodies Actions to be taken 205. By Governments: (a) Ensure that responsibility for the advancement of women is vested in the highest possible level of government; in many cases, this could be at the level of a Cabinet minister; (b) [Based on a strong political commitment, create a national machinery, where it does not exist, and strengthen, as appropriate, existing national machineries, for the advancement of women at the highest possible level of government;] it should have clearly defined mandates and authority; critical elements would be adequate resources, ability and competence to influence policy and formulate and review legislation. Among other things, it should perform policy analysis, undertake advocacy, communication, coordination and monitoring of implementation; (c) Provide staff training in designing and analysing data from a gender perspective; (d) Establish procedures to allow the machinery to gather information on government-wide policy issues at an early stage and continuously use it in the policy development and review process within the Government; (e) [Report, on a regular basis, to legislative bodies and the Cabinet on the progress of efforts, as appropriate, to mainstream gender concerns, taking into account the implementation of the Platform for Action;] (f) Encourage and promote the active involvement of the broad and diverse range of institutional actors in the public, private and voluntary sectors to work for equality between women and men. *[206. By regional and international organizations, in particular development institutions, especially the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and bilateral donors: (a) Provide financial and advisory assistance to national machinery in order to increase its ability to gather information, develop networks and carry out its mandate; (b) Strengthen international mechanisms to promote the advancement of women through their respective mandates, in cooperation with Governments.] * It is proposed to place this paragraph in chapter V. Strategic objective H.2. Integrate gender perspectives in [all] legislation, public policies, programmes and projects Actions to be taken 207. By Governments: (a) Seek to ensure that before policy decisions are taken, [as appropriate] an analysis of their impact on women and men, respectively, is carried out; (b) [Systematically review policies, programmes and projects, as well as their implementation, to ensure that they reflect the differential impact of general measures on women and men and their respective contribution to development, taking into account existing inequalities, develop methods of gender-impact analysis, and introduce practical ways and means for applying it at an early stage of the policy development process [especially in terms of the impact of employment and income policies];] (Alternative) [Regularly review and implement national policies, programmes and projects, as well as their implementation, evaluating the impact of employment and income policies in order to guarantee that women are the direct beneficiaries of development [and that their contribution is considered in national accounts];] (c) Promote national strategies and aims on equality between women and men in order to eliminate obstacles to the exercise of women's rights and eradicate all forms of discrimination against women; (d) Work with members of legislative bodies, as appropriate, to promote a gender perspective in all legislation and policies; (e) [Establish networks of focal points in all ministries and agencies with a mandate to review policies and programmes, and create mechanisms for the focal points to meet regularly with national machinery in order to monitor progress in the implementation of the Platform for Action.] 208. By national machinery: (a) Facilitate the formulation and implementation of government policies on equality between women and men, develop appropriate strategies and methodologies, and promote coordination and cooperation within the central government in order to ensure mainstreaming of a gender perspective in all policy-making processes; (b) Promote and establish cooperative relationships with relevant branches of government, centres for women's studies and research, academic and educational institutions, the private sector, the media, non-governmental organizations, especially women's organizations, and all other actors of civil society; (c) [Undertake activities focusing on legal reform with regard to the family, conditions of employment, social security, income tax, equal opportunity in education, positive measures to promote the advancement of women, and the perception of attitudes and a culture favourable to equality;] (d) [Promote a gender perspective in legal reforms, inter alia, with regard to employment, social security, taxation and education;] (e) [Promote the increased participation of women as both active agents in and beneficiaries of the development process to improve the quality of life for all;] (f) Establish direct links with national, regional and international bodies dealing with the advancement of women; (g) Provide training and advisory assistance to government agencies in order to integrate a gender perspective in their policies and programmes. Strategic objective H.3. Generate and disseminate gender- disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation Actions to be taken 209. By national, regional and international statistical services, and relevant governmental and United Nations agencies, in cooperation with research and documentation organizations, in their respective areas of responsibility: (a) [Aim to] Ensure that [all] statistics related to individuals are collected, compiled, analysed and presented by sex and age [and reflect problems and questions related to women and men in society]; (b) Collect, compile, analyse and present on a regular basis data disaggregated by age, sex, socio-economic and other relevant indicators, including number of dependants, for utilization in policy and programme planning and implementation [and to reflect problems and questions related to men and women in society]; (c) Involve centres for women's studies and research organizations in developing and testing [appropriate indicators and] research methodologies to strengthen gender analysis, as well as in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the goals of the Platform for Action; (d) Designate or appoint staff to strengthen gender-statistics programmes and ensure coordination, monitoring and linkage to all fields of statistical work, and prepare output that integrates statistics from the various subject areas; (e) [Take steps to] Improve [and adopt] the [concepts and methods of] data collection on the full contribution of women and men to the economy [by taking steps] to [measure] [make visible] their participation in the informal sector(s); (f) [[Seek to] Develop a more comprehensive knowledge of work and employment through, inter alia, efforts to measure and better understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work, particularly work in caring for dependants and unremunerated work done for family farms or businesses, and encouraging, sharing and disseminating information, studies and experience in this field, including information on the development of methods for assessing the value of such work in quantitative terms, for possible reflection in accounts that may be produced separately from but are consistent with core national accounts;] (g) [Develop an international classification of activities for time-use statistics, with Governments also undertaking time-use studies, and prioritize further work at the national level to prepare satellite or parallel accounts of women's and men's unremunerated economic contribution, including quantifying household responsibilities as appropriate, producing such accounts separately from but making them consistent with core national accounts, defining the unremunerated worker as a worker in the System of National Accounts and mainstreaming the distinction between paid and unpaid work in employment statistics;] (h) Improve concepts and methods of data collection on the measurement of poverty among women and men, including their access to resources; (i) Strengthen vital statistical systems and incorporate gender analysis into publications and research; give priority to gender differences in research design and in data collection and analysis in order to improve data on morbidity; and improve data collection on access to health services [including access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, maternal care and family planning, with special priority for adolescent mothers and for elder care]; (j) Develop improved gender-disaggregated and age-specific data on the victims and perpetrators of [all forms of] violence against women, such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, incest and sexual abuse, and trafficking in women and girls, as well as on violence by the agents of the State; (k) Improve concepts and methods of data collection on the participation of women and men with disabilities, including their access to resources. 210. By Governments: (a) Ensure the regular production of a statistical publication on gender that presents and interprets topical data on women and men in a form suitable for a wide range of non-technical users; (b) Ensure that producers and users of statistics in each country regularly review the adequacy of the official statistical system and its coverage of gender issues, and prepare a plan for needed improvements, where necessary; (c) Develop and encourage the development of quantitative and qualitative studies by research organizations, trade unions, employers, the private sector and non-governmental organizations on the sharing of power and influence in society, including the number of women and men in senior decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors; (d) Use more gender-sensitive data in the formulation of policy and implementation of programmes and projects. 211. By the United Nations: (a) Promote the development of [statistical] methods to find better ways to collect, collate and analyse data that may relate to the human rights of women, including violence against women [for use by the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and human rights treaty bodies]; (b) Promote the further development of statistical methods to improve data that relate to women in economic, social, cultural and political development; (c) Prepare a new issue of The World's Women at regular five-year intervals and distribute it widely; (d) Assist countries, upon request, in the development of gender [concepts and] programmes; (e) [Report periodically on progress at the national and international levels to the United Nations Statistical Commission, INSTRAW and the Commission on the Status of Women, in a coordinated fashion.] 212. [By multilateral development financial institutions and bilateral donors: Support the development of national capacity in developing countries and in countries with economies in transition to fully measure the work done by women, including both remunerated and unremunerated work.] [Produce satellite accounts on unremunerated work that may be produced separately from but are consistent with core national accounts, while recognizing that such satellite accounts are to be used independently of national accounts.] I. [Lack of awareness of and commitment to [internationally and nationally recognized] human rights of women] [The enjoyment of [all] [universal] human rights by women] *[213. Human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human beings; their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of Governments. * The placement and the coherence of the text have not yet been agreed. *The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the solemn commitment of all States to fulfil their obligation to promote universal respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, other instruments relating to human rights, and international law. The universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question. *The Platform for Action reaffirms that all human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social, including the right to development - are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, as expressed in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms that the human rights of women and the girl child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. The full and equal enjoyment of all [universal] human rights and fundamental freedoms by women and girls [is a requirement of international law] [is essential for advancement of women].] 214. Equal rights of men and women are explicitly mentioned in the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations. [All the major international human rights instruments include sex as one of the grounds upon which States may not discriminate, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 26/ and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Declaration on the Right to Development 27/ and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.] 215. Governments must not only refrain from violating the human rights of all women, but must work actively to promote and protect these rights. [Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that the activities of the United Nations in the area of human rights should be rationalized, streamlined and reinforced [taking into account the need to] [in order to] avoid unnecessary duplication.] Recognition of the importance of the human rights of women is reflected in the fact that three quarters of the States Members of the United Nations have become parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 216. [The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed clearly that the human rights of women throughout the life cycle are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. The International Conference on Population and Development reaffirmed women's reproductive rights and the right to development. Both the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantee children's rights and uphold the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of gender. Three quarters of the States Members of the United Nations have become parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. An increasing number of countries have established mechanisms to enable women to exercise their rights.] 217. The gap between the existence of rights and their effective enjoyment derives from a lack of commitment by Governments to promoting and protecting those rights and the failure of Governments to inform women and men alike about them. The lack of appropriate recourse mechanisms at the national and international levels, and inadequate resources at both levels, compound the problem. In most countries, steps have been taken to reflect the rights guaranteed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in national law. A number of countries have established mechanisms to strengthen women's ability to exercise their rights. 218. In order to protect the human rights of women, it is necessary to avoid, as far as possible, resorting to reservations and to ensure that no reservation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention [or is otherwise contrary to international treaty law]. Unless the human rights of women, as defined by international human rights instruments, are fully recognized and effectively protected, applied, implemented and enforced in national law as well as in national practice in family, civil, penal, labour and commercial codes and administrative rules and regulations, they will exist in name only. 219. In those countries that have not yet become parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other international human rights instruments, or where reservations that are incompatible with the object or purpose of the Convention have been entered, or where national laws have not yet been revised to implement international norms and standards, women's [de jure] equality is not yet secured. [Women's full enjoyment of equal rights is undermined by the discrepancies between some national legislation and international law and international instruments on human rights, overly complex administrative procedures, lack of awareness within the judicial process and inadequate monitoring of the violation of the human rights of all women, coupled with the underrepresentation of women in justice systems, insufficient information on existing rights and persistent attitudes and practices that perpetuate women's inequality.] [Lack of enforcement of family, civil, penal, labour and commercial codes or administrative rules and regulations have undermined women's access to the protection offered under international human rights instruments.] 220. Every person should be entitled to participate, to contribute to and to enjoy cultural, economic, political and social development. In many cases women and girls suffer discrimination in the allocation of economic and social resources. This directly violates their economic, social and cultural rights. [They also suffer from the negative effects of structural adjustment policies.] 221. [The human rights of all women and girls [should form an integral part of] [must be integrated in] United Nations human rights activities.] Intensified efforts are needed to integrate the equal status and the human rights of all women and girls into the mainstream of United Nations system-wide activities and to address these issues regularly and systematically throughout relevant bodies and mechanisms. This requires, inter alia, improved cooperation and coordination between the Commission on the Status of Women, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission on Human Rights, including its special and thematic rapporteurs, independent experts, working groups and its Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Commission for Social Development, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other human rights treaty bodies, and all relevant entities of the United Nations system, including the specialized agencies [and cooperation is needed also in order to strengthen and rationalize the structure and activities [in order to] [taking into account the need to] avoid unnecessary duplication.] 222. [[Gender] analysis applied to human rights law has shown that the formal requirement of equal treatment of men and women does not take into consideration the systematic nature of discrimination against women. Consequently, if the goal of universal realization of human rights for all is to be achieved, [universally accepted] international human rights [law] instruments must be applied in a way that takes this fact into account.] 223. [The World Conference on Human Rights and the International Conference on Population and Development [which did not create any human rights] reaffirm [all aspects of the [universal] human rights of women, including] women's reproductive rights [as defined in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, taking into consideration the reservations to the Programme of Action] and the right to development.] Bearing in mind the definitions given in chapter II, chapter VII, paragraph 7.2, and chapter VIII of the Programme of Action 13/ [reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights documents. [Therefore, the unique reproductive and productive roles of women [and men] must be recognized and valued.] [Changes in both men's and women's consciousness, attitudes and behaviour are necessary conditions for achieving harmonious partnerships between women and men. It is essential to improve communication between women and men on issues of shared responsibility, including sexuality and reproductive health, so that women and men are equal partners in public and private life. Special efforts are needed to emphasize men's shared responsibility and promote their active involvement in responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive behaviour.] 224. [Changes in both men's and women's knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are necessary conditions for achieving harmonious partnerships between women and men. It is essential to improve communication between women and men on issues of shared responsibility, including sexuality and reproductive health, so that women and men are equal partners in public and private life. Special efforts are needed to emphasize men's shared responsibility and promote their active involvement in responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive behaviour.] 225. [Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a long-standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in relation to violence against women. Gender-based violence and all forms of sexual harassment, prostitution, pornography, sexual slavery and exploitation, including those violations resulting from cultural prejudice, racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ethnic cleansing, religious and anti-religious extremism and international trafficking in women and children, are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person and must be eliminated. Any harmful aspect of certain traditional, customary or modern practices that violates the rights of women should be prohibited and eliminated. Governments should take urgent action to combat and eliminate all forms of violence against women in private and public life, whether perpetrated or tolerated by the State or private persons especially in situations [or experienced as a result] of armed conflict, [foreign occupation] or terrorism. Special emphasis must be placed on the prevention of violence against women.] (First alternative) [Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a long-standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in relation to violence against women. All forms of gender-based violence, including those resulting from armed conflict, foreign occupation, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, ethnic cleansing, extremism, terrorism, cultural prejudice and international trafficking [in women and children] are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person and must be eliminated. [To this end] urgent action and effective measures by Governments and the international community must be taken to eliminate all forms of violence against women.] (Second alternative) [Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a long-standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in relation to violence against women. Special emphasis must be placed on the prevention of violence against women.] 226. [Women in particularly vulnerable circumstances, such as migrants, including migrant women workers, refugees or [internally] displaced women or those belonging to racial or ethnic minorities or indigenous groups, are often disadvantaged and marginalized by their lack of knowledge and recognition of their human rights and the absence of recourse mechanisms to redress violations of their rights. The factors that cause the flight of refugee and [internally] displaced women may be different from those affecting men. Refugee and [internally] displaced women continue to be vulnerable to abuses of their human rights while in flight and in countries of asylum and resettlement because of the varied effects of their displacement, including a lack of access to human rights recourse mechanisms and to information on their rights. Such effects of displacement may also be experienced by other migrant women.] (Alternative) [Many women face additional barriers in the enjoyment of their human rights because of such factors as their race, language, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, disability or socio-economic class or because they are indigenous people, migrants, displaced people or refugees. They are also disadvantaged and marginalized by a lack of knowledge and recognition of their human rights as well as by the obstacles they meet in getting access to information and recourse mechanisms in cases of violation of their rights.] 227. While women are increasingly using the legal system to exercise their rights, in many countries lack of awareness of the existence of these rights is an obstacle to full enjoyment of their human rights and the attainment of equality. Experience in many countries has shown that women can be empowered and motivated to assert their rights, regardless of their level of education or socio-economic status. Legal literacy programmes and media strategies have been effective in helping women to understand the link between their rights and other aspects of their lives and in demonstrating that cost-effective initiatives can be undertaken to help women obtain those rights. Provision of human rights education is essential for promoting an understanding of the human rights of women, including knowledge of recourse mechanisms to redress violations of their rights. It is necessary for all individuals, especially women in vulnerable circumstances, to have full knowledge of their rights and access to legal recourse against violations of their rights. 228. Women engaged in the defence of human rights must be protected. Governments have a duty to guarantee the full enjoyment of all rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights by women working peacefully in a personal or organizational capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights. Non-governmental organizations and women's organizations [and feminist groups] have played a catalytic role in the promotion of the human rights of women, through grass-roots activities, networking and advocacy, and need encouragement, support and access to information from Governments in order to carry out these activities. 229. In addressing the enjoyment of human rights, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that, before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively. [Apply and enforce international norms and standards to promote and safeguard the full and equal enjoyment by women of all human rights] Strategic objective I.1. Promote and protect [all] the human rights of women, through the full implementation of all [international] human rights instruments, especially through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Actions to be taken 230. By Governments: (a) [Consider] Ratify or accede to and implement international and regional human rights treaties; (b) [Consider] the ratification or accession to and [ensure] implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women so that universal ratification of the Convention can be achieved by the year 2000; (c) [Consider withdrawing reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;] (d) [Limit the extent of any reservations to the Convention, formulate any reservations as precisely and as narrowly as possible, ensure that no reservation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention or otherwise contrary to international treaty law and review their reservations regularly, with the view to withdrawing them expeditiously;] (e) Consider drawing up national action plans identifying steps to improve the promotion and protection of human rights, including the human rights of women, as recommended by the World Conference on Human Rights; (f) Create or strengthen [independent] national institutions for the protection and promotion of these rights, including the human rights of women, as recommended by the World Conference on Human Rights; (g) Develop a comprehensive human rights education programme to raise awareness among women of their human rights and among others of the human rights of women; (h) [Undertake, if they are States parties, to implement the Convention by reviewing all laws, policies, practices and procedures to determine whether they meet the obligations set forth in the Convention, revising all non-conforming laws, policies, practices and procedures to meet the international obligations set forth in the Convention;] (i) Include gender aspects in reporting under all other human rights conventions and instruments, including ILO conventions, to ensure analysis and review of the human rights of women; (j) Report on schedule regarding the implementation of the Convention to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, following fully the guidelines established by the Committee and involving non-governmental organizations, where appropriate, or taking into account their contributions in the preparation of the report; (k) [Enable the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women fully to discharge its mandate, for instance [by revising the Convention to allow adequate meeting time and] by promoting efficient working methods;] (l) [Take steps to support] [Consider] the drafting of an optional protocol to the Convention to establish [a right of petition and inquiry] [a communication] procedure that can enter into force before the year 2000 [as soon as possible]; (m) [Consider] Ratify or accede to and ensure [full] implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to ensure equal rights for girls and boys and urge those who have not already done so to become a party in order to realize universal implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the year 2000; (n) Address the acute problems of children, including through supporting efforts in the context of the United Nations system aimed at adopting efficient international measures for the prevention and eradication of female infanticide, harmful child labour, the sale of children [and their organs], child prostitution, child pornography and other forms of sexual abuse and consider [guidelines for a possible draft] [the drafting of an] optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child; (o) [Promote the approval and enforcement of an international convention against all open and covert forms of sexual exploitation that includes the provision of social services to the victims and the prosecution of those who run sex tourism industries and the traffickers;] (p) Taking into account the need to ensure full respect for the human rights of indigenous women, consider a declaration on the rights of indigenous people for adoption by the General Assembly within the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, and encourage the participation of indigenous women in the working group elaborating the draft declaration, in accordance with the provisions for the participation of organizations of indigenous people. 231. By [the United Nations] [The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights] [all human rights bodies in the United Nations system as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees], while promoting greater efficiency and effectiveness through better coordination of the various bodies, mechanisms and procedures, taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary duplication and overlapping of their mandates and tasks: (a) Give full and equal and sustained attention to the human rights of women in the exercise of their respective mandates to promote universal respect for and protection of all human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social - including the right to development; (b) Ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the World Conference on Human Rights for the full integration and mainstreaming of the human rights of women; (c) Develop a comprehensive policy programme for the mainstreaming of the human rights of women throughout the United Nations system, including in activities with regard to advisory services, technical assistance, reporting methodology, gender impact assessments, coordination, public information and human rights education, and play an active role in the implementation of the programme; (d) Ensure the integration and full participation of women as both agents and beneficiaries in the development process, and reiterate the objectives established for global action for women towards sustainable and equitable development set forth in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; (e) Include information on gender-based human rights violations in their activities and integrate the findings into all of their programmes and activities; (f) Ensure that there is collaboration and coordination of the work of all human rights bodies and mechanisms to ensure that the human rights of women are respected; (g) Strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights, the Commission for Social Development, the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the United Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, UNIFEM, INSTRAW, UNDP, UNICEF, and other organizations of the United Nations system, acting within their mandates, in the promotion of the human rights of women, and improve cooperation between the Division for the Advancement of Women and the Centre for Human Rights; (h) [Call upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to establish effective cooperation within their respective mandates, taking into account the fact that refugee, displaced and returnee women are subject to particular forms of human rights abuse;] (Alternative) [Call upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to establish effective cooperation within their respective mandates, taking into account [the close link between human rights situations, military aggression, ethnic cleansing and genocide, refugee, displaced and returnee women, and the fact that these women are subject to particular forms of human rights abuse];] (i) Encourage incorporation of a gender perspective in national programmes of action and in human rights and national institutions, within the context of human rights advisory services programmes; (j) Provide training in the human rights of women for all United Nations personnel and officials, especially those in human rights and humanitarian relief activities, and promote their understanding of the human rights of women so that they recognize and deal with violations of the human rights of women and can fully take into account the gender aspect of their work. Strategic objective I.2. Ensure equality and non-discrimination under the law Actions to be taken 232. By Governments: (a) Give priority to promoting and protecting the full and equal enjoyment by women and men of all human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origins, property, birth or other status; (b) Provide constitutional guarantees and/or enact appropriate legislation to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex for all women and girls of all ages and assure women of all ages equal rights and their full enjoyment; (c) Embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their legislation and ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle; (d) [Consider] reviewing national laws [including customary laws and legal practices in the areas of family, civil, penal, labour and commercial laws] in order to ensure the implementation of the principles and procedures of all relevant international human rights instruments by means of national legislation, and [consider] revoking any remaining laws that discriminate on the basis of sex and remove gender bias in the administration of justice; (e) Strengthen and encourage the development of programmes of protection of the human rights of women in the national institutions on human rights which carry out programmes, such as human rights commissions or ombudspersons, according them appropriate status, resources and access to the Government to assist individuals, in particular women, and ensure that these institutions pay adequate attention to problems involving the violation of the human rights of women; (f) [Take action to ensure that women's [sexual and] reproductive rights are fully recognized and respected;] (g) [Take urgent action to combat and eliminate violence against women, which is a human rights violation, resulting from harmful traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and [religious, anti-religious, or secular] extremism. [They are also urged] Prohibit female genital mutilation wherever it exists and give vigorous support to efforts among non-governmental and community organizations and religious institutions to eliminate such practices;] (h) [Consider what legal safeguards may be required to prevent discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or lifestyle;] (i) Provide gender-sensitive human rights education and training to public officials, including, inter alia, police and military personnel, corrections officers, health and medical personnel, and social workers, including people who deal with migration and refugee issues, and teachers at all levels of the educational system, and make available such education and training also to the judiciary and members of parliament in order to enable them to better exercise their public responsibilities; (j) [Promote the equal right of women to be members of trade unions and other professional and social organizations;] (k) Establish effective mechanisms for investigating violations of the human rights of women perpetrated by any public official and take the necessary punitive legal measures in accordance with national laws; (l) Review and amend criminal laws and procedures, as necessary, to eliminate any discrimination against women in order to ensure that criminal law and procedures guarantee women effective protection against, and prosecution of, crimes directed at or disproportionately affecting women, regardless of the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim, and ensure that women defendants, victims and/or witnesses are not revictimized or discriminated against in the investigation and prosecution of crimes; (m) Ensure that women have the same right as men to be [judges], advocates or other officers of the court, as well as police officers and prison and detention officers, among other things; (n) Strengthen existing or establish readily available and free or affordable alternative administrative mechanisms and legal aid programmes to assist disadvantaged women seeking redress for violations of their rights; (o) [Guarantee the full enjoyment of all human rights by women activists and by members of non-governmental organizations in this field and their freedom in carrying out their activities;] (Alternative) [Ensure that all women and [members of] non-governmental organizations [and their members] genuinely involved in the field of protection and promotion of all human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social, including the right to development - enjoy the rights and freedoms recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the protection of national laws;] (p) Strengthen and encourage the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, paying special attention to ensure non-discrimination and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by women and girls with disabilities, including their access to information and services in the field of violence against women, as well as their active participation and economic contribution in all aspects of society; (q) Encourage the development of gender-sensitive human rights programmes. Strategic objective I.3. Achieve legal literacy Actions to be taken 233. By Governments [with the support of] [and] non-governmental organizations, the United Nations and other international organizations, as appropriate: (a) Translate whenever possible, into local and indigenous languages and into alternative formats appropriate for persons with disabilities and persons at lower levels of literacy, publicize and disseminate laws and information relating to the equal status and human rights of all women, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Declaration on the Right to Development and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, as well as the outcomes of relevant United Nations conferences and summits and national reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; (b) Publicize and disseminate such information in easily understandable formats and alternative formats appropriate for persons with disabilities, and persons at low levels of literacy; (c) Disseminate information on national legislation and its impact on women, including easily accessible guidelines on how to use a justice system to exercise one's rights; (d) [Include information about international and regional instruments and standards in their public information and human rights education activities and in adult education and training programmes, particularly for groups such as the military, the police and other law enforcement personnel, the judiciary, and legal and health professionals to ensure that human rights are effectively protected;] (e) Make widely available and fully publicize information on the existence of national, regional and international mechanisms for seeking redress when the human rights of women are violated; (f) Encourage, coordinate and cooperate with local and regional women's groups, relevant non-governmental organizations, educators and the media, to implement programmes in human rights education to make women aware of their human rights; (g) [Promote education on the human and legal rights of women in school curricula at all levels of education and undertake public campaigns, in the most widely used languages of the country, on the equality of women and men in public and private life, including their rights within the family and relevant human rights instruments under national and international law;] (h) Promote education in all countries in human rights and international humanitarian law for members of the national security and armed forces, including those assigned to United Nations peace-keeping operations, on a routine and continuing basis, reminding them and sensitizing them to the fact that they should respect the rights of women at all times, both on and off duty, giving special attention to the rules on the protection of women and children and to the protection of human rights in situations of armed conflict; (i) Take appropriate measures to ensure that refugee and displaced women, migrant women and women migrant workers are made aware of their human rights and of the recourse mechanisms available to them. J. Inequality in women's access to and participation in all communications systems, especially the media, and their insufficient mobilization to promote women's contribution to society [Mobilize the media to portray women's contribution to society] [Responsibility of the media for the impact of their content on women] [Women and the media] 234. During the past decade, advances in information technology have facilitated a global communications network that transcends national boundaries and has an impact on public policy, private attitudes and behaviour, especially of children and young adults. Everywhere the potential exists for the media to make a far greater contribution to the advancement of women. 235. More women are involved in careers in the communications sector, but few have attained positions at the decision-making level or serve on governing boards and bodies that influence media policy. The lack of gender sensitivity in the media is evidenced by the failure to eliminate the gender-based stereotyping that can be found in public and private local, national and international media organizations. 236. The continued projection of negative and degrading images of women in media communications - electronic, print, visual and audio - must be changed. Print and electronic media in most countries do not provide a balanced picture of women's diverse lives and contributions to society in a changing world. In addition, violent and degrading or pornographic media products [are also negatively affecting] [can also negatively affect] women and their participation in society. Programming that reinforces women's traditional roles can be equally limiting. The worldwide trend towards consumerism has created a climate in which advertisements and commercial messages often portray women primarily as consumers and target girls and women of all ages inappropriately. 237. Women should be empowered by enhancing their skills, knowledge and access to information technology. This will strengthen their ability to combat negative portrayals of women internationally and to challenge instances of abuse of the power of an increasingly important industry. Self-regulatory mechanisms for the media need to be created and strengthened and approaches developed to eliminate gender-biased programming [and excessive control or influence of transnational corporations.] Most women, especially in developing countries, are not able to access effectively the expanding electronic information highways and therefore cannot establish networks that will provide them with alternative sources of information. Women therefore need to be involved in decision-making regarding the development of the new technologies in order to participate fully in their growth and impact. 238. In addressing the issue of the mobilization of the media, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in policies and programmes. [Enhance the role of traditional and modern mass communications media to promote awareness of equality between women and men effectively] Strategic objective J.1. Increase the participation and enhance the access of women to expression and decision-making in and through the media and new technologies of communication Actions to be taken 239. By Governments: (a) Support women's education, training and employment to [ensure women's greater access] [promote women's equal] access to all areas and levels of the media; (b) Support research into all aspects of women and the media so as to define areas needing attention and action and review existing media policies with a view to integrating a gender perspective; (c) Promote women's [full and] equal participation in the media, including management, programming, education, training and research; (d) Aim at gender balance in the appointment of women and men to all advisory, management, regulatory or monitoring bodies, including those connected to the private and State or public media; (e) Encourage, to the extent consistent with freedom of expression, these bodies to increase the number of programmes for and by women to see to it that women's needs and concerns are properly addressed; (f) Encourage and recognize women's media networks, including electronic networks and other new technologies of communication, as a means for the dissemination of information and the exchange of views, including at the international level, and support women's groups active in all media work and systems of communications to that end; (g) Encourage and provide the means or incentives for the creative use of programmes in the national media for the dissemination of information on various cultural forms of indigenous people and the development of social and educational issues in this regard within the framework of national law; (h) Guarantee the freedom of the media and its subsequent protection within the framework of national law [and encourage the positive involvement of the media in development and social issues]. 240. By national and international media systems: Develop, consistent with freedom of expression, regulatory mechanisms, including voluntary ones, that promote balanced and diverse portrayals of women by the media and international communication systems and that promote increased participation by women and men in production and decision-making. 241. By Governments, as appropriate, or national machinery for the advancement of women: (a) Encourage the development of educational and training programmes for women, to produce information for the mass media, including funding of experimental efforts, and the use of the new technologies of communication, cybernetics space and satellite, whether public or private; (b) Encourage the use of communication systems, including new technologies, as a means of strengthening women's participation in democratic processes; (c) Facilitate the compilation of a directory of women media experts; (d) Encourage the participation of women in the development of [professional guidelines and codes of conduct] [appropriate regulatory mechanisms] to promote balanced and [non-stereotyped] portrayals of women by the media. 242. By non-governmental organizations and media professional associations: (a) Encourage the establishment of media watch groups that can monitor the media and consult with the media to ensure that women's needs and concerns are properly reflected; (b) [Consider training] Train women to make greater use of information technology for communication and the media, including at the international level; (c) Create networks among and develop information programmes for non-governmental organizations, women's organizations and professional media organizations in order to recognize the specific needs of women in the media, and facilitate the increased participation of women in communication, in particular at the international level, in support of South-South and North-South dialogue among and between these organizations, inter alia, to promote the human rights of women and equality between women and men; (d) Encourage the media industry and education and media training institutions to develop, in appropriate languages, traditional, indigenous and other ethnic group forms of media, such as story- telling, drama, poetry and song [reflecting their cultures] [reflecting their own cultural values] [reflecting their moral, ethical and religious values], and utilize these forms of communication to disseminate information on development and social issues. Strategic objective J.2. Promote a [positive] [balanced and non-stereotyped] portrayal of women in the media Actions to be taken 243. By Governments and international organizations, to the extent consistent with freedom of expression: (a) Promote research and implementation of a strategy of information, education and communication aimed at promoting a balanced portrayal of women and girls and their multiple roles; (b) Encourage the media and advertising agencies to develop specific programmes to raise awareness of the Platform for Action; (c) Encourage gender-sensitive training for media professionals, including media owners and managers, to encourage the creation and use of [positive] [non-stereotyped] images of women in the media; (d) Encourage the media to refrain from presenting women as inferior beings and exploiting them as sexual objects and commodities, rather than presenting them as creative human beings, key actors and contributors to and beneficiaries of the process of development; (e) Promote the concept that the sexist stereotypes displayed in the media are gender discriminatory, degrading in nature and offensive; (f) Take effective measures or institute such measures, including appropriate legislation against pornography and the projection of violence against women and children in the media. 244. By the mass media and advertising organizations: (a) Develop [appropriate regulatory mechanisms] [professional guidelines and codes of conduct] and other forms of self-regulation to promote the presentation of non-stereotyped images of women; (b) [Establish professional guidelines and codes of conduct that address violent, degrading or pornographic materials concerning women in the media, including advertising;] (c) Develop a gender perspective on all issues of concern to communities, consumers and civil society; (d) Increase women's participation in decision-making at all levels of the media. 245. By the media, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in collaboration, as appropriate, with national machinery for the advancement of women: (a) Promote the equal sharing of family responsibilities through media campaigns [that emphasize gender equality and non-stereotyped gender roles of women and men within the family] and that disseminate information aimed at eliminating spousal and child abuse and all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence; (b) Produce and/or disseminate media materials on women leaders, inter alia, as [caring mothers and nurturers of happy families] managers and entrepreneurs, to provide role models, particularly to young women; (c) Promote extensive campaigns making use of public and private educational programmes to disseminate information about [the human rights of women,] [the rights of women as provided for in international human rights instruments,] with a view to increasing their awareness about their human rights; (d) [Support the development of new] [Develop and finance] alternative media and the use of all means of communications to disseminate information to and about women and their concerns; (e) Develop approaches and train experts to apply gender analysis with regard to media programmes. K. [Lack of adequate recognition and support for] [Promote] [women's contribution to managing natural resources and safeguarding the environment] [Women and the environment] 246. [Human beings are at the centre of concern for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.]* Women have an essential role to play in the development of sustainable and ecologically sound consumption and production patterns and approaches to natural resource management, as was recognized at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the International Conference on Population and Development and reflected throughout Agenda 21. Awareness of resource depletion, the degradation of natural systems and the dangers of polluting substances increased markedly in the past decade. These worsening conditions are destroying fragile ecosystems and displacing communities, especially women, from productive activities and are an increasing threat to a safe and healthy environment. [The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries. Rising sealevels as a result of global warming cause a grave and immediate threat to people living in island countries and coastal areas. The use of ozone-depleting substances, such as products with chlorofluorocarbon, halos, foams and plastics, are severely affecting the atmosphere by allowing harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth's surface, with severe effects on the health of people.] * The first two sentences are not in question but their inclusion in this section is not yet agreed. 247. All States and all people shall cooperate in the essential task of eradicating poverty as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, in order to decrease the disparities in standards of living and better meet the needs of the majority of the people of the world. [Poverty and environmental degradation are closely related.] [In addition, war, armed conflicts, foreign occupation and displacements are also closely related to environmental degradation.] The deterioration of natural resources displaces communities, especially women, from income-generating activities while greatly adding to unremunerated work. In both urban and rural areas, environmental degradation results in negative effects on the health, well-being and quality of life of the population at large, especially girls and women of all ages. Particular attention and recognition should be given to the role and the special situation of women living in rural areas and those working in the agricultural sector, where access to training, land, natural and productive resources, credit, development programmes and cooperative structures can help them increase their participation in sustainable development. Environmental risks in the home and workplace may have a disproportionate impact on women's health because of women's different susceptibilities to the toxic effects of various chemicals. These risks to women's health are particularly high [in urban areas as well as in low-income areas], where there is a high concentration of polluting industrial facilities. 248. [Through their management and use of natural resources, women provide sustenance to their families and communities. As consumers, caretakers of their families and educators, women play an important role in promoting sustainable development and in their concern for the quality and sustainability of life for present and future generations. Women have expressed their commitment to create a new development paradigm that integrates environmental sustainability with gender equality and justice within and between generations as maintained in chapter 24 of Agenda 21. 17/] 249. Women remain largely absent at all levels of policy formulation and decision-making in natural resource and environmental management, conservation, protection and rehabilitation, and their experience and skills in advocacy for and monitoring of proper natural resource management too often remain marginalized in policy-making and decision-making bodies, as well as in educational institutions and environment-related agencies at the managerial level. Women are rarely trained as professional natural resource managers with policy-making capacities such as land-use planners, agriculturalists, foresters, marine scientists and environmental lawyers. Even in cases where women are trained as professional natural resource managers, they are often underrepresented in formal institutions with policy-making capacities at the national, regional and international levels. Often women are not equal participants in the management of financial and corporate institutions whose decision-making most significantly affects environmental quality. Furthermore, there are institutional weaknesses in coordination between women's non-governmental organizations and national institutions dealing with environmental issues, despite the recent rapid growth and visibility of women's non-governmental organizations working on these issues at all levels. 250. Women have often played leadership roles or taken the lead in promoting an environmental ethic, reducing resource use, and reusing and recycling resources to minimize waste and excessive consumption. Women can have a particularly powerful role in influencing sustainable consumption decisions. In addition, women's contributions to environmental management, including through grass-roots and youth campaigns to protect the environment, have often taken place at the local level, where decentralized action on environmental issues is most needed and decisive. Women, especially indigenous women, have particular knowledge of ecological linkages and fragile ecosystem management. Women in many communities provide the main labour force for subsistence production, including production of seafood; hence, their role is crucial to the provision of food and nutrition, the enhancement of the subsistence and informal sectors and the preservation of the environment. In certain regions, women are generally the most stable members of the community, as men often pursue work in distant locations, leaving women to safeguard the natural environment and ensure adequate and sustainable resource allocation within the household and the community. 251. The strategic actions needed for sound environmental management require a holistic, multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach. Women's participation and leadership are essential to every aspect of that approach. The recent United Nations global conferences on development, as well as regional preparatory conferences for the Fourth World Conference on Women, have all acknowledged that sustainable development policies that do not involve women and men alike will not succeed in the long run. They have called for the effective participation of women in the generation of knowledge and environmental education in decision-making and management at all levels. Women's experiences and contributions to an ecologically sound environment must therefore be central to the agenda for the twenty-first century. Sustainable development will be an elusive goal unless women's contribution to environmental management is recognized and supported. 252. In addressing the lack of adequate recognition and support for women's contribution to conservation and management of natural resources and safeguarding the environment, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes, [so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively]. Strategic objective K.1. Involve women actively in environmental decision-making at all levels Actions to be taken 253. By Governments, at all levels, including municipal authorities, as appropriate: (a) [Ensure] opportunities for women, including indigenous women, to participate in environmental decision-making at all levels, including as managers, designers and planners, and as implementers and evaluators of environmental projects; (b) Facilitate and increase women's access to information and education, including in the areas of science, technology and economics, thus enhancing their knowledge, skills and opportunities for participation in environmental decisions; (c) [Encourage, through national legislation and subject to it, indigenous women's traditional knowledge, innovations, practices and skills, including those concerning traditional medicines, biodiversity and indigenous technologies, ensure that they are protected and improved and are respected, preserved and maintained, as envisaged in the Convention on Biological Diversity, 28/ safeguard their intellectual property rights and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge;] (d) Take appropriate measures to reduce risks to women from identified environmental hazards at home, at work and in other environments, including appropriate application of clean technologies, taking into account the precautionary approach agreed to in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; (e) Take measures to integrate [women's concerns and] a gender perspective in the design and implementation of, among other things, environmentally sound and sustainable [energy and] resource management mechanisms, production techniques and infrastructure development in rural and urban areas; (f) [Take measures to empower women as consumers to take effective environmental actions in their homes, communities and workplaces;] (g) Promote the participation of local communities, particularly women, in identification of public service needs, spatial planning and the provision and design of urban infrastructure. 254. By Governments and international organizations and private sector institutions, as appropriate: (a) Take gender impact into consideration in the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development and other appropriate United Nations bodies and in the activities of international financial institutions; (b) Promote the involvement of women and the incorporation of a gender perspective in the design, approval and execution of projects funded under the Global Environment Facility and other appropriate United Nations organizations; (c) Encourage the design of projects in the areas of concern to the Global Environment Facility that would benefit women and projects managed by women; (d) Establish strategies and mechanisms to increase the proportion of women, particularly at grass-roots levels, involved as decision makers, planners, managers, scientists and technical advisers and as beneficiaries in the design, development and implementation of policies and programmes for natural resource management and environmental protection and conservation; (e) Encourage social, economic, political and scientific institutions to address environmental degradation and the resulting impact on women. 255. By non-governmental organizations and the private sector: (a) Assume advocacy of environmental and natural resource management issues of concern to women and provide information to contribute to resource mobilization for environmental protection and conservation; (b) Facilitate the access of women agriculturists, fishers and pastoralists to knowledge, skills, marketing services and environmentally sound technologies to support and strengthen their crucial roles and their expertise in resource management and the conservation of biological diversity. Strategic objective K.2. Ensure integration of gender concerns and perspectives in policies and programmes for sustainable development Actions to be taken 256. By Governments: (a) [Integrate the perspectives and knowledge of all women, including indigenous women, on sustainable resource management in the development of policies and programmes for sustainable development, including in particular, those designed to address and prevent environmental degradation of the land;] (b) Evaluate policies and programmes in terms of environmental impact and women's equal access to and use of natural resources; (c) Ensure adequate research to assess how and to what extent women are particularly susceptible or exposed to environmental degradation and hazards, including, as necessary, research and data collection on specific groups of women, particularly women with low income, indigenous women and women belonging to minorities; (d) [Integrate rural women's traditional knowledge and practices of sustainable resource use and management in the development of environmental management and extension programmes;] (e) Integrate the results of gender-sensitive research into mainstream policies with a view to developing sustainable human settlements; (f) Promote the knowledge of and sponsor research on the role of women, particularly rural and indigenous women, in food gathering and production, soil conservation, irrigation, watershed management, sanitation, coastal zone and marine resource management, integrated pest management, land-use planning, forest conservation and community forestry, fisheries, natural disaster prevention, and new and renewable sources of energy, focusing particularly on indigenous women's knowledge and experience; (g) Develop a strategy for change to eliminate all obstacles to women's full and equal participation in sustainable development and equal access to [and control over] resources; (h) Promote the education of girls and women of all ages in science, technology and economics, and other disciplines relating to the natural environment, so that they can make informed choices and offer informed input in determining local economic, scientific and environmental priorities for the management and appropriate use of natural and local resources and ecosystems; (i) Develop programmes to involve female professionals and scientists, as well as technical, administrative and clerical workers, in environmental management, develop training programmes for girls and women in these fields, expand opportunities for the hiring and promotion of women in these fields and implement special measures to advance women's expertise and participation in these activities; (j) Identify and promote environmentally sound technologies that have been designed, developed and improved in consultation with women and that are appropriate to both women and men; (k) Support the development of women's equal access to housing infrastructure, safe water, and sustainable and affordable energy technologies, such as wind, solar, biomass and other renewable sources, through participatory needs assessments, energy planning and policy formulation at the local and national levels; (l) Ensure that clean water is available and accessible to all by the year 2000 and that environmental protection and conservation plans are designed and implemented to restore polluted water systems and rebuild damaged watersheds. 257. By international organizations, non-governmental organizations and private sector institutions: (a) Involve women in the communication industries in raising awareness regarding environmental issues, especially on the environmental and health impacts of products, technologies and industry processes; (b) Encourage consumers to use their purchasing power to promote the production of environmentally safe products and encourage investment in environmentally sound and productive agricultural, fisheries, commercial and industrial activities and technologies; (c) Support women's consumer initiatives by promoting the marketing of organic food and recycling facilities, product information [and product labelling, including labelling of toxic chemicals and pesticide containers for those who are illiterate]. Strategic objective K.3. Establish or strengthen mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels to assess the impact of development and environmental policies on women Actions to be taken 258. By Governments, regional and international organizations and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate: (a) Provide technical assistance to women, particularly in developing countries, in the sectors of agriculture, fisheries, small enterprises, trade and industry to ensure the continuing promotion of human resource development and the development of environmentally sound technologies and of women's entrepreneurship; (b) Develop gender-sensitive databases, information [and monitoring] systems and participatory action-oriented research, methodologies and policy analyses with the collaboration of academic institutions and local women researchers on the following: (i) Knowledge and experience on the part of women concerning the management and conservation of natural resources for incorporation in the databases and information systems for sustainable development; (ii) The impact on women of environmental and natural resource degradation, deriving from, inter alia, unsustainable production and consumption patterns, drought, poor quality water, global warming, desertification, sea-level rise, hazardous waste, natural disasters, toxic chemicals and pesticide residues, radioactive waste, armed conflicts [and refugee flows]; (iii) Analysis of the structural links between gender relations, environment and development, with special emphasis on particular sectors, such as agriculture, industry, fisheries, forestry, environmental health, biological diversity, climate, water resources and sanitation; (iv) Measures to develop and include environmental, economic, [cultural], social and gender-sensitive analyses as an essential step in the development [and monitoring] of programmes and policies; (v) Programmes to create rural and urban training, research and resource centres that will disseminate environmentally sound technologies to women; (c) [Prohibit the transboundary movement of hazardous toxic and radioactive material waste;] (d) Promote coordination within and among institutions to implement the Platform for Action and chapter 24 of Agenda 21 17/ [and, inter alia, request [the Commission on the Status of Women,] the Commission on Sustainable Development and the Economic and Social Council to [monitor and] evaluate periodically the implementation of Agenda 21 with regard to women and the environment]. L. [Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of] [Survival, protection and development of] the girl child 259. The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes that "States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or status" (article 2, para. 1). 10/ ["States Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents or, where applicable, the members of the extended family or community as provided for by local custom, legal guardians or other persons legally responsible for the child, to provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention" (article 5). 10/] However, in many countries available indicators show that the girl child is discriminated against from [conception/infancy,] through her childhood and into adulthood. [In some areas of the world, men outnumber women by 5 in every 100. The reasons for the discrepancy, for the millions of missing women, include, among other things, harmful attitudes and practices, such as female genital mutilation, son preference - which results in female infanticide [and foeticide/ prenatal sex selection] - early marriage, violence against women, prostitution, sexual abuse, discrimination against girls in food allocation and other practices related to health and well-being. As a result, fewer girls than boys survive into adulthood]. 260. Girls are often treated as inferior and are socialized to put themselves last, thus undermining their self-esteem. Discrimination and neglect in childhood can initiate a lifelong downward spiral of deprivation and exclusion from the social mainstream. Initiatives should be taken to prepare girls to participate actively, effectively and equally with boys in all levels of social, economic, political and cultural leadership. 261. Gender-biased educational processes, including curricula, educational materials and practices, teachers' attitudes and classroom interaction, reinforce existing gender inequalities. 262. Girls and adolescents may receive a variety of conflicting and confusing messages on their gender roles from their parents, teachers, peers and the media. Women and men need to work together with children and youth to break down persistent gender stereotypes [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.] 263. Although the number of educated children has grown in the past 20 years in some countries, boys have proportionately fared much better than girls. In 1990, 130 million children had no access to primary school; of these, 81 million were girls. [This can be attributed to such factors as customary attitudes, child labour, early marriages, lack of funds and lack of adequate schooling facilities, and teenage pregnancies.] [In some countries the shortage of women teachers can inhibit the enrolment of girls.] In many cases, girls start to undertake heavy domestic chores at a very early age and are expected to manage both educational and domestic responsibilities, often resulting in poor scholastic performance and an early drop-out from schooling. 264. The percentage of girls enrolled in secondary school remains significantly low in many countries. Girls are often not encouraged or given the opportunity to pursue scientific and technological training and education, which limits the knowledge they require for their daily lives and their employment opportunities. 265. Girls are less encouraged than boys to participate in and learn about the social, economic and political functioning of society, with the result that they are not offered the same opportunities as boys to take part in the decision-making processes. 266. Existing discrimination against the girl child in her access to nutrition and physical and mental health services endangers her current and future health. An estimated 450 million adult women in developing countries are stunted as a result of childhood protein-energy malnutrition. 267. [The International Conference on Population and Development recognized, in paragraph 7.3 of the Programme of Action, 13/ that "full attention should be given to the promotion of mutually respectful and equitable gender relations and particularly to meeting the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality".] [Recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child,] [responsible sexual behaviour, sensitivity and equality in gender relations, particularly when instilled during the formative years, enhance and promote respectful and harmonious partnerships between women and men. Support should be given to integrating sexual education for young people with parental support and guidance that stresses the responsibility of males for their own sexuality and fertility and that help them exercise their responsibilities.] 268. More than 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth each year. Motherhood at a very young age entails complications during pregnancy and delivery and a risk of maternal death that is much greater than average. The children of young mothers have higher levels of morbidity and mortality. Early child-bearing continues to be an impediment to improvements in the educational, economic and social status of women in all parts of the world. Overall, early marriage and early motherhood can severely curtail educational and employment opportunities and are likely to have a long-term adverse impact on their and their children's quality of life. 269. Sexual violence and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, have a devastating effect on children's health, and girls are more vulnerable than boys to the consequences of [unprotected sexual relations/premature and irresponsible sexual behaviour]. Girls often face pressures to engage in sexual activity. Due to factors such as their youth, social pressures, lack of protective laws, or failure to enforce laws, girls are more vulnerable to all kinds of violence, particularly sexual violence, including rape, sexual abuse, prostitution, trafficking [including trafficking in human organs and tissue], and forced labour. 270. [Besides living with all the problems peculiar to girls, the disabled girl child has to cope additionally with discrimination for being disabled.] 271. Some children are particularly vulnerable, especially the abandoned, homeless and displaced, street children and children in areas in conflict, and children who are discriminated against because they belong to an ethnic or racial minority group. 272. All barriers must therefore be eliminated to enable girls [in all their diversity] to develop their full potential and skills through equal access to education and training, nutrition, physical and mental health care and related information. 273. [In addressing issues concerning children and youth, Governments should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes [so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on girls and boys respectively].] Strategic objective L.1. Eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child Actions to be taken 274. By Governments: (a) [By States that have not signed or ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider signing and ratifying the Convention, and by States that have signed and ratified the Convention, ensure full implementation of it] [through enactment/amendments in laws, rules and other procedures and] by fostering an enabling environment that encourages full respect for the rights of children; (b) Consistent with article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, take measures to ensure that a child is registered immediately after birth and has the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and [as far as possible] the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents; 10/ (c) Take steps to ensure that children receive appropriate financial support from their parents, by, among other measures, enforcing child-support laws; (d) [Enact, as appropriate, and enforce legislation that would guarantee equal succession and inheritance rights of children, regardless of sex.] [As appropriate, enact legislation that would guarantee the succession and inheritance rights of the girl child]; (e) Enact and strictly enforce laws to ensure [that marriage is not entered into without the free and full consent of the intending spouses]. In addition, enact and strictly enforce laws concerning the minimum legal age of consent and the minimum age for marriage and raise the minimum age for marriage where necessary; (f) Develop and implement comprehensive policies, plans of action and programmes for the survival; protection, development and advancement of the girl child to promote and protect the full enjoyment of her [universal human] rights and to ensure equal opportunities for girls; these plans should form an integral part of the total development process; (g) Ensure the disaggregation by sex and age of all data related to children in the health, education and other sectors, in order to include a gender perspective in planning, implementation and monitoring of such programmes. 275. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) Disaggregate information and data on children by sex and age, undertake research on the situation of girls and integrate, as appropriate, the results in the formulation of policies, programmes and decision-making for the advancement of the girl child; *(b) Generate social support for the enforcement of laws on the minimum legal age for marriage, in particular by providing educational opportunities for girls. * Location of subparagraph is to be decided; it will probably be placed under strategic objective L.2. Strategic objective L.2. Eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices against girls Actions to be taken 276. By Governments: (a) Encourage and support, as appropriate, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations in their efforts to promote changes in negative attitudes and practices towards girls; (b) Set up educational programmes and develop teaching materials and textbooks that will sensitize and inform adults about the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices on girl children; (c) Develop and adopt curricula, teaching materials and textbooks to improve the self-image, lives and work opportunities of girls, particularly in areas where women have traditionally been underrepresented, such as mathematics, science and technology; (d) [Take steps so that the traditional and religious attire [and practices] of girls is [are] not a basis for discrimination in educational institutions.] 277. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations [as appropriate]: (a) Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that impede the schooling of married and/or pregnant girls and young mothers, including, as appropriate, affordable and physically accessible child-care facilities and parental education to encourage those who have responsibilities for the care of their children and siblings during their school years to return to, or continue with, and complete schooling; (b) Encourage educational institutions and the media to adopt and project balanced and non-stereotyped images of girls and boys, and work to eliminate child pornography and degrading and violent portrayals of the girl child; (c) [Eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child and the root causes of son preference, which result in harmful and unethical practices such as female infanticide and prenatal sex selection; this is often compounded by the increasing use of technologies to determine foetal sex, resulting in abortion of female foetuses;] (d) Develop policies and programmes, giving priority to formal and informal education programmes that support and enable girls to acquire knowledge, develop self-esteem and take responsibility for their own lives; place special focus on programmes to educate women and men, especially parents, on the importance of girl's physical and mental health and well-being, including the elimination of discrimination against girls in food allocation, early marriage, violence against girls, female genital mutilation, child prostitution, [sexual abuse, rape and incest]. Strategic objective L.3. [Increase public awareness of the value, needs and rights of the girl child,] [including the girl child with special needs and in difficult circumstances, and the need to strengthen her self- image, self-esteem and status] Actions to be taken 278. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) Generate awareness of the disadvantaged situation of girls among policy makers, planners, administrators and implementors at all levels, as well as within households and communities; (b) Make the girl child, particularly the girl child in difficult circumstances, aware of her own potential, educate her about the rights guaranteed to her [under international human rights instruments, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child], legislation enacted for her and the various measures undertaken by both governmental and non-governmental organizations working to improve her status; (c) Educate women, men, girls and boys to promote girls' status and encourage them to work towards mutual respect and equal partnership between girls and boys; (d) Facilitate the equal provision of appropriate services and devices to girls with disabilities and provide, as appropriate, their families with related support services. Strategic objective L.4. Eliminate discrimination against girls in education, skills development and training Actions to be taken 279. By Governments: (a) Ensure universal and equal access to and completion of primary education by all children and eliminate the existing gap between girls and boys, as stipulated in article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; 10/ similarly, ensure equal access to secondary education by the year 2005 and equal access to higher education, including vocational and technical education for all girls and boys and including the disadvantaged and gifted; (b) Take steps to integrate functional literacy and numeracy programmes, particularly for out-of-school girls in development programmes; (c) Promote human rights education in educational programmes and include in human rights education the fact that the human rights of women and of the girl child are an inalienable integral and indivisible part of universal human rights; (d) Increase enrolment and improve retention rates of girls by allocating appropriate budgetary resources, by enlisting the support of the community and parents through campaigns and flexible school schedules, incentives, scholarships, access programmes for out-of-school girls and other measures; (e) Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators, raising awareness about their own role in the educational process, with the view to providing them with effective strategies for gender-sensitive teaching; (f) Take actions to ensure that female teachers and professors have the same possibilities and status as male teachers and professors. 280. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) Provide education and skills training to increase girls opportunities for employment and access to decision-making processes; (b) Provide education to increase girls' knowledge and skills related to the functioning of economic, financial and political systems; (c) Ensure access to appropriate education and skills-training to girl children with disabilities for their full participation in life; (d) Promote full and equal participation of girls in extracurricular activities, such as sports, drama and cultural activities. Strategic objective L.5. Eliminate discrimination against girls in health and nutrition Actions to be taken 281. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) Provide public information on the removal of discriminatory practices against girls in food allocation, nutrition and access to health services; (b) Sensitize the girl child, parents, teachers and society concerning good general health and nutrition and raise awareness of the health dangers and other problems connected with early pregnancies [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]; (c) Strengthen and reorient health education and health services, particularly primary health care programmes [including sexual and reproductive health] and design quality health programmes to meet the physical and mental needs of girls [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child,] and to give attention to young, expectant and nursing mothers; (d) Establish peer education and outreach programmes with a view to strengthening individual and collective action to reduce the vulnerability of girls to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development,] [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]; (e) Ensure education and dissemination of information to girls, especially among adolescents, regarding the physiology of reproduction, [reproductive and sexual health, as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development] [and the knowledge of all safe methods of family planning, and control and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,] [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]; (f) Include health and nutritional training as an integral part of literacy programmes and school curricula starting at the primary level for the benefit of the girl child; (g) Emphasize the role and responsibility of adolescents in sexual and reproductive health and behaviour through the provision of appropriate services and counselling [as contained in the report of the International Conference on Population and Development] [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development,] [taking into account the reservations and declarations on that document and recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child]; (h) Develop information and training programmes for health planners and implementors on the special health needs of the girl child; (i) [Take all the appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children, as stipulated in Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 10/] Strategic objective L.6. [Eliminate the economic exploitation of child labour and protect young girls at work] Actions to be taken 282. By Governments: (a) In conformity with article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 10/ protect children from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development; (b) Define a minimum age for child [employment], including girls under national legislation in all sectors of activity; (c) Protect young girls at work, inter alia, through: (i) A minimum age or ages for admission to [employment]; (ii) Strict monitoring of work conditions (respect for work time, prohibition of work by children not provided for by national legislation, and monitoring of hygiene and health conditions at work); (iii) Application of social security coverage; (iv) Establishment of continuous training and education; (d) Strengthen, where necessary, legislation governing the work of children and provide for appropriate penalties or other sanctions to ensure effective enforcement of the legislation; (e) Use existing international labour standards, including, as appropriate, ILO standards for the protection of working children, to guide the formulation of national labour legislation and policies. Strategic objective L.7. Eradicate violence against [girls] [the girl child] Actions to be taken 283. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) [Take effective actions and measures to enact and enforce legislation] to protect the safety and security of girls from all forms of violence at work, including training programmes and support programmes, and take measures to eliminate incidents of sexual harassment towards girls in educational and other institutions; (b) Take appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the girl child, in the household and in society, from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse; (c) [Undertake gender sensitization training] for those involved in healing and rehabilitation and other assistance programmes for girls who are victims of violence and promote programmes of information, support and training for such girls; (d) [Enact and enforce legislation] protecting girls from all forms of violence, including infanticide, [female foeticide/prenatal sex selection], genital mutilation, incest, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, child prostitution and child pornography, and develop age-appropriate [safe and confidential] programmes and [medical and psychological] support services [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child] to assist girls who are subject to violence. Strategic objective L.8. Educate the girl child about social, economic and political issues and problems Actions to be taken 284. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations: (a) Provide access for girls to training, information and media on social, cultural, economic and political issues and enable them to articulate their views; (b) Support non-governmental organizations, in particular youth non-governmental organizations, in their efforts to promote the equality and participation of girls in society. [Strategic objective L.9. [Strengthen [the role of the family] [family responsibility] in advancing the status of the girl child] Actions to be taken 285. By Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations: (a) Formulate policies and programmes to help [the family] [families] in [its] [their] supporting, educating and nurturing roles, with particular emphasis on the elimination of intra family discrimination against the girl child; (b) Provide an environment conducive to the strengthening of [the family] [families], with a view to providing supportive and preventive measures [for the protection of the girl child] [which protect and respect the girl child]; (c) [Promote education and campaign for] [Educate and encourage] parents and care givers to [enhance equal treatment for girls and boys] [treat girls and boys equally] and to ensure shared responsibilities between girls and boys in the family.] Chapter V INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 286. The Platform for Action establishes a set of actions that should lead to fundamental change. 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. 287. During the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985), many institutions specifically devoted to the advancement of women were established at the national, regional and international levels. At the international level, the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the Committee to monitor the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women were established. These entities, along with the Commission on the Status of Women and its secretariat, the Division for the Advancement of Women, became the main institutions in the United Nations specifically devoted to women's advancement globally. At the national level, a number of countries established or strengthened national mechanisms to plan, advocate for and monitor progress in the advancement of women. 288. Implementation of the Platform for Action by national, subregional/regional and international institutions, both public and private, would be facilitated by transparency, by increased linkages between networks and organizations and by a consistent flow of information among all concerned. Clear objectives and accountability mechanisms are also required. Links with other institutions at the national, subregional/regional and international levels and with networks and organizations devoted to the advancement of women are needed. 289. Non-governmental and grass-roots organizations have a specific role to play in creating a social, economic, political and intellectual climate based on equality between women and men. Women should be actively involved in the implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action. 290. [Effective implementation of the Platform will also require changes in the internal dynamics of institutions and organizations, including values, behaviour, rules and procedures. Sexual harassment, including treatment of women as sex objects, should be eliminated.] 291. National, subregional/regional and international institutions should have strong and clear mandates and the authority, resources and accountability mechanisms needed for the tasks set out in the Platform for Action. Their methods of operation should ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Platform. There should be a clear commitment to international norms and standards of equality [and equity] between women and men as a basis for all actions [with respect to the cultural values of nations]. 292. To ensure effective implementation of the Platform for Action and to enhance the work for the advancement of women at the national, subregional/ regional and international levels, Governments, the United Nations system and all other relevant organizations should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective, inter alia, in the monitoring and evaluation of all policies and programmes. A. National level 293. Governments have the primary responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action. Commitment at the highest political level is essential to its implementation, and Governments should take a leading role in coordinating, monitoring and assessing progress in the advancement of women. [To this end, Governments have been invited to state their own specific national commitments for priority action within the context of the Platform for Action. These specific commitments will result in practical outcomes for women and girls and will ensure that the Fourth World Conference on Women is a conference of commitments. The specific commitments announced by individual Governments at the Conference appear in an annex to the report of the Conference.] 294. National mechanisms and institutions for the advancement of women should participate in public policy formulation and encourage the implementation of the Platform for Action through various bodies and institutions, including the private sector, and, where necessary, should act as a catalyst in developing new programmes by the year 2000 in areas that are not covered by existing institutions. 295. The active support and participation of a broad and diverse range of other 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 movements], the media, religious groups, youth organizations and cultural groups, as well as financial and non-profit organizations. 296. In order for the Platform for Action to be implemented, it will be necessary for Governments 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. The first step in this process for all institutions should be to review their objectives, programmes and operational procedures in terms of the actions called for in the Platform. A key activity should be to promote public awareness and support for the goals of the Platform for Action, inter alia, through the mass media and public education. 297. As soon as possible, preferably by the end of 1995, Governments, in consultation with relevant institutions and non-governmental organizations, should begin to develop implementation strategies for the Platform and, preferably by the end of 1996, should have developed their strategies or plans of action. This planning process should draw upon persons at the highest level of authority in Government and relevant actors in civil society. These implementation strategies should be comprehensive, have time-bound targets and benchmarks for monitoring, and include proposals for allocating or reallocating resources for implementation. Where necessary, the support of the international community could be enlisted, including resources. 298. Non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to contribute to the design and implementation of these strategies or national plans of action. They should also be encouraged to develop their own programmes to complement government efforts. Women's organizations [and feminist movements] in collaboration with other non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to organize networks, as necessary, to advocate for and support the implementation of the Platform for Action by Governments and regional and international bodies. 299. Governments should [commit themselves to] [establish the goal of] gender balance, inter alia, through the creation of special mechanisms, in all [government committees,] boards and other relevant official bodies, as well as in all international bodies, institutions and organizations, notably by presenting and promoting more women candidates. B. Subregional/regional level 300. The regional commissions of the United Nations and other subregional/ regional structures should promote and assist the pertinent national institutions in monitoring and implementing the global Platform for Action within their mandates. This should be done 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. 301. In order to facilitate the regional implementation, monitoring and evaluation process, the Economic and Social Council should consider reviewing the institutional capacity of the United Nations regional commissions within their mandates, including their women's units/focal points, to deal with gender issues in the light of the Platform for Action, as well as the regional platforms or plans for action. Consideration should be given, inter alia, and where appropriate, to strengthening capacity in this respect. 302. Within their existing mandates and activities, the regional commissions should mainstream women's issues and gender perspectives and should also consider the establishment of mechanisms and processes to ensure the implementation and monitoring of both the Platform for Action and the regional plans and platforms for action. The regional commissions should, within their mandates, collaborate on gender issues with other regional intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, financial and research institutions and the private sector. 303. Regional offices of the specialized agencies of the United Nations system should, as appropriate, develop and publicize a plan of action for implementing the Platform for Action, including the identification of time- frames and resources. Technical assistance and operational activities at the regional level should establish well-identified targets for the advancement of women. To this end, regular coordination should be undertaken among United Nations bodies and agencies. 304. Non-governmental organizations within the region should be supported in their efforts to develop networks to coordinate advocacy and dissemination of information about the global Platform for Action and the respective regional platforms or plans of action. C. International level 1. United Nations 305. The Platform for Action needs to be implemented through the work of all of the 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 during the period 1995-2000 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. [Note should also be taken in this context of the discussions on the Agenda for Development and the Agenda for Peace.] 306. 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. 307. 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. 308. 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. [This would include reviewing the strategies and working methods of different United Nations mechanisms for the advancement of women with a view to strengthening their advisory, catalytic and monitoring functions in relation to mainstream bodies and agencies. Separate women/gender units are necessary for effective mainstreaming, but strategies must be further developed to prevent inadvertent marginalization as opposed to mainstreaming of the gender dimension throughout all operations]. 309. [In undertaking this overall review and effort to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, consideration should be given to establishing a high-level post in the office of the Secretary-General with the mandate of advising the Secretary-General in his oversight of system- wide integration of gender concerns. This person should advise the Secretary- General on the system-wide achievement of the gender integration goals adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women and set out by previous world conferences and should address United Nations action in all fields.] 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. 311. Action must be taken by the United Nations and other international organizations to eliminate barriers to the advancement of women within their organizations in accordance with the Platform for Action. 312. [The United Nations should organize a mid-term world conference on women to assess the implementation of the Platform for Action.] General Assembly 313. The General Assembly, as the highest intergovernmental body in the United Nations, 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. It should appraise progress in the effective implementation of the Platform for Action, recognizing that these issues cut across social, political and economic policy. At its fiftieth session, in 1995, the General Assembly will have before it the report of the Fourth World Conference on Women. In accordance with its resolution 49/161, it will also examine a report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the Conference, taking into account the recommendations of the Conference. The General Assembly should include the follow-up to the Conference as part of its continuing work on the advancement of women. In 1996, 1998 and 2000, it should review the implementation of the Platform for Action. Economic and Social Council 314. The Economic and Social Council, in the context of its role under the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 45/264, 46/235 and 48/162, would oversee system-wide coordination in the implementation of the Platform for Action and make recommendations in this regard. The Council should be invited to review the implementation of the Platform for Action, giving due consideration to the reports of the Commission on the Status of Women. As coordinating body, the Council should be invited to review 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 and implementation of the Platform for Action with the active involvement and participation, inter alia, of the specialized agencies, including the World Bank and IMF. 315. The Council should consider dedicating at least one coordination segment before the year 2000 to coordination of the advancement of women, based on the revised system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women. 316. The Council should consider dedicating at least one operational activities segment before the year 2000 to the coordination of development activities related to gender, based on the revised system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, with a view to instituting guidelines and procedures for implementation of the Platform for Action by the funds and programmes of the United Nations system. 317. The Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) should 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 the objectives of the Platform for Action. [Commission on the Status of Women 318. The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council are invited to review the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, taking into account the Platform for Action as well as the need for synergy with other related commissions and Conference follow-up. 319. As a functional commission assisting the Economic and Social Council, the Commission on the Status of Women should have a central role in monitoring the implementation of the Platform for Action and advising the Council thereon. It should have a clear mandate along with the necessary financial support to permit it to undertake regular monitoring and to enable it to coordinate the reporting on implementation of the Platform for Action with relevant organizations of the United Nations system, particularly those concerned with the advancement of women, and various regional and national machineries and focal points. 320. To help the Commission formulate and monitor a system-wide approach to implementation, it should receive monitoring reports, including reports from organizations and agencies of the United Nations system. The effect of this would be to make the Commission the gender analysis arm of the Economic and Social Council. This would help strengthen the Council's policy coordination function. 321. The Commission, in developing its work programme for the period 1996-2000, should review the critical areas of concern in the Platform for Action and prepare its agenda so as to integrate an item on follow-up to the World Conference on Women, including gender analysis of critical issues before the United Nations, the content of which would be determined by the issues being taken up by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly.] Other functional commissions 322. Within their mandates, other functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council should also take due account of the Platform for Action and ensure the integration of gender aspects in their respective work. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other treaty bodies 323. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in implementing its responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, should, within its mandate, take into account the Platform for Action when considering the reports submitted by States parties. 324. States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women are invited, when reporting under article 18 of the Convention, to include information on measures taken to implement the Platform for Action in order to facilitate the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in monitoring effectively women's ability to enjoy the rights guaranteed by the Convention. 325. The ability of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 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, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 49/164, sufficient meeting time for the Committee.] The Committee should increase its coordination with other human rights treaty bodies, taking into account the recommendations in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. 326. Within their mandate, other treaty bodies should also take due account of the implementation of the Platform for Action and ensure the integration of the equal status and [universal] human rights of women in their work. United Nations Secretariat Office of the Secretary-General 327. The Secretary-General is requested to assume 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, taking into account the mandates of the bodies concerned. The Secretary-General should consider specific measures for ensuring effective coordination in the implementation of these objectives. Division for the Advancement of Women 328. 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 a focal point for the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. In the light of the review of the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, as set out in paragraph 314, the functions of the Division for the Advancement of Women will also need to be assessed. [The Secretary-General is requested to ensure more effective functioning of the Division by, inter alia, providing sufficient financial and human resources within the regular budget of the United Nations.] 329. 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 for the advancement of women for the period 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 implementation of the Platform for Action. Other units of the United Nations Secretariat 330. The various units of the United Nations Secretariat should examine their programmes to determine how they can best contribute to the coordinated implementation of the Platform for Action. Proposals for implementation of the Platform need to be reflected in the revision of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, as well as in the proposed United Nations medium-term plan for the period 1998-2002. The content of the actions will depend on the mandates of the bodies concerned. 331. Existing and new linkages should be developed throughout the Secretariat in order to ensure that the gender perspective is introduced as a central dimension in all activities of the Secretariat. 332. The Office of Human Resources Management should, in collaboration with programme managers worldwide, and in accordance with the strategic plan of action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000), 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. 333. 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. 334. The Statistical Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis should have an important coordinating role in international work in statistics, as described above in section IV, strategic objective H.3. International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women 335. [In conformity with its mandates in research, training and the dissemination of information for the advancement of women, the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) should review its work programme in the light of the Platform for Action, which, together with Agenda 21, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, will provide guidelines for the development of 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 research on the status of the girl child, and develop networks of research institutions that can be mobilized for that purpose. The proposed gender research should reflect the periodic changes in the socio-economic status of women and the girl child in various regions. It should identify those types of education and training that can effectively be supported and promoted by the Institute, which will also serve as a focal point for gender training in the United Nations system as a whole within its field of competence.] (Alternative) [In conformity with its mandates in research, training and the dissemination of information for the advancement of women, the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), as the only United Nations organization whose aim is to promote research and training on women's situation and development, should review its work programme in the light of the Platform for Action, together with Agenda 21, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, 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 research on the status of the girl child, and develop networks of research institutions that can be mobilized for that purpose. The proposed gender research should reflect the periodic changes in the socio-economic status of women and the girl child in various regions. It should identify those types of education and training that can effectively be supported and promoted by the Institute, which will also serve as a focal point for gender training in the United Nations system as a whole as appropriate.] United Nations Development Fund for Women 336. [As an autonomous fund in association with UNDP, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) increases 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. UNIFEM should review and strengthen its work programme for implementing the Platform for Action. UNIFEM should be given adequate resources to enable it to undertake concrete actions and activities for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Its advocacy role should be increased by fostering international awareness of women's empowerment. Adequate resources for carrying out its functions should be made available.] (Alternative to paragraph 336) [The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is the only entity in the United Nations system with the mandate of increasing 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 its work programme in the light of the Platform for Action and the recommendations resulting from recent summits and conferences, all of which emphasize empowering women in the social and economic spheres. To that end, UNIFEM should be strengthened in order to enable it to undertake concrete actions and activities for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Its advocacy role should be increased by fostering international awareness and multilateral policy dialogue on women's empowerment, and adequate resources for carrying out its functions should be made available.] (Alternative to paragraphs 335 and 336) [The future roles and functioning of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) should be considered in the light of the decision to be taken by the General Assembly at its fiftieth session on the proposal to merge the two organizations.] Specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system 337. 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 system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001. 338. Each organization should commit itself at the highest level and, in pursuing its targets, should take steps to enhance and support the roles and responsibilities of its focal points on women's issues. 339. In addition, specialized agencies with mandates to provide technical assistance in developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries, should cooperate more to ensure the continuing promotion of the advancement of women. 340. The United Nations system should consider and 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. 341. Each organization should accord greater priority to the recruitment and promotion of women at the Professional level to achieve gender balance, particularly at decision-making levels. The paramount consideration in the employment of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service should be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity. 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. 342. 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 for Action. 2. Other international institutions and organizations 343. [In implementing the Platform for Action, international financial institutions should be encouraged to review and revise policies, procedures and staffing [with a view to providing new and additional resources] to ensure that investments and programmes benefit women and thus contribute to sustainable development. They should [consider] increase[ing] 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. The Bretton Woods institutions and other development agencies should be encouraged to have closer cooperation on gender issues in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the international response in this field.] 344. [The General Assembly should give consideration 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.] 345. International non-governmental organizations have an important role to play in implementing [and monitoring the implementation of] the Platform for Action. [Consideration should be given to establishing a mechanism for collaborating with non-governmental organizations to monitor implementation of the Platform at various levels.] Chapter VI FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS 346. Financial and human resources have generally been insufficient for the advancement of women. This has contributed to the slow progress to date in implementing the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. Full and effective implementation of the Platform for Action, including the relevant commitments made at previous United Nations summits and conferences, will require a political commitment to make available human and financial resources for the empowerment of women. This will require the integration of a gender perspective in budgetary decisions on policies and programmes, as well as the adequate financing of specific programmes for securing equality between women and men. 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.] A. National level 347. The primary responsibility for implementing the strategic objectives of the Platform for Action rests with Governments. To achieve these objectives, Governments should make efforts to systematically review how women benefit from public sector expenditures; adjust budgets to ensure equality of access to public sector expenditures, both for enhancing productive capacity and for meeting social needs; and achieve the gender-related commitments made in other United Nations summits and conferences. To develop successful national implementation strategies for the Platform for Action, Governments should allocate sufficient resources, including resources for undertaking gender-impact analysis. Governments should also encourage non-governmental organizations and private-sector and other institutions to mobilize additional resources. 348. Sufficient resources should be allocated to national machineries for the advancement of women as well as to all institutions, as appropriate, that can contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action. 349. Where national machineries for the advancement of women do not yet exist or where they have not yet been established on a permanent basis, Governments should strive to make available sufficient and continuing resources for such machineries. 350. To facilitate the implementation of the Platform for Action, Governments should reduce, as appropriate, excessive military expenditures and investments for arms production and acquisition, consistent with national security requirements. 351. Non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other actors of civil society should be encouraged to consider allocating the resources necessary for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Governments should create a supportive environment for the mobilization of resources by non-governmental organizations, particularly women's organizations and networks, [feminist associations,] the private sector and other actors of civil society, to enable them to contribute towards this end. The capacity of non-governmental organizations in this regard should be strengthened and enhanced. B. Regional level 352. Regional development banks, regional business associations and other regional institutions should be invited to contribute to and help mobilize resources in their lending and other activities for the implementation of the Platform for Action. They should also be encouraged to take account of the Platform for Action in their policies and funding modalities. 353. [The subregional/regional commissions should, where appropriate, assist in the mobilization of funds for the implementation of the Platform for Action.] C. International level 354. Adequate financial resources should be committed at the international level for the implementation of the Platform for Action in the developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries. Strengthening national capacities in developing countries to implement the Platform for Action will require striving for the fulfilment of the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of developed countries for overall official development assistance as soon as possible, as well as increasing the share of funding for activities designed to implement the Platform for Action. Furthermore, countries involved in development cooperation should conduct a critical analysis of their assistance programmes so as to improve the quality and effectiveness of aid through the integration of a gender approach. 355. International financial institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the 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. 356. The United Nations system should provide technical cooperation and other forms of assistance to the developing countries, in particular in Africa and the least developed countries, in implementing the Platform for Action. 357. Implementation of the Platform for Action in the countries with economies in transition will require continued international cooperation and assistance. The organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including the technical and sectoral agencies, should facilitate the efforts of those countries in designing and implementing policies and programmes for the advancement of women. To this end, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should be invited to assist those efforts. 358. The outcome of [previous summits and conferences, including] the World Summit for Social Development regarding debt management and reduction should be implemented in order to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the Platform for Action. 359. To facilitate implementation of the Platform for Action, interested developed and developing country partners, agreeing on a mutual commitment to allocate, on average, 20 per cent of official development assistance and 20 per cent of the national budget to basic social programmes should take into account a gender perspective. 360. Development funds and programmes of the United Nations system should [be invited to] undertake an immediate analysis of the extent to which their programmes and projects are directed to implementing the Platform for Action and, for the next programming cycle, should [at least double the] [consider the adequacy of] resources targeted towards eliminating disparities between women and men in their technical assistance and funding activities. 361. [Recognizing the special roles of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) in the empowerment of women, the resources provided by Governments should be substantially increased by the year 2000.] (First alternative) [UNIFEM and INSTRAW have special roles to play in the promotion of the status and advancement of women's human rights. The international community should accept primary responsibility for strengthening UNIFEM and for providing the Fund with substantially increased resources that would enable it to meet its responsibilities in implementing the Platform for Action effectively. INSTRAW must be substantially strengthened to implement the Platform for Action within its mandate.] (Second alternative) [Recognizing the special roles of UNIFEM and INSTRAW in the promotion of the empowerment of women, and therefore in the implementation of the Platform for Action within their respective mandates, the resources provided by the international community should be substantially increased by the year 2000.] 362. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of 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, there is a need to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, especially the Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other units and subsidiary bodies that have a specific mandate to promote the advancement of women. In this regard, relevant governing bodies within the United Nations system are encouraged to give special consideration to the effective implementation of the Platform for Action and to review their policies, programmes, budgets and activities in order to achieve the most effective and efficient use of funds to this end. [Mobilization of additional resources from within the United Nations regular budget in order to implement the Platform for Action may also be necessary.] 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/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III. 3/ General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex. 4/ General Assembly resolution 45/164. 5/ General Assembly resolution 44/82. 6/ General Assembly resolution 48/126. 7/ A/47/308-E/1992/97, annex. 8/ General Assembly resolution 48/104. 9/ See The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations: The Legal Texts (Geneva, GATT secretariat, 1994). 10/ General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex. 11/ Final Report of the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990, Inter-Agency Commission (UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank) for the World Conference on Education for All, New York, 1990, appendix 1. 12/ General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 13/ Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1), chap. I, resolution 1, annex. 14/ Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 6-12 March 1995 (A/CONF.166/9), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II. 15/ Unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standards or both (based on World Health Organization, The Prevention and Management of Unsafe Abortion, Report of a Technical Working Group, Geneva, April 1992 (WHO/MSM/92.5)). 16/ Final Report of the International Conference on Nutrition, Rome, 5-11 December 1992 (Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1993), Part II. 17/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), resolution 1, annex I. 18/ General Assembly resolution 317 (IV), annex. 19/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III). 20/ General Assembly resolution 39/46, annex. 21/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 38 (A/47/38), chap. I. 22/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973, p. 287. 23/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights ..., chap. III, sect. II, para. 38. 24/ See The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook, vol. 5: 1980 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.81.IX.4), appendix VII. 25/ General Assembly resolution 48/96, annex. 26/ General Assembly resolution 2106 A (XX), annex. 27/ General Assembly resolution 41/128, annex. 28/ United Nations Environment Programme, Convention on Biological Diversity (Environmental Law and Institutions Programme Activity Centre), June 1992. -----