Member State: Bangladesh Title: National Action Plan for Women's Advancement: Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action

Author of plan Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh, Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWCA) Draft Final June 8, 1997. The draft plan defines, for each ministry, in detail the action, objective, target group, activities to be undertaken, primary and secondary actors, indicators, resources and the time frame for each policy, institutional measures, skills and competencies, and programme. Adoption NA Planning process The Plan was drafted by MOWCA, NGOs, NGO Preparatory Committee for the NGO Forum for Women, the Planning Commission, 13 ministries (Agriculture, Education, Environment and Forestry, Fisheries and Livestock, Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Industry, Labour and Manpower, Social Welfare, PMED, Home Affairs, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.) Support for planning process In the absence of policies by separate departments, MOWCA prepared a policy and presented it to the National Council for the Development of Women (NCWD) in 1997 and declared it to be the policy on women by the Prime Minister who chairs NWCD. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Agriculture: amend existing crop related policies, promote research, provide specific allocations for women, access to credit. 2. Education: increase number of female primary teachers by 60 per cent, provide hostel facilities for girls in secondary schools, increase technical training, combat illiteracy. 3. Environment and Forest: address gender needs and concerns, review forestry policies. 4. Fisheries and Livestock: supportive facilities, gender training. 5. Health and Family Welfare: more women in decision-making. 6. Home Affairs: adopt legislation on violence against women. 7. Industries: provide paid maternity leave. 8. Information: more women in media and information technology. 9. Labour: recruit women in management, improve service conditions and health care for women workers. 10. Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs: human rights education, action against "fatwas", amend legislation. Institutional arrangements Intersectoral coordination is done by NWCD and the WID Focal Points located in government agencies and ministries, the Inter-ministerial Committee for the Central Cell for the Prevention of Oppression Against Women and Children chaired by the State Minister of MOWCA. Implementation is to be undertaken by WID focal points of various ministries, MOWCA and the consultants in various fields. Ministries of Planning, Finance, Establishment, members of local governments, Parliament, WID focal points, NCWD, legal aid, women and human right organizations as well as MOWCA are responsible for monitoring. Allocation of national resources Although specific budget amounts per ministry are mentioned, there is no further breakdown given with respect to the allocation of funds for women. Under the suggested programme for the Ministry of Home Affairs, in line with the objective to monitor resources being earmarked for women and girls, one of the actions is to make specific budget allocations for women in every field. International resources/support The Government has been assisted by CIDA, DANIDA and UNICEF in developing the plan. Notes The role of MOWCA is still being further developed although described as lead policy agency on women. As yet it does not have specific authority over the decisions made by other ministries and is still constrained by its small staff, budget and projects. It is headed by a State Minister. It is most likely to be the catalyst and complement activities of other ministers as envisaged in the Fourth and Fifth Five-Year Plans, (1991-1995, 1997-2002) which incorporate women's concerns.

Member State: Brunei Darussalam Title: Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women in Brunei Darussalam

Author of plan Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, August 1997. Adoption NA Planning process The plan indicates that the National Commission on Women will be responsible for the formulation of legislation and programmes on women and to this end form national drafting committees. Support for planning process The National Commission on Women will consult women systematically on priorities for policy and legislation. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Legislation: promote legal literacy, promote and defend women's rights as human rights and outlaw all violence against women and girls; provide women access to information related to legal matters; disseminate information to both women and men on legal rights and obligations of women; encourage men to fully participate in all actions towards equality. 2. Gender mainstreaming: to establish linkage between all departments and incorporate women's concerns in all policies. 3. Women in decision-making: to ensure participation of women in decision-making processes including in political structures at local, district, regional and international levels; to establish gender balance in governmental bodies and committees. 4. Violence: eliminate and prevent forms of violence against women, girls and children; ratify CEDAW and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women; revise legislation for the protection of women and children. address violence. Institutional arrangements The report acknowledges the need to establish a National Commission on Women, focal points in all ministries, non-governmental and private organisations and a data bank on social indicators with special attention on women. Concerned offices are the Prime Minister's Office, the Social Affairs Services Unit, the Ministries of Law, Religious Affairs, Education, the Public Services Commission, Brunei women's Council, Economic Planning Unit, Information Technology. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes A letter dated August 9, 1997 from the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports states that Brunei Darussalam is in the process of establishing a National Commission on Women. The report underlines the importance of gender policy appraisals and impact assessments which should be routinely conducted in order to achieve integration of gender issues into all national policies, plans and programmes.

Member State: Cambodia Title: National Plan of Action for the Promotion of the Status of Women in Cambodia 1996-2000

Author of plan The Ministry of women's Affairs (MOWA) Adoption NA Planning process NA Support for planning process NA Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Health: improve and increase access to water and sanitation, improve maternal and child health, birth spacing, STDs and HIV/AIDS prevention. 2. Education: access to basic education, promote non-formal education, target the rural women with a combined package for health, education technology, recruit out-of-school youth, vocational and technical education. 3. Economic development: provide access to credit and finance, restructure financial systems, target the poor, establish a development bank, reallocate resources, taxation, collect gender sensitive data and information. 4. Entrepreneurship: promote tax incentive policies for women entrepreneurs; support business organizations; gender perspective and participation in management, legal and policy framework; target rural women's income generating capabilities; access to land, credit, capital and property rights; women's involvement in water and sanitation, energy conservation, transport and road construction; research initiatives. 5. Legal protection: elaborate and implement national laws and have constitutional provisions especially with respect to labour, family, child support, property, violence; develop an official mechanism for monitoring; establish network of organizations for women and children; encourage women to study law; training of MOWA's staff on legal issues.. Institutional arrangements The Ministry of women's Affairs is the main body working on women's affairs. Different ministries work in collaboration with MOWA on different issues, e.g. Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice.. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes The report acknowledges the need to have external assistance for building the capacity of the Ministry of women's Affairs i.e. the Department of Social Action.

Member State: China Title: The Programme for the Development of Chinese Women (1995-2000)

Author of plan The Programme for the Development of Chinese Women (1995-2000) was formally promulgated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China in July 1995. The Programme stipulates the tasks and major objectives of the development of Chinese Women. Adoption NA Planning process NA Support for planning process NA Advocacy After the Fourth World Conference on Women, a campaign was launched to study and publicize the Programme, in combination with the critical areas of concern and strategic goals of the Platform for Action. Critical areas of concern 1. Power and Decision-making: enhance participation in decision-making and management of state and social affairs. 2. Economy: increase the number of women in employment, eliminate discrimination in employment. 3. Guarantee women's right to labour: equal pay for equal work, cover child-bearing expenses by social collective funds. 4. Education : more women in science and technology, training, ensure implementation of programmes to eradicate illiteracy, access to education, vocational training, target nine year compulsory education, decrease number of drop-outs. 5. Health: access to preventative care, family planning, maternal and child care, health centres, rural women, decrease maternal and infant mortality. 6. Families: sharing of housework, oppose bigamy or taking concubines. 7. Violence against women: criminalize abduction and trafficking of women, illegal activities of prostitution. 8. Poverty: skills training for women in poverty stricken areas. 9. Social environment: develop nurseries, kindergartens. 10. International relations: promote world peace. 11. Women studies: establish national women's data bank, set up classified women's statistics index. Institutional arrangements The National Working Committee for Children and Women under the State Council is responsible for the implementation of the Programme. In addition, corresponding mechanisms have been set up in the People's Government of each province, autonomous regions and municipalities under the jurisdiction of the central government. Allocation of national resources The Programme stipulates that government at all levels should gradually increase the funds for the cause of women. International resources/support The Programme makes a request for international support to implement and monitor educational reforms. Notes Additional documents submitted: Follow-up Activities of China to the Fourth World Conference by the Women's Studies Institute of the All-China Women's Federation, September 1997. A Comparative Study between the Platform for Action and the Program for the Development of Chinese Women

Member State: Democratic People's Republic of Korea Title: Letter from the Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations (No. 92)

Author of plan Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations. August 1997 Adoption NA Planning process NA Support for planning process NA Advocacy After the Fourth World Conference on Women, a campaign was launched to study and publicize the Programme, in combination with the critical areas of concern and strategic goals of the Platform for Action. Critical areas of concern The letter states that: - socio-political and economic rights of women are guaranteed by law: the law on equality of men and women was enacted on 10 July 1947; women's rights are comprehensively stipulated in the Socialist Constitution of DPRK (Chapter 4, Articles 62 and 63) ; - women's participation in socio-political life and economic activities: women are Deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly, heroines of the Republic, labour heroines, Doctorate and Assistant Doctorate holders; - women in decision-making position: women are working as chairpersons of the Commission and Ministers of the Administration Council, managers of factories, enterprises, state-run and private farms, etc.; - women and health: women are entitled to same rights as men and enjoy free medical care; pregnant women receive paid maternity leave and free child delivery assistance. Institutional arrangements NA Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes NA

Member State: Fiji Title: Letter from the Department for Women and Culture of 9 December 1997

Author of plan N/A Adoption N/A Planning process The plan is still being developed and should be completed by July 1998. Support for planning process N/A Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern N/A Institutional arrangements N/A Allocation of national resources N/A International resources/support N/A Notes Fiji made the following commitments at the Fourth World Conference on Women: - allocation of additional resources to develop women’s micro-enterprises,; financial institutions to be encouraged to review lending policies to disadvantaged women and young women who lack traditional sources of collateral; - work towards achieving a gender balance partnership at all levels of decision-making and assigning fifty per cent of representation, participation, training, appointments and promotions at all level of government to women on merit and as appropriate and encourage the same in the private sector; - campaign to promote a sound and stable environment that is free of violence especially domestic violence, sexual harassment and child abuse; - review of laws that are disadvantageous to women; - mainstreaming of women’s concerns in the planning process and all policy areas.

Member State: India Title: National Policy for the Empowerment of Women 1997 (draft)

Author of plan Government of India/Bharat Sarkar Ministry of Human Resource Development Department of Women and Child Development. Adoption The plan is still in draft form. Planning process All central and state ministries are to draw up their Action Plan and translate it into policy in consultation with Centre/State Departments of Women and Child Development and the National/State Commissions. Support for planning process Members of Parliament, state governments, non-governmental organizations, women's organizations etc. were all involved in the policy process. The contributions of all sectoral policies are subject to Parliamentary and legislative review. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Human rights and fundamental freedoms: legal awareness, enjoyment of all human rights. 2. Elimination of violence: legislation, Crime Review Fora, family courts, counselling and legal aid centres. 3. Eliminating discrimination against the girl child: take action against child abuse, pre-natal selection, infanticide and prostitution. 4. Women in decision making: participation of women at all levels. 5. Women and the development process. 6. Sensitization to women's issues. 7. Mass media: promotion of equality and empowerment. 8. Eradicating poverty and ensuring women's basic needs: food security (strengthen public distribution systems, eliminate intra-household discrimination), housing and shelter (planning of housing colonies, target single parents, working women support), education (legal literacy, revise curricula, vocational/technical skills, target weaker special groups such as scheduled castes, tribes and minorities), health (holistic approach), women and the economy (labour protection, Equal Remuneration Act/ Minimum Wages Act), support services , drinking water and sanitation. 9. Women and the environment: involve women in eco-systems management. 10. Women and science: motivate girls 11. Needs of specially disadvantaged women Institutional arrangements At the national/state levels, there will be Councils for the Empowerment of Women to review implementation by National and State Commissions. The National/State Councils oversee the implementation of the policy. Progress review to be done every five years to coincide with Five- Year-Plans. The involvement of voluntary organizations, associations, federations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, women's organizations will be ensured in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies. At the grassroots level, the Government is to assist self-help groups in villages. Committees are elected in local bodies at both urban/ rural setting to facilitate the flow of resources. Allocation of national resources Additional resources for expanding and strengthening existing institutions and mechanisms for women's development and empowerment will be provided. The budgets for the Department of Women and Child Development will be enhanced. Funds will be earmarked in the budgets of Ministries/Departments for implementing development programmes in different sectors like education, health, welfare, rural development, urban development, labour, agriculture, industry, science and technology, etc. A synergic modality of resource mobilization will ensure flow of funds and related services from banking/financial institutions, corporate bodies and community organizations at the grassroots levels. International resources/support International, regional and subregional cooperation towards the empowerment of women will be encouraged through sharing of experiences, exchange of ideas and technologies, networking with institutions and organisations and through bilateral and multi-lateral partnerships. Notes In all of the critical areas, the report gives special importance to making provisions for the elderly, the disabled and the specially disadvantaged. The need for data disaggregated by sex has also been stressed across all areas.

Member State: Indonesia Title: Indonesia National Plan of Action Follow-up of the Fourth Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995

Author of plan The Office of the State Minister for the Role of Women. Adoption Presidential decrees Number 93/M/1993 and 44/1993 established the State Ministry for the Role of Women. Its function is to assist the President to ensure that gender concerns are incorporated into the policy and evaluation process. Different presidential decrees have established different institutional mechanisms towards this end. Planning process The Office of the State Minister is the focal point for policy planning and implemention. Support for planning process The Office of the State Minister for the Role of Women has prepared supporting activities including Profile of the Status and Role of Women , gender development index, gender empowerment measures and the Outlook of Harmonious Gender Partnership between Men and Women. Advocacy A communication forum is held annually involving the Office of the State Minister for the Role of Women and community organizations, Family Welfare Movement, community self reliance institutions and professional organizations. Critical areas of concern 1. Poverty: target health and income generating activities with emphasis on villages. 2. Education: eradication of 3 kinds of illiteracy (Latin alphabets, numeracy and command of Indonesian language), target women in factories and villages, Nine-Year compulsory education, science and technology, leadership training. 3. Health: reduce infant and maternal mortality, promote breastfeeding, Village Delivery Clinics, provision of village midwives, HIV/AIDS. 4. Violence: prevent acts of violence such as rape and sexual harassment, promote awareness, legislation, introduce severe punishment, provide legal consultation agency, more research. 5. Armed conflict: increase quantity and quality of Women Corps of the Armed Forces and the State Police, provide training on defense and security for women. 6. Economy: promote entrepreneurship, equal pay and access. 7. Power and decision making: increase participation, leadership education and training for women. 8. women's human rights: legislation, legal aid agencies. 9. Mass Media: promote non-stereotyping, more women in the media and in decision-making. 10. Environment: more women as decision makers. 11. The Girl Child: protection of child labour, recommend punishment to perpetrators of violence against girl-child. Institutional arrangements Presidential Instruction Number 5/1995 established Heads of Management Team on subregional and regional levels. The Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 17/1996 required the heads of sub-districts and villages to be the extended hands of the Office of the State Minister for the Role of Women. women's Studies Centres together with Heads of Management teams assist several offices. National Workshop of the Office of the State Minister for the Role of Women and all relevant Heads of Management Teams are held to coordinate and consolidate. Allocation of national resources Presidential Instruction Number 5/1995 calls for an increase in every provincial budget for women in development programmes. The Backward Village Programme for poverty alleviation receives $10,000 per village from the Government. International resources/support UNESCO supported the Motivating Team of the Family Welfare Movement on work on poverty reduction through an award. UNESCO and UNICEF supported the Family Welfare Movement in its work on better health and reduction of the infant mortality rate through awards. Notes The National Action Plan falls under the larger Sixth Five Year Development Plan (1993-1998). The work on women falls within thirty programmes and projects. The report acknowledges the need to strengthen the national machinery. Additional Report submitted: National Achievements in Implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Member State: Iran (Islamic Republic of ) Title: Progress Report on the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Author of plan Bureau of women's Affairs, National Committee March 1977 Adoption NA Planning process The National Committee is entrusted with drawing up a National Plan of Action for Iranian women for the next decade. Support for planning process The report states that the personal support of the President has played an instrumental role in harmonizing efforts of various relevant government bodies in the preparation of a national plan of action. Advocacy The Platform of Action has been translated into Persian and distributed by the Bureau of women's Affairs. More than 38 publications on different aspects of women's issues have come out; various workshops and national mass media efforts on the rights of Muslim women, e.g. films and T.V. series have been conducted. Critical areas of concern Activities have been undertaken in four areas: 1. Environment: publication of environmental health in simple language for rural and urban people, short courses on environmental health for rural women and for social workers, projects on agricultural pests with participation of rural women. 2. Power and decision-making: more women participated in Parliamentary elections, numerous appointments, NGO workshop on management policies for women. 3. Economy: modification of the law on part-time employment, extension of maternity leave, reestablishment of Family Courts, increased access to credit. 4. Education and training: short and long term courses for rural areas on processing industries, environment, agriculture; increasing ratio of women's enrolment in universities, increasing audio-visual facilities for the education of rural women, curriculum development. In addition, the report refers to the following activities: - gender training for key policy makers and planners on how to mainstream gender concerns in national planning. - workshop on strengthening the national machinery. - consideration of ratification of CEDAW by different executive and legislative bodies, in light of Islamic principles. - establishment of an extensive data bank on women. - research on women and health, employment, sports, political participation and female-headed households. Institutional arrangements A chart detailing major actions to be undertaken in each critical area of concern has been prepared by the Bureau of women's Affairs. The women's Commissions have been strengthened throughout the country in recent years, and presently every province has established a commission. The main activities of the commissions are centred on research on the conditions of women in each region, convening of seminars and advocacy, and implementation of women-related projects Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes The report, which focuses on progress achieved, acknowledges the need to strengthen the national machinery for the advancement of women. The Socio-cultural Council on Women, a subsidiary body of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, has developed a comprehensive plan for the cultural advancement of Iranian women as well as a plan for an integrated approach to legal modifications of the civil code in areas pertaining to women. Additional reports submitted: National report on women. Progress report on the implementation of the 4 areas of concern. The role of the women and family in human development: 1st international NGO conference.

Member State: Iraq Title: National Strategy for the Advancement of Iraqi Women

Author of plan Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, August 1996. The plan has been presented at the Arab Meeting to plan a Unified Arab Programme emanating from the Platform for Action, Amman, Jordan, September 1996. Adoption NA Planning process The plan states that the goals, procedures and mechanisms for implementation are based on the provision of the Iraqi Constitution and precepts of the Islamic Shariah, cultural heritage, the values of Arab and Islamic society and the principles of human rights. Support for planning process The national strategy is based on interaction with the overall development plan in all its social, economic, political and cultural dimensions, and interaction with relevant regional and international strategies, taking into account the national and cultural particularities of Iraq. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Politics: Power and decision-making and peace-making: strengthen the participation of women in power structures and decision-making, in formulation of laws and legislation, raise level of education, collect statistics, protect women from armed conflict. 2 . Economy: strengthen economic self-reliance and access to income, provide employment opportunities, training, loans, investments project, relieve burden of poverty, target female heads of households, disabled and elderly women, support social security funds. 3. Social and cultural fields: guarantee human rights, eliminate all forms of physical and mental violence against women, institute preventive measures; strengthen participation of women in developing health policies, ensure awareness of reproductive health, promote safe motherhood, encourage women in nursing profession, provide educational and training opportunities, prevent school drop-out. 4. Communication: use communication effectively to achieve equality between sexes, communicate positive image of women in the family and society in the media, amend censorship controls of plays, cinema and scripts, develop training programmes. 5. Environment: stop environmental degradation, strengthen the participation of women in administration of natural resources and in environmental protection. Institutional arrangements The role of the national committee for the advancement of women is to be strengthened by establishing a working mechanism, with permanent status, that will monitor implementation. The plan suggests that a National Supreme Council shall be formed, the National Council for the Advancement of Iraqi women. Its members are to be drawn from the Ministries of Labour and Social Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Culture and Education, Justice, Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Health, the Institute of Planning and the NGO General Union of Iraqi Women. Representation in the Council shall be at the ministerial or deputy ministerial level. The ministries and departments which are not a part of the Council will form another entity that will also be linked to the Council. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support The Ministry of Foreign Affair shall have responsibility for supervising entities concerned with international work and cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies in this field. Notes The national strategies aim to relieve the inhumane effects of the ongoing total embargo imposed on Iraq since 1990, whose negative effects hit women particularly hard at personal and educational levels. The strategy for dealing with women's issues is based on a formula of balanced rights and responsibilities and the complementarity of the roles of various elements of society, that emphasize the role of the family as the basic unit of society.

Member State: Israel Title: Continued Progress: National Report on the Status of Women in Israel

Author of plan The Prime Minister's Advisor on the Status of Women, Office of the Prime Minister. The report summarizes actions taken by Israeli Government agencies to promote progress towards implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. It was submitted to the forty-first Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (March 1997). Adoption NA Planning process The report does not mention any specific plan per se. There is an Office of the Prime Minister's Special of Advisor on the Status of Women. The Knesset's Permanent Committee on Women has proposed together with women's organizations to establish a Statutory Authority for the Advancement of Women. Support for planning process NA Advocacy 1. Several workshops to promote women's employment and skills 2. Conference on "Do Women Communicate Differently." 3. Knesset Social Welfare Lobby advocating for higher 1997 budget to guarantee poverty will not increase. Critical areas of concern 1. Poverty: single parents entitled to minimum income guarantees, child support enforcement, target immigrants and older women, establishment of National Insurance Institute to cover women without pension plans. 2. Education: mandatory education until age 16, adult education, develop non-discriminatory education, reforms, access to training, science and technology. 3. Health: promote preventive programmes, do research, programmes on substance abuse. 4. Violence: provide shelters. 5. Armed Conflict: increase women's equality in the armed forces, recruit women into the Foreign Service. 6. Women and the economy: encourage women to open small businesses, fair representation through affirmative action. 7. Power and decision making: encourage women candidates for mayor and deputy mayor. 8. Human rights of women: Rabbinic Courts agrees to recommend couples sign pre-nuptial agreements, legal literacy. 9. Environment : participation, include gender concerns in policies. 10. Media : increase participation, promote non-stereotyping. 9. The Girl Child: prevention of violence against children. Institutional arrangements The report mentions that both the Prime Minister's Office and the Knesset have developed plans, but there is no specific breakdown of the process. It is acknowledged that this work is still in process. The Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women enforces and monitors legal rights. The Civil Service has established a Commission for the work on women. Allocation of national resources In 1996, the Prime Minister allocated NIS 3 million for media campaigns against violence. International resources/support NA Notes The report indicates that various bodies are executing their own work and are also responsible for monitoring, e.g. The Commission of the Status for Women in Radio and Television, the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Construction and Housing; Defence ; Environment; Labour and Social Welfare; Justice.

Member State: Japan Title: Plan for Gender Equality 2000: The National Plan of Action for Action for Promotion of a Gender-Equal Society by the Year 2000

Author of plan Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality, December 1996. Adoption NA Planning process The Prime Minister is the President of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality. Other members are the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Minister for women's Affairs and all Cabinet members. Support for planning process In drafting the plan, efforts were made to follow-up on measures from previous national plans of action, to incorporate measures to resolve remaining tasks and to address new issues as outlined in the vision of Gender Equality and the Platform for Action. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern I. Building social system for gender equality - Decision-making: participation in policy, on advisory councils and committees, civil services, support private enterprise initiatives, train women leaders, review social systems/practices, strengthen legal literacy. II. Gender equality in the workplace. family and community - Employment: equal opportunity and treatment, protection during pregnancy and after childbirth, flexible work conditions, promoting entrepreneurship, harmonize work with family life, child care, re-employment systems, promote the quantitative evaluation of unpaid work, target the single parent; - Building partnerships in agriculture, forestry and fishing villages; - Harmonize work with family and community life; - Enable elderly people and others to live in peace of mind. III. Promote and defend human rights of women - Eliminate all forms of violence against women, enhance recuperative measures for women victims, create protection and relief measures, provide training for personnel, awareness, studies and research, comprehensive measures; - Respect for human rights in the media: support media efforts promoting human rights, promote gender-free expressions in official publications, establish rules for media; - Support life-long health for women: create awareness of reproductive health/rights, target the entire life cycle, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse; - Education and learning: enhance elementary and secondary education, provide career guidance. IV. Contribute to Equality, Development and Peace of the global community: absorb international norms and standards. Institutional arrangements All ministries, e.g. Labour, International Trade and Industry, Education, Posts and Telecommunications, Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries, Health and Welfare and Agencies, e.g. National Police Agency, Civil Liberties Commission are to implement their plans and are also responsible actors. The report mentions the need to strengthen various mechanisms such as the Ministry of women's Affairs which is the main coordinator of various policies. The Office of Ombudsman needs to be established. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support Japan affirms its commitment to support the United Nations, to assist women refugees and children through UNHCR and UNICEF and to contribute to ESCAP's work on gender equality. Notes In August 1994, the Prime Minister requested that the Council come up with an "Overall Vision of a Gender-Equal Society towards the 21st Century". The report makes special reference to addressing the needs of the elderly and the disabled in terms of building a system of family care, nursing care, income guarantees and a social structure. Additional documents submitted: The present status of gender equality and measures (June 1997) The present status of gender equality and measures B report on the plan for gender equality 2000. July 1998.

Member State: Jordan Title: The National Strategy for Women

Author of plan The Jordanian National Committee for Women Affairs, July 1993. Adoption NA Planning process The national conference in June 1993 adopted a draft National Integrated Strategy for Women characterized by the purity of Islamic and Arab principles, values and examples and their deep humanistic dimensions. Support for planning process A Jordanian National Committee for Women Affairs was formed in 1992 under the chairmanship of Her Royal Highness Princess Basmah Bint Halal. The strategy was the result of a series of studies, seminars and meetings in the various regions of Jordan, in which a broad base of men and women from different sectors in the society participated. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Legislation: educate society on women's rights, enact legislation allowing women to exercise their rights, eliminate discrimination from laws on nationality, personal status, retirement, social welfare, health insurance, labour and trade Unions; make amendments to Personal Status Law. 2. Political activity: increase participation in policy-making, in public positions and trade unions, educate the public. 3. Economic activity: promote non-discrimination in labour market, equal pay for equal work, develop support services, rehabilitation and job training,encourage occupational advancement at lower and intermediate levels, develop parallel markets, target rural areas, increase self-employment, foster women's role in food security programmes, take measures to ensure occupational health and safety. 4. Social activity: develop social concepts to expand women's positive roles, target single parents and disabled women, educate girls about reproductive health, encourage child spacing, educate about violence against women. 5. Educational activity: develop educational services and improve their quality, foster positive images of women and their status in the family, reduce illiteracy, target drop-outs in inner cities and rural areas, reform curricula, enable women to play a role in scientific research, college teaching and vocational education. 6. Health: target all ages, expand maternity and service centres, target the poor and the disabled, foster role of women as health care providers. Institutional arrangements The report mentions that the National Committee for Women Affairs is to act as an effective force in exercising pressure in the Jordanian society. It is to develop an annual execution plan and take measures to incorporate women's concerns, economic and social development plans as well as set up committees and task forces mechanisms of regular evaluation. The National Committee will conduct a regular evaluation every two or three years. Official and private entities working on women's issues are responsible for planning, implementation and evaluation.. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support According to the National Strategy, The National Committee will make efforts to establish communications and open channels with the regional and international organizations, especially with Arab and Islamic organizations for an exchange of information, experience and for conducting joint activities. Notes The National Strategy has been developed in 1993, before the Fourth World Conference on Women. No up-dated information has been received.

Member State: Kazakhstan Title: National Plan on the realization of the Actions Platform of the Fourth World Conference on women’s state (Peking, 1995) Activity Strategy - The conception of the State Policy on the Women’s conditions improvement in Kazakhstan, Almaty 1997

Author of plan N/A Adoption Approved by Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, 5 March 1995 Planning process N/A Support for planning process N/A Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Women and poverty 2. Education and professional training of women 3. Women and Health care 4. Violence in regard to women 5. Women and Armed Conflicts 6. Women and Economy 7. Women’s participation in decision-making process in regulatory bodies 8. Women’s Position Improvement Institutional Mechanisms 9. Women Rights 10. Women and Mass Media 11. Women and Environment 12. Girls Institutional arrangements N/A Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support N/A Notes N/A

Member State: Kuwait Title: Kuwait’s National Report: The Reality and the Future, July 1998

Author of plan Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour Adoption N/A Planning process N/A Support for planning process NA Advocacy N/A Critical areas of concern 1. Poverty 2. Education and Training 3. Health 4. Violence 5. Armed conflict 6. Economy 7. Decision-making 8. Institutional mechanisms 9. Human rights 10. Media 11. Environment 12. The girl child Institutional arrangements N/A Allocation of national resources N/A International resources/support N/A Notes N/A

Member State: Kyrgyzstan Title: Kyrgyzstan's National Plan of Action for 1997-2000 (to carry out the decisions of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995)

Author of plan The Government of Kyrgyzstan Adoption The Ayalzat National Programme (1997-2000), was approved on 6 March 1996 by decree of the President. The plan was adopted by Resolution No. 212 on the Status of Women on 13 May 1996. Planning process Parliamentary hearings took place and the State Commission for the Family, Women and Youth came up with the long term national plan/Ayalzat and a separate annual plan. Support for planning process NA Advocacy By Presidential decree, 1996 was declared the Year of the Woman in Kyrgyzstan. Critical areas of concern 1. Legislation: review legislation, improve basic legislation in accordance with the Convention on the Political Rights of Women and CEDAW. 2. Development of institutional mechanisms: establish information networks.. 3. Education: enhance functional literacy, legal literacy and use of new information technologies, compile databases on women and scholars, establish fund for education of low income girls.. 4. Health : reduce maternal and infant mortality, prevent venereal diseases and AIDS, fight alcoholism and drug addiction, reduce anaemia, establish children's feeding stations, provide free treatment for handicapped, pregnant women and low income women and children.. 5. Economy : provide employment opportunities for women, develop souvenirs and crafts industry; organize a business women's association, provide access to credit and measures to support elderly women.. 6. Decision-making at the political, legislative and executive level: establish gender-balanced pool of candidates, achieve target of 30 per cent women at decision-making level, establish a political leadership school for women.. 7. Special support for girls: ensure access for all to basic education, adopt measures to prevent forced marriages of school-age girls, establish separate detention facilities for minors, assist orphans and disabled. . 8. Violence against women and armed conflicts: prepare measures to prevent crime by women, protect refugee women, provide legal and material assistance.. 9. Media: establish Ayalzat public editorial board, draft and set standards, combat negative stereotyping. 10. Environment: target maternal health.. 11. Rural women: improve vocational training, small scale entrepreneurial activity. Institutional arrangements The State Commission for the Family, Women and Youth is the main implementing and overseeing body. The report acknowledges the need for developing the mechanism(s) for this work, i.e. women's initiative centres at the regional and district, women’ s commissions in ministries, administrative departments, entreprises and others. An annual submission of information on progress in implementing the Ayalzat national programme to the Government of Kyrgyzstan is requested. Allocation of national resources The Ministry of Finance has appropriated 1.5 million som from the Republic's 1997 budget for implementation of measures under the Ayalzat national programme. An appropriation of 6.23 million som has been earmarked for 1998. International resources/support Cooperation with women's organizations in other regions and republics and participation in international and regional seminars on gender issues is mentioned under Development of institutional mechanisms. Notes The report makes special reference to rural girls and women under each critical area of concern. Reference is also made to assistance in establishing and supporting women's non-governmental organizations

Member State: Lebanon Title: The Lebanese women's National Strategy

Author of plan The National Commission for Women (formed in 1996) and the NGO Committee of Women Issues (after Beijing), in cooperation with UNIFEM. Adoption NA Planning process The National Commission for Women and the NGO Committee of Women Issues elaborated the Lebanese National Strategy for Women. These organizations also received feedback from academics, representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as from non-governmental organizations and various ministries. Support for planning process Other civil institutions, NGOs and academic institutions provided support during the planning process. The collective approach reflects a strong belief in the adoption of a unified strategic vision and the implementation of complementary activities. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Legislation: promote international conventions pertinent to women, waive all reservations to CEDAW. 2. Decision-making: increase women's participation in power structures to 30 per cent by the year 2000. 3. Economics: promote income generation and vocational training for rural women; guarantee women's right to work, provide access to and opportunity for employment, protect women in the informal sector, encourage participation in labour and vocational syndicates. 4. Social dimension: provide social security for elderly women, respect the rights of the girl child. 5. Education: improve quality of primary level education, provide on-going vocational and professional training, remove stereotyping from curricula, promote adult literacy. 6. Health : ensure primary and preventive health, establish mother/child centres in rural areas, incorporate sex and nutritional education in school curricula. 7. Environment : raise awareness on environmental dangers, encourage women to use recyclable products. 8. Media: ensure women to reach decision-making positions, use media to promote gender equality. 9. Women under occupation : assist women living under occupation, provide shelters, hospitals, schools and other facilities, ratify agreement opposing torture, establish agricultural projects, organize campaigns to have UN resolution 425 respected, assist handicapped women and political prisoners. Institutional arrangements The Lebanese National Commission for Women and the NGO Committee of Women Issues are to formulate as well as coordinate the plan of action with public institutions and non-governmental organizations. The respective work plans will be devised in accordance with the status, duties and available resources of each of these two organizations. Allocation of national resources NA. International resources/support NA Notes The National Commission for Women was established by a decree of the Council of Ministers. It is highlighted in the National Strategy, that NGOs play an important role in establishing and implementing the plan. Additional documents submitted: The Lebanese national action plan, 1998 translation. Programme document for Lebanese women’s advancement.

Member State: Malaysia Title: The Action Plan for the Development of Women (A Brief Note)

Author of plan N/A Adoption NA Planning process N/A Support for planning process N/A Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Strengthen the machinery for the advancement of women 2. Increasing public awareness and sensitivity of Government bureaucracy to women’s issues 3. Activating NGOs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of socio-economic programmes 4. Women and Health 5. Women and Education and Training 6. Women and Economy 7. Women and the Law 8. Women and Power-sharing 9. Women and the media 10. Women and Religion 11. Women and Culture and Arts 12. Women and Family 13. Women and Sports Institutional arrangements N/A Allocation of national resources NA. International resources/support NA Notes The brief note is a summary of action to be carried out under each critical area of concern.

Member State: Maldives Title: National Action Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.

Author of plan N/A Adoption NA Planning process NA Support for planning process N/A Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Women and Poverty 2. Education and Training 3. Women and Health 4. Violence against Women 5. Women and the Economy 6. Women in power and Decision-making 7. Institutional mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 8. Human rights of Women 9. Women and the Media 10. The Girl-Child Institutional arrangements Under “Institutional mechanisms for the Advancement of Women”, the plan recommends that all ministries review policies and programmes from a gender perspective, locate the responsibility for the implementation of the mandate at the highest possible level, establish and/or strengthen an interministerial co-ordination structure to carry out this mandate, to monitor progress and to network. Allocation of national resources NA. International resources/support NA Notes N/A

Member State: Myanmar Title: Myanmar National Action Plan for the Advancement of Women

Author of plan Myanmar National Working Committee for women's Affairs, August 1997. Adoption NA Planning process NA Support for planning process The working group held advocacy meetings in five states and divisions and aims to cover all 16 states and divisions by the end of 1997. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Education and training: target rural women; provide equal access and quality education, vocational training, child care for mothers to continue schooling; achieve primary education for at least 80 per cent, gather parental support to enlist girls, offer stipends and scholarships, reduce drop-out rate, have functional literary programmes for age 15 and above. 2. Health: reduce maternal and infant mortality; promote breastfeeding; expand the Baby Friendly Home Delivery Initiative; provide nutrition security, supplementary lunches for children under five, preventative care; combat HIV/AIDS; promote research and awareness, reproductive health. 3. Violence: take integrated measures to prevent and reduce violence; establish centres for psychological assistance to victim; enforce existing legislation; promote education and information, research; reduce trafficking; provide vocational training, income generating activities. 4. Economy: provide access to employment, appropriate working conditions and flexible structure;, promote self-employment, development of technologies that facilitate self-support and small enterprises; target rural women; establish mechanisms for intersectoral institutions that enable women's cooperative efforts; promote social security and labour laws, maternity leave. 5. The girl child: eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices; provide access to primary education and rehabilitative services; eliminate economic exploitation. 6. Culture: uplift dynamism of patriotic spirit, national prestige and integrity. Institutional arrangements Myanmar National Committee for women's Affairs was established in 1996 for implementing the Beijing Platform for Action and future programmes for the advancement of women. It is headed by the Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. The same ministry is the focal point for women's affairs. The Myanmar National Working Committee for women's Affairs was established on 7 October 1996. women's Affairs Committees also exist at the state and division, district and township levels where each state and division has selected specific critical areas of concern. Various ministries are involved in the implementation process, e.g. the Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and the Department of Social Welfare both work on measures and provide training to assist women victims of violence due to prostitution or trafficking. Allocation of national resources NA. International resources/support NA Notes The plan notes that the formulation of strategies and planning of activities should be in conformity with the cultural background of the country. The national action plan confirms that Myanmar is striving towards the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation. The establishment of national machineries and women's Affairs Committees at various levels will further enhance the participation of women in both social and national development.

Member State: Oman Title: Information paper submitted by the Delegation of the Sultanate of Oman to the Arab Meeting to Plan a Unified Arab Programme

Author of plan Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, Office of the Minister. The paper was presented at the Arab Meeting to plan a unified Arab Programme emanating from the Platform for Action, Amman-Jordan, September 1996. Adoption NA Planning process The plan was designed to be in harmony with the joint Arab development process and its economic, social, cultural and educational covenants. Support for planning process Attention to women's affairs has doubled at the governmental and private levels through fostering women's role and providing opportunity for participation in various fields. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Decision making: policy, establishing structures to ensure participation, promoting sensitivity of officials, defining and/or amending laws, research, build a statistical database. 2. Poverty eradication: study measures to allow for women on welfare to work, set up a system of social security pensions, develop income generating activities, target rural women to have incomes through plant animal production and agriculture, finding non-traditional avenues for income generation. 3. Education: expand literacy programmes, adult education, expand and diversify intermediate institutes after high school. 4. Health: expand health care during pregnancy, supporting the Hospital Friendly to Children Program, have a national plan for fighting cancer, increasing awareness. 5. Labour market: conduct survey to identify opportunities for women, have a database, expand daycare centres, provide facilities for women working in farming and ensure marketing their products, establish rehabilitation and training centres, technical and vocational education. 6. Environment: empower women to participate in decision- making, make sound use of environment, data banks, awareness, support for women's associations that are involved in environmental projects. 7. Communication: develop strategies for a unified plan for the portrayal of women's role in social, economic and political spheres, provide training. Institutional arrangements NA Allocation of national resources The paper requests non-governmental and government sectors to finance projects and provide job opportunities for poor women. International resources/support The report calls for financial and technical assistance by the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Science of the Arab League and UNESCO to assist in eliminating illiteracy, controlling school drop-outs and ensuring mandatory education for girls. It also requests the assistance of the Arab Labour Organization, ILO, UNIDO, the United Nations Statistical Office, UNESCO and ESCWA in economic fields. Notes The report notes that the economic and social changes witnessed by the Sultanate of Oman during the past ten years had a great impact on the achievements of Omani women and the rights gained within the framework of policies established.

Member State: Pakistan Title: National Action Plan of Action for Women (Draft)

Author of plan Ministry of Women Development, (MOWD) Islamabad, June 1997. Adoption The plan is still in draft form. Planning process Plan was to be finalized at a national level meeting in August 1997. Input has been received from representatives of the national and provincial governments, the National Core Group (NCG), Non-governmental organizations, women development departments and experts. Support for planning process MOWD established the women's Legal Rights Committee and women's Legal Aid Committee in 1989, and a National Consultative Committee to work on representation in parliament and violence. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Poverty: expand industrial and agricultural base that involves female participation such as cottage industries, forestry, orchards, spice grain production and agricultural products; target low income and rural women; introduce social security schemes; provide access to ownership and credit. 2. Education and Training: mainstream a gender perspective, revise legislation, make primary education compulsory, counter traditional norms. 3. Health: generate data disaggregated by sex, provide family planning, target rural areas, provide access to primary health, place special emphasis on disabled women. 4. Violence: target existing laws, take measures to reduce violence, introduce gender sensitization programmes. 5. Armed Conflict: promote preventive strategies and peace building, more women in conflict resolution. 6. Economy: enforce legislation, institution building, decision- making, provide access to credit. 7. Power and decision-making: strengthen representation of women in politics, policy, judiciary, create social awareness. 8. Human rights: revise Muslim discriminatory laws, generate a cohesive policy, enlarge constitutional guarantees. 9. Media: achieve equitable representation, gender sensitization, introduce code of ethics on portrayal. 10. Environment: achieve gender balance, capacity building. 11. The Girl child: promote and protect the girl child.. Institutional arrangements MOWD is the main institution to promote, plan and develop research as well as recommend legislation. It has been also financing some of the projects. The provincial departments and NGOs implement their own programmes. Traditionally the work on women has always been done by Department of Social Welfare, Education, Health and local governments. The Planning Commission and other Ministries (Labour and Agriculture, Interior, Education, etc.) are involved in different projects Allocation of national resources The report acknowledges that there is inadequate allocation of financial, technical and human resources, lack of public endorsement and retrogressive laws. Due to administrative clout, work on women has been limited to specific projects and not mainstreamed. It acknowledges that MOWD's role is minimal if it does not directly finance projects and that there is an absence of linkages and institutions. International resources/support NA Notes Efforts related to the advancement of women also fall within the larger Ninth Five-Year Plan (1998-2003).

Member State: Philippines Title: Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development 1995-2025

Author of plan The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW). First printing of the plan : November 1995, Second printing: April 1996. Adoption Executive Order No. 273 of the President approved and adopted the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development, 1995-2025. Planning process The plan is part of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). It is intended to be a rolling plan that will be updated every six years. Support for planning process The consultative process involved NGOs, government departments, experts, academics and the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), which is the advisory body to the President, and the National Economic Development Authority. NCRFW also coordinated the formulation of the plan. Advocacy The Department for Social Welfare and Development regularly broadcasts radio programs on women and community concerns. A National Conference took place on the role of Muslim women and development, as well as seminar/workshops on gender perspectives in the media. There are several books, exhibitions, theatres on women's contribution to art. Critical areas of concern The plan is divided into 6 parts: 1. The Development Framework 2. The Human Development Sectors: Education and human resources development; health, nutrition and family planning; urban development and housing; social welfare and community development; media; arts and culture; justice and peace and order; labour and employment. 3. Economic and Industrial Development: Agriculture and fisheries; agrarian reform; environment and natural resources; industry, trade and tourism. 4. Infrastructure and Technology Support: infrastructure development; science and technology 5. Special concerns: Women and migration; prostitution; violence; indigenous cultural communities and ancestral domain; peace; politics and governance. 6. Development Administration Sector Institutional arrangements The NCRFW is the focal point for gender planning. In addition, many ministries have formed Gender and Development offices. There are sectoral inter-agency mechanisms for coordination within sectors. Sex-disaggregated database is generated by the Philippine Statistical Development Plan, and the NCRFW Clearinghouse and Information Centre on Women. Different ministries and private NAOS formulate their own plans and implement them. Some do monitoring but not every area has a monitoring feedback system as the report states. The Department of Labour and Employment, Finance, Social Welfare, Justice etc are mentioned. On the private side, Media Watch Collective, Legislative Advocates for Women, women's Feature Service are referred to. Allocation of national resources There are strong legal mandates for gender advocacy (known as the WID and Nation-Building Act and the General Appropriations Act for 1995) which protect women's interest and instructs government agencies to reservve a portion of their budget for WID activities. International resources/support 1.UNICEF provided support for Social Welfare and Community Development projects. 2. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is financing projects in industry and trade. 3. UNIFEM is also supporting projects in the same area. 4. The report was produced with the funding assistance from CIDA. Notes The plan contains very detailed objectives and actions proposed under each critical areas of concern. The implementing mechanisms are the Women Advancing Government Action for Shelter (WAGAS), the Women in Science and Technology Development Foundation (WSTDF) and the Agrarian Reform Ladies Association (DARLA). Revising or initiating legislation is a common theme across all areas of concern.

Member State: Republic of Korea Title: Ten Priorities for the Advancement of Korean Women - A Follow-up to the 4th World Conference on Women

Author of plan The Committee for Globalization Policy, a consultative body to the President. 11 October, 1995. Adoption NA Planning process Legal amendments to carry out the work were to be completed by early 1996. Support for planning process NA Advocacy The plan recognizes that cooperation and participation of citizens is crucial for successful implementation. Close consultation with women's non-governmental organizations and the public sector is sought. Critical areas of concern 1. Expansion of child care facilities through mobilization of private resources: parent involvement in child-care co-ops, loans, national pension fund allocations, use of religious facilities. 2. After school care programs: attention to primary school children through use of community facilities, provide minimum government subsidy. 3. School meals: to be expanded to primary schools, allotment to come from education budget. 4. Setting target percentage for women's participation in public service: introduce quota system to annually increase number of women in foreign service, civil service, taxation colleges, police academy, government committees by 20 per cent in 1996, 15 per cent in 1997, 15 per cent in 1998, 18 per cent in 1999, 20 per cent in 2000. 5. Incentives for recruitment of women at public enterprises: state-run or subsidized enterprises to have an incentive system, women to pass written tests not to fail in interview on account of gender. 6. Social sharing of maternity protection cost: ensure maternity leave in private sector, provide child-care leave allowances. 7. Expanding education and training for women's employment: vocational training, diversify curricula, reemployment of women after absence, subsidies, strengthen community facilities and women welfare centres. 8. women's information networks: strengthen/create networks and communications facilities, databases on women. 9. women's Development Act: implement the new Act. 10. Mass media: recruit women into decision-making, eliminate stereotypes, more dissemination of women's issues. Institutional arrangements The Ministry of Political Affairs(II) is the focal point and is to coordinate and integrate the efforts of the related ministries with the Office of the Prime Minister reviewing and monitoring the progress. The ten medium and long-term policy priorities as established by the Committee for Globalization Policy, provide the framework for the government plan of action to facilitate the participation and advancement of women in Korean society. Allocation of national resources The plan indicates that the financial requirements to fulfill the plan were to be reflected in the 1996-98 government budget International resources/support NA Notes Second report submitted: The women's Development Act includes the following sections: General Provisions, Basic women's Policy Plan, Basic Measures on women's Policy, women's Development Fund, Support for women's Organizations, Supplementary Provisions, Agenda. The critical areas mentioned in the Act are: -participation in decision-making, - equal employment, -strengthening maternity protection, home, school and community education, -promotion of women's welfare, infant and child care, -equality in family relationship - sexual assault and domestic violence, - estimating value of housework, - use of media, - international cooperation.

Member State: Syrian Arab Republic Title: National Strategy for Women in The Syrian Arab Republic

Author of plan The National Committee for a Post-Beijing Follow-up of women's Affairs. Adoption NA Planning process The National Committee is the main planning agency. Support for planning process The Post-Beijing National Committee organized a workshop which devised a comprehensive draft strategy through the year 2000 for the advancement of women in the Syrian Arab Republic. Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Law: sign CEDAW, remove discrimination from Penal Code, Personal Status Law, Agriculture Relations Law, Insurance and Pensions, Social Insurance Law, Insurance and Pensions Law, strengthen provisions of Penal Code governing violence against women. 2. Social Status: eliminate poverty, incorporate data on national income distribution into National Accounts system, target rural women and projects, ensure women's participation in food production and food security, target the disabled and elderly. 3. Environment: implement and monitor legislation and regulations on environmental protection, control of pollution, increase women's participation in planning, generating awareness, training, strike balance between population growth and natural resources, strengthen family planning. 4. Information/Media: target negative stereotyping, raise awareness, increase participation of women. 5. Decision-making: bring women's participation to 30 per cent, create a women's research centre within the women's Federation. 6. Economy: provide equal access, opportunities to own land and finance, train in technology skills, develop statistical system, introduce modern agricultural services to rural areas. 7. Education: revise curricula, target primary education to include 90 per cent of children, reduce drop-out, provide technical, vocational and adult education. 8. Human Rights: create mechanisms to coordinate between peoples organizations, professional syndicates and trade unions, monitor human rights, design educational programmes. 9. Health: expand infrastructure and improve quality care, reduce maternal mortality by 25 per cent, reduce fertility below 5 children per woman, train staff, raise awareness. Institutional arrangements The report calls for the strengthening of coordination between the women's Federation, Workers Federation and the Bar Association. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes The National Strategy for Women refers to a number of different principles, including the Constitution, the historic sayings of the General Secretary of the Socialist Arab Ba’th Party and the President on women and their role in building society and in its progress, the principles of the incorporation law of the Women Federation, the Arab Plan for the Advancement of Women through the year 2000 and the Beijing Platform for Action.

Member State: Thailand Title: Summary of Thailand's Follow-up Activities of the Fourth World Conference on Women

Author of plan The document was included in a letter from the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations, No.1592/2539, 10 September 1996. Adoption The national action plan has not yet been drafted. Planning process The Office of the National Commission on women's Affairs (ONCWA) and the Council of Ministers considered reports from both in consultation with the official Thai delegation and Government-supported non-governmental organization delegation on their participation in the Conference. A working group is considering steps needed to upgrade the ONCWA to departmental status. Support for planning process The National Commission of women's Affairs has established an Ad-hoc sub-Committee to draw up Thailand's Plan of Action which will be integrated into Thailand's Perspective Policies and Planning for the Development of Women (1992-2011). The result has been submitted to the sub-Committee on the Preparation of the women's Development Plan during the period of the 8th National Economic and Social Development Plan. ONCWA will conduct meetings for 100 participants from relavant and interested agencies to seek their views on the NAP. It will also involve 500 representatives from women's organizations (governmental and non-governmental ). The ONCWA established the National Committee on women's Labour and Social Welfare Development in order to report on relevant issues. Advocacy ONCWA has translated the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action into Thai for publication and dissemination to Government agencies, non-governmental organizations and concerned parties. ONCWA will conduct seminars for 300 local and grassroots women's leaders in the principal cities of the four main regions of Thailand to enlist grassroots support. It is hoped that after these meetings, community development activities will be consistent with the Plan of Action. The priority areas identified will receive additional attention where appropriate to local conditions. Critical areas of concern NA Institutional arrangements NA Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support NA Notes The National Action Plan will be the result of the above efforts.

Member State: United Arab Emirates Title: Accomplishments and Priorities of the National Plan for the Advancement of Women in the Light of the Resolutions of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women

Author of plan Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, September 1996. Adoption The National Action Plan is still under preparation. Planning process Future possible scenarios for National Action Plan are mentioned as well as the need for a Supreme National Commission to develop women's concerns. Support for planning process NA Advocacy The Association under the women's Federation held 123 lectures in 1995 on different aspects related to women such as applied arts, family education, heritage exhibits, illiteracy. Critical areas of concern 1. Education: eradicate illiteracy, establish adult education centres and social development centres, provide education at Bedouin campsites, technical education, special education for the disabled. 2. Economics: introduce legislation, offer training, access to opportunity, establish day care centres. 3. Health: provide immunization, disabled care, reduce infant and maternal mortality, build hospitals. 4. Legislation: regulation of Labour and Civil Service Laws, study the Personal Status Law. 5. Social dimension: establish girls clubs for practising sports, offering cultural and social activities. Institutional arrangements The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is the central organization. Each ministry works on its own agenda, e.g. Ministry of Education on education initiatives, the Family Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on establishing day care centres. Individual initiatives are implemented by different actors such as the Abu-Dhabi Association for the Advancement of Abu-Dhabian Women. Allocation of national resources NA International resources/support UNDP has assisted in building an early intervention centre for the disabled. Notes The women's Federation was founded by the wife of the Head of State. The Federation assumes a position of leadership in education, for providing job opportunities etc. It is also an umbrella organization for women's associations. The report states that a national action plan is still to be designed taking into accommodation gender statistics, legislation, reinforcing women's role in public interest associations, encouraging technical and vocational education, social welfare aid, promoting more females in medicine, sciences and as teachers.

Member State: Vanuatu Title: National Plan of Action

Author of plan Department of Culture, Religion, women's Affairs and Archives, August 1995. Adoption NA Planning process The Office of women's Affairs (OWA) is situated within the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development under the Ministry of Education and is the main decision-making body. Support for planning process NA Advocacy OWA works in collaboration with other departments, the Vanuatu National Council of Women (VNCW) and the Vanuatu women's Centre (VWC). Critical areas of concern 1. Health: reinforce primary health care/ community based health care services, affordable/quality health, provide technical assistance to medical institutions, training professionals, reduce maternal/infant mortality. 2. Education and training: access to formal and non-formal and adult education, research, scholarships, revise curricula, training of educators. 3. Violence: educate the public, integrated data collection, legislation, shelters, investigate cultural practises that control violence. 4. Economy: participation in the formal sector, assistance to micro enterprise, network of women entrepreneurs, training, funds to assist work, develop appropriate indicators to register women's activities. 5. Decision-making: participation, legal literacy and democracy education. 6. Agriculture and fishing: promote women's participation. 7. Environment: awareness, participation in management, support safe policies. 8. Legal and human rights: awareness, revision of laws, legal literacy, promote understanding of CEDAW. 9. Culture and the family: preserve customary cultural values. 10. Peace and justice: peace education and conflict resolution in formal and non-formal education. 11. Indigenous people's rights: ensure identity and rights. 12. Poverty: employment possibilities, research, promote public infrastructure that reduces women's chores, secure funding for poverty programmes. Institutional arrangements The report calls for further strengthening of the OWA along with the office of VNCW and VWC. OWA mainstreams women's concerns into policies and programmes through input from provincial and national decision-making bodies in the field of agriculture, environment, education etc. Monitoring and evaluation is to be done through existing national provincial mechanisms, VWC and VNCW. Concerns will be brought to the provincial annual conference and biannually to the Vanuatu National Conference on Women. Allocation of national resources The report calls for both bilateral and multilateral assistance along with Government allocations to key departments and OWA for work on the advancement for women. International resources/support Under the strategic objective ”indigenous people's rights”, the plan calls for governments, regional and international agencies to commit financial and other resources to education and training of indigenous people and to achieve sustainable self-development. Notes Additional report submitted: Working Together for Women: A Summary of the Platform for Action for Vanuatu.

Member State: Viet Nam Title: National Plan of Action to Implement the Development Strategy for the Advancement of Women in Viet Nam to the Year 2000 (Draft)

Author of plan The Government of Viet Nam, 1996. Adoption The plan is still in a draft form. Planning process NA Support for planning process NA Advocacy NA Critical areas of concern 1. Economics: reduce women's unemployment to under 5 per cent, increase labour efficiency to 75-80 per cent, self-employment and credit schemes, target poor and ethnic minorities. 2. Education: increase the rate of female students 2 per cent each year, promote the role of mass organizations in literacy, training, expand educational system, reduce school fees for girls, vocational schooling, promote science. 3. Health: target anaemia, reduce maternal and infant mortality, reduce malnutrition and iodine deficiency, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS; provide primary health care, reproductive health, family planning, especially in remote areas, for ethnic minorities and disadvantaged women. 4. Decision-making : target to have 20-30 per cent women in elected bodies, 15-20 per cent in local authorities in all institutions; generate awareness, retain women cadres; 5. Women's rights: legal literacy, address violence against women, develop social prevention programmes, allocate funds for victims, enhance People's Jury Council of the courts at all levels and involve women’s unions. 6. Role of the Family : expand movement of progressive family establishment, polices for heroic mothers, assist single and disabled mothers, punish violation of Laws on Marriage and Family, monogamy violations, legislation on family and marriage, civil code, penal code, law on land use rights. 7. Environment: access to management and conservation, equip with necessary knowledge, protection activities, improve environmental living conditions, transfer of technology, training courses for women's unions. 8. Communication: promote communication and increase awareness on women's rights and CEDAW, convey positive images, training of female correspondents. 9. Peace and violence: promote peace education, overcome war aftermath, assist women and children victims of war, facilitate reintegration. 10. Girl child: protection, education, legislation, health and nutrition, assist victims of social problems, disabled, street girl children. Institutional arrangements The Government has the overall responsibility to provide leadership and review the Plan. Implementation: The National Committee for the Advancement of Women (NCFAW) is the consultative agency to the Government in collaborating, monitoring and evaluating. Mass organizations and different ministries are responsible for implementation (e.g. Ministries of Planning and Investment, Labour, War Invalid and Social Affairs, Agriculture, Education, the Government's Personnel Department and the women's Unions at all tiers). Monitoring: Ministries, branches, provinces and cities are to monitor and organize a annual reviews which are to be reported every 3-5 years to the Prime Minister and NCFAW. Allocation of national resources All ministries are to specify the appropriate funds needed for their respective work upon which the Government is to allocate accordingly International resources/support NA Notes The report acknowledges the need to strengthen the mechanisms for the advancement for women such as having all ministries and institutions set up committees on women, strengthen the Viet Nam women's Union, the Committee on women's Affairs under the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, institute a gender perspective in legislative system, collect gender statistics and invest research and training institutes.