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A/44/803

Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the Year 2000 : report of the 3rd Committee : General Assembly, 44th session

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UNITED
NATIONS

A

General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL
A/44/803 30 November 1989
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Forty-fourth session Agenda item 104
FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN
TO THE YEAR 2000
Report of the Third Committee
Rapporteur: Mr. Wilfried GR0LIG (Federal Republic of Germany)
I. INTRODUCTION
1. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 22 September 1989, the General Assembly, on the
recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in its agenda the item
entitled:
"Forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women to the year 2000:
"(a) Implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women;
"(b) United Nations Development Fund for Women;
"(c) Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat;
"(d) Implementation of the Declaration on the Participation of Women in Promoting International Peace and Co-operation;
"(e) National experience relating to the improvement of the situation of women in rural areas"
and to allocate it to the Third Committee.
2. The Committee considered this item jointly with items 94 and 103 at its 21st
to 28th, 36th and 49th meetings on 27, 30 and 31 October and 1, 8, and
20 November 1989. An account of the Committee's general discussion of the item is contained in the relevant summary records (A/C.3/44/SE.21-28, 36 and 49).
89-30975 0269P (E)

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3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the following
documentation:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women (A/44/511);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on national experience relating to the improvement of the status of women in rural areas (A/44/516);
(c) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme on the activities of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (A/44/389).
4. At the 21st meeting, on 27 October, the Director of the Division for the
Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs,
the Managing Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the
Director of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement
of Women and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund made
introductory statements (see A/C.3/44/SR.21).
II. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS
A. Draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.26
5. At the 36th meeting, on 8 November, the representative of India, on behalf of the German Democratic Republic, India. Mexico, the Netherlands and Senegal, introduced a draft resolution (A/C.3/44/L.26) entitled "United Nations Development Fund for Women".
6. At its 49th meeting, on 20 November, the Committee adopted the draft resolution (see para. 22, draft resolution I).
B. Draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.27
7. At the 36th meeting, on 8 November, the representative of the United States of
America, on behalf of Australia. Austria. Cameroon. Chile. Costa Rica. Denmark.
Ecuador, Finland. Greece, Iceland. Indonesia, Jamaica, Malawi. Malaysia. Mexico.
New Zealand. Nigeria. Norway. Pakistan, the Philippines, Senegal. Sweden, the
United States of America. Venezuela and Yugoslavia, subsequently joined by the
Bahamas. Bangladesh, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cote d'lvoire. the
Dominican Republic, El Salvador. Gabon. Guatemala, Ireland. Kenya. Myanmar, Peru.
Samoa, Singapore. Suriname. Thailand, Turkey, the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, Uruguay and Vanuatu, introduced a draft resolution (A/C.3/44/L.27)
entitled "Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat" and orally revised
it as follows:
(a) The word "increase" was replaced by the word "intensify" in operative paragraph 1;

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(b) The word "employed" was added between "women" and "throughout" in operative paragraph 1;
(c) The words "in accordance with paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 40/258 B of 18 December 1985" were inserted at the end of operative paragraph 1;
(d) The words "a detailed" were replaced by the words "an outline of a" before the words "programme for the improvement of the status of women" in operative paragraph 5.
8. At its 49th meeting, on 20 November, the representative of the United States
of America made a statement in which she further orally revised the draft
resolution as follows:
(a) In the fifth preambular paragraph, the words "as of 16 October 1989" were inserted between the words "Secretary-General" and "on composition";
(b) In operative paragraph 1, the words "bearing in mind" were replaced by "in full conformity with" and the words "Article 101" replaced by "Articles 8, 97 and 101";
(c) In operative paragraph 2, the words "subject to Article 101" were added after the last sentence;
(d) In operative paragraph 3, the word "within" was inserted between "that" and "budgetary", the words "should not impede" were deleted and the words "should not be impeded" were inserted between "the Secretariat" and "in particular";
(e) In operative paragraph 5, the words "forty-fifth session of the General Assembly through the appropriate bodies, including the" were inserted between the words "submit to the" and "Commission on the Status of Women".

9. Statements were made by the representatives of Morocco, Cameroon, Kenya, Greece, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Lesotho and the United States.
10. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.27, as orally revised, without a vote (see para. 22, draft resolution II).
11. After the adoption of the draft resolution, the representatives of the Netherlands, Japan and Morocco made statements (see A/C.3/44/SE.49).
C. Draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.28
12. At the 36th meeting, on 8 November, the representative of the Dominican Republic, on behalf of the Bahamas. Chile. Colombia. Costa Rica. the Dominican Republic. El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, subsequently joined by Ecuador. Guatemala. Paraguay, Samoa and Suriname, introduced a draft resolution (A/C.3/44/L.28) entitled "Elderly women" and orally revised it by adding

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the words "under the priority theme of development" after the words "report the results to the Commission on the Status of Women" in operative paragraph 2.
13. At its 49th meeting, on 20 November, the Committee adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised without a vote (see para. 22, draft resolution III).
D. Draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.30
14. At the 36th meeting, on 8 November, the representative of Malaysia, on behalf of the Member States that are members of the Group of 77, introduced a draft resolution (A/C.3/44/L.30) entitled "Implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women", and orally revised it by replacing the figures "1992" and "1993" by "1993" and "1994" respectively in operative paragraph 16.
15. At the 49th meeting, on 20 November, the representative of Malaysia further orally revised the draft resolution as follows:

(a) In operative paragraph 5, the words "Reaffirms also the central role of the Commission on the Status of Women in matters related to the advancement of women and" were added before the words "Calls upon";
(b) In operative paragraph 13, the words "to be financed within existing resources, voluntary and other contributions" were added after the words "public life".

16. A statement was made by the representative of Morocco.
17. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.30, as orally revised, without a vote (see para. 22, draft resolution IV).
18. After the adoption of the draft resolution, the representative of the United Kingdom made a statement (see A/C.3/44/SE.49).
E. Draft resolution A/C.3/44/L.31
19. At the 36th meeting, on 8 November, the representative of Morocco, on behalf of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso. Cote d'lvoire. Ghana, Guinea. Guinea-Bissau, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Madagascar. Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar. Nepal. Nicaragua. Nigeria, Rwanda. Uganda and Viet Nam, subsequently joined by Benin, Bolivia. Congo, Costa Rica. Denmark. Ecuador, Finland. Gabon. Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Iceland, Jamaica, Mauritania, Niger, Norway, Samoa. Senegal, Suriname, Sweden and Vanuatu, introduced a draft resolution (A/C.3/44/L.31) entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas".
20. At the 49th meeting, on 20 November, the representative of Morocco orally revised the draft resolution as follows: in operative paragraph 2 (b), the words "at all levels" were added after the words "national development plans".

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21. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised without a vote (see para. 22, draft resolution V).
III. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
22. The Third Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolutions:
DRAFT RESOLUTION I United Nations Development Fund for Women The General Assembly-Reaffirming its decisions set forth in resolution 39/125 of 14 December 1984,
Emphasizing the catalytic role of the United Nations Development Fund for Women in the United Nations system as well as with governmental and non-governmental organizations and financial institutions and its support for innovative and experimental activities directly benefiting women in line with national and regional priorities,
Reaffirming those dual priorities of the Fund, which would better position women for more effective participation in the development of their countries,
Recognizing the mainstream initiatives of the Fund to assist national machineries on women, planning and other relevant ministries and intergovernmental organizations to integrate the concerns of women and to ensure their involvement in development programmes at all levels,
Noting the focused and proactive interventions of the Fund within its regional priority frameworks and its overall strategic objectives through investments in tested and documented models and approaches for women and development,
1. Takes note of the note by the Secretary-General, 1/ transmitting the report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme on the activities of the United Nations Development Fund for Women;
2. Notes the Fund's continued co-operation with women and development units throughout the United Nations system and with the planning and sectoral ministries and national machineries on women in the development of developing countries;
1/ A/44/389.

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3. Stresses the importance of strengthening the technical and financial capacities of the Fund to enable it to preserve and augment its flexibility and to facilitate its own implementation of the governmental and non-governmental projects and programmes that it supports at the national, regional and global levels;
4. Expresses its appreciation to Governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals that have pledged and contributed to the Fund; 2/
5. Commends national committees on the Fund and non-governmental organizations for their initiatives in the development of education and public awareness programmes and resource mobilization on behalf of the Fund;
6. Notes with concern that the Fund's resources are still insufficient to enable it to implement fully its programmes and to preserve and augment its flexible approaches to supporting activities at the national, regional and global levels;
7. Invites Governments, non-governmental organizations and others to make substantial contributions to the Fund;
8. Requests the Secretary-General, in accordance with resolution 39/125, to report on the activities of the Fund to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session.
DRAFT RESOLUTION II
Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
The General Assembly,
Recalling the relevant paragraphs of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 3/ in which importance is attached to the appointment of women at senior decision-making and managerial levels,
Noting the deployment of a senior-level officer as the focal point for women in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management of the Secretariat responsible for all aspects of the action programme for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat, 4/
2/ Ibid., annex, appendices.
3/ 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.
4/ A/C.5/40/30, sect.III.B.

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Recalling General Assembly resolutions 43/101 of 8 December 1988 on the implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies, 43/103 of 8 December 1988 on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat, 43/224 of 21 December 1988 on personnel questions and 43/226 of 21 December 1988 on the United Nations common system and the report of the International Civil Service Commission, Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/29 of 24 May 1989 on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat, and other related resolutions and decisions and their relevant provisions,
Recalling also the recommendations for action in the fourth report of the Steering Committee for the Improvement of the Status of Women in the Secretariat of 30 June 1988, 5/
Noting also the report of the Secretary-General as of 16 October 1989 on the composition of the Secretariat, 6/ in which it is stated that of the twenty-four Under-Secretary-General positions, twenty-two are held by men and only two are held by women (8.3 per cent), that seventeen Assistant Secretary-General positions are held by men and none by women, that of the eighty-five D-2 positions, seventy-eight are held by men and seven by women (8.2 per cent), and that of the two hundred and thirty-five D-l positions, two hundred and twenty are held by men and fifteen by women (6.4 per cent),
1. Requests the Secretary-General, in full conformity with Articles 8,
97 and 101 of the Charter of the United Nations, to intensify his efforts to
increase the number of women employed throughout the United Nations system,
particularly in senior policy-level and decision-making posts, in order to
achieve an overall participation rate by women of 30 per cent by 1990, in
accordance with paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 40/258 B of
18 December 1985;
2. Requests that renewed efforts be made to ensure more equitable representation of women from developing countries in posts subject to geographical distribution, subject to Article 101 of the Charter;
3. Urges the Secretary-General to take note of the concern of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Economic and Social Council that within budgetary constraints the achievement of the goal of rectifying the underrepresentation of women in the Secretariat should not be impeded, in particular at the policy-making levels, as well as the career development of women already in the Secretariat, in accordance with the action programme for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat;
4. Reiterates the request to Member States to continue to support efforts of the United Nations and its specialized agencies to increase the
5/ See A/C.5/43/14, annex I. 6/ A/44/604.

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proportions of women in the Professional categories and above by, inter alia, nominating more women candidates and encouraging women to apply for vacant posts;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session through the appropriate bodies, including the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-fourth session, an outline of a programme for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat for the period 1991 to 1995, based on specific goals and appropriate monitoring to ensure a substantially higher rate of participation by women from all geographic regions, especially in senior-level posts, by 1995;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that his annual report on progress achieved and future strategies to implement action programmes on the status of women in the Secretariat and the relevant mandates adopted by the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council is submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women and to the General Assembly for consideration by the Third Committee, under the item on the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women.
DRAFT RESOLUTION III
Elderly women
The General Assembly,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/38 of 24 May 1989, in which the Council requested the Commission on the Status of Women to devote particular attention to the current and future situation of elderly women in the world,
Also recalling General Assembly resolution 40/30 of 29 November 1985, in which it was emphasized that the elderly must be considered an important and necessary element in the development process at all levels within a given society,
Aware that age segregation, in addition to sex stereotyping, makes the social and economic problems of elderly women even more acute, and that they are often viewed only as beneficiaries and not as contributors to development,
Also aware that statistics are an essential ingredient of planning and policy evaluation and that few statistics are available on the situation of elderly women,
1. Recommends that the United Nations and the specialized agencies take the lead in recognizing the important contributions made by older women and their potential to participate in and shape the future of their societies;

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2. Reaffirms Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/38, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to organize a seminar, within available budgetary or extra budgetary and voluntary resources, to study questions arising from an in-depth analysis of the situation of women as they age, and to transmit the results of the study to the Commission on the Status of Women, under the priority theme of development, at its 1992 meeting, which will also mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Plan of Action on Aging; 7/
3. Invites the United Nations Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women and the United Nations Statistical Office, in co-operation with the regional commissions, to pay specific attention to older women in their efforts to improve methodological data-gathering on women;
4. Recognizes with appreciation the valuable contributions that non-governmental organizations have made in calling attention to the specific needs of elderly women and encourages them to continue to co-operate with the international community on behalf of these women;
5. Appeals to the United Nations system to pay due attention in related activities to the importance of the role of elderly women, in all its interrelated aspects, as participants in political, economic, social and cultural development;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution.
DRAFT RESOLUTION IV
Implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women
The General Assembly,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 40/108 of 13 December 1985, 42/62 of 30 November 1987 and 43/101 of 8 December 1988, in which, inter alia, it endorsed the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women B/ for the period up to the year 2000 and set out measures for their immediate implementation and for the overall achievement of the interrelated goals and objectives of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace,
7/ See Report of the World Assembly on Aging, Vienna. 26 July-6 August 1982 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.82.I.16), chap. VI, sect. A.
8/ 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.

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Taking into consideration the resolutions adopted by the Economic and Social Council on issues relating to women since its resolution 1987/18 of 26 May 1987,
Reaffirming its resolution 40/30 of 29 November 1985, in which it emphasized that the elderly must be considered an important and necessary element in the development process at all levels within a given society, and that, consequently, elderly women should be considered contributors to as well as beneficiaries of development,
Reaffirming also its determination to encourage the full participation of women in economic, social, cultural, civil and political affairs and to promote development, co-operation and international peace,
Conscious of the important and constructive contribution to the advancement of the status of women made by the Commission on the Status of Women, the specialized agencies, the regional commissions and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations concerned,
Emphasizing once again the priority of the implementation, monitoring, review and appraisal of the Forward-looking Strategies,
Recognizing the advancement of women as one of the priorities of the Organization for the biennium 1990-1991,
Recalling that the Commission will hold in 1990 a session of extended duration to review and appraise progress in the implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies,
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General 9/ concerning the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women;
2. Reaffirms resolutions 1, 2 and 4 adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women at its special session in 1987, 10/ in particular its recommendation that the implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies and the status of women in general should be incorporated as one of the priorities in the introduction of the Organization's medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997;
3. Reaffirms the urgent need for the Forward-looking Strategies to be translated immediately into concrete action by Governments, within the
9/ A/44/511.

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framework of overall national priorities. as well as by the organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system, the specialized agencies and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations:

4. Calls upon Member States to give priority to policies and programmes
relating to the subtheme "Employment. Health and Education". in particular to literacy, for the empowerment of women, especially those in the rural areas,
to meet their OM needs through self-reliance and the mobilization of
indigenous resources. as well as to issues relating to the role of women in
economic and political decision-making, population, environment and
information;

5. Reaffirms also the central role of the Commission on the Status of
Women in matters related to the advancement of women, and d l s uwa the
Commission to promote the implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies to the year ZOO0 based on the goals of the United Nations Decade tor Woman:
Equality, Development and Peace and the subtheme "Employment, Health and
Education", and urges all organizations of the United Nations system to
co-operate effectively with the Commission in this task:

6. Notes the preparations for the session of the Commission in 1990 to
review and appraise progress in the implementation of the Forward-looking
Strategies;

7. Requests the Commission during its session in 1990 to consider the
role in and contribution of women towards development so as to ensure adequate
attention to issues concerning women in the process of the preparation for the special session of the General Asssrably devoted to international economic
co-operation, in particular to the revitalization of economic growth and
development of the developing countries and the international development
strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade;

8. Also request the Commission to consider at its session in 1990 the
question of holding in 1995 a world conference on women. at the lowest
possible cost, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its
forty-fifth session:

9. Requests the relevant United Nations bodies to continue to provide
action-oriented inputs when reporting to the Commission on the priority themes:

10. Emphasizes, in the framework of the Forward-looking Strategies. the
importance of the total integration of women in the development process,
bearing in mind the specific and urgent needs of the developing countries. and calls upon Member States to establish specific targets at each level in order to increase the participation of women in professional. management and
decision-making positions in their countries:

11. Also emphasizes the need to give urgent attention to redressing
socio-economic inequities at the national and international levels as a
necessary step towards the full realization of the goals and objectives of the Forward-looking Strategies:

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12. Urges that particular attention be given by the United Nations and Governments to the situation of disabled women, and that Governments take steps to ensure the equalization of opportunities for these women in the economic, social and political fields;
13. Endorses the convening in 1991 of a high-level interregional consultation on women in public life, to be financed within existing resources and voluntary and other contributions;
14. Takes note with interest of the conclusions and recommendations of the International Seminar on Women and Rural Development, held at Vienna from 20 to 26 May 1989; 11/
15. Requests the Secretary-General, in formulating the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, and in integrating the Forward-looking Strategies into activities mandated by the General Assembly, to pay particular attention to the strengthening of national machineries for the advancement of women and to specific sectoral themes that cut across the three objectives, equality, development and peace, in particular literacy, education, health, population, environment and the full participation of women in decision-making;
16. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue updating the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development, 12/ bearing in mind its importance, with particular emphasis on the adverse impact of the difficult economic situation affecting the majority of developing countries, in particular on the condition of women, giving special attention to worsening conditions for the incorporation of women into the labour force as well as to the impact of reduced expenditures on social services on women's opportunities for education, health and child care, and to submit a preliminary version of the updated World Survey to the Economic and Social Council, through the Commission, in 1993 and a final version in 1994;
17. Requests Governments, when presenting candidatures for vacancies in the Secretariat, in particular at the decision-making level, to give priority to women's candidatures when the required qualifications exist, and requests the Secretary-General in reviewing these candidatures to give special consideration to candidates from underrepresented and unrepresented countries;
18. Once again calls upon the Secretary-General and the executive heads of the specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies to establish five-year targets at each level for the percentage of women in Professional and decision-making positions, taking into account the principle of equitable
11/ See A/44/516, annex. 11/ E/CN.6/1988/7.

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geographical distribution, in order that a definite upward trend in the
implementation of General Assembly resolution 41/206 D of 11 December 1986 be
registered in the number of Professional and decision-making positions held by
women by 1990. and to set additional targets every five years:

19. Requests the Secretary-General to invite Governments, organizations
of the United Nations system, including the regional commissions and the
specialized agencies, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
to report periodically, through the Commission, to the Economic and Social
Council on activities undertaken at all levels to implement the
Forward-looking Strategies;

20. Also request the Secretary-General to continue to provide for the
existing weekly radio programmes on women in the regular budget of the United
Nations, with adequate provisions for broadcasts in different languages, and
to develop the focal point for issues relating to women in the Department of
Public Information of the Secretariat, which. in concert with the Centre for
Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, should provide a more effective
public information programme relating to the advancement of women:

21. Further requests the Secretary-General to include in his report to
the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session on the implementation of the
Forward-looking Strategies an assessment of recent developments that are
relevant to the priority themes to be considered at the subsequent session of
the Commission and to transmit to the Commission a summary of relevant views
expressed by delegations during the Assembly's debate:

22. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at
its forty-fifth session on measures taken to implement the present resolution:

23. Decides to consider these questions further at its forty-fifth
session under the item entitled "Forward-looking Strategies for the
advancement of women to the year 2000".
DRAFT RESOLUTION V

Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 34/14 of 9 November 1979, in which it endorsed
the Declaration of Principles and the Programme of Action as adopted by the
World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. 13/ and other
relevant resolutions,

13. See Report of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural
Development, Rome. 12-20 July 1979 (WCABRD/REP): transmitted to the members of the
General Assembly by a note of the Secretary-General (A/34/485).

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Recalling also the importance given to the problems of rural women by the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 14/
Bearing in mind Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/29 of 26 May 1988, in which the Council urged Governments and development agencies of the United Nations system to pay particular attention to the role of women in rural development,
Noting with satisfaction the results of the International Seminar on Women and Sural Development, held at Vienna from 22 to 26 May 1989, 15/
Recognizing that the economic and financial crises in many developing countries have severely affected the socio-economic status of women, especially in rural areas,
Recognizing further the urgent need to take appropriate measures aimed at further improving the situation of women in rural areas,
1. Commends the report of the Secretary-General on national experience relating to the improvement of the situation of women in rural areas; 16/
2. Calls upon Member States to make use of the report and the main conclusions and recommendations of the International Seminar on Women and Rural Development, contained in the annex to the report, and to Endeavour to reflect them, as appropriate, in national development strategies, paying special attention, inter alia, to:

(a) Setting up or strengthening women's national machineries in order to ensure effective execution, monitoring and evaluation of national strategies in the field of rural development, in particular to strengthen their liaison with agricultural and rural development institutions;
(b) Identifying and formulating more comprehensive priority development projects aimed at improving the situation of rural women and integrating them into national development plans at all levels;
(c) Taking measures designed to give rural women broader access to material and financial resources, i.e., land, credit and loans, to promote the establishment and strengthening of rural women's associations and to encourage the development of women's co-operatives and other small enterprises;
14/ 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.
15/ See A/44/516, annex.
16./ A/44/516.
/. . .

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3. Requests the organizations and funds of the United Nations system, donor organizations and countries to promote the realization of programmes and projects aimed at the improvement of the situation of rural women, and to provide, on request, training opportunities for national machineries in order to increase their effectiveness;
4. Bequests the Secretary-General to prepare, in consultation with Member States, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to submit it to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session, through the Economic and Social Council.