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Draft Platform for Action
C. International level
1. United Nations

305. The Platform for Action needs to be implemented through the work of all of the bodies and organizations of the United Nations system during the period 1995-2000, specifically and as an integral part of wider programming. An enhanced framework for international cooperation for gender issues must be developed during the period 1995-2000 in order to ensure the integrated and comprehensive implementation, follow-up and assessment of the Platform for Action, taking into account the results of global United Nations summits and conferences. The fact that at all of these summits and conferences, Governments have committed themselves to the empowerment of women in different areas, makes coordination crucial to the follow-up strategies for this Platform for Action. [Note should also be taken in this context of the discussions on the Agenda for Development and the Agenda for Peace.]

306. The institutional capacity of the United Nations system to carry out and coordinate its responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action, as well as its expertise and working methods to promote the advancement of women, should be improved.

307. Responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the Platform for Action and the integration of a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of the United Nations system must rest at the highest levels.

308. To improve the system's efficiency and effectiveness in providing support for equality and women's empowerment at the national level and to enhance its capacity to achieve the objectives of the Platform for Action, there is a need to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system. [This would include reviewing the strategies and working methods of different United Nations mechanisms for the advancement of women with a view to strengthening their advisory, catalytic and monitoring functions in relation to mainstream bodies and agencies. Separate women/gender units are necessary for effective mainstreaming, but strategies must be further developed to prevent inadvertent marginalization as opposed to mainstreaming of the gender dimension throughout all operations].

309. [In undertaking this overall review and effort to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, consideration should be given to establishing a high-level post in the office of the Secretary-General with the mandate of advising the Secretary-General in his oversight of system- wide integration of gender concerns. This person should advise the Secretary- General on the system-wide achievement of the gender integration goals adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women and set out by previous world conferences and should address United Nations action in all fields.]

310. In following up the Fourth World Conference on Women, all entities of the United Nations system focusing on the advancement of women should have the necessary [resources and support] to carry out follow-up activities. The efforts of gender focal points within organizations should be well integrated into overall policy, planning, programming and budgeting.

311. Action must be taken by the United Nations and other international organizations to eliminate barriers to the advancement of women within their organizations in accordance with the Platform for Action.

312. [The United Nations should organize a mid-term world conference on women to assess the implementation of the Platform for Action.]

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