See more coverage of this event on the main IISD ENB website

We have launched a new website to better share our reports of global environmental negotiations.

As well as current coverage of new negotiations, you can find our original reports from this event by clicking here.



Draft Platform for Action
Chapter VI FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
C. International level

354. Adequate financial resources should be committed at the international level for the implementation of the Platform for Action in the developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries. Strengthening national capacities in developing countries to implement the Platform for Action will require striving for the fulfilment of the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of developed countries for overall official development assistance as soon as possible, as well as increasing the share of funding for activities designed to implement the Platform for Action. Furthermore, countries involved in development cooperation should conduct a critical analysis of their assistance programmes so as to improve the quality and effectiveness of aid through the integration of a gender approach.

355. International financial institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the regional development banks, should be invited to examine their grants and lending and to allocate loans and grants to programmes for implementing the Platform for Action in developing countries, especially in Africa and the least developed countries.

356. The United Nations system should provide technical cooperation and other forms of assistance to the developing countries, in particular in Africa and the least developed countries, in implementing the Platform for Action.

357. Implementation of the Platform for Action in the countries with economies in transition will require continued international cooperation and assistance.

The organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including the technical and sectoral agencies, should facilitate the efforts of those countries in designing and implementing policies and programmes for the advancement of women. To this end, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should be invited to assist those efforts.

358. The outcome of [previous summits and conferences, including] the World Summit for Social Development regarding debt management and reduction should be implemented in order to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the Platform for Action.

359. To facilitate implementation of the Platform for Action, interested developed and developing country partners, agreeing on a mutual commitment to allocate, on average, 20 per cent of official development assistance and 20 per cent of the national budget to basic social programmes should take into account a gender perspective.

360. Development funds and programmes of the United Nations system should [be invited to] undertake an immediate analysis of the extent to which their programmes and projects are directed to implementing the Platform for Action and, for the next programming cycle, should [at least double the] [consider the adequacy of] resources targeted towards eliminating disparities between women and men in their technical assistance and funding activities.

361. [Recognizing the special roles of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) in the empowerment of women, the resources provided by Governments should be substantially increased by the year 2000.]

(First alternative)

[UNIFEM and INSTRAW have special roles to play in the promotion of the status and advancement of women's human rights. The international community should accept primary responsibility for strengthening UNIFEM and for providing the Fund with substantially increased resources that would enable it to meet its responsibilities in implementing the Platform for Action effectively. INSTRAW must be substantially strengthened to implement the Platform for Action within its mandate.]

(Second alternative)

[Recognizing the special roles of UNIFEM and INSTRAW in the promotion of the empowerment of women, and therefore in the implementation of the Platform for Action within their respective mandates, the resources provided by the international community should be substantially increased by the year 2000.]

362. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations system in its efforts to promote the advancement of women and to enhance its capacity to further the objectives of the Platform for Action, there is a need to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, especially the Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other units and subsidiary bodies that have a specific mandate to promote the advancement of women. In this regard, relevant governing bodies within the United Nations system are encouraged to give special consideration to the effective implementation of the Platform for Action and to review their policies, programmes, budgets and activities in order to achieve the most effective and efficient use of funds to this end. [Mobilization of additional resources from within the United Nations regular budget in order to implement the Platform for Action may also be necessary.]

[Go to start of Document]