24 May 1989

15th plenary meeting

Programme planning and activities to advance the status of women

The Economic and Social Council,

Reaffirming the high priority that Member States attach to activities to advance the status of women and the important role played by the Commission on the Status of Women in achieving that objective,

Stressing the need to ensure that, in the allocation of budgetary resources, activities for the advancement of women do not suffer disproportionately from the impact of restructuring and retrenchment measures,

Taking note of the reports of the Secretary-General concerning programme planning matters,

Recalling previous resolutions on programme planning and activities to advance the status of women, including resolution 32/3 of 23 March 1988 of the Commission on the Status of Women, and, in particular, Council resolution 1988/18 of 26 May 1988,

Concerned that not all elements of the recommendations contained in Council resolution 1988/18 have been fully implemented, particularly those contained in section I, paragraph 1, and section II, paragraph 1,

Stressing that in subsuming the programme on the advancement of women under a major programme entitled "International co-operation for social development" of the proposed medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997, women's issues should not be limited to the rubric of social issues,

1. Welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General to include a separate programme for the advancement of women in his draft proposal for the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997, as recommended by the Economic and Social Council in resolution 1988/18 and the Commission on the Status of Women in resolution 32/3;

2. Decides that the inclusion of paragraph 65 in the draft introduction to the medium-term plan is not an adequate response to the recommendation contained in section I, paragraph 1, of Council resolution 1988/18;

3. Reiterates that the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women and the status of women in general should be identified as a global priority in the introduction to the medium-term plan;

4. Urges the Secretary-General to ensure that women's issues are not marginalized under the rubric of social issues and that they are in particular reflected in the economic programmes of the medium-term plan, as well as in other programmes;

5. Endorses the view expressed by the Secretary-General that the proposed subprogramme entitled "Monitoring, review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies" should be given high priority, and urges that the highest priority be accorded to addressing the fundamental needs of women in developing countries, particularly in such areas as literacy, education, employment, health and population, with a view to ensuring their full integration in the development process and full participation in decision-making;

6. Decides that the proposed subprogramme entitled "Development" should be reoriented to focus on the fundamental needs of women in developing countries, particularly the least developed countries;

7. Reiterates the decision contained in section II, paragraph 1, of its resolution 1988/18 that the Secretary-General's proposed programme budget for the biennium 1990-1991 and subsequent programme budgets should provide for full funding from the regular budget for the implementation of all aspects of legislative mandates for the advancement of women;

8. Decides that the Trust Fund for the Preparatory Activities for the 1985 World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women, established by the Secretary-General pursuant to Council decision 1983/132 of 26 May 1983, should be continued for the biennium 1990-1991 under the terms of reference set out in section II, paragraph 2, of Council resolution 1988/18, as indicated in the proposed programme of work for the Division for the Advancement of Women for the biennium 1990-1991;

9. Urges the Secretary-General, in carrying out this decision, to improve collaboration with the specialized agencies and the United Nations Development Fund for Women in consultation with their respective governing bodies, as required;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the future of the Trust Fund to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-fifth session.