24 May 1990

13th Plenary Meeting

1990/3. Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraphs 306, 315, 356 and 358, in which importance is attached to the appointment of women in the Secretariat at senior decision-making and managerial levels,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 43/101 and 43/103 of 8 December 1988, 43/224 and 43/226 of 21 December 1988, 44/75 of 8 December 1989 and 44/185 C of 19 December 1989, Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/29 of 24 May 1989 and other related resolutions and decisions and their relevant provisions,

Recalling the report of the Secretary-General on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat,

Noting that the Steering Committee for the Improvement of the Status of Women in the Secretariat has resumed its mandated monitoring role,

Noting also the oral report made before the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-fourth session by the officer designated as the focal point for women in the Office of Human Resources Management of the United Nations Secretariat, and noting with appreciation the measures taken by the Secretary-General to reach the goal of an overall participation rate for women of 30 per cent of the total by 1990, as requested by the General Assembly in resolution 40/258 B of 18 December 1985, paragraph 3,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to take the measures necessary to increase the number of women employed throughout the United Nations system in posts subject to geographical distribution, and to make a special effort to increase the number of women in senior policy-level and decision-making posts, in order to achieve an overall participation rate of 35 per cent of the total by 1995, without prejudice to the principle of equitable geographical distribution of posts;

2. Requests that Member States continue to support the efforts of the United Nations and its specialized agencies to increase the percentage of women in the Professional category and above, inter alia, by nominating more women candidates, especially for senior policy-level and decision-making posts, by encouraging women to apply for vacant posts and by creating national rosters of women candidates to be shared with the United Nations Secretariat and the governing bodies of the specialized agencies;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the information in his annual report on progress achieved and future strategies to implement action programmes on the status of women in the Secretariat and the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council are transmitted to the General Assembly for comments under the question of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women;

4. Further requests the Secretary-General to make available to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-fifth session the annual report referred to in paragraph 3 above with an update of the information contained therein.