30 July 1992

40th plenary meeting

Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling Articles 8 and 101 of the Charter of the United/Nations, and recalling also the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraphs 79, 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 also the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies that have been adopted since Assembly resolution 2715 (XXV) of 15 December 1970, in which the question of the employment of women in the Professional category was first addressed,

Noting with concern that the goal of a 30 per cent participation rate of women in posts subject to geographical distribution by the end of 1990 had not been achieved by the end of 1991,

Bearing in mind the goal of achieving by 1995 an overall participation rate of women of 35 per cent of all posts subject to geographical distribution, set by the General Assembly in resolutions 45/125 of 14/December/1990 and 45/239 C of 21/December 1990, and a participation rate of women in posts at the D-1 level and above, set by the Assembly in resolution 45/239 C, at 25 per cent of the total within the overall participation rate of women of 35 per cent in posts subject to geographical distribution,

Also bearing in mind that a visible commitment of the Secretary-General is essential to the achievement of the targets set by the General Assembly of an overall participation rate of women of 35 per cent, and, at the D-1 level and above, of 25 per cent by 1995,

Welcoming the progress report of the Secretary-General concerning the comprehensive study of the barriers to the advancement of women and elements of the action programme for the advancement of women in the Secretariat for the period 1991-1995,

1. Strongly urges the Secretary-General to increase the number of women in posts subject to geographical distribution, particularly in senior policy-level and decision-making posts, in order to achieve an overall participation rate of 35/per/cent by 1995, and a goal of 25/per/cent of the total within the overall participation rate of 35 per cent in posts at the D-1 level and above, taking into consideration the need to increase the representation of women from countries with a low or no representation of women, especially from the developing countries;

2. Urges the Secretary-General to appoint women to senior policy-level and decision-making posts in his next appointments, and to achieve the targets set for the Secretariat by 1995;

3. Also urges the Secretary-General to ensure that achievement of these goals will not be impeded by the temporary suspension of regular recruitment imposed in the context of the current restructuring;

4. Calls upon all Member States to contribute fully to increasing the participation rate of women in the Professional category and above throughout the United Nations system by, inter alia, nominating more women candidates, especially for senior policy-level and decision-making posts, encouraging women to apply for vacant posts and creating national rosters of women candidates to be shared with the Secretariat and the executive bodies of the specialized agencies and related organizations, taking into consideration the need to increase the representation of women from countries with a low or no representation of women, especially from the developing countries;

5. Recommends that all organizations of the United Nations system accord priority to increasing the numbers of women in Professional and senior policy-level and decision-making posts to achieve the same targets set for the Secretariat by 1995;

6. Welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General to regularize the post of Focal Point in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, as well as the establishment of an additional General Service post to assist her;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the findings of the comprehensive study of the barriers to the advancement of women and a full action programme for the advancement of women in the Secretariat for the period 1991-1995 are submitted to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session;

8. Further requests the Secretary-General to ensure that his annual report on the status of women in the Secretariat includes strategies and modalities for implementing the action programme and the relevant mandates adopted by the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, and to submit the report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-seventh session and to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session, as well as to those bodies that have administrative, budgetary and personnel responsibilities for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat.