Distr.: Limited 11 January 2006 Original:  English

             Economic and Social Council

Commission on the Status of Women

Fiftieth session

27 February-10 March 2006

Agenda item 3 (c) (ii)

Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to

the special session of the General Assembly entitled

“Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the

twenty-first century”: implementation of strategic objectives

and action in critical areas of concern and further actions and

initiatives: equal participation of women and men in

decision-making processes at all levels

Draft agreed conclusions submitted by the Chairperson of the Commission on the Status of Women

Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels

1.     The Commission on the Status of Women reaffirms the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,1 which emphasizes that without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspectives at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved, and that women’s equal participation is a necessary condition for women’s and girls’ interests to be taken into account and is needed in order to strengthen democracy and promote its proper functioning.

2.     The Commission reaffirms the outcome document adopted at the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly,2 paragraph 23 of which acknowledges that despite general acceptance of the need for gender balance in decision-making bodies at all levels, a gap between de jure and de facto equality has persisted, and that women continue to be underrepresented in legislative, ministerial and subministerial levels, as well as at the highest levels of the corporate sector and other economic and social institutions, and drew attention to the obstacles that hinder women’s entry into decision-making positions.

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¹  Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing 4-15 September 1995 (United

   Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), para. 181.

2 Resolution S-23/3, annex.

06-27105 (E) 150306