I. MAJOR TRENDS AND POLICIES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (continued)
I. PRINCIPALES TENDANCES ET POLITIQUES EN MATIERE D'ALIMENTATION ET D'AGRICULTURE (suite)
I. PRINCIPALES TENDENCIAS Y POLITICAS EN LA AGRICULTURA Y LA ALIMENTACION (continuación)

10. International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides: Introduction of the "Prior Informed Consent" Clause (continued) (C 89/20)
10. Introduction du principe de l'information et du consentement préalables (ICP) dans le Code international de conduite pour la distribution et l'utilisation des pesticides (suite) (C 89/20)
10. Código Internacional de Conducta para la Distribución de la cláusula relativa al "consentimiento previo" (continuación) (C 89/20)

Aboubakar KOLY-KOUROUMA (Guinée): Nous commencerons notre intervention par une citation de l'intervention du Directeur général de la FAO à l'occasion de la Journée mondiale de l'alimentation en octobre 1989 - je cite:

"L'agriculture, une victime du désastre écologique, devient un redoutable agent de ce même procédé par sa consommation d'énormes quantités de produits chimiques, notamment de fertilisants et de pesticides, et leur déversement dans les milieux ambiants. Le dopage a été impitoyablement combattu dans le milieu sportif, et cependant l'homme poursuit un processus d'auto-empoisonnement en dopant systématiquement et sans restrictions les végétaux et les animaux qui sont la base de notre alimentation. "

Connaissant le contexte dans lequel cette intervention du Directeur général de la FAO a été faite, et surtout le thème principal de la Journée mondiale de l'alimentation en 1989 "Agriculture et environnement", nous nous rendons compte des préoccupations de la FAO pour l'amélioration de la qualité de la vie et de l'alimentation de la population, sans cesse grandissante de notre planète.

Or l'accès des pays en développement à l'agriculture moderne (aux cultures intensives), implique nécessairement l'utilisation des pesticides, des fertilisants, et des produits phytosanitaires.

Nos agriculteurs, qui sont en majorité analphabètes, sont en danger permanent face à l'utilisation de ces produits qui, bien qu'utiles, n'en demeurent pas moins dangereux.

Des cas d'intoxication et d'accidents mortels enregistrés ces dernières années dans mon pays amènent ita délégation à accorder une importance capitale au système d'homologation et de contrôle des pesticides. Nous souhaiterions que la FAO nous accorde son assistance pour établir dans mon pays un système de contrôle de ces pesticides.

Nous attachons également une grande importance à l'introduction du principe de l'ICP dans le Code international de conduite pour la distribution et l'utilisation des pesticides.

La délégation se félicite de la coopération entre la FAO et le PNÜE.

Elle adhère au principe de l'ICP avec la révision des articles 2 et 9 et elle accorde son appui aux Philippines.

Abdel aziz ARIFI (Maroc): La délégation marocaine appuie les propositions mentionnées dans le document C 89/20. Nous souscrivons pleinement à la mise en oeuvre de l'ICP dont le rôle premier tend à réduire et à minimiser l'impact des pesticides sur la santé et l'environnement. Nous pensons néanmoins qu'il est possible dans le même ordre d'idées d'élargir les éléments de la procédure proposée de l'ICP en incluant d'autres renseignements pertinents tels les stocks de pesticides périmés détenus par les pays importateurs depuis plusieurs années. Le cadre ainsi élargi de la procédure point 6, page 2 du document français C 89/20, permettrait à la FAO et au PNUE de solliciter les pays détenteurs à notifier les stocks de pesticides inutilisables.

La base des données ainsi recueillie serait transmise aux pays exportateurs de ces mollécules toxiques, en vue de les inciter à considérer cette problématique. L'aide de ces pays et surtout des sociétés productrices de toxiques devrait être prépondérante pour aider les pays en voie de développement à détruire ou à dénaturer ces pesticides. Je voudrais rappeler qu'il existe à l'heure actuelle des stocks énormes d'acryticides accumulés depuis les deux dernières années pour la lutte contre le criquet.

Ce produit avec l'aide d'organismes internationaux et surtout celle des pays l'ayant exporté auparavant devrait être recyclé avant qu'il ne soit laissé comme déchet toxique. Merci M. le Président.

CHAIRMAN: The delegates from Algeria and Lesotho ask that their statements be included in the verbatim records. If I see no objection, this will be done.

I see no objection.

Mustafa SHABOUR (Algérie): Permettez-moi tout d'abord d'exprimer notre satisf action pour la qualité des documents qui nous sont présentés à la discussion par le Secrétariat. Les amendements des articles 2 et 9 du Code international de conduite pour la distribution et l'utilisation des pesticides constituent une percée significative vers l'instauration d'une véritable coopération internationale dans ce daraine en vue de préserver l'environnement, la faune utile et la santé publique. Au non de ma délégation, je souhaite exprimer mon appui pour la mise en oeuvre de la clause de l'informatici et du consentement préalables (ICP).

Notre pays dispose depuis déjà longtemps d'une Autorité nationale phytosanitaire, organe d'homologation et de décision pour tout ce qui concerne l'utilisation des pesticides, secteur en expansion.

11. Plan of Action for the Integration of Women into Agricultural and Rural Development
11. Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement agricole et rural
11. Plan de acción para la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo agrícola y rural

CHAIRMAN: The documents before us are C 89/14, Progress Report on the implementation of the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development; and C 89/14-Supp.l FAO Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development. The Draft Resolution proposed last night by the delegate of Costa Rica has been sent for consideration by the Resolutions Ccmmittee. This resolution will probably be discussed by the Commission either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

The vital role of women in agricultural production and rural development was stressed by the last Conference in 1987, and the two Resolutions were adopted: one Resolution requested the preparation of a plan of action for the Integration of Women in Development. This plan was considered and unanimously approved by the Ninety-fourth Council and is now to be considered by this Commission. The Item will be introduced by Mr B.P. Dutia, the Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Policy Department).

B.P. DUTIA (Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Policy Department): It is with great pleasure that I introduce Agenda Item 11, the "Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development".

As you reminded the delegates, Resolution 3/87 of the Twenty-fourth Session of the Conference requested that a FAO plan of action for the Integration of Women in Development be prepared for consideration by the Council at its Ninety-fourth Session. Accordingly, the Council discussed and approved the Plan of Action at that Session in November 1988. As the Plan envisages programmes for the years well beyond the biennium, the Council agreed that it should be referred to the Conference for endorsement. The Council also agreed on a step-by-step implementation and requested that a progress report on the implementation be presented to the Ninety-fourth Session of the Council in November 1989. Accordingly, you have two documents at hand for consideration under the present Agenda item; one, document C 89/14 Supplement 1, which contains the FAO Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development; and two, document C 89/14, which is the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Plan of Action. As it will be recalled, due to lack of time, the Council at its recent session could not discuss the Progress Report and decided to forward it to the Conference for its consideration.

The Plan of Action - document C 89/14 Supplement 1 - as approved by the Ninety-fourth Session of the Council is a comprehensive document that provides a broad charter to guide the Organization in Women in Development Issues, articulates objectives that need to be achieved and identifies the main areas of action.

The Plan focuses on four spheres of action: the civil or legal, the eonomic, the social and the decision-making spheres. A wide range of activities is proposed in each. The civil or legal status sphere focuses on improving woman's access to land, credit and membership in development organizaticms and cooperatives. The eonomic sphere focuses on women's critical roles in agricultural production, food processing and marketing, formal and informal sector employment, and income generation. The social sphere focuses on nutrition, education, hone economics and population. Lastly, the decision-making sphere focuses on improving women's participation in institutions and in people's organizations.

The Plan states that for the objectives to be realized, the entire FAO staff should be aware of the WID issues; the Organization should continue to integrate WID concerns into its development programmes and projects. In addition, the Plan calls for actions by Member Governments for achieving the objectives of the Plan at national and local levels.

The Plan also stresses the importance of improving the instruments of action. In this regard it singles out firstly, the collection and utilization of statistics and indicators; second, training and public information; third, interaction with other UN agencies and Member Governments; and lastly, the delivery of technical assistance.

The Plan endorses a two-pronged approach to deal with women's concerns. On the one hand, it suggests the integration of women's issues and of women as beneficiaries and participants in mainstream projects and programmes. At the same time it envisages the possibility of some specific projects for women that play a demonstrative role and help to test and improve mechanisms and methodologies of technical assistance to rural women.

The conclusions and recommendations of the Ninety-fourth Session of the Council regarding the Plan of Action and its Resolution 1/94 on the subject are summarized in the introductory part of the Progress Report, which is in document C 89/14.

The "Progress Report" itself contains three main elements: first, the identification of priorities for the implementation of the Plan; second, information on the efforts to strengthen administrative capacity to implement the plan of action, including the resource considerations; and third, a report on the specific substantive activities undertaken and to be undertaken along with an indication of progress achieved.

All the technical units in the Organization, as suggested in Annex II of the Plan of Action, are participating, and information on their programmes and projects covering WID that are under way or planned is reported in the document. The document lists the activities envisaged by the technical units in terms of the civil, economic, social and decision-making process.

The document suggests seven programme priorities. While the FAO staff training is the first priority, as action has to be completed in the 1990/91 biennium, the other priorities are not listed in any rank or order. As regards the FAO staff training in WID, it is proposed to carry out the training of approximately 1 200 FAO staff members at Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices by 1991. The training programme is divided into three phases as outlined in the Progress Report. Stage One, the Preparatory Phase, has already been completed, and Stage Two, the Design of Materials and Courses, is in progress. It should also be mentioned that materials on WID have also been prepared for FAO's ongoing courses for the National Project Directors and on Project Formulation.

Another important priority is to provide policy advice and assistance to Member Governments in implementing the plan. FAO will make all efforts within available resources to provide technical assistance, and training to Member Governments in developing the policies to assist rural women and to create or strengthen appropriate technical units to deliver agricultural services to women agriculturalists.

The third priority area concerns project development and monitoring. The two-pronged approach of including both women-specific projects and the integration of women into mainstream projects as was approved by the Ninety-fourth Session of the Council will be maintained, with more emphasis on the latter. Special attention is being given to the identification of women as project participants, in presenting agricultural data by sex, and in the inclusion of women in project formulation.

The fourth priority is the reorientation of heme economics and agricultural curricula. The aim is to help interested Member Governments in updating the heme economics curricula, and including WID issues and women participants in agricultural courses, so that extension workers of both sexes are better equipped to give appropriate advice and training especially to rural women.

The fifth priority is the preparation and proration of guidelines and manuals. Guidelines will be developed on specific sectors such as forestry, fertilizer utilization, horticulture, seed selection, integrated pest management, and animal husbandry as well as on gender analysis in project formulation and project reviews. I should also add that TCP guidelines for the formulation of TCP projects have been modified to include WID concerns.

The sixth priority area concerns data collection, research studies, communication and public information, in order to improve the basis for policy-making and implementation of agricultural and rural development programmes and projects.

We plan to intensify our efforts to strengthen the data base on women in agriculture, to collect and analyse standard agricultural data by sex, and to carry out studies on women's participation in agriculture and their access to rural services and technology.

The seventh priority is on population education and women in development. This priority focuses on the agricultural components of population, as distinct from the health or reproductive component. The purpose is to collect more information on the relationship between women's economic and social status, demographic factors and agricultural development and to use findings to enrich educational contents of projects that aim at improving the status and quality of life of rural women and their families.

The document also describes certain administrative measures, for better implementation of the Plan of Action. Organization-wide efforts have commenced with the Director-General's instructions to all departments and divisions to identify resources that could initiate the implementation of the Plan and identify financial provisions required for the following biennia. In addition FAO has strengthened its IDWG-WID by upgrading its membership, and its terms of reference are under review. Also, divisional focal points have been established as foreseen in Resolution 1/94. Furthermore, the FAO Country Representatives have been apprised of the Plan. The Plan has been widely distributed, and a popular version has been prepared. As enjoined by the

Resolution, the Committees on Agriculture, World Food Security, Commodity Problems, Fisheries and Forestry have included or will include in their agenda the consideration of WID issues • Papers on WID were also prepared for consideration by the regional WCCARD sessions in 1989.

The second set of measures concerns the provision of financial resources. The Progress Report estimates the resource needs for the Service in charge of overseeing the implementation of the plan of the ESHW over the seven-year period. This unit has reoriented its programme of work and resource use in 1990-91 to reflect the priorities. Regular Programme funds available have been augmented, and the cost of the training programme of staff at Headquarters, in the Regional Offices and in the FAO Country Offices will be financed in its entirety from the Regular Programme budget. In addition, the other technical units are also supporting WID activities through staff time and other resources, even if these additional inputs are not always visible at the subprogramme and programme element levels. Nonetheless, the need for extra-budgetary resources is great to contribute towards the implementation of the plan. We appreciate the support already being provided by seme Governments through Trust Funds. But specific proposals for augmenting these resources will need to be elaborated.

Another area of administrative attention is the increase in the number of women professional staff as called for by the Plan. A strategy to increase the recruitment of female professional staff has been developed, as outlined in paragraphs 44 and 45 of the Progress Report.

Thus, the recommendations of the Ninety-fourth Session of the Council and of Resolution 1/94 have been and are being followed systematically by the Organization. It is important to recall in this context that the Council also invited Member Governments to take into consideration the full integration of women in their development programmes, that strong central focal points in related ministries of government be promoted and that suitable women candidates for posts falling vacant in the Organization be proposed. We hope and trust that Member Governments will take these actions, as the ultimate success of the Plan in achieving its objectives depends vitally on the priority attached and measures adopted by the Member Governments.

In the light of the above, the Conference may wish to first approve the Plan of Action as contained in document C 89/14 Supplement 1, and secondly to give its views on the Progress Report in document C 89/14 including the proposed priorities and related activities.

CHAIRMAN: I thank Mr Dutia for a truly comprehensive presentation of the issue and I now open the floor for the debate on Item 11.

Ms Astrid BERGQUIST (Sweden): On this item I have the privilege to speak on behalf of the four Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The question of integrating women in development has for a number of years been discussed at FAO conferences. We recall that in 1975, the year of the first global UN conference on women, the FAO Conference adopted a resolution with recommendations addressed both to member countries and the Secretariat on actions to be taken to integrate women in agricultural and rural development. Subsequent Conferences, including the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development in 1979, did address the issue of women and adopted action programmes to promote development efforts in this field.

Sane progress during these years was also registered. Action was taken within some areas of FAO's fields of competence at various levels. Actions were supported by individual donors and member countries. However, no comprehensive or systematic programme of action covering the whole of FAO was developed. Thus member countries again, at the last Conference, took the initiative of requesting the Secretariat to prepare a comprehensive plan for the integration of women in development. To assist the Secretariat in this work, an expert meeting to advise the FAO was also called for. The resolutions in question were 3/87 and 4/87.

Having been part of this process, together with a number of delegations from all parts of the world, we are now pleased to see before us the Plan of Action prepared by the FAO Secretariat and already adopted at the Ninety-fourth Council in November 1988 and the progress report on its implementation so far. We listened with great interest to the presentation made by Dr Dutia and feel encouraged that progress is under way.

This process serves as an example of the increased influence on the activities of the Organization that we want member countries to have. Members set the priorités and give the general policy directives. The Secretariat transforms these decisions into concrete plans and action programmes. After this the Secretariat has a dual task. On the one hand the Secretariat should implement FAO's part of the action programmes; on the other, it should monitor their implementation by the member countries, other international organizations in cooperation with FAO or NGOs as the case may be.

As envisaged, the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development covers three biennia, starting with the 1990-91 period. As resources are limited everything cannot be implemented at once, and certain of the actions proposed merit very high priority in order for the Plan to be effective. Such a prioritization was agreed upon with the adoption of Resolution 1/94 at the Ninety-fourth Council. This resolution also stated that these activities could be carried out within existing resources.

The Nordic delegations support the proposed strategy framework which aims at ensuring that in FAO's sphere of responsibility women are accorded the same rights and opportunities as men, and that their potential is put to use in their respective societies. We also support the three-step approach: information gathering, policy formulation, action programme development.

The Nordic delegations are specifically satisfied with the emphasis given in the strategy to the support for women in their role as producers and income generators in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, FAO's particular fields of competence. This is not to underestimate the other roles women, like men, have in society, as parents, family members, leaders, teachers, bearers of traditions, innovators - all the roles and duties we as active members in our respective societies may have. It is generally agreed upon that in the past women's role as producers and income generators has not been given sufficient recognition and support, and therefore it needs to be stressed.

The contents of the Plan have already been discussed at the Ninety-fourth Council. As regards the progress report, I refer to the Nordic statement included in Council document CL 96/FV 1 Sup.1, in which the Nordic countries expressed their general satisfaction with the progress nade in the implementation of the Plan so far. Here I shall just comment on the priorities for its implementation during the next two years in particular, but also for the following two biennia.

The Secretariat has, in the progress report, proposed a few more priorités in addition to those already agreed upon in Resolution 1/94. While supporting all the seven priorities in general, we would, however, like to stress that they fall into two different categories. FAO staff training, project development and monitoring, preparation of Women in Development guidelines and manuals, as wall as data collection, specifically gender based, research, studies, communication and public information, ace all primarily tasks to be carried out at FAO's initiative and by FAO itself. They can also be considered prerequisites for the other activities in the sense that they provide the tools for these. Policy advice to Member Governments, reorientation of hone economics and agriculture curricula, as well as population education, depend on FAO having the tools, so to speak, and upon the initiatives coming from the member countries.

Among the priorities, we want in particular to stress the need for staff training on Women in Development aspects. We knOw that in some of the departments Women in Development training has been going on already for some years, but no systematic training programme has to our knowledge been developed earlier for the whole organization. Women in Development aspects are to our mind similar to environmental aspects in that they have a bearing on all the activities of the Organization and are not something that can be added later after projects and programmes have been planned and designed. Both require a change of attitudes and a new approach.

Another priority we want to take up is policy advice to member countries. This is one of the priority functions of FAO that has been stressed by the member countries in the review process just being discussed now in Commission II.

The other five priority areas also deserve mentioning. In order to save time, however, we just want to underline the importance we attach to project development and monitoring, the preparations and promotion of guidelines and manuals, and data collection. These three areas are all interrelated.

While recognizing that in certain circumstances there might be a need for specific projects or components for women, the Nordic countries prefer the integrated approach. Thus we note with satisfaction that more emphasis will be given to the inclusion of women in mainstream project activities related to economic and technical aspects of agricultural production.

As for the measures proposed within the different spheres, we wish to support in particular those aimed at bringing about changes in the legislation on women's access to land. At the Conference two years ago the Nordic delegations spoke of the importance of improving women farmers' access to land. The study then presented pointed to an increasing landlessness among women. For female farmers, lack of control of land also follows difficulties in access to cooperatives, credits, marketing services and to agricultural extension and training. We again want to urge governments and FAO to address this issue with vigour.

The strategy that has been prepared to increase the access of women to professional posts within FAO is to be commended. In this connection, the important role to be played by Member Nations in identifying suitable candidates should be stressed. We look forward to seeing concrete results of the strategy in the near future, noting that at the end of October 1989 the percentage of women of the total FAO staff, field staff included, was still only 10.2 percent.

The Nordic delegations have, through the years, followed with interest the FAO activities related to women and have often urged the Organization to increase its attention and resources to these activities. We are pleased that the Plan of Action has been presented, and we recommend its approval also by the Conference.

The Plan of Action stresses the important point that efforts to integrate women should be made as part of routine procedures. Every division should be made aware and responsible for this work within FAO. Even if focal points are established within the division, it should not be the sole responsibility of the one or few persons at that focal point, but should be part of the normal work of all officers.

Finally, we are somewhat hesitant about the suggestion found in the concluding note that the Plan of Action should be supported by member countries through extra-budgetary resources. In the long run this may be counter-prcductive to the goal that integration of women should become part of the normal procedures. In our view, to the maximum extent possible all activities should be financed within the regular budget. The need for extra funds would need to be well motivated and planned for for a specified time period. The member countries should rather support the Plan of Action by pressing for its implementation and by monitoring its progress. The Nordic countries premise that they will continue to do so. I might, however, be allowed to add that the Swedish Minister for Development has promised to increase substantially the Swedish contribution to the UN Fund for Women in Development (UNIFEM).

In order to be able to do the monitoring, we expect to see further reports on the progress of the implementation not only within the framework of the WCARRD reports but also in the form of specific reports to the Conference, in particular on those activities that have been defined as first priorities to be carried out by FAO itself.

As to the resolution that is to be presented, the Nordic delegation will come back later when it is officially presented as a document.

Ljiljana VELASEVIC (Yugoslavia): On behalf of the Yugoslavian delegation, I wish to express our appreciation to the Organization, and in particular to the Director-General, for attaching justified importance to the issue of the Status of Women. FAO's Action Plan for the Integration of Women in Development is an important contribution to bringing about changes in the basic conditions of women's lives in present day society. At the same time, it represents a genuine step in the implementation of the Nairobi Strategy. The measures proposed by FAO should help improve the status of women including their legal, economic, and social positions, and greater participation in the decision-making process dealt with in the framework of FAO and the member countries.

For years now, the status of women has not received adequate consideration. The deteriorating economic conditions in many developing countries as well as the deepening of the debt crisis have a negative effect on the status of women both economically and socially. If we add the fact that in most developing countries women are the main food producers, it is clear that the women's issue cannot be ignored in any considerations devoted in the first place to agricultural and food production issues, including discussions on other economic sectors too, such as the textile, electronics and other industries.

The very fact that this issue is on the agenda of the General Conference implies that FAO attaches genuine importance to this topic and that it considers the Nairobi Strategy as the basis for further activities for promoting the status of women and their role in economic development.

The Yugoslav delegation supports the proposed strategy of FAO's activities, and stresses once again that the Plan with its cotprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach represents a sound base for future work. The Plan clearly identifies future measures in all spheres, economic, social and administrative, and each one of them contains a wide range of possible activities. It is of particular importance that for each of these activities, the FAO Action Plan envisages flexible approaches and variety of options for their promotion.

The Plan of Action identifies priorities in implementation. Yugoslavia supports the set priorities, before all in the following fields: training of personnel, consulting policies to the governments of member countries, development and follow-up projects, as well as the remaining 4 programme priorities.

As regards administratives priorities, evidently they must be accompanied by corresponding administrative and operational agreements. In other words, it is necessary to provide specific financial resources. Yugoslavia supports the proposal of the Director-General on increasing the resources for ESHW by US$ 218 000, each year, 9 percent, as well as the need to increase the number of women within FAO's professional staff.

The strategy for increasing the number of women in FAO's professional staff according to which women should make up 30 percent of the staff by 1995, at the same time respecting fully the principle of professional quality and adequate geographical distribution, represents a sound basis for promoting the equal position of women.

Likewise, Yugoslavia supports the proposed strategy, primarily in respect to the increased employment of women, as well as the directives of the Director-General to the effect that when individuals of the opposite sex and of same professional qualifications apply for the same job, priority should be given to women, that a maximum number of qualified women be included in the Roster, including the modification of job vacancies so that the greater participation of women is ensured.

In respect to financing, we welcome the fact that the resources earmarked for ESHW in 1989 have been increased. Regardless of the level of the increase, it opens possibilities for further progress to be made. The Yugoslav delegation supports the proposed budget for ESHW in the amount of US$ 2 728 000 for the period 1990/91 as well as the proposal on extra-budgetary resources in the amount of US$ 780 000.

On this occasion the Yugoslav delegation wishes to express its appreciation to the governments of Norway and Holland for providing the additional funds. At the same time we support FAO's cooperation with other organizations from within the UN system, governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutions and other relevant bodies.

In conclusion, I wish to emphasize once again that the Yugoslav delegation supports the principle trends in the future activities, proceeding from the stands and activities of Yugoslavia to date with the UN in respect to the social status of women, as well as from the options which were reasserted at

the Ninth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries in Belgrade, which emphasized the need of creating possibilities for the greater participation of vanen in development, not only as users but of protagonists of development. Due to the forthcoming very important meetings in 1990, the Ministerial Meeting of the non-aligned countries on the status of women in the developing countries, and expanded session of the UN Commiission for the status of women, there is a need for more intensified activity through the Group of 77, on the implementation of the existing general stands of the Group of 77 as well as of the Ninth Non-Aligned Summit. On this occasion I wish to underline in particular the stands reached at the Summit regarding the debt crisis which has a direct negative bearing on status of the population, including women. The stands pertaining to the improvement of the status of women in the process of resolving the debt crisis should be incorporated into the IV Development Decade of the UN. The Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against vanen is one of the most important documents adopted during the UN Decade for Women. We consider that it is necessary to underline the importance of implementing the Convention on the national level (including my country) as well as the need to all countries which have not done so, accede to the Convention as soon as possible.

Finally, I wish to stress once more that all the agencies and organizations f rom the UN system should set upon the realization of the above mentioned stands at both the international and national levels. In that respect FAO is a noteworthy example.

Ms Marasee SURAKUL (Thailand): First of all, my delegation welcomes the document C 89/14 and C 89/14-Sup.1. My delegation strongly supports the Conference Resolution 3/87 and 4/87. My delegation appréciâtes that FAO has put forward their endeavours to the area of women in development in the main field of FAO activities. We also support the idea that FAO urges member countries to propose qualified women as candidates for FAO vacant posts as mentioned in the progress report. This is because it will provide access opportunities for women to the professional posts.

The strategies of the UN Decade for Women has influenced the development of women in various countries, especially in my own. Thailand always responds positively to the goals and objectives of UN's Development Plan for Women.

My delegation also fully recognizes the important contribution women can make to the national development process. In fact, women in many societies throughout the world are the providers not only for food, fuel and water, but also of the family income. Ihey are the sustainers and developers of their families, communities and countries. We need to inprove the financial and technical input to enable women better to achieve the long-term goal of integration in all development activities. What is most required at the moment is the new development; that is, the belief that when women can contribute equally to development, they not only improve the status of women themselves but also contribute to overall betterment of mankind.

Finally, my delegation strongly supports the FAO Plan of Action.

Mme Françoise TOURE (Burkina Faso): Tout d'abord, notre délégation salue l'heureuse initiative qu'a eue la FAO d'élaborer ce Plan d'action des femmes dans le développement.

Au niveau des documents qui nous sont présentés_f notre délégation n'a pas de remarque à faire car ils sont très complets.

Au Burkina Faso, nous sommes en train de finaliser également un plan d'action en faveur des femmes, qui s'articule pratiquement de la même façon.

Nous sames donc réconfortés car, pour l'exécution de notre propre plan_f nous avons besoin de l'appui et du soutien d'organisations como la FAO. Je voudrais présenter brièvement la situation de la femme (en particulier la femme rurale) au Burkina Faso, ainsi que les efforts qui sont déjà déployés en faveur de son intégration dans le processus de développement.

Les faunes représentent 51,8 pour cent de la population totale et sont dans une grande majorité rurales. Elles prennent une part importante dans les activités de production, de transformation et de commercialisation et cela dans des conditions précaires. En effet, elles sont confrontées aux problèmes d'accès aux facteurs de production (c'est-à-cure terre, intrants, matériel, crédits, etc.), de santé, de nutrition, de formation, d'organisation, de pénibilité des tâches domestiques.

Depuis la révolution d'août 1983, l'orientation politique dans ce domaine est caractérisée par une volonté très nette d'améliorer la situation de la femme afin qu'elle puisse jouer pleinement son rôle dans le processus de développement économique et social.

Cette volonté s'est traduite par:

- la création de l'Union des femmes du Burkina Faso;

- la réforme agraire et foncière qui définit des conditions d'attribution, d'occupation et d'exploitation des terres du domaine foncier national sans distinction de sexe ou de statut matrimonial;

- le plan quinquennal 1986-90 qui s'est proposé de valoriser le statut de la femme en tant qu'agent de développement afin de lui permettre, entre autre, d'accéder à toutes les activités productives;

- l'adoption d'un code des personnes et de la famille qui améliore le statut de la femme;

- la nouvelle loi coopérative en voie d'adoption interdit la discrimination basée sur le sexe afin de favoriser l'accès des femmes dans les coopératives et mouvements mixtes;

- des efforts sont faits pour que tout projet de développement conporte un volet féminin;

- un certain nombre de projets féminins sont en cours d'exécution dans des domaines tels que: l'amélioration de la situation économique, sanitaire et alimentaire; l'allégement des tâches domestiques; la formation;

- un projet "Banque de la femme" est en préparation actuellement;

- une opération d'équipement des groupes féminins en moulins à grains vient d'être entreprise.

Je ne voudrais pas abuser de votre respect et j'arrêterai donc là ma déclaration afin de permettre aux autres délégués d'intervenir.

Ms SITI BALKISH SHARIFF (Malaysia): The Malaysian delegation welcomes the FAO papers before us, C 89/14 and 89/14-Sup.1, which were clearly presented by Mr Dutia.

In supporting the Plan of Action we would like to share our experience in integrating women's full participation in our country's economic development.

Women account for about one half of the population in Malaysia and constitute one third of the labour force. In the agriculture sector, about 65.5 percent of the labour force are women. Recognizing the important contributions of vanen as partners in development, play an increasingly active role in the socio-economic development of the country through their involvement in the mainstream of economic activities. Equal opportunities have been and will continue to be given to women with respect to employment, education and access to other social benefits. At the same time, the role of womien in family development remained important towards developing a united and self-reliant society through the inculcation of good and lasting values in their children.

Malaysia has been implementing a wide range of programmes benef iting rural women from the early 1950s starting with the establishment of the Women's Institute in 1954. Since then, many organizations both in the governmental and non-governmental sector have been established with specific programmes for women in the area of home economics training; applied nutrition programmes; income generating activities in food processing, food catering, vegetable gardening, cash cropping and crafts; literacy child care and development including the running of child care centres/kindergartíais and community kitchens; as well as the establishment of women's groups to encourage and nurture leadership among women.

In 1976, the National Advisory Council on Integration of Women in Envelopment was established under the Prime Minister's Department to spearhead the integration of women into the mainstream of economie development;. La 1983, the Secretariat for Women's Affairs was formed under the Prime Minister's Department to monitor and evaluate projects and services for women implemented by the public and private sectors.

Malaysia reaffirms its commitment on women's participation in development by endorsing a report tabled during the recent Commonwealth Heads of Gove:aïïnent Meeting entitled "Engendering Adjustments for the 1990s", which stressed the importance of adopting policies which facilitate women's full participation in public and private sectors, as well as the importance of integrating women into the development process, including equitable access to education, training, credit, land and employment.

Under the auspices of the Council of ASEAN Director of Extension, a project entitled "ASEAN Regional Programme for Farm Women in Agricultural Development" has been approved and currently submitted to 11NDP for funding. One of the major components of the project is the establishment of a regionari research and development centre which will undertake research, training, development of appropriate technology and exchange of expertise within the participating countries. The establishment of this centre is s in consonance with the concerns of the FAO Plan of Action, which stressed the need to systematically enrich the body of knowledge and understanding on women in development to assist in policy formulation and programme pi arnning.

As indicated in our earlier intervention, Malaysia is currently undertaking the formulation of policies, programmes and projects for our next Five-Year Plan, the Sixth Malaysia Plan, 1991-95. The preparation of this important development document includes the instruction to all ministries and agencies in the public sector to address women's issues and to identi fy programmes and projects in both agricultural and non-agricultural activitie;s, that will promote the generation of income for the women. The intégrât;ion of women's concerns in the planning process has been and will continue 1 to be important in enhancing women's participation in the overall economic developnent of the country.

The Malaysian delegation notes the progress reports on the Implementation of the Plan of Action. Malaysia endorses the FAO Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development and gives its total support to the resolution proposed by the distinguished delegate from Costa Rica.

R.C.A. JAIN (India): The Indian delegation fully endorses the general line of thinking of FAO on the need for a special effort to integrate women into the development process as detailed in the documentation on the subject.

India nas since prepared a National Perspective Plan for Women 1988-2000. This Plan is more or less similar to the FAO Plan of Action for Integration of women in Development. India is very alive to the importance of including women as recipients of development strategies and involving them in the process of: decision-making.

The overall approach of our National Perspective Plan is to perceive women in a holistic manner While the programmes for women will continue to be implemented by different ministries as part of their development plans, there will be a strong inter-ministerial coordination and monitoring body along with its own supportive facilities.

All programmes will reflect the concern for the all-round development of women. The concerned ministries will all have a women's cell which currently only exists in the Ministries of Labour, Small-Scale Industry, Science and Technology and. Rural Development and Agriculture.

An essential prerequisite for the implementation of these new policy directives would be a women's unit in the Planning Commission, to redefine categories of data (Collection for women, modify existing terminology and identify gaps; in data collection relating to vanen and to give direction to plans and programmes for women's development. It is also essential to analyse the impact of the different macro-policies on women while planning new endeavours.

Financial and fiscal resources have also been apportioned and preferential allocations; for women's employment and mainstream programmes and projects have been made. This would imply the rationalization of resource allocation within mainstream programmes so as to benefit women, rather than only seeking separate allocations; for women.

In. terms of programme implementation, one of the two major implementing bodies envisaged is the Women's Development Corporations. These corporations would be responsible for the implementation of economic programmes through non-governmental and governmental agencies/departments wherever necessary, concentrating on technical inputs like credit, marketing, design development etc., and reaching out to women at the district and village level.

Women will be entitled to a package of services at the block level created by the convergence of schemes such as Development of Women and Children in Rural .Areas, Integrated Child Development Schemes, Adult Education, Health Care, etc., at the grassroots administrative level. Since decentralization of planning, monitoring and implementation of development programmes for women is suggested as also devolution of finance at district level, appointment of District coordinators for women's programmes would facilitate this process, and control over f inance would empower them.

"Hiere are today a sufficient number of programmes in the Government of India as well as innovative programmes in many States and sectors. What is needed is not merely larger resource allocation but technical inputs for greater effectiveness of these programmes, to guarantee better resource utilization. Emphasis has been placed on more effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of existing programmes through a result-oriented mechanism operating at different levels.

Recognizing that a critical input for women's development would he a new thrust to training and wider dissemination of information backed by research data and documentation, it is proposed to set up a National Resource Centre for Women. This resource centre would translate national development needs of women into a systematic grid of programmes and schemes for training at different levels in skills, knowledge and attitudes.

Reorientation and sensitization of the administrative machinery at all levels in the Government of India States as well as specialized technical agencies to the issue of women in development is also being attempted.

Involvement of women in forestry has hitherto been only incidental, and specific measures are being initiated in this regard. The National Wasteland Development Board is promoting active involvement of women in its Decentralized Nurseries Scheme, Women's groups are playing an important role in collection of seeds, raising nurseries and managing seed banks. The Grants-in-Aid Scheme for voluntary agencies envisages support to women's groups and NGOs. The Tree Patta Scheme provides for the issue of tree pattas to women or as a joint patta in the names of the husband and wife. Conferring usufruct rights through this helps to enhance the income accruing to women, directly contributing to their social and economic development. Efforts are being made to ensure that women get at least a minimum stipulated share of the employment opportunities in forestry projects.

We feel that FAO has already made a good beginning in implementing various components of the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development.

We also endorse the efforts nade by FAO to cooperate with other organizations in the UN system in the WID areas. Areas where special emphasis needs to be given are mobilization of women, awareness building regarding women's issues and improvement of access of adolescent girls in particular to nutrition, health and education programmes in developing countries.

We commend the Plan of Action for adoption by the Conference.

Shamin AHMED (Bangladesh): Documents C 89/14 and C 89/14-Sup.1 are excellent papers which contain comprehensive explanations on the topic concerning the Plan of Action on Integration of Women in Development. The FAO Secretariat deserves to be congratulated for producing these two extremely useful documents.

The Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development is in pursuance of the guidelines contained in the Resolution 3/87 frtiich was adopted by the Twenty-Fourth Session of the FAO Conference in recognition and reiteration of the vital role of women in agricultural production and rural development. The Plan seeks to bring about change in order to ensure that, in FAO's area of responsibility, women are accorded equal rights and opportunities and their potential uses are put to use by their societies. As we have noted, the Plan is a comprehensive and multifaceted charter, identifying measures in civil, economic and social and decision-making spheres.

The Bangladesh delegation is happy to note that the Director-General of the FAO has instructed all departments and divisions at the headquarters of the Organization and the regional offices to initiate implementation of the Plan in their respective fields.

May I, at this stage of my intervention, say a few words in the context of Bangladesh, in as much as it relates to the topic of our deliberations?

Women in Bangladesh are being increasingly associated with the process of development in the country. The Government has adopted effective policies towards this objective. As the majority of the population of Bangladesh live in the rural areas, the Government policy has laid maximum emphasis on the need for creation of conditions and opportunities for the rural women to contribute to the process of development. These measures have brought about significant results with regard the participation of women in economic activities in rural areas, particularly in agriculture which is the most important sector both in terms of contribution to the GDP and employment generation. Steps have been taken to increase female employment in both private and public sectors of the country, as well as to generate self-employment in non-farm and infornai sectors. There is a fully-fledged Ministry of Women's Affairs in Bangladesh.

The measures that have been taken in Bangladesh to facilitate the integration of women in the process of development is in recognition of the vital role that can be played by them in our endeavour for the overall development of the country. In this endeavour Bangladesh looks forward to benefiting from the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women as drawn up by FAO.

Mohamed Saeed HARBI (Sudan) (original language Arabic): My country's delegation wholeheartedly supports the documents presented by the Secretariat, C 89/14 and C 89/14 Sup.- 1, relating to the integration of women in development. We wholeheartedly support the Strategy drawn up by FAO. It is an excellent exercise. We think this strategy perfectly wall lays down the action that can be taken nationally, regionally and internationally, with a view to promoting the part played by women in development, and in order to ensure greater equality of opportunity in all areas.

Women represent half of the human race, and we should recognize the active half. The Nairobi Strategy represents a commitment entered into by the international community so as to adopt effective measures aimed at eliminating various forms of discrimination between men and women, be it in the political, economic, or social sphere. I think that we should extend our thinking about the role of women in development, particularly when it comes to agriculture and the rural environment. On the basis of these new concepts we should adopt a series of policies which are conducive to promoting this development.

My country's delegation is only too avere of the role played by women, particularly in rural areas and we fully support the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development in all sectors: in teaching, education, technology, in all areas which can contribute to promoting the integration of women in development. We have legislation guaranteeing equality of rights between men and women. These provide women with a full guarantee that they can participate fully in the decision-making process, in a fashion which respects the dignity of women as human beings. It is true that theoretical equality before the law is not the same thing as actual equality. The concepts must

evolve, must be changed, so that the true equality between men and women is recognized, genuine equality in all areas which reflects the physiological abilities of women and guarantees their position in society.

we talk of equality between men and women and in so doing we do not imagine we are one day going to see a boxing match between a man and a woman, or that women will undertake hard manual labour, road-building, or building work. There are many areas in Which women are superior to men: woman as a mother, woman as a wife, woman as a sister, woman as a daughter. we should assist women in developing their potential in all these areas.

In talking about these fundamental problems within the FAO framework, we should encourage the Secretariat to assist women to increase their participation in various areas of social life and the Organization should assist women in rural areas so that they can have access to education, to marketing and so on.

Engelbert MOYO (Tanzania) : Mr Chairman, thank you for giving me the floor on this agenda item on the ERO Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development as presented in document 89/14 Sup. 1.

My delegation appreciates the plan submitted and endorses it accordingly. we also endorse the Progress Report and the priorities.

At least we all know that equity involves adequate attention to the needs of the economically, ecologically and socially disadvantaged sections of our population. Achieving growth with equity demands concurrent attention to economics, ecology, gender and generations. In terms of gender the emphasis has to be on enhancing the productive role of women and reducing drudgery and danger respectively in the household and productive aspects of their life.

FAO has clearly identified and put forward actions to be taken on the real issues confronting women in their triple role in different spheres outlined in the document under discussion. The situation in my country is also that, in spite of the key role of women in the field of agriculture particularly, crop husbandry, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry, irrigation projects and post-harvest technology, both in the past and now, and although the equality of women is in fact legally recognized through the women's organization established in my country, those in charge of formulating packages of technologies, services, and public policies for rural areas have often tended to neglect the productive role of women. Consequently, the development of technologies specifically tailored to women's specific occupations and the involvement in technology development and transfer have received inadequate attention from both the scientific and administrative departments of my Government. The majority of women in my country are equally experiencing, among other things, hardship arising from unemployment or uncertain unemployment, lack of flexibility in terms of working hours, place of work and duration of work; lack of adequate maternity and health care and associated needs; little or no access to credit and other productive inputs; inadequate opportunities for the acquisition of new skills and for extension assistance; discriminatory land or other asset ownership rights and social status.

In response to these constraints my country has established a women's organization, known as UWT, through which the equality of women is legally recognized. The Organization provides opportunities for women to participate

in decision raking at all levels, their proper rights and full sharing of political, economic and social life. This opportunity has not been fully exploited.

With regard to agricultural production, women play a very big role in agricultural production in my country, but they receive very limited services to support their contribution. My country has currently established strategies to support the group by speeding up technology transfer to the women farmers or by training extension agents to service the women; but vie have a problem here that, even if we turn out a lot of extension agents or direct agents to the field, the cause of conditions which is really not very good at field level also leaves professionals as women to go back to urban areas. Maybe the Secretariat will tell us about the experience in other developing countries or other countries in connection with the migration of professionals - vanen profesionals - from the field to the urban areas.

Simultaneously we are training women farmers in seme basic agricultural technology at field level which can easily be adopted. At the same time, financial institutions like the banks, are also currently providing some credit facilities to finance specifically viable projects under the management of women, but they require some technical assistance in the management and planning of these projects where possible. We very much endorse the assistance given by the delegation from the Nordic countries in providing additional funds to support these components.

Nevertheless, the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development presented by FAO is fully endorsed by my delegation.

Jean A. YENNEMATAS (Grèce): On se souvient que le Plan d'action de la FAO pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement a été discuté et adopté durant le Conseil du mois de novembre 1988. La Grèce a déjà exprimé son soutien à cet effort considérable de notre Organisation.

Ce Plan ne se limite pas uniquement au renforcement de la participation et du rôle de la femme dans les mécanismes du développement; il vise à établir une plus grande égalité de chances et de meilleures opportunités pour les femmes dans les années à venir.

Dans mon pays, la femme a toujours joué un rôle déminant dans la société. C'est pourquoi la Grèce soutient la participation active de la femme dans les divers secteurs de notre société.

Il est en effet vraiment primordial de pouvoir suivre et soutenir les diverses étapes auxquelles la FAO s'engage, en proposant des solutions et des mesures concrètes pour faire face aux problèmes sociò-économiques de la femme dans le cadre de ses responsabilités, à savoir l'agriculture, l'alimentation et le développement rural.

Dans le domaine social, permettez-moi de souligner, sans pour autant vouloir sous-évaluer les autres priorités, le chapitre consacré à l'éducation. C'est un chapitre que nous considérons fondamental et dont l'influence s'exerce tout particulièrement sur les structures sociales des pays surtout pour les années à venir.

Pour conclure, la délégation hellénique souhaiterait à cette occasion évoquer la participation de la femme, notamment dans les pays en développement, aux petits commeroes des produits agricoles. Toute attention ainsi que tout soutien de la FAO dans cette direction serait un hommage à la courageuse et dynamique "maman africaine".

Sra. Ana Maria NAVARRO ARRUE (Cuba): Como es la primera vez que hago personalmente uso de la palabra en esta Comisión, permítame felicitarlo a usted, señor Presidente, por la form brillante, ágil y dinámica que caracterizan los trabajos de esta Comisión bajo su presidencia, al tiempo de expresarle que mi Delegación les reitera su disposición de colaboración en los asuntos que hoy nos ocupan y que constituyen por demás factor importante en el narco de nuestro país cotidianamente.

De igual forna mi delegación aprovecha esta ocasión para agradecer al Sr. Dutia su presentación que complementa el informe sobre la aplicación del Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo Agrícola y Rural, que nos ha sido suministrado con antelación a esta Conferencia y al cual le conferimos sinceramente un gran valor por su contenido y objetividad.

Por otra parte, es también oportuno hacer llegar nuestro apoyo a la Dra. Spring y, por su conducto, al colectivo que con ella labora por la muestra de dinamismo desplegado tanto dentro de la Organización como fuera de ella, durante estos meses con vistas a promover, concientizar y dar cumplimiento al prograna elaborado y a las recomendaciones emanadas del Consejo de la FAO efectuado en noviembre de 1988.

Señor presidente, la delegación cubana, antes de realizar algunos comentarios sobre el tema, desea expresar su acuerdo a la Resolución que en el día de ayer ha sido presentada en Plenaria sobre Medidas para la implementación y seguimiento del Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo. Somos de la opinión que la misma pudiera ser de incalculable valor, tanto para sus ejecutores como para los beneficiarios.

Este documento, junto al informe presentado por la Secretaría, agilizarán nuestras discusiones hoy día, ya que constituyen de por sí una buena base para orientar nuestros comentarios.

La delegación de Cuba, señor Presidente, durante el 94^û período de sesiones del Consejo de la FAO, apoyó ampliamente el Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo, apoyo que deseamos reiterar hoy en el narco de esta 25^a Conferencia General de la FAO.

De igual forma, y por considerarlo de gran importancia y utilidad para el ulterior desarrollo de este Plan de Acción, nuestra Delegación desde el primer memento convino en co-auspiciar la Resolución 1/94 del Consejo, que como principal db objetivo tenía impulsar y fortalecer este Plan al interior de la FAO, tanto en la sede como en el campo, a la vez que acelerar urgentemente el conocimiento del Plan, así como su puesta en marcha.

Urgía lograr además la formulación de lineamientos básicos de acción de parte de las diversas dependencias, que de una forma u otra, deben tener relación directa en su implementación. En aquella ocasión, fuimos partidarios de que la FAO, que ya había identificado teóricamente los problemas que continúan siendo obstáculos reales para la plena integración de la mujer en el desarrollo de nuestros países, y que además había legitimizado esta justa

causa al incorporarla cono vino de sus objetivos concretos para los próximos bienios, ya estaba en condiciones de pasar a la acción. Pasar a la acción, repetimos, como imperativo impostergable de priorizar y dar cabal cumplimien-to a lo acordado hace cuatro años por 157 naciones en Nairobi. Nos referimos a las Estrategias orientadas hacia el futuro para el Adelanto de la Mujer.

A nuestro juicio, señor Presidente, un nuevo discurso y una nueva mirada se han abierto pasos hoy dentro de esta prestigiosa Organización. Mi delegación se siente complacida ante esta importante acción que significa una vez más estar al lado de los campesinos y campesinas pobres del mundo entero, para luchar junto a ellos contra el hambre y la miseria.

En fin, señor Presidente, esta Organización camina con pasos firmes y seguros en busca de más justos caminos en favor de las que, de manera silenciosa y estoica, casi se ocupan de la mitad de la producción alimentaria mundial. Justos caminos, señor Presidente, para la mitad menos favorecida de la humanidad que ha enfrentado valientemente las crisis en sus países, sin poder jamás ceder ante el cansancio, para dar de comer a sus hijos y convertirse en un sostén importante en el seno de la familia.

Hoy, sin triunfalismos, pudiéramos plantear que las acciones por la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo entraron a la FAO, para quedarse y no salir jamás.

Esta acción irreversible tiene que dejar de ser una preocupación solamente de la Comunidad Internacional. Preocupación debe, señor Presidente, convertirse en ocupación plena de ella misma.

Mi delegación suscribe las prioridades y los programs tal y como han sido identificados en el Informe sobre la Aplicación del Plan de Acción para el período 1990-1995. A su vez, creemos oportuno se continúen los esfuerzos por integrar a la mujer en todos los programas y proyectos de la FAO.

En tal sentido, la delegación cubana saluda los pasos que hasta hoy se han dado, sobre todo en estos últinos meses, de parte de los principales Comités de la FAO, que han incluido en sus programas el examen de los problemas que plantea la participación de la mujeres en las esferas de su competencia.

Si recordamos, el 94^o Consejo de la FAO señaló que la ejecución del Plan de Acción debería realizarse dentro del núcleo principal de las actividades de la FAO, y financiarse con cargo al Programa Ordinario, pero prestando la debida atención a la realización de otros aspectos decisivos de los programas básicos de la Organización. Sin embargo, también se planteó que esto no debería impedir el uso de recursos extrapresupuestarios, si se necesitase.

Debemos tener presente, Señor Presidente, que estas prioridades corresponden a la labor de diversas dependencias técnicas de la FAO, y su participación se hace precisa en lo concerniente a la concepción, preparación, y ejecución de las actividades. Es por ello que además, reconocemos la validez que tiene el Programa de Capacitación del Personal de la FAO, al dotársele de una mayor ilustración que ayude a comprender y tarar en cuenta la integración de la mujer en sus respectivas esferas técnicas, e incluir estos problemas en la planificación de proyectos y programas.

A la delegación de Cuba le añina un positivo propósito al expresar que para que este Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo alcance resultados significativos en la ejecución de sus prioridades, debemos hacer todos los esfuerzos posibles para que el mismo cuente con los recursos necesarios.

Mi delegación aprovecha esta oportunidad para saludar a los países nórdicos que contribuirán con ayuda suplementaria a la implenentación de este valioso Plan.

Por otra parte, creemos también oportuno el ingreso de mujeres en puestos profesionales a todos los niveles de la Organización sin que esto afecte la calidad y la profesionalidad que los mismos requieren.

A mi delegación le parece razonable la propuesta sobre el total de los recursos que necesita la dependencia de coordinación para ejecutar el Plan a lo largo de siete años. Igualmente, es razonable lo que se prevé para el Programa Ordinario y los recursos extrapresupuestarios.

Permítaseme llamar la atención nuevamente sobre un aspecto, y es que otras dependencias y divisiones deben incluir en sus respectivos presupuestos o programas, de manera integral, la acción de la mujer en el desarrollo. Mi delegación confía en la capacidad de la FAO para equilibrar de manera justa y real estas necesidades.

De esta forma, este Plan de Acción estaría en condiciones de alcanzar la integralidad necesaria, ya que no se trata de que sólo el Servicio de Premoción de la Mujer en la Producción Agrícola y el Desarrollo Rural tenga esta responsabilidad, y otros no. El adelanto y premoción de las mujeres es un fenomeno que atañe a toda la sociedad en su conjunto. Esta afirmación es válida y oportuna también al interior de la FAO.

Por último, no creo necesario expresarle que mi país se ha distinguido modestamente en estos últimos años por su sostenida voluntad política en favor de la igualdad de la mujer. Esta voluntad política no ha sido de palabras sino de hechos concretos. Indudablemente, estos años abrieron a las mujeres cubanas nuevos horizontes en la vida económica, social y política del país, significando este profundo cambio un sustantivo paso superior de sus condiciones de vida y de su desarrollo mismo.

Hace hoy precisamente un año que se celebró en La Habana un Seminario Nacional para evaluar el cumplimiento de las Estrategias orientadas hacia el futuro para la Promoción de la Mujer, acordado en Nairobi 1985. Este encuentro resultó una rica reflexión colectiva acerca de cuánto se ha alcanzado en nuestro país en materia de participación de la mujer, especialmente en áreas de salud, empleo, educación, mujeres rurales y difusión masiva. Se analizó lo que falta por hacer en esas esferas y muchos de los elementos que enriquecerían las Estrategias Cubanas de desarrollo, y la inserción de la mujer en ese proceso económico y social.

Le pido excusas por haberme extendido en esta explicación acerca de mi país, pero al hacerlo pienso en el papel que los Estados Miembros podemos jugar en ayuda de la FAO para el cumplimiento exitoso de este importante Plan de Acción de la Mujer en el Desarrollo Rural.

Mlle Catherine KOUASSI (Gôte d'Ivoire): A ce stade aussi avancé du débat, il me plait de joindre m voix à celle des orateurs qui m'ont précédée pour vous exprimer la satisfaction de ma délégation de vous voir présider cette Commission et vous féliciter pour votre brillante élection; je me permets de joindre également mes félicitations aux membres du Secrétariat pour la qualité des documents qui sont soumis à notre bienveillante attention.

Ce point inscrit à l'ordre du jour de notre Commission, à n'en point douter, est une excellente initiative du Directeur général de la FAO de proposer à la Conférence un plan d'action de développement de nos économies. Mon pays appuie les propositions énoncées et se réjouit qu'elles s'intègrent dans l'effort de nos gouvernements car elles visent à encourager l'insertion de la femme dans toutes les initiatives de développement.

Dans cette optique, la Côte d'Ivoire apprécie hautement la sensibilité de la FAO dans la mise en oeuvre des programmes pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement au bénéfice des ruraux. Nul ne doute que l'approbation des recommandations du plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement ouvre de nouvelles perspectives et permet à celles-ci d'accroître leur contribution de façon significative, en premier lieu, la reconnaissance de leurs responsabilités dans le processus de développement économique et social de nos pays respectifs.

Jorge Alberto DE OLIVEIRA (Guinée-Bissau): La délégation de la Guinée-Bissau, carme les autres délégations qui l'ont précédée, remercie le Secrétariat et la FAO pour l'insertion de ce sujet dans l'ordre du jour de la Conférence et aussi pour l'opportunité qu'il représente pour notre pays. Comme nous l'avons déjà dit dans notre intervention à la Conférence plénière, en Guissée-Bissau, la femme participe activement, aux côtés de l'homme, aux diverses tâches agricoles allant de la culture des terres jusqu'à la récolte et au traitement des produits. Parallèlement, elle participe aux diverses activités de productions populaires, notamment à la fabrication du sel, à la vente des fruits d'espèces forestières, à la coupe, à la collecte et à la vente de bois de feu, à la fabrication de savon, à l'élevage, et à la vente de petits animaux, etc.

Sur le plan social, on constate une amélioration qualitative de la participation des femmes, surtout dans le domaine de l'éducation et de l'alphabétisation, et des progrès considérables réalisés au sujet de la santé des femmes, de la planification familiale, ainsi que des projets de soins de santé primaire.

Au niveau de l'encadrement, la femme est sur un pied d'égalité avec l'homme puisque l'encadrement est fait par une équipe mixte au niveau des villages. Dans notre pays, il existe une organisation nationale des femmes appelée U.D.E.M.U. (Union démocratique des Femmes) qui participe activement à toutes les activités politiques du pays et joue un rôle dominant dans l'évolution de leur émancipation au niveau des structures sociales et économiques du pays.

Notre délégation a participé à la consultation sur le suivi des résolutions du CMRADR réalisée à Addis-Abeba au mois d'octobre dernier où ce thème a été bien discuté, et des conclusions très intéressantes ont été dégagées.

C'est pourquoi nous voudrions exhorter la FAO à continuer ses actions en vue d'alléger dans toute la mesure possible les souffrances et les charges des femmes et d'essayer de modifier leurs conditions de vie pour mettre fin à leurs injustes épreuves. Pour cela, nous voudrions aussi apporter tout notre soutien au plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement, et demander que notre pays soit inclus dans les actions préconisées par la FAO dans ce plan, surtout dans la spère économique, notamment dans les aspects des professions agricoles, transformation et commercialisation des produits alimentaires.

Pour terminer, nous voudrions exhorter les pays nantis à envisager une contribution extrabudgétaire pour la mise en oeuvre des actions préconisées,

Crispus R. J. NZAGA (Kenya) : Allow me first to commend the Secretariat on the detailed document covering the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development• From the outset, the Kenyan delegation wishes to acknowledge the very irtportant contributions nade by women, in the family, in the community and especially in agriculture, which forms the backbone of many of our economies.

In this connection, Kenya would like to recall the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies on the role of women in development and urge their speedy implementation. I wish, therefore, to commend FAO for the increasing attention that is being focused on gender issues. We agree that every effort must be nade to ensure that the contribution by women in development efforts is enhanced.

In the statement given by the Kenyan delegation in the Plenary, we advised caution in our approach to issues concerning women in development. We emphasized that any plan of action which advocates change in the roles and relationships within the society must, as a matter of priority, ensure that the unity and integrity of the family as a vital unit of the community is maintained. We know that our present cultures have evolved and have been fine-tuned over thousands of years with the sole aim of ensuring the survival and destiny of mankind.

When we look at successful societies in our contemporary world, we note that one of the main factors influencing their performance in all spheres is discipline based on strong family traditions and ties. The Kenyan delegation would therefore like to urge FAO to employ the services of sociologists and anthropologists to study, advise and guide on rational plans of action based on conditions existing on a country-to-country basis to ensure that family and social harmony are maintained. This is important, in particular in dealing with some of the sensitive issues.

In my country, gender issues in all aspects of development and social life are being given due attention, and provisions for equal opportunities in education and employment have been nade.

In the field of agriculture, for example, the extension service is directed at the farmer, and in our own context, the majority of these farmers are women, who make the day-to-day decisions on the management of the family farms. The extension workers do not therefore, distinguish between the women and men farmers on day-to-day extension activities.

In addition, we also have a home-economics programme which focuses on specific activities to improve family life, nutrition, child and mother care and promoting income-generating activities to help in the welfare of women. We also focus on rural youth development to develop skills and positive attitudes towards life and development in rural areas.

There are, however, many problems that women face in the rural areas. Women spend many hours trying to fend for their families which, among other things, requires fetching firewood and water over long distances. They also have to use tools and implements that are inappropriate or outmoded. In recognition of such constraints, the government, in cooperation with non-governmental

agencies, is developing appropriate technologies geared to solving than. The artisanal industries, commonly referred to in Kenya as "Juakali", are now manufacturing some of this equipment. One of the successful examples of this is our energy-saving charcoal burner.

We would in this respect call upon FAO and other development agencies to focus on technologies that reduce drudgery in all aspects of farm and home activities.

In addition, we call for support in strengthening the use of the women's group approach. This should include training programmes and credit and savings schemes to foster self-reliance and strengthen these activities.

In conclusion, we support the proposal in paragraphs 44 and 45 in document C 89/14.

John Redman GOLDSACK (United Kingdom): First of all, I should like to join previous speakers in welcoming both the Plan of Action and the Progress Report on its implementation and thank Dr Dutia for his clear introduction.

The United Kingdom Government's policy on this topic is based on the belief that an appreciation of women's contribution to economic and social development should be integrated into all aid activities. We regard this as a more effective way of helping women than by allocating special funds for women's projects, because, with such an approach, there is a danger that the issue will be marginalized. Ihus we do not set out to finance projects just for women, though many projects may, by their nature, concern women rather than men. We are also prepared to fund components of projects to ensure that women, as well as men, benefit.

Women are often the agents of development, particularly in the agricultural sector. They are also potential consumers of the output, and consistent consideration of both aspects is necessary everywhere. In many countries there nay be a need to discriminate positively in favour of women to provide them with genuine equality of opportunity, but we, like the FAO, can only go as far as the recipient country allows.

My Minister, in her address last week, recognized the importance of this topic and particularly welcomed the Director-General's proposal to begin by training all professional FAO staff in the so-called gender issues.

In welcoming the Plan of Action, we feel, however, that the Plan tries to cover too much ground. In doing so, it impinges on the remit of some other agencies, especially in population education.

We also think that since many activities are inter-disciplinary there are formidable problems of coordination. This links with the question as to whether the Secretariat should be restructured to reduce such problems, which was another natter which my Minister spoke about last week.

Within FAO there is a clear need for social development skills in every Division, and some will need strengthening in this respect.

Turning to the Progress Report, it is clear that action is beginning in the right place, with training on gender issues. A strong base is essential for FAO to be effective in helping Member Governments to introduce WID concerns in policy, projects and training.

There is sane risk in using words such as "vrtiere deemed necessary" in the preparation of guidelines and nanuals. There is an example of this at paragraph 30 of the document. It is necessary for all staff to understand the priority of the work on women's issues and that it should cover all FAO activities.

we feel that project development is the next most important area after training. FAO should direct that active search be made for projects in which women as agents and beneficiaries are identified explicitly as part of the target group of the main components of the project.

We agree strongly that the Plan is important and that progress in implementing it should be pursued vigorously. Monitoring of compliance is crucial, and we support the need for this on a regular and continuing basis.

Finally, on finance, it seems right that extra-budgetary money should be used for most of the programme activities. However, seme items, such as impact evaluation, improved statistics and preparation of guidelines and manijáis, would seem more appropriate for Regular. Programme funding.

Ms E. D. OLET (Uganda): The integration of women in development in Uganda was recognized by the government as long ago as 1975. The Ugandan delegation endorses with great appreciation the FAO's concern on the progress made on the integration of women in agricultural and rural développant, which is thoroughly dealt with in document C 89/14. We also support; the Plan of Action as discussed in document C 89/14-Sup.1.

Our delegation appreciates the intervention of the Kenyan delegation, which has clarified the role of women in development in the developing countries.

The Ugandan Government, having realized that women's problems are many and complex, decided to create a fully-fledged Ministry of Women in Development, and this is being headed by a woman. It deals mainly with women's affairs. The head of the Ugandan delegation to this Conference is a woman, who is the Minister of Agriculture.

The Government is devising rural development projects. Most of them will be implemented by women, while others will be implemented by integrating women in the system. Such projects as community forestry for environmental protection, family planning, poultry production, etc., are good examples.

We should also like to propose the training of Ugandan nationals in project planning and implementation so that we have sustainability in the projects.

The delegation therefore appeals to FAO and other organizations and countries to offer assistance, financially or morally.

Finally, the head of the Ugandan delegation, in her statement during the Plenary session, concluded by hoping that FAO sould have some women as directors to concentrate on women's issues.

Leslie Robs BROWNHALL (Australia): I should like, first of all, to thank the Secretariat for the preparation on the Plan of Action and for the Progress Report. we have read both of these with interest and are gratified with the progress being nade.

Australia strongly supports FAO's Plan of Action. The Plan aims to ensure that wcmen are accorded equal rights and opportunities and that their potential contribution is recognized through economic, social, decision-mking and legislative measures. Specifically, Australia endorses the nainstreaming approach whereby Plan activities are mostly funded from Regular Programme budgets, with extra funds for Women in Development advisory resources and cross-organizational programme analysis to assist in integration; new data being disaggregated by gender; a strong monitoring component allowing progress assessment; and a staff Women in Development training programme being implemented.

Australia also supports the proposals to assist Member Governments to strengthen Women in Development policy and operations through legislation, food and nutrition policy, technical planning, environmental and population measures and staff and consultant training.

Australia suggests that further attention may be needed for:

- briefing or training of non-FAO staff, particularly consultant members of FAO review and appraisal teams;

- introduction of special analytical methods into project development and assessment, for example, gender analysis;

- special efforts to ensure that women are able to participate in planning and implementation of aid activities.

Women form an essential group of both recipients and participants in Australia's programme of development assistance. Australia's Women in Development Policy has these aims:

- to improve the developmental effectiveness of our aid programmes by taking account of women's as well as men's needs and preferences in the planning, implementation and evaluation of aid projects;

- to strengthen the impact of Australia's aid programmes by securing the participation of all available resources (women and men) in its planning and implementation ;

- increase the productivity of women's activities, and

- promote a balanced share in the benefits derived from development for men, women and children.

The policy is monitored by a Women in Development Task Force through a Plan of Action which sets out Women in Development objectives across the full range of aid activities.

Mme Cristina MONTEIRO DUARTE (Cap-Vert) : La délégation du Cap-Vert aimerait avant tout remercier le Secrétariat pour la qualité du document et la clarté de son exposé.

L'intégration de la femme dans le processus de développement rural apparaît en ce moment corate un impératif du développement. Sur ce point, il semble y avoir un accord général.

La question de fond est comment le faire? Tenant compte que dans beaucoup de sociétés la position et la situation de la femme appartiennent à une culture qui s'est structurée tout au long des siècles, parler de l'intégration de la femme implique nécessairement d'agir avant tout sur les aspects culturels d'une société ou bien sur sa mentalité.

Une fois encore nous posons la question: "Comment faire cette intégration?" L'analyse de la stratégie d'action a bien recensé quatre domaines d'intervention :

- juridique,

- éconcmique,

- social, et

- prise de décision.

De l'expérience de quelques pays africains, parmi lesquels le Cap-Vert, il a été constaté que même s'il y a eu de grands progrès au niveau juridique, la réalité ne change pas grand chose.

D'autre part, en ce qui concerne une intervention conséquente dans le domaine social, nous savons tous quelles sont les limitations financières, particulièrement au niveau des budgets nationaux dans l'appui de programmes élargis à caractère social, car nos pays manquent d'une base de création de richesses. Cet étranglement éconcmique et financier provoque en outre, dans quelques pays, une timide privatisation de ces secteurs pour lesquels il n'est pas toujours facile de trouver un grand volume de ressources financières dans le cadre de l'aide publique pour le développement.

C'est dans ce contexte que parmi les quatre niveaux d'intervention nous jugeons que toute stratégie souhaitée doit donner une priorité au niveau économique pour deux sortes de raison:

Premièrement, un changement de mentalité qui amène à une authentique émancipation de la femme doit compter sur une femme "agent social" conscient et revendicatif. Ce fait exige qu'au préalable elle consolide son pouvoir économique ou bien qu'elle se transforme en un agent économique actif, indépendant et conscient de ses droits.

Pour que cette lutte ne soit pas douloureuse, un cadre juridique et politique favorable constitue sans aucun doute une condition sine qua non.

Le second ordre de raison s'attache au fait que les femmes, du moins dans les pays africains, constituent un important contingent populationnel. En d'autres termes, cela veut dire qu'elle est l'élément ayant le plus de poids pour la création de la richesse nationale. Ce fait acquiert une importance spéciale dans les pays où plus de 40 pour cent des femmes sont chef de famille (soit un potentiel micro-entrepreneur) si l'on tient compte que la famille est aussi une unité de production.

L'appuyer économiquement ne signifie pas seulement appuyer un groupe social discriminé mais avant tout appuyer une nation, à travers son principal élément: la force de travail.

Quand nous parlons de la femme "agent économique", nous aimerions manifester notre accord quant aux domines recensés dans le Plan d'action. Ce sont des domaines où la femme possède déjà un certain savoir-faire acquis au sein de l'économie familiale.

A son tour, la concrétisation de ce Plan d'action exige que la FAO renforce non seulement la division conpétente en lui donnant les moyens indispensables, mais également en renforçant ses moyens financiers et humains. Toute l'Organisation doit s'incorporer dans cette ligne stratégique.

Nous sommes convaincus que la FAO peut jouer un rôle inestimable mais nous devons nécessairement appuyer cet effort. Cela veut dire aussi que nous devons appuyer cet effort par des politiques nationales.

Paulo Estivallet DE MESQUITEA (Brazil): The Brazilian delegation wishes to thank the Secretariat for its progress report on the implementation of the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development, and takes note with satisfaction of the measures already undertaken with a view to ensuring the inclusion of WID concerns in FAO programmes.

The Plan of Action spells out a timely and much needed set of objectives and strategies for the promotion of the rights and opportunities of rural women, and that their contribution to the development of their societies be fully recognized.

The document covers rather comprehensively the main complaints of rural women in Brazil, as witnessed by the coincidence of topics covered by the document and the agenda of the several meetings, seminars and congresses held in Brazil over the last few years.

The Brazilian Government has engaged in effort, along the lines of the Plan of Action, to improve the relative situation of women. This is being carried out mostly through the National Council for Women Rights, and through the Agricultural Extension Services. Their priorities include the improvement in the quality and quantity of statistical information on the situation of rural women, and the execution of specific programmes aimed at the prootion of opportunities for the full integration of women in the development process.

Among these programmes, I will mention briefly the provision of technical assistance, geared to women's needs, covering all phases of the production, marketing and consumption of agricultural products; support and assistance to organizations and movements of rural women, including exchanges among organizations from different regions; training of rural women and of women extensionists, with a view to increasing awareness of the concerns and needs of women in rural development programmes.

In this context, Mr Chairmran, the Brazilian delegation is prepared to endorse the progress report and the priorities for future implementation of the plan, contained in document C 89/14.

Richard SEIRMAN (United States of America) : The US delegation commends the Plan of Action which is well conceived and far-reaching in scope, and notes FAO's progress in implementing the Plan and moving closer to the goal of institutionalizing WID concerns into the Organization. With respect to the Progress Report, it was indeed unfortunate that time did not allow discussion

of this document at the just-concluded Council session. This should in no way be interpreted as any lessening of interest in moving quickly and effectively on WID natters. We appreciated the effort the Secretariat has put into the programme to date, which we view as movement in the right direction.

The US delegation supports the choice of priorities for implementation of the Plan, discussed in paragraphs 23-32 of document C 89/14. They are all relevant, but obviously all cannot be dealt with simultaneously, successfully. (The Secretariat has indicated that training is their first priority, and we are supportive of this choice. At the same time we would welcome any further amplification the Secretariat might provide as to how they see the relationship between, and sequencing of, the other very important priorities identified.)

Related to this question, my delegation would appreciate having the Secretariat comment on how it views the current state of gender data collection. Are there substantial qualitative or quantitative gaps in available data, data collection methodology or techniques on gender matters, and if so, broadly how will they be addressed by FAO, the Service and elsewhere, in the institution in the coming biennium?

Both the quality of policy advice to Member Governments and project development are very dependent on the soundness of the data on which they are based. The point is reinforced in the FAO document C 89/2 Supp. 2 on "Sustainable Development and Natural Resources Management". Paragraph 74 points out that "Social indicators have been incorporated into the System of National Accounts only imperfectly and with great difficulty. For most practical purposes, social indicators are treated separately. Most non-market production (for example, women's work in the household) and much investment in human capital (for example, parenting) ace still unaccounted for in the System of National Accounts. Determining shadow prices, for example to estimate the value of non-market household work (such as drawing water, transporting fuelwood, and preparing food) can help bring national accounts

closer to economic values....................... ". And further in the same document in

paragraph 54 that "An understanding of household decision-making is an essential pre-condition for strategy and policy formulation." Both, we think, underscore our point while demonstrating that matters relating to gender increasingly seem to be permeating FAO thinking.

The high priority given to training parallels the approach being used in our bilateral programme. The US Department of Agriculture is working cooperatively with the Women in Agricultural Production and Rural Development Service, on this initiative. Our experience indicates that for any training programme of this sort to have lasting effect, it must have both the clear support and indeed the participation of senior management a means to monitor what "graduates" do afterwards, and seme consideration of continuing education to reinforce what has already been learned. Senior management engagement and follow-on monitoring in terms of staff output are key ingredients in a high impact, cost-effective programme.

We agree with the increased emphasis on mainstreaming WID concerns, as well as the recognition given to women's needs for income-generating activities. We also support the establishment of WID focal points in each technical unit to implement and monitor the inclusion of WID concerns in FAO projects. FAO technical divisions will have to ingest gender concerns, which in measurable terms means resources allocated and actions taken to implement the Plan of Action. It would be useful, at the next Conference, to have a report on what has happened in this regard.

We note the plans for preparation of guidelines and manuals on the integration of WID concerns in policy and programme development, implementation and evaluation, as well as for increased data collection and research. We urge continued close cooperation and coordination between FAO and multilateral organizations such as UNIFEM, UNDP, UNICEF, IFAD and WFP in Rome, as well as bilateral programmes, on mutual WID concerns. The sharing of information and experience in these areas should be emphasized in this rapidly growing field of endeavour FAO's programme should set the pace as to how duplication of effort can be avoided.

We welcome the report of the development of a strategy to increase recruitment and promotion of ferale professional staff. We would hope that periodic reports could be provided to the Council, and subsequently to the Conference, on progress in implementing this strategy.

We were pleased that most of the resources required over the seven-year implementation period of the Plan are anticipated as coming from regular resources. We join others who have pointed out that, if institutionalization of WID is to become a reality, then the principal costs to ensure that gender issues are addressed appropriately in all of FAO's work must be a part of Regular Programme funds and must be absorbed within existing resource levels.

In closing, my delegation looks forward to the incorporation of WID concerns in FAO in the future. We consider the Progress Report presented and the Plan of Action a promising beginning.

Ghassem TEHRANI YAVARI NEJAD (Iran, Islamic Republic of): My delegation is very pleased that FAO decided to prepare a Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development during the Twenty-fourth Session of the FAO Conference in 1987. We believe this decision should have been made long ago because in many countries, particularly in African and Asian countries, the role of women and their contribution in agricultural operations is indispensable.

On behalf of my delegation, I would like to join the previous speakers in congratulating the Secretariat on the very informative and comprehensive work on the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development. I hereby announce the acceptance and full support of my delegation of FAO efforts in this regard. I am very glad to inform you of the achievements we have attained in this connection in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

With regard to the items in document C 89/14, Progress Report on the Implementation of the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development, I will explain the four measures in civil, economic, social and decision-raking spheres which have been considered for women based upon our Constitution.

In connection with item 7 of this document, accessibility to land, credit and membership in development organizations and cooperatives are already in existence since women and men have equal rights in this respect.

On item 8, in the economic sphere our women - not only in agriculture but in any economic activities - are authorized and entirely independent, and they have the right to do anything with their own benefits. In this respect I will

give you an example. Last year one of the women who was involved in farming and animal husbandry activities wona special prize which was awarded to her by the Government for her outstanding output in agriculture among other farmers in the region.

On item 9, in connection with the social sphere, Iranian women's right to education at any level has not only been recognized, but women are encouraged to advance their knowledge to the highest level since it benefits and improves their lives.

With respect to the decision-making sphere, item 9, I would like to point out that the women in the Islamic Republic of Iran have authority to participate in any legal, social, economic and even political institution and people's organizations.

Finally, I should like to read Article 20 of our Islamic Constitution, which has a close relationship with the subject: "Every individual citizen of the nation whether female or male shall enjoy equal protection under the law and is entitled to all human, political, economic, social and cultural rights in accordance with Islamic precepts. "

Jaime GARCIA RADIAS (España): Deseamos, señor Presidente, felicitar al Dr. Dutia por la presentación que nos ha hecho y a la Secretaria por el documento elaborado.

El Plan de Acciài que se presenta a la consolidación y consideración de la Conferencia es consecuencia de la Resolución 3/87 del 24o periodo de sesiones de la Conferencia pidiendo al Director General que presentara al Consejo en su 94^o período de sesiones un Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo.

El Consejo en su 94^o período de sesiones ratificó el Plan presentado y pidió a la Conferencia su aprobación. El plan presentado a la actual Conferencia está estructurado como el plan de mediano plazo para la mujer y el desarrollo a nivel de todo el Sistema que, como se sabe, establece los subprogramas que el Sistema de las Naciones Unidas debería desarrollar en el período 91/96, de acuerdo con las Estrategias de Nairobi orientadas hacia el futuro para el adelanto de la mujer.

El objetivo principal de la actualidad de la FAO será el de ayudar a la mujer en cuanto productora agrícola y, por lo tanto, se tendrán en cuenta las necesidades de la mujer en relación con las actividades generadoras de ingresos y el control de los mismos, oportunidades de educación y capacitación, la tecnología y otros medios que permitan aliviar la carga que recae sobre la mujer y aumentar su productividad.

El Plan después de establecer el marco de la estrategia va analizando las siguientes esferas, tales como el Estatuto jurídico, la esfera econámica, la esfera social y la esfera de la toma de decisiones para, a continuación, proponer planes concretos para mejorar los resultados nacionales e internacionales en las esfera antes citadas, en materia de estadísticas e indicadores, capacitación e información publica, acuerdos y convenios internacionales y asistencia técnica. En cada uno de dichos planes se especifican los problemas existantes, los objetivos que se persiguen y las iniciativas de la FAO previstas.

Eh. el documento elaborado por la Secretaría se nos proporcionan una serie de visiones globales de necesidades que continúan preocupándonos profundamente.

En resumen hay aspectos que consideramos deben ser muy tenidos en cuenta: el escaso aporte financiero proveniente de los fondos públicos que tiene una gran repercusión, negativa lógicamente, unido a la constatación de los siguientes hechos: primero, la dificultad de la mujer para acceder a la propiedad de la tierra; segundo, la dificultad de acceso al crédito y, tercero, la escasa presencia de la mujer en el mundo cooperativo y asociativo.

Ante estos hechos, que además tienen difícil solución por las connotaciones jurídicas, religiosas, políticas, sociales y económicas que concurren, pedimos a los países que todavía han avanzado poco, atiendan estos aspectos y estimamos que la FAO debe dar prioridad a proyectos que vayan dirigidos en este sentido.

Creemos necesario dedicar agentes de extensión agraria dirigidos específicamente a la mujer rural y a su entorno social, incluida la economía doméstica. En nuestro país esta experiencia ha dado magníficos resultados y hemos colaborado en proyectos que en este aspecto se han realizado en América Latina.

Pensamos que son muy útiles los programas de fomento de empleo en aquellos sectores productivos donde se considere que la población activa femenina está subrepresentada como efecto compensador de la emigración rural.

Es cierto que el problema debe estudiarse en el contexto general y no podemos olvidar que todavía hay países en los que más de dos tercios de la población rural no tienen acceso a la tierra.

Nos gustaría que esto no se quedase en buenas intenciones, sino que se le diese la prioridad necesaria para lograr un máximo de eficacia en el tiempo y en los proyectos, mediante lo que nosotros definiríamos como un programa de formación integral.

Nos permitimos, señor Presidente, sugerir y apoyar los servicios de extensión y capacitación agraria dirigidos a la mujer, no sólo en los temas de producción, sino en los del entorno social.

Finalmente, señor Presidente, creemos que el gran reto de la FAO es lograr superar las desigualdades jurídicas de la mujer y la formación que la afecta y, en consecuencia, apoyamos plenamente el documento presentado C 89/14.

CHAIRMAN: That concludes this afternoon's session. Tomorrow morning we will continue with the discussion on this item. The Chair intends to close the list of speakers at the beginning of tomorrow morning's session. Of course, every Member Country has the right to speak and the Chair will not deny the floor to any delegation. Tomorrow morning we intend to have the continuation and, hopefully, the conclusion of the debate on Item 11. If we finish in time, we intend to start the discussion of our Report tomorrow afternoon. This will leave the discussion on the Resolutions for our Thursday meeting. If by any chance we conclude the debate on our Report by tomorrow evening we might turn to the Resolutions, but I do not think we will have time for everything.

The meeting rose at 17.45 hours
La séance est levée à 17 h 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.45 horas

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1 Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion au procès-verbal.

2 Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.