Chapter II PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN: ACTION FOR EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE 1. The Commission considered item 3 of its agenda from 15 to 20 March 1995. It had before it the following documents: (a) Report of the Secretary-General containing the revised draft of the Platform for Action (E/CN.6/1995/2); (b) Report of the Secretary-General on the second review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women (E/CN.6/1995/3 and Add.1-10); (c) Report of the Secretary-General on preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women (E/CN.6/1995/4); (d) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the results of the regional conferences and other international conferences (E/CN.6/1995/5 and Add.1-7); (e) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting a study on technical and financial cooperation programmes targeting women (E/CN.6/1995/6); (f) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft rules of procedure of the Conference (E/CN.6/1994/L.3); (g) Report of the Secretary-General on the 1994 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development (A/49/378). The report of the Secretary-General on the proposed merger of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (A/49/217-E/1994/103) was made available to the Commission. 2. In introducing the item, the Secretary-General of the Fourth World Conference on Women said that the success of the Conference would completely depend on the work done during the thirty-ninth session. The preparatory process at the international, regional and national levels was proceeding well and involved a large number of different activities that examined the key issues of the advancement of women, including significant mobilization of research and policy analysis. The 1994 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development and the second review and appraisal of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women formed the conceptual and factual basis for the Platform for Action. She emphasized that the Platform for Action should be built on the results achieved during the regional and United Nations conferences and should meet the needs of all women in the world. 3. In her statement, the Governor-General of Barbados and convener of the NGO Forum at the Nairobi Conference, stressed that women should demonstrate to the whole world a new form of policy-making based on dialogue. She emphasized the importance of cooperation among Governments and non-governmental organizations. The forthcoming NGO Forum would be historic in its level of participation and in the commitment of those involved. Referring to the Platform for Action, she urged that special attention be paid to the paramount issue of peace. -34-