E/2009/27 E/CN.6/2009/15 achievements of Goals 4 and 5, as well as Goal 3, on gender equality and the empowerment of women. 14. The need for increased health financing was noted, as was the need for increased gender-responsiveness of financing to ensure proportionate allocation of resources to women-specific health needs. Analysis of the differential disease burdens of women should result in commensurate resource allocation and expenditure. There was also a need to consider the scope of health insurance and social protection schemes as these did not typically cover the informal sector, where women predominate. Gender-responsive budgeting was suggested as an effective strategy for setting priorities in health resource allocation. Such gender-responsive budgeting was especially critical during times of financial and economic crisis. 15. Participants discussed the impact of the current financial crisis on public health in general, and on the health of women and girls in particular. In the light of past experience, it was suggested that the current financial crisis would be likely to expose households to increased poverty, and cause particular hardship for women. Cuts in public spending, including in the social sectors, as well as similar cuts in private health spending, were a concern. Such cuts would result in an increase in demand for public health services and, as a consequence, an overburdened public health-care sector. Donor aid could also decrease, which would particularly affect those countries whose health services relied on external aid. It was suggested that, with less disposable income, women were more likely to delay or forgo health-care services for themselves. Negative impacts of cuts in the health and social sector were expected to lead to increased malnutrition; a worsening of mental health; increased infant mortality rates; as well as increased frequency of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Governmental action was pivotal in preventing or cushioning such outcomes. 16. It was therefore of the utmost importance that Governments and all other stakeholders carefully analysed the gender dimensions of the financial crisis. They had the opportunity to avert the potential negative effects and put in place measures to prioritize spending for public health with the greatest impact on women’s and girls’ health. There was a need to capture the value of women’s unpaid caregiving and to prevent increases in those responsibilities. Social safety nets, including for women in the informal economy, should be enhanced and women’s access to employment and economic resources such as microfinance should be increased. The use of gender-responsive budgeting and support for implementation of international commitments, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, should be strengthened. C. Draft resolutions for adoption by the Council 3. The Commission on the Status of Women recommends to the Economic and Social Council the adoption of the following draft resolutions: 09-28398 13