for Action. Efforts should be made to trim the bureaucracy and reduce overhead costs, and to dedicate more resources to programmes, particularly for women’s empowerment. To this effect, steps should be taken to ensure that the United Nations programmes with portfolios specific to women were not duplicated. ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat 7. At the 11th meeting, on 28 March 1995, the representative of Australia, on behalf of Armenia*, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Cambodia*, Canada*, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire*, Cyprus, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, El Salvador*, Finland, Iceland*, Japan, Kenya, Liberia*, Liechtenstein*, the Marshall Islands*, Micronesia (Federated States of)*, the Netherlands*, New Zealand*, Nigeria*, Norway*, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea*, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Samoa*, Slovenia*, Solomon Islands*, Spain, Suriname*, Sweden*, Thailand, Turkey*, the United States of America* and Venezuela, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1995/L.6) entitled "Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat". 8. At the same meeting, Antigua and Barbuda*, Azerbaijan*, Bolivia*, Brazil*, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Croatia*, Ecuador, Germany*, Guinea-Bissau, Israel* and Peru joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 9. At the 12th meeting, on 29 March, Italy*, Lithuania* and Slovakia* joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 10. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution I). ________________________ * In accordance with rule 69 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council. -50-