A/RES/50/163 Page 2 training needs for the advancement of women, and coordinate effectively with United Nations bodies and organizations to avoid duplication, Convinced that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the full participation of women, Taking into account paragraph 334 of the Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing on 15 September 1995, 2/ 1. Expresses its satisfaction with the report of the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, and commends the Institute for its efforts to focus on problems that constitute barriers to improving the status of women and their full participation in the sustainable development process; 2. Emphasizes the unique function of the Institute as the only entity within the United Nations system devoted exclusively to research and training for the integration of women in development, and stresses the importance of making its research findings available for policy purposes and for operational activities; 3. Commends the efforts of the Institute to address all levels of poverty that hamper so dramatically the advancement of women, through the coordination of research and training activities in the areas of empowerment of women; statistics and indicators in gender issues; communications; women, natural resources and sustainable development; water, sanitation and waste management; renewable sources of energy; and issues related to different population groups, such as older and displaced women, refugee and migrant women and women in rural areas; 4. Encourages the Institute to further develop active and close cooperation with the specialized agencies and related organizations of the United Nations system and with other institutions, such as universities and research institutions, so as to promote programmes that contribute to the advancement of women; 5. Reiterates the importance of maintaining the level of resources devoted to independent research and related training activities which are crucial for the situation of women; 6. Expresses its appreciation to those Governments and organizations which have contributed to and supported the activities of the Institute; 7. Invites Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to contribute, through voluntary contributions and pledges, to the United Nations Trust Fund for the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, thus enabling the Institute to continue to respond effectively to its mandate; 2/ A/CONF.177/20, chap. I, resolution 1, annex II. /...