Nations, as the leading international organization promoting and setting policies for the advancement of women, was lagging behind Member States, who implemented United Nations recommendations at the national level. 6. Many representatives were also concerned about the low representation of women in policy- and decision-making positions. A few representatives noted the underrepresentation of women from developing countries, especially in the higher-level posts. It was suggested that the ongoing restructuring in the Secretariat should be used as an opportunity for improving the representation of women from developing countries at those levels, particularly women from those countries that were unrepresented or underrepresented. 7. Several representatives supported the action programme (see A/47/508) that had been submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session. They particularly welcomed the new mechanisms adopted in the recruitment and promotion policy, the career development plan, the accountability to be placed on the managers concerned, and the roster of qualified women candidates. Member States were urged to assist the Secretary-General in achieving the target set for 1995 by forwarding the names of qualified women candidates, especially at the decision-making level. 8. One representative, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, expressed concern over the findings in the report on the barriers to the advancement of women in the Secretariat, noting that the obstacles encountered in 1985 were still valid. The representative urged the Secretary-General to give priority to the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report. 9. One representative commented on the existence of sexual harassment cases in the workplace. She deemed the Secretary-General’s action in releasing administrative instruction ST/AI/379 on procedures for dealing with incidents of sexual harassment in the Secretariat as a first step in the right direction, and recommended that the Secretary-General develop a comprehensive policy to combat sexual harassment, which would have to include counselling practices and measures aimed at preventing sexual harassment. Coordination matters 10. Several representatives supported the general focus of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, but suggested including additional items such as the strengthening of national machinery for the advancement of women. With relation to gender and gender planning, it was considered that the United Nations should define basic criteria for the term "gender" and encourage the inclusion of the gender dimension in national and community planning. One representative stressed that in formulating plans, their implementability should be considered and the diverse geographical, social, cultural conditions taken into account. A plan should concentrate on activities that were focused and attainable but that had a wide spiral effect. Another representative welcomed the statement that the main monitoring mechanisms should be the extent to which the system-wide medium-term plan was included in various medium-term plans and programmatic statements of individual organizations covering the period 1996-2001. It was also proposed to increase inter-agency coordination in order to avoid the duplication of effort and to increase cooperation. -53-