Chapter II PROGRAMMING AND COORDINATION MATTERS RELATED TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM 1. The Commission considered item 3 of its agenda at its 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th and 12th meetings, on 17 and from 22 to 24 March 1993. It had before it the following documents: (a) Note by the Secretariat on preliminary proposals for the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001 (E/CN.6/1993/9); (b) Report of the Secretary-General containing updated information on the status of women in the Secretariat (E/CN.6/1993/15); (c) Note by the Secretariat on the proposed programme of work of the Division for the Advancement of Women for the biennium 1994-1995 (E/CN.6/1993/16). In addition, the Commission had before it, for information, the report of the Secretary-General on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (A/47/508). 2. In introducing the item, the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women stated that the system-wide medium-term plan was an indicative one that had to be incorporated into the respective medium-term plans of the United Nations organizations and specialized agencies. With regard to the proposed programme of work for the Division for the Advancement of Women for the biennium 1994-1995, the Director said that the Commission was requested to provide its guidance in setting priorities for the activities contained in the proposed programme of work. 3. The Coordinator, Focal Point for Women, Office of Human Resources Management, informed the Commission of the progress made towards improving the status of women in the Secretariat. She said that the Secretary-General had accorded greater priority to the recruitment and promotion of women in the posts subject to geographical distribution. 4. She further indicated that progress in higher-level posts was more encouraging and that the Secretary-General had appointed five senior women, three at the Under-Secretary-General level and two at the Assistant Secretary-General level. She referred also to the administrative instruction (ST/AI/382) on appointments and promotions, which provided that in all departments and offices with less than 35 per cent women overall and in those with less than 25 per cent women at levels P-5 and above, vacancies overall and those in high-level posts should be filled by women, if there were women candidates whose qualifications matched all the requirements of the vacant post. She further informed the Commission that the Office of Human Resources Management had been requested to prepare a plan of action for 1993 and 1994 in the context of reaching the 1995 targets. Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat 5. Most representatives noted with concern the slow progress that had been made in improving the situation of women in the Secretariat. It was felt that at that rate, the Secretariat would be unlikely to achieve the targets set for 1995. Some representatives expressed their disappointment that the United -52-