E/2001/27 E/CN.6/2001/14 their efforts to empower women through capacity development programmes, as well as programmes that provide women with access to development resources and strengthen their networks that offer care and support to women affected by HIV/AIDS. 8. The highest level of political commitment to the empowerment and advancement of women and to the prevention, research, care and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, especially HIV/AIDS, must be secured. 9. It is important to fully integrate a gender perspective in the preparatory process and in the outcome document of the special session of the General Assembly on HIV/AIDS, including, inter alia, the full integration of a gender perspective in any new targets and in actions needed to achieve internationally agreed targets that relate to women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS as contained in the documents referred to in paragraph 4 above. 10. In order to accelerate the implementation of the strategic objectives of the conferences and documents mentioned in paragraph 4 above, especially of those objectives related to women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS, the Commission recommends that the following actions be taken: Actions to be taken by Governments, the United Nations system and civil society, as appropriate 1. Empowerment of women (a) The rapid progression of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, particularly in the developing world, has had a devastating impact on women. The unequal power relationships between women and men, in which women often do not have the power to insist on safe and responsible sex practices, and lack of communication and understanding between women and men on women’s health needs, inter alia, endanger women’s health, particularly by increasing their susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS; (b) Responsible behaviour and gender equality are among the important prerequisites for its prevention; (c) Ensure that the sexual health and reproductive rights of women of all ages as defined in paragraphs 94, 95 and 96 of the Beijing Platform for Action is seen as an essential part in efforts to promote women’s empowerment, bearing in mind that women and girls are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and in this context, further promote the advancement and empowerment of women and women’s full enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development and their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, in order to protect themselves from high risk and irresponsible behaviour leading to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS as well as access to health information and education, health care and health services which are critical to increasing the ability of women and young girls to protect themselves from HIV infection; (d) Focus national and international policies towards the eradication of poverty in order to empower women to better protect themselves from the spread of the pandemic and to more effectively deal with the adverse effects of HIV/AIDS; 10