1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the mid-term review of the implementation of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 1996-200120 and endorses the recommendations contained therein; 2. Urges the Secretary-General to ensure that the obstacles encountered in the implementation of the plan are dealt with effectively, in particular through heightened accountability at all levels, particularly that of senior managers, and by including the necessary training, where appropriate; 3. Emphasizes the need for continued efforts by all areas of the United Nations system to implement the plan fully; 4. Stresses in particular the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective into the formulation and implementation of operational activities for development of the United Nations system and into the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, notably at the country level; 5. Welcomes the work of the Administrative Committee on Coordination Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality, particularly its coordination and catalytic role in the area of gender mainstreaming, policy analysis and operational activities in the work programmes of the bodies of the United Nations system, and its work in compiling good practices, guidelines and indicators in the area of gender mainstreaming; 6. Urges Member operational activities fifty-third session of perspective into those States, when considering the triennial policy review of for development of the United Nations system, during the the General Assembly, to fully integrate a gender activities; 7. Requests the United Nations Development Group to institute guidelines and procedures for the implementation of relevant aspects of the Beijing Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women21 into the planning and preparing of the operational activities for development of United Nations funds and programmes; 8. Recommends that gender equality and women’s empowerment goals be integrated into the continuing United Nations reform process, including in the work of the executive committees and, in that regard, reaffirms the goal of 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000 in all categories of posts within the United Nations system, especially at the D-1 level and above, with full respect for the principle of equitable geographical distribution, in conformity with Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations, and also taking into account the lack of representation or under-representation of women from certain countries, in particular developing countries and countries with economies in transition. 20 E/CN.6/1998/3. 21 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II. -8-