used as a tool of war. Some representatives referred to the worsening of socio-economic conditions and the feminization of poverty due to armed conflict and civil wars. 24. One representative reported on the meeting organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross to analyse the measures to be taken for ensuring the protection of women and children against the violation of international humanitarian laws. 25. Many representatives referred to the prevailing violence against women, in the family, society and in circumstances of war and armed conflict. They reported on means and measures to eradicate violence against women in all its forms and to provide assistance to the victims, and stressed the need for concerted international action in that respect. A few representatives raised the issue of new forms of violence emerging from terrorism. 26. Many representatives said that the human rights of women were insufficiently protected. Some stressed the importance of the principle of equality, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, as the basis for international protection of women. Some representatives reported on efforts being made in their countries to reform national laws in compliance with international legal standards. It was stressed that the human rights of women should be respected in all spheres of life, including social and cultural rights, which constitute an integral part of universal human rights. One representative referred to the difficulties of transition from the customary to the modern legal framework. Although the advantage of the modern legal system was recognized, the necessity of protecting women in customary ways during the transition period was emphasized. Many representatives stressed the importance of legal literacy of women and the practical application of their rights. 27. Many representatives referred to the insufficiency of gender disaggregated data. 28. A non-governmental organization said that the current imbalance in women’s access to various sports had been pointed out at a conference on women and sports, held in 1994, at which strategies to increase women’s participation in sports had been adopted. The representative urged that the Platform for Action addressed barriers to women’s equal participation in sports. (c) Reports from regional conferences and other international conferences 29. The representatives of the regional commissions (the Economic Commission for Africa, the Economic Commission for Europe, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) reported on the preparatory activities for the Fourth World Conference on Women, including regional conferences. All representatives commented on the wide participation in the regional conferences of intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations and the United Nations system, including the regional commissions. They highlighted the process of consensus-building around regional critical areas of concern, leading to the adoption of regional platforms for action. The process was considered dynamic given the diversity and cultural pluralism among countries. Each representative acknowledged the contribution of various meetings at the subregional and national levels during the preparatory phase, including various youth meetings, artistic performances and fairs and other initiatives of civil society. All representatives stated -38-