(e) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women 46. Many representatives emphasized that adequate financial resources and political commitments would be crucial for the implementation of the Platform for Action. In that respect, serious discussions should be held to estimate the cost and to mobilize resources. Many representatives considered that it was essential to look into the special needs of developing countries and the extra funding needed for implementing measures if the critical areas of concern identified in the Platform for Action were to be addressed effectively. A few representatives stated that donor countries had a specific role to play in implementing the decisions of the Conference with respect to development cooperation. 47. As lack of access to higher education was cited as one of the main reasons for the low representation of women in decision-making at all levels, one representative proposed the creation of a "fund for women in university" to lend money to qualified women to achieve higher education. 48. Many representatives emphasized the importance of women’s concerns being fully integrated into all United Nations activities and structures. In that respect, the process of United Nations restructuring should be kept open and transparent. The serious underrepresentation of women in the Secretariat, especially at the senior level, should be of concern to Governments. 49. A few representatives described specific activities and seminars that were being planned as a follow-up to the Conference. Among them were the creation of a centre for women and the sponsoring of an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 1995. Some representatives said they were preparing national programmes for action and had set up sectoral committees with governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure effective follow-up to the Conference. 50. A few representatives referred to the interest of their Governments in setting up an international centre for non-governmental organizations from Central and Eastern European countries. 51. One representative raised the question of whether the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was sufficiently effective to safeguard individual women against gender discrimination and called for the endorsement of the proposal for an optional protocol, as agreed upon at the European regional preparatory meeting. Another representative considered it important that all countries ratify the Convention without reservations, as well as all the other international instruments for the protection of human rights. 52. United Nations agencies emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in the implementation of the declarations and programmes of action adopted at United Nations world conferences. Therefore, in order to ensure complementarity and synergy in the implementation of the Platform for Action, an inter-agency mechanism should be established. 53. United Nations agencies reiterated their commitment to contribute to the implementation of the Platform for Action in accordance with their respective mandates. Many agencies referred to specific objectives and actions in which they had a comparative advantage to assist with future follow-up activities. Some of the noteworthy proposals included: analytical work on policy and strategic issues concerning women’s participation in the economy, especially through increased access to resources so as to benefit from mainstream -41-