Convinced that poverty affects women more deeply and disproportionately than men, thus making indispensable the formulation of socio-economic policies from a gender perspective, Noting with concern that rural women, who are the backbone of the rural economy, are most vulnerable to situations of extreme poverty, Expressing deep concern over the fact that single-parent households headed by women represent a considerable proportion of households living in extreme poverty in numerous societies, Conscious that the circumstances imposed upon women living in extreme poverty constitute one of the fundamental means by which poverty is transmitted from one generation to another, Recognizing in that regard the responsibility of Governments and their citizens in efforts aimed at eradicating poverty, Aware that the eradication of poverty demands a vigorous and sustained response at all levels and that, in order to be effective, national efforts should be complemented by international cooperation, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Women in extreme poverty: integration of women’s concerns in national development planning" (E/CN.6/1993/3), in particular the conclusions and recommendations contained therein; 2. Urges Governments, international organizations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to continue to examine more closely the structural causes of poverty and ways and means of overcoming it and to evaluate from a gender perspective the effects of current socio-economic policies; 3. Recommends that in formulating strategies to eradicate poverty, Member States take into account the specific requirements of women living in poverty, in both rural and urban areas, in order to enable them to fully exercise their social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, as well as to maximize their resources and to increase their productivity; 4. Calls upon Governments to adopt or strengthen measures to facilitate women’s access to education, training, health, family planning, productive resources and income-generating employment and to ensure their full participation in the decision-making process; 5. Requests Governments to strengthen the effectiveness of national machinery for the advancement of women, in order to guarantee the inclusion of a gender perspective in the mainstream of socio-economic policies at the national level, giving particular attention to women living in extreme poverty; 6. Appeals to Governments to share national experiences, at the regional and international levels, relating to their efforts to deal with extreme poverty, in particular the effects of those efforts on women; 7. Appeals to the Governments of developing countries to strengthen collaborative technical assistance and to exchange practical experiences in poverty eradication programmes by establishing a network of focal points; 8. Requests Member States and international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to allocate or reallocate national resources -49-