acquiring a critical awareness of rights and the law; the ability to assert rights; and the capacity to mobilize for legal and societal change. 5. Several representatives identified the obstacles to legal literacy that were inherent in existing laws. Obstacles such as laws governing the relationships between men and women in the family and society, the complex structure of the legal system and the nature of the judicial process had their cultural origins and were frequently gender-biased. It was stressed that, as a consequence, women were prevented from or constrained in their ability to exercise their rights or to have recourse to legal channels. The specificity of legal terminology and the costs involved in seeking redress constituted additional obstacles. All those factors were at the origin of women’s lack of awareness and understanding of the legal and administrative system. One representative pointed out that literacy was a prerequisite for legal literacy. 6. Several representatives reported on legal reforms in the field of civil and labour rights and penal laws that their countries had undertaken in order to overcome those obstacles at the governmental level. One representative emphasized the need to make women aware of the limitations of existing laws and to stimulate their active participation in revising those laws in order to eradicate gender discrimination and to increase gender equity. The need for the structural reform of the legal system was underlined by one representative. She proposed that women’s access to justice could be promoted by employing female judges, prosecutors and lawyers. 7. Many representatives considered opportunities for and various means of promoting legal literacy for women. It was suggested that legal literacy should be included in the framework of the various programmes for the advancement of women such as employment, education and health. Several representatives stressed the importance of formal, informal and non-formal education. Strategies to educate the public on legal literacy needed the support of the mass media and the structures of the legal system, particularly the police, courts, schools and other public institutions. The establishment of model programmes to sensitize and retrain judicial and administrative personnel was emphasized by several representatives. 8. Many representatives underlined the role of various legal aid systems as an important link between the individual and the legal system, in particular the establishment of information centres on women’s rights that provided counselling services. Speaking on behalf of a group of countries, one representative reported that legal assistance programmes for individuals below certain income levels had been introduced. Abused women and victims of rape and incest were entitled to free legal aid, regardless of their level of income. A few representatives suggested the establishment of an independent control body or ombudspersons, which they had successfully introduced. Information campaigns and the publication and dissemination of material on women’s rights were considered important. Several representatives observed that the material should be easy to read and translated into local languages. Special editions focusing on target groups, such as migrant women, were suggested. The collaboration of the mass media was considered necessary for the success of any campaign. 9. Many representatives agreed that legal literacy programmes required a good partnership between Governments and non-governmental organizations. It was acknowledged that legal literacy programmes had been developed primarily by non-governmental organizations. Another representative suggested that government policy to promote legal literacy should include financial support to groups and institutions working in that area, since their activities constituted an essential part of a strategy for women’s legal literacy. -70-