12. Several members supported that view. Mainstreaming women’s human rights 13. Several representatives reaffirmed their belief in human rights and described the necessary action taken in this respect. A few references were made to national mechanisms that had been established to deal with the implementation of human rights and their violations. Others emphasized the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, such as through amendments to legislation, law enforcement and assistance to victims, as representing ways to improve human rights. In one instance, an independent human rights commission where women could report violations had been established. 14. One representative stated that recommendations of the World Conference on Human Rights on the full integration of women’s human rights had prompted different United Nations bodies to react and to consider, within their own mandates, relevant innovations of a substantial and procedural nature. National experience indicated that the integration of a gender perspective into any area of policy-making required a clear conceptual analysis and a concrete implementation strategy. However, the fact that an overall coherent strategy on how to promote the mainstreaming of women’s human rights step by step throughout the United Nations system was still missing called for a coherent plan of cooperation between the Centre for Human Rights and the Division for the Advancement of Women. 15. One representative emphasized that human rights of women should not be a specific critical area of concern but should be part of the framework that defined all areas and gave full meaning to all actions for the advancement of women. 16. A representative of an intergovernmental organization made a statement informing the Commission on the activities undertaken in the region to combat violence against women. In this respect, she underlined the provisions of the Inter-American Convention to Prevent, Sanction and Eradicate Violence Against Women. The Convention had been prepared by the Inter-American Commission of Women and adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS). The representative also informed the Commission that the Convention had been signed by 16 States and was now open to any State that wished to adhere to it. In compliance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, the secretariat of OAS had taken measures to register the Convention at the United Nations. 17. With respect to violence against women, women’s human rights, violence during armed conflict, and traditional practices, many non-governmental organizations made statements. All expressed great concern about the situation and agreed on the urgent need to eliminate all types of violence perpetrated against women. Several expressed the view that women had not been able to attain recognition of their human rights. Others stated that the situation of women and girls in respect to trafficking in women had deteriorated since the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies had been adopted. Violence against women, including women migrant workers 18. The representative of the Focal Point for Human Rights of Women, from the Centre for Human Rights, indicated that increased attention was being given to the promotion and protection of women��s human rights in compliance with the -53-