affirmative action measures and other means for changing perceptions of women’s role in public life. Networking and building partnerships 67. Women needed to seek greater partnership with men and to build coalitions and strengthen alliances to advocate for women’s political empowerment and representation. Mentoring, including for women by women, was cited as important. Women leaders and older women and men represented a valuable resource for mentoring young women as future leaders. Networks among women leaders in politics and in other areas had helped serve as a basis for expanding national and international coalitions. National and regional women’s parliamentary caucuses should also include women from the private sector and the civil service. Specialized committees to promote gender issues and to sponsor legislation had also proved beneficial. The mainstreaming of "women’s issues", such as social services, the environment, and accessible childcare, had led to their becoming issues of concern to society as a whole as a result of the increased presence of women in public policy-making. 68. International organizations, Governments, non-governmental organizations and women parliamentarians should join in partnership to support with funding the development of women leaders through training, so as to facilitate their entry into the political arena; and an enabling environment should be established for women’s full participation and equal representation in power and political decision-making. Implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical area of concern: women and the economy (agenda item 3 (c) (iii)) 69. At the 6th meeting, on 12 March, the Commission held a panel discussion on women and the economy and heard presentations by the following experts: Mihye Roh, Vice-President, Korean Women’s Development Institute; Nina A. Kaupova, Director of the Republican Research Centre of Maternal and Child Health Care and Chairman of the Republican Council of Women, Family and Demographic Policy Problems under the President of the Republic of Kazakstan; Bickley Townsend, Senior Vice President, New Ventures Catalyst; Mamounata Cissé, General Secretary, Organisation nationale des syndicats libres; Lin Lean Lim, Labour Market Policies Branch, International Labour Organization. 70. At the same meeting, the Commission held a dialogue among Governments, in which the following delegations participated: India, Finland, Israel, Dominican Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, United States of America, Ghana, Chile and Namibia. 71. The observer for Palestine spoke. 72. The observers for six caucuses of non-governmental organizations also spoke. 73. The panellists responded to points raised. 74. At the 8th meeting, on 13 March, the Chairperson made a statement. 75. At the same meeting, the Commission held a dialogue among Governments, in which the following delegations participated: Philippines, Israel, China, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Nigeria, Netherlands (on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the European Union), Norway, Japan, -43-