A/RES/48/109 Page 2 Welcoming the growing awareness of Governments of the need for strategies and programmes to improve the situation of women in rural areas, Recognizing that the economic and financial crises in many developing countries have severely affected the socio-economic status of women, especially in rural areas, and noting with deep concern the continuing rise in the number of rural women living in poverty, Recognizing the urgent need to take appropriate measures aimed at further improving the situation of women in rural areas, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 4/ 2. Invites Member States to attach greater importance in their national development strategies to the improvement of the situation of rural women, paying special attention to both their practical and strategic needs, by, inter alia: Integrating the concerns of rural women into national development (a) policies and programmes, in particular by placing a higher priority on budgetary allocations related to the interests of rural women; (b) Strengthening national machineries and establishing institutional linkages among governmental bodies in various sectors and non-governmental organizations concerned with rural development; (c) process; (d) Increasing the participation of rural women in the decision-making Improving accessibility of rural women to productive resources; (e) Investing in the human resources of rural women, particularly through health and literacy programmes; 3. Requests the international community, competent United Nations bodies and non-governmental organizations to promote the realization of programmes and projects aimed at the improvement of the situation of rural women; 4. Invites the International Conference on Population and Development, to be held in 1994, the World Summit on Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, both to be held in 1995, to give due consideration, in formulating respective strategies and actions, to the issue of improving the situation of rural women; 5. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, in consultation with Member States and competent United Nations organizations, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to submit it, through the Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session. 85th plenary meeting 20 December 1993 ___________ 4/ A/48/187-E/1993/76.