A/RES/S-21/2
Page 12
44. Governments should take measures to promote the fulfilment of girls' and women's potential through
education, skills development and the eradication of illiteracy for all girls and women without discrimination of
any kind, giving paramount importance to the elimination of poverty and ill health. Governments, in collaboration
with civil society, should take the necessary measures to ensure universal access, on the basis of equality between
women and men, to appropriate, affordable and quality health care for women throughout their life cycle.
45. Governments should take every possible action to remove all gender gaps and inequalities pertaining to
women's livelihoods and participation in the labour market through the creation of employment with secure
incomes, which has been shown to advance women's empowerment and enhance their reproductive health.
Legislation ensuring equal pay for equal work or for work of equal value should be instituted and enforced.
C. Gender perspective in programmes and policies
46. A gender perspective should be adopted in all processes of policy formulation and implementation and in the
delivery of services, especially in sexual and reproductive health, including family planning. In this regard, the
institutional capacity and expertise of staff in Government, civil society, including non-governmental organizations,
and the United Nations system should be strengthened in order to promote gender mainstreaming. This should be
done by sharing tools, methodologies and lessons learned in order to develop and strengthen their capacity and
institutionalize effective strategies for gender-based analysis and gender mainstreaming. This includes the
development and availability of gender-disaggregated data and appropriate indicators for monitoring progress at
the national level.
47. The differential impact on women and men of globalization of the economy and the privatization of basic
social services, particularly reproductive health services, should be monitored closely. Special programmes and
institutional mechanisms should be put in place to promote and protect the health and well-being of young girls,
older women and other vulnerable groups. The provision of services to meet men's reproductive and sexual health
needs should not prejudice reproductive and sexual health services for women.
48. Governments should give priority to developing programmes and policies that foster norms and attitudes of
zero tolerance for harmful and discriminatory attitudes, including son preference, which can result in harmful and
unethical practices such as prenatal sex selection, discrimination and violence against the girl child and all forms
of violence against women, including female genital mutilation, rape, incest, trafficking, sexual violence and
exploitation. This entails developing an integrated approach that addresses the need for widespread social, cultural
and economic change, in addition to legal reforms. The girl child's access to health, nutrition, education and life
opportunities should be protected and promoted. The role of family members, especially parents and other legal
guardians, in strengthening the self-image, self-esteem and status and in protecting the health and well-being of
girls should be enhanced and supported.
D. Advocacy for gender equality and equity
49. Governments, parliamentarians, community and religious leaders, family members, media representatives,
educators and other relevant groups should actively promote gender equality and equity. These groups should
develop and strengthen their strategies to change negative and discriminatory attitudes and practices towards
women and the girl child. All leaders at the highest levels of policy- and decision-making should speak out in
/...