Considering the importance of the United Nations Decade for Women in securing recognition for their role in society in the countries of the Region and in the agencies of the United Nations System and other regional agencies;

 Considering, however, that to guarantee the improvement of the health status of women, recognition must be translated into concrete action based on the goals of the Five-Year Regional Plan of Action on Women, Health and Development; and

 Cognizant that these actions must continue beyond the end of the five-year period as an integral part of the strategies for attainment of the goal of health for all by the year 2000,

1. To urge the Member Governments to:

a) Intensify their efforts to provide more educational opportunities for women, such as will contribute to their occupational development and give due recognition and support to their important contributions as providers and users of health care at all levels;

b) Strengthen country women, health and development focal points and give them a part to play at the decision-making level and the resources and time they need to bring about adequate intersectoral coordination among the different government institutions and women's nongovernmental organizations;

c) Enforce their laws on the protection of women's rights and have all discriminatory legislation rescinded.

2. To request the Director to:

a) Continue giving priority to support for country activities in implementation of the Five-Year Plan and to the women, health and development program, and to continue efforts to facilitate exchanges of information and experience in this field among the Member Countries, and to encourage PAHO Country Representatives to meet regularly with the heads of national offices established by countries to address special issues relative to women;

b) Provide special training in key areas so as to enable women to compete on an equal basis for senior positions in the Organization, and to establish targets for staffing professional and senior positions with women;

c) Continue specific support to the Special Subcommittee on Women, Health and Development in the performance of its functions, and to facilitate for the countries represented on it the receipt of current information on the subject;

d) Ensure that the goals and actions of the Five-Year Regional Plan of Action on Women, Health and Development continue to be pursued beyond 1985 and are fully integrated into the Plan of Action for the implementation of the Regional Strategies for the attainment of the goal of health for all by the year 2000.