II. o$GANIZATICW&AWD OTHSRMWJ!ERS A. 2. On 1 February 1991, the alosing date of the tenth session of the Connnittee on the Elimination of Disarimination against Women, there were 103 a/ States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, whiah we6 adopted by the Qenerel Assambly in it6 ---resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979 and opened for signature, ratification and aaaessfon in New York on 1 March 1980. In accordance with article 27, the Convention enl;ere8 into force on 3 September 1981. 3. A list of State6 parties present report. to the Convention is contained in annex I to the 4. 'The Committee on the Elimination of Disarimination against Womenheld its tenth session from 21 January to 1 February 1991 at the United Nation6 Office at Vienne. The Committee held 18 (1716t to 188th) meetings. -5. The tenth session of the Committeewas opened~by the Chairman of-the Committee elected at the eighth session, Eliaebeth Evatt (Australia), who welcomedthe members. . . . .= ~~~~ 6. In her opening statement on behalf of the Secretary-general of the United Nations, the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social Development and Hum6nitarian Affairs of the United Nation6 Office at Vienna said that, in the course of the 10 years of its existence, the committee had acquired considerable experience ana it was appropriate then to consider further mea6ur66 to improve its work, which had always been marked by continuity end innovation. She underlined the close link between the Convention end the Nlrirobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advenc6ment of Woeten,which cowtitutea the policy framework within which the Convention was impm02da. She noted that the Convention was a powerful and unique weapon in-the service of the advancement of women. The Director reaalled that, since the beginning, the secretariat had had to serve the Connnittee on the basis of existing resources, which had not grown, despite the increase isa the number of ratifiaations and the related work. The faat that much hail been achieired with 60 few resources was attributable to the aoarnittnent of all concerned. Furthermore, it had only been possible because of the natural synergy that existed in the Division between the policy 6nalysio related to the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, the analysis of the report6 of States parties and the specific questions considered by the Committee. She said that, in order to maximixe efficiency, it would be desirable if working methods could be rationali5ed 6na needs clearly defined. The secretariat had, therefore, prepared suggestions for improving the working mothOdE of the Committeo ana the support of the secretariat to it, the most important of which concerned long-term pl6nning and a clear indication of the analytical work required from 7. ' -4-