CEDAW/C/1997/3/Add.3 English Page 7 C. Strengthening of the Programme for the Advancement of Women in the Mediterranean Region 4. By placing under his authority the advancement of women in the Mediterranean region, the Director-General has strengthened the action of UNESCO in this field. He has thus ensured the follow-up of the activities undertaken at the Beijing Conference, especially those carried out in cooperation with the "Collective Maghred Egalité" in the context of the Women's Parliament in Islamic Countries. These new tasks have been entrusted to a D1. 5. This programme will be based mainly on cooperation between the Northern and Southern Mediterranean countries, with a view to the establishment of peace, solidarity and gender equality in the region. It will include the implementation of the decisions adopted in November 1996 under the Euro-Med Programme adopted at Barcelona by the Heads of State of the European Union and the Civil Forum. D. Establishment of a Programme for the Women of Bosnia and Herzegovina in pursuance of Executive Board Decision 141 EX/93: rehabilitation plan for women and children who have been victims of the use of rape as a tool of war 6. A mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina was organized from 9 to 18 April 1996 as a follow-up to the report on the use of rape as a tool of war and with a view to the establishment of a rehabilitation plan for women and children victims of such rape. 7. This mission's aim was to evaluate the activities designed to implement the rehabilitation plan. It visited the towns of Sarajevo, Tuzla, Gorazde and Zenica. Eighteen working meetings were held with women's groups, local representatives of United Nations agencies and of the European Community, local non-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations with experience of action in this field during the three years of the war. The persons encountered considered that UNESCO's desire to follow up its report on rape was useful and urgent. 8. Under the proposed plan three main programmes will be developed over two years: (a) Strengthening of reception capacity and care of women and children war victims. During the three years of war, reception centres were established, notably in the towns of Tuzla, Zenica and Sarajevo, mainly for displaced women from occupied regions who had been lodged in collective centres, but also for women in distress from these towns. The centres in Tuzla and Zenica may be cited as examples and may serve as training centres. The programme is aimed primarily at the women of Gorazde, a town that suffered severely from the blockade to which it was subjected; /...