of Polish women, which, the representative said, could be attributed to the many labour and social measures that had been granted to women in the past, without any particular effort on their part. 170. Concerning the difficulties in various economic sectors, the representative stated that 46 per cent of the female population was employed in the socialised sector of the ooonomy, comprising both State and oooparative enterprises. During the period of transformation to a market economy, tbat sector had been subject to cuts in subsidies and to the closure of enterprises, which in turn had caused a rise in unemployment and a reduction of family income. On 31 December 1990, women aomprised 60.9 per cent of the total number of unemployed persons or 573,666 persons (in January 1990, the figure had been 40.7 per centt in July 1990, 48.9 per cent). The deterioration of the economic situation of families had affected women more than men owing to the persistence of traditional roles and the lack of an adequate social infrastructure. For example, an increase in kindergarten and nursery fees had resulted in disrupted employment for some women. 171. Regarding the achievements of, and diEficulties encountered by, the government programme for the advancement of women, concluded in December 1990, the representative said that the achievements included the establishment of a basis for cooperation in the advancement of women between central and local authorities: the improvement of women’s working conditions, in partioular in industry: the improvement of the protection of women’s health, including prophylactic examinations and industrial health services8 and an increase in the number of kindergartena and nurseries, although not to a level that was sufficient to cover the needs. Difficulties encountered included the low participation rate of women in decision-making, in particular in top managementt the decreased representation of women in the seymt the lack of women leaders of political or social organizationst the difficulties in modifying traditional patterns of behaviour of men and women; and the prevailing prejudicial and biased attitudes. 172. In connection with newly established women’s organisations, the representative replied that several new political and social women's organieations had been established, including regional women’s sections in the independent self-governing trade union, Solidarity.. Those bodies, in collaboration with female deputies to the Seym, had convened a conference in December 1990 entitled “Women in contemporary Poland”, which had focused on the collection of.information on women’s issuesr measures for improving the position of women! the establishment of a parliamentary commission on women and the familyr and the upgrading of the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Women’s Affairs. 173, The representative referred to the third periodic report when answering questions regarding statistics on women’s employment. Additional information was provided on the most recent number of vacancies for women. On 31 July 1990, for every vacancy for a male there had been 9 unemployed men and for every vacancy for a female there had been 36 unemployed women. By the end of December 1990, the number of unemployed women per vacancy had risen to 40. In large industrial centres, the ratio was lower but in five w it was particularly high. -33- ’