CEDAW/C/2006/III/3/Add.3 A skills-based literacy programme for women The Skills-based Literacy programme for women was launched in 1990, and is run by the Yunnan (China) Education Commission, UNESCO, UNDP, the Ford Foundation and especially the ACWF (All China Women's Federation). Xuan Wei country is a poor region where 66 per cent of illiterates are women. To persuade them to attend courses, which last between 15 and 30 days, the ACWF conducts door-to-door campaigns, organizes teams to ensure that women come to class regularly, publicizes its activities in the local media, and distributes leaflets. So far 36,000 women from Xuan Wei County have learned to read, write and calculate thanks to the course, and the female illiteracy rate has fallen by 29% compared with the average for the province. More than 300 technical training courses in 70 subjects have taught new skills to 275,000 women. For more than a decade, UNESCO has been committed to the empowerment of women. Through the Skills-based Literacy Programme for Women nearly 1,000 literacy and post-literacy materials were developed and are being used in operational programmes aimed at increasing women’s livelihoods. Thanks to skills learned at women’s literacy programmes, millions of rural women are now self-sufficient. UNESCO has been working with local people to enhance the quality of the programme through adding a component on information and communication technology. UNESCO has also, with support from the Japanese Government, DANIDA and UNDP collaborated with other countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan and Zimbabwe to enhance the capacity of women farmers through an integrated community education approach using modern multi-media learning technology. Social and Human Sciences Sector Empowering female domestic workers - Research Project on Legal Issues concerning China’s Household Service Sector: Within the framework of the programme “Dialogue on Human Rights”, UNESCO Beijing Office together with the Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services of Beijing University has launched the research project “Legal Issues concerning China’s Household Service Sector” in 2005. The research project investigated issues surrounding the living conditions and the fundamental rights and interests of domestic workers under Chinese current legal system and policies and analyzed the obstacles facing domestic workers within the legal system. The research showed that the existing Chinese laws and legislations (i.e.: Chinese Labor Law) fail to sufficiently cover and protect the legal interests and rights of domestic workers with the result that domestic workers are excluded from the social protection provided by the state and are not able to enjoy regulated working hours, a minimum wage, health care and/or educational training. Drawing on the findings and results of the research, possible solutions and legislative recommendations to reform the current legislation were provided by the research team. Advocacy Event on 8 March International Women’s Day On 8 March, 2006 UNESCO Beijing office organized a half-day workshop on the “Rights of Female Migrants”. During this workshop, the findings and results of the above-cited research project on Legal Issues Concerning the Household service Sector were presented and discussed. The workshop focused on the legal rights of young female migrants who are employed as domestic workers in China and was also used as a forum to promote and encourage women’s empowerment and 06-39749 7