revolution, such as diplomacy or the judiciary, women currently constituted 10.5 per cent of diplomats, 14.2 per cent of judges and 26.7 per cent of public attorneys. Women continued to choose non-traditional areas of education such as law, social science, commerce and business administration, information and documentation, natural and exact sciences, mathematics, computer and medical sciences. 27Y. Critical areas to be dealt with, however, included: rliscrimination in employment; sexual harnssment at the workplace; domestic yiolence: lack of support structures to reconcile family and professional responsibilities; and difficulties in obtaining real maternity protection for those ok short-term contracts. She described a variety of programmes, measures and activities that had been elaborated by the Government and the equality commissions to redress the effects of discrimination and to establish de facto equality. 280. In response to a general question regarding the restructuring of the Commission on the Status on Women, she stated tbat the restructuring bad not mm,been complated although it was at an advanced stage, Members expressed the -hope that the ongoing restructuring would give more pover to the Commission for the implementation of its objectives described in the second periodic report. Replying to a follow-up question, the representative stated that there were examples of good cooperation of the Commission with non-governmental organisations representing a broad spectrum of political opinions and views. .281. In response t> a follow-up question, for further work for equality among both often had no experience of their own, and problem until they faced it, for example, family. the representative stressed tbe need adults and young people. The latter therefore were not aware of the in the labour market or in the -~282. Regarding article 2, the represeiitative replied that, although it was not possible to state with certainty whether the Convention had been directly invoked before the courtsr its articles related to employment had been cited in the opinions on complaints related to discrimination of the Commission for Equality in Work and Employment. Those legal opinions, after being approved by a tripartite commission and publicised, could be used further by either compleinants or trade unions for the presentation of cases in courts. 283. Responding to questions on article 3, the representative stated that the Commission cn the Status of Women had a consultative status and no enforcement powers: it had a global mandate and was responsible to the Prime Minister. Its budget was very small and amounted to 0.003 per cent of the State budget, excluding the social security budget, which was autonomous. She pointed out, however, that there were nlso other mechanisms for equality, with different budgets and mandates, linked to various institutions (such as the parliament or the Ministry of Employment). With reference to the Global and Intersectoral Plan for Equality that had been proposed by the Commission to the Goverrment in 1990, the following areas of activity had been identified: culture, education and professional training; work and employmentr health; social securityt reconci.liation of professional, social and family responsibilities; promotion of the participation of vomen in civic, political and public life, including the decision-making processes; and vulnerable women (including women who were single heads of household, migrant -56-

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