healthcentres andrequested UNICEFassistance inthisarea. Thesecretariat responded thatthiswasnotpractical andsuggested thattheconstruction of maternity "waiting houses" forat-risk casesinadjoining maternity centres might provide apossible solution. Itwasalsopointed outthatassistance should be giventosecondary healthcentres. Onedelegation commented thatasSouthAsia accounted foronequarter oftheworld's maternal deaths,itshouldreceive more assistance. Withregardtoirondeficiency anaemia, whichisamajorcauseof maternal mortality, UNICEF hasplayed aleading roleinproviding some650million ironfolatetablets. 75.Inacknowledging theimportant roleofinformation inthisarea,several delegations urgedUNICEFtostrengthen itsadvocacy andsocialmobilization efforts toensurenotjustthetraditional provision ofprenatal, adequate delivery and post-natal services, butalsothegeneration ofpolitical willandpeople's participation. Delegations supported theclosecollaboration ofUNICEFwithother agencies, especially WHO,UNFPAandtheWorldBank,inthesafemotherhood initiative, andfullyendorsed UNICEFproposals andtheconcept ofsafemotherhood asameansofachieving asignificant reduction inmaternal mortality rates. (See chap.IV,decisions 1990/16 and1990/18 fortherecommendations oftheCommittee as adopted bytheExecutive Board.) IX.WOMENINDEVELOPMENT 76.Delegations reiterated theirstrongsupport fortheUNICEFpOlicy onwomen, expressing appreciation forthesuccessful examples ofitsimplementation inthe selected countries notedintheprogress report onachievements madeinthe implementation ofUNICEFpolicy onwomenindevelopment (E/ICEF/1990/L.1). Several delegations reaffirmed theimportant roleofwomeninsocio-economic development andthecritical linkbetween theirimproved status andthewell-being of children. Theycitednational experiences toillustrate theincreased efforts of Governments toenhance theposition ofwomenthrough women's education, legal status andeconomic activities. 77.UNICEF wascommended forpursuing anintegrated approach inthecountry programme process, whereby women's multiple rolesandconcerns weretakeninto account. Thetechnical involvement ofwomeninUNICEF-supported waterprogrammes washighlyappreciated. However, several delegations stressed thatmuchmorehad tobedonetoaccelerate theimplementation oftheintegrated approach inall programme areas. Theywereparticularly critical ofthecontinuation of small-scale traditional women's projects thatwereisolated frommainstream development activities, whichraised concerns abouttheirimpact and sustainability. Delegations, therefore, endorsed therecommendations inthereport forrigorously monitoring andevaluating thoseprojects. Monitoring andevaluation -66-werealsostressed asessential forthecollection ofgender-differentiated data andtheidentification ofthelevelandquality ofwomen's participation, lessons learned andobstacles encountered inincorporating thewomen's dimension into mainstream development. 78.Therewasunanimous approval bydelegations ofincreased UNICEF involvement in thepromotion ofthestatusandwell-being ofthegirlchild. Manydelegations commended theinitiative ofSAARCinobserving 1990astheYearoftheGirlChild andwelcomed thehighpriority giventothegirlchildintheSouthAsia,Middle EastandNorthAfrican regions. Delegations calledforspecial priority programmes toimprove thehealth, nutrition, education andsocialstatusofthegirlchild, basedoncountry-specific conditions, toenablehertogrowintoahealthy woman withapositive self-image. Several delegations emphasized theneedforprogrammes inhealth, familyplanning, education andvocational training foradolescent girls andencouraged UNICEFtopromoteactivities toaddress thoseissues. UNICEF was alsourgedtoassume amajorroleinadvocacy forthegirlchildandadolescent girl(seechap.IV,decision 1990/17 fortherecommendation oftheCommittee as adopted bytheExecutive Board). 79.Somedelegations expressed concern thatthetargets setbytheExecutive Board in1988fortheimplementation ofthepolicyandstrategy onwomenby1990hadnot beenmet.Theyinquired inparticular aboutthe'following targets: (a)thatall
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its efforts to improve the health and well-being of women and children, particularly in the South Asia region. The text discusses UNICEF's policies and initiatives related to maternal mortality, iron deficiency anemia, and women's empowerment, as well as its involvement in promoting the status and well-being of the girl child. The text also touches on the importance of monitoring and evaluation, and the need for increased efforts to accelerate the implementation of UNICEF's integrated approach.

**Category**
Health, Education