, . '" L the assistance and understanding he needed in that endeavour. , "·' J<:: l egc.tion had reservations with regard to any increase in the age -""·.nc•~ it would reduce the opportunities for bringing fresh talent · nt:,; '_l,e ~;e .. :u:tC!r ial and would delay the promotion of younger staff members. I ... A/C.5/38/SR.48 English Page 3 5. Ms. CHENG Youshu (China) said that her delegation was convinced that the effectiveness of the United Nations depended on the quality and initiative of its staff. Consequently, training, professional development and the conditions of service of staff were of great importance. Her delegation noted that the Secretary-General was currently studying the question of administrative reform, which encompassed personnel questions, and looked forward to the report which the Secretary-General intended to submit on that subject to the General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session. She hoped that Member States would be kept informed of any important steps to be taken in that regard. 6. On the subject of the composition of the Secretariat, her delegation noted with satisfaction that progress had been made in the equitable allocation of posts subject to geographical distribution, in particular at the senior levels. However, there had been only a very small increase in the percentage of women in posts subject to geographical distribution, and, at that pace, it would take years to reach the 25 per cent target set by the General Assembly at its thirty-third session. However, the percentage of women promoted to the P-5 to D-1 levels had increased as compared with the previous year. However, in general, there were still problems with regard to equal treatment. It was to be hoped that they could be solved with the efforts of the Secretariat and the co-operation of Member States. 1. The concept of "desirable ranges• which had been devised by the General 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the inner workings of the United Nations, specifically the composition and personnel of the Secretariat. It touches on topics such as training, professional development, and the representation of women in various levels of the organization. The language used is formal and official, suggesting that the text is a report or statement made by a delegation to the General Assembly.

**Category**
Employment, Education