In APEC, Leaders provide overall strategic policy direction, monitor progress, and set the course of change in sectors of relevance to APEC's vision and goals for the region. APEC processes leading to Leaders' agreements have evolved incrementally over time, in response to emerging situations and to the need to address an increasing number of economic and social issues. The impact of Leaders' agreements may be felt from the macro to the micro levels of economies and throughout the region.

The following approach is APEC-specific and builds on the levels of decision-making within APEC from Lead Shepherds to Senior Officials (SOM), Ministers, and Leaders. It provides a broad understanding of the kind of information required for effective and equitable policy direction and communication.

I.Reports and recommendations at the level of Committee Chairs and Lead Shepherds:

Chairs, Lead Shepherds and other APEC officials have a responsibility to ensure that proposals, evaluations and recommendations from their Committees and Working Groups provide SOM, Ministers and Leaders with complete and appropriate information on women and men.

To facilitate this process, ensure that the Members of the Committees, Working Groups or other groups:

• Take into account the Joint Statement of the Ministerial Meeting on Women (1998) and implement the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC.
• Apply the APEC Guide for Gender Analysis throughout their work.

To faConsider the following:

• Is gender expertise available to the Committee or Working Group to assist in the overall integration of gender perspectives and considerations? Are the Committee or Working Group processes and materials conducive to gender mainstreaming and to the formulation of effective and equitable recommendations for SOM, Ministers and Leaders?
• Are the priorities, work plans, activities and resource allocation equitable for both women and men and consistent with the commitments made by Leaders and Ministers to eliminate the barriers to, and strengthen the role and economic contribution of women in the APEC process?
• How visible is "gender" throughout meeting agendas and supporting background documents and reports? Is the information disaggregated by sex? Are gender-neutral terms used which inadvertently hide the contributions and realities of, and different impacts on women and men?
• Do the forms for project proposals, evaluation and reporting provide an opportunity to consider the gender implications?
• Do reports and recommendations focus on the longer-term outcomes for women and men? Do they lead to a better understanding on the part of Ministers and Leaders, of the consequences of their decisions relative to the contribution of women and men to the advancement of APEC goals?

Example:

• Expanding opportunities for business:he growth of micro, small and medium enterprises owned or operated by women has been a worldwide phenomenon over the past years. The Ministerial Meeting on Women (1998) identified a number of barriers experienced disproportionately by women-owned businesses, in the areas of access to financing, markets, technology and training.
• Do APEC priorities for market expansion take into account the specific challenges faced by women-owned businesses? Are specific efforts directed at eliminating the barriers faced by women-owned businesses and enhancing their growth and export capacities? Does the elimination of red tape affect more businesses owned by men rather than women? Do Committee and Working Group reports, action plans, tools, (e.g. matrix, forms, manuals), measurements and indicators, and recommendations reflect awareness of gender differences and impacts? Are SOM, Ministers and Leaders made aware of the steps taken to follow-up on the Ministerial Meeting on Women, and implement the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC?

Ⅱ.Coordination of the APEC agenda and monitoring at SOM level:

The Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) is a strategic, cross-cutting mechanism to coordinate the APEC agenda respecting directives coming from Leaders and Ministers, and recommendations and proposals directed to Leaders and Ministers. It ensures the effective and efficient management and administration of APEC, including budget control. It also monitors progress and outcomes, and recommends courses of action.

The recognition of gender as a cross-cutting theme in APEC is a relatively new development within APEC. With the support of SOM, the Ministerial Meeting on Women was held in 1998, and the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC was developed by an Ad Hoc Task Force reporting to SOM.

To maintain this momentum, consider the following:

• Do the background documents, reports and other information prepared for SOM, Ministers and Leaders present the different realities of women and men? Is the information disaggregated by sex? For example, is information included on the anticipated impacts on women and men in areas such as trade liberalization and facilitation?
• Do SOM Agendas and Summary Conclusions clearly reflect its responsibility for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in all aspects of the work of APEC?
• To what extent does the development of sectoral "deliverables" provide opportunity to advance gender mainstreaming? Do the deliverables also advance the APEC agenda through initiatives that address barriers to women's economic contribution in areas such as business, trade, E-commerce, science and technology, human resources development?

Example:

• Management review of APEC: A principle of good governance requires that the goals, structures, policies, priorities, activities, processes and mechanisms of an institution effectively lead to and support the achievement of organizational goals. This applies to APEC in the implementation of Ministerial and Leaders' directives respecting "gender as a cross-cutting theme" and gender mainstreaming.

Are APEC processes and mechanisms appropriate and effective for the monitoring and accountability requirements of Ministers and Leaders for gender mainstreaming? Do existing processes and mechanisms ensure the long-term sustainability of APEC's work in gender mainstreaming? To what extent do APEC priorities and resource allocation take into account and reflect its commitment to strengthen the contribution and involvement of women in economic growth for the region?

Ⅲ.Decision-making and communication at Ministerial and Leaders' Levels:

Leaders' recognition and endorsement of gender as a cross-cutting theme in APEC represents a turning point for APEC. The challenge is to ensure the implementation of this principle throughout the system. Ministerial and Leaders' accountability for results and long-term impact require that gender mainstreaming occur across, and at all levels of the organization.

The APEC agenda revolves around Ministerial and Leaders' directives as expressed in Joint Ministerial Statements and Declarations. Their Statements and Declarations constitute the primary vehicle for communicating the substance of APEC's work and its achievements to all its various publics.

In support of Ministerial and Leaders' accountability for results, consider the following:

• Do Ministers and Leaders have complete information on which to base their decisions? Is the data disaggregated by sex in order to establish the differences in the situation of women and men, the different impacts of decisions on them, and their respective contributions to economic growth and social stability?
• What strategies, priorities and actions can best maximize the capacities and contributions of both women and men to the achievement of APEC goals? What measures are required to address the gender differences in the sectors of relevance to APEC?
• To what extent does APEC and its member economies ensure that its input to multilateral negotiations such as WTO, reflects the results of gender analysis, and encourage these multilateral organizations to take into account the differential impacts of their decisions on women and men?
• As APEC seeks to broaden understanding and support for APEC, are Ministerial Statements and Leaders' Declarations focused on substantive impacts and outcomes? Do they project a human face? Do they reflect an understanding of and demonstrate action respecting the different realities of the lives of women and men? Have the views of gender experts, women business owners, women's professional associations, the Women Leaders' Network of APEC economies, or other been sought and reflected?

Example:

• Strengthening social safety nets:The APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women (1998) and the World Bank (1999) recognized the differential impacts of the financial and economic crisis on women and men. They expressed concern that a disproportionate share of the burden fell on women, particularly where there have been decreases of expenditures on education, training, health care and social services as well as shortages of supplies such as food, medicines, and a general reduction in employment. As a result, APEC's involvement in the strengthening of social safety nets is of direct relevance to women.

How do Ministerial Statements and Leaders Declarations make this link? How effective are the Statements and Declarations as a communication tool with the various publics of APEC including women's organizations? How do they express the differential impacts of the crisis on women and men? Do they reflect Ministerial and Leaders' understanding of the importance of social safety nets to women, given the realities of their lives? Do they demonstrate appropriate action? Do they contribute to public understanding of and support for APEC vision and goals?