Progress has, however, been slow. In all countries, women are still underrepresented at every level of government, especially in ministerial and other executive and legislative bodies. These conferences provided these women an opportunity to strengthen their ability to advocate for gender equality issues and to develop regional strategies to eradicate gender inequality. At the Mauritius conference, participants committed themselves to the elimination of violence against women and the eradication of harmful traditional practices, to support the reproductive health of adolescents, and to encourage open discussion on these issues by national leaders. Equality between women and men can only be achieved if both are equally in a position to participate in decision-making processes at all levels.
Reality is, however, still very different.