in the un economic and social council ecosoc issued a resolution e on equality in political participation and decision making the resolution recommended increasing the proportion of women in positions of leadership by setting incremental targets by and by the fourth world conference on women held in beijing reported little progress in achieving the ecosoc target of of women in decision making positions accordingly the beijing platform for action called on governments as part of strategic objective gl to commit themselves to establishing the goal of gender balance in governmental bodies and committees as well as in public administrative entities and in the judiciary including inter alia setting specific targets and implementing measures to substantially increase the number of women with a view to achieving equal representation of women and men if necessaiy through positive action in all governmental and public administration positions where does the critical mass for women s political representation come from