1. Special attention to the health and nutrition of the female child and to pregnant and lactating women

An integrated approach towards the care of young girls and towards pregnant women is a matter of great urgency. Persistent patterns of gender discrimination, coupled with poverty contribute to their current precarious state. Environmental contamination and pollution pose daily threats to their welfare. Primary health care along with its accompanying attention to deworming, micronutrient supplementation, food supplements, prevention of malaria, prevention of smoking, pregnancy monitoring and general family planning are sorely needed to insure health. Attention and resources must be focused on critical stages of women's lives if the world is to take steps toward insuring the well-being of women.