Dear Chairperson, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak. My name is Vitalii Khoumutov, I speak on behalf of two Ukrainian NG0s: Crimean Tatars' PEN-club and Simferopol city public organization "Democratic and Public Initiatives". I want to raise the issue of the challenges facing minority women in rural regions of Ukraine. In particular, with reference to recommendations 76 and 77 on Effective participation in economic, social and cultural life. In recent years Ukraine has realized many improvements concerning the rights of women and minority women in the country. These positive developments, include the Law on Equal Rights and Opportunities, ratification of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the implementation of a State Programme on Gender Equality. But despite these positive changes, more needs to be done to change existing stereotypes in society and in particular among minority men about the status of minority women in their communities. These stereotypes and prescribed gender roles for women as mothers and housekeepers act to restrain their economic rights. Committee members of CEDAW considering the combined 6th and 7th periodic report of Ukraine (21 January 2010) remarked about necessity of specific programmes in the country to address the needs of particular groups such as minorities with regards to stereotypes. In addition the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Nina Karpachova, at the presentation to the Parliament of Ukraine of the last Annual Report on "The STATE OF OBSERVANCE AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN UKRAINE" stated that the most flagrant form of human rights violations is poverty in the country. The State Statistic Service of Ukraine informs us that average monthly salaries are considerably lower in agriculture sector than in other ones of economy in the country. Minority women are more vulnerable to poverty in rural regions than other groups due to the stereotypes. In our opinion, to change the situation for a better one, the state authority of all levels in cooperation with civic society organizations, business and international organizations needs to pay proper attention to the complex and specific needs of minority women. We therefore urge that recommendations 76 and 77 be adopted and that specifically in the Ukraine the following specific recommendations also be adopted  Strengthening the development of the productions where traditional women's proficiencies are needed, such as food and light industries in the communities of compact living of minority women.  Effective development of ethnographic, rural and cultural tourism in the areas of communities of compact living of minority women. It could help not only to improve their economic situation but to develop, maintain and preserve minority cultural traditions too. Thank you for attention. Contacts: invest-informgmail.corn www.crimea-pen.narod.11.1