However, significant regional disparities continue to exist.

The Committee is concerned that unemployment rates remain high, with significant regional disparities.

Addressing health disparities

B. Economic disparities

Efforts were being made to ensure that the planning and provision of services reflected persistent regional disparities in those various indicators.

However, the aggregate figures presented only a partial picture of industrial progress in the developing world and obscured enormous regional disparities.

Unsurprisingly, then, regional disparities in income are much greater across the enlarged EU s countries than across the US states. In 2005, average income disparities were twice as high within the then EU 25 as within the American states.

Nevertheless, it remains concerned at the regional disparities in the health service provisions as well as the still high maternal mortality rates.

Efforts to address regional disparities have been stepped up and, importantly, the programme to rehabilitate public administration came into its operational stage.

Ways to close disparities

Disparities in income are growing quickly within some countries, and urban rural and regional inequalities in per capita gross domestic product are widening.

Regional disparities as well as the highest gini co efficient (income distribution indicator) in the world, point to both vertical and horizontal discrimination.

328. The distribution of educational opportunities continues to be inequitable owing to the lack of prioritization in reducing regional disparities in the allocation of resources.

Regional disparities and differences in race and income should not affect the planning of programmes and initiatives to combat violence against women throughout the country.

In addition to coverage disparities between countries and regions, there are significant inequities within countries clear rural urban disparities as well as coverage and service level disparities between richer and poorer households.

Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that budgetary allocations were distributed without duly taking into account the regional disparities and the need of the most vulnerable groups.

In conclusion, while most States reported having legislation, rules or procedures for the protection of judges, prosecutors, surveillance personnel, law enforcement officers and witnesses, regional disparities remained.

Large disparities also exist among developing countries.

Increasing disparities in income and access to services

334. Gender disparities are minimal in educational participation.

However, there are significant disparities between developing countries.

The Committee recommends that the State party reduce regional disparities and lower maternal mortality rates by improving prenatal care services and providing training of birth attendants in healthy midwifery practices.

Notwithstanding the positive development in the regional and international economic situation establishment of economic communities, unprecedented opening up of trade economic and social disparities between North and South were growing.

The promotion of decentralized industrial development patterns can stem from rural urban migration, bring employment opportunities to rural areas, reduce regional income disparities, and thus fight poverty at its very source.

Community based information management programmes have also been crucial in addressing regional disparities to ensure that all regions benefit from the reconstruction efforts and are better off than they were before.

But usually that is linked to very strong social disparities.

Disparities in enrolment between urban and rural areas remain stark.

The following disparities are reported in the area of education

Income disparities between and within countries have continued to widen.

Gender disparities in respect of access to technical assistance are significant.

A. The weight of the past and economic and social disparities

It is true that poorer EU countries tend to outgrow richer ones, but poor regions do not necessarily outgrow rich regions or even the country average. So regional disparities may persist or even grow, posing a challenge for policymakers concerned with stimulating economic growth and regional cohesion.

Disparities and inequalities stand in the way of countries' achieving the Goals.

Stark disparities are identified in national statistical capacity to report such statistics.

Deeply concerned about the disparities between rich and poor, both within and among countries, and about the adverse implications of these disparities for the promotion of human development throughout the world,

Today, they are comparable with American income disparities. Income disparities have halved both in nominal terms when expressed in euros and in real terms when taking into account differences in purchasing power.

Indeed, South Asia, with deeper regional disparities than the rest of the world, is really two South Asia s. A lot of attention has been given to the Shining Asia, while the Suffering Asia has been forgotten.

22. The regional disparities in economic performance were not the only factor to be taken into consideration. The spectacular development of international trade and its role as an incentive for development must be borne in mind.

Noting further the prevailing industrial gap and disparities between developed and developing countries,

The willingness of the dispossessed to endure the existing disparities was fast diminishing.

Significant disparities in socio economic indicators evidencing a pattern of serious racial discrimination.

Poverty and ethnic and cultural disparities are not confined to rural areas, however.

Of these disparities, discrimination against women is one that will require priority attention.

Some disparities had occurred in the calculation of conversion rates to United States dollars.

32. It is also in the cities that the income disparities are most obvious.