it is a strategy for making women s as well as mens concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design implementation monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated the ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality united nations general assembly ch in addition paragraph b recommends that national women s machineries have clearly defined mandates and authority critical elements would be adequate resources and the ability and competence to influence policy and formulate and review legislation many of these institutions actually engage in a full range of research and operational activities as is described in detail below