provide services which are essential to supporting active social and economic inclusion policies, including social assistance services, employment and training services, housing support and social housing, childcare, long-term care services and health services in accordance with the following common principles, taking the role of local, regional and national authorities, applicable Community rules and the different situations, needs and preferences in the Member States into account:

provide services which are essential to supporting active social and economic inclusion policies, including social assistance services, employment and training services, housing support and social housing, childcare, long-term care services and health services in accordance with the following common principles, taking the role of local, regional and national authorities, applicable Community rules and the different situations, needs and preferences in the Member States into account:

J. whereas women are particularly vulnerable during pregnancy or childbirth because of several forms of discrimination, including disparities between men and women in the household, traditional practices that are harmful to women, violence against women and rejection of female babies; whereas the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which all EU Member States have ratified, states that governments must work actively to 'modify social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are bas ...[+++]ed on the idea or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women' and specifically 'ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period',

For instance, in the health sector the municipalities, among other things, are instructed to provide for general practitioner services, nursing services, midwife services and nursing home services.

(f) promote comprehensive maternal health programmes, for the provision of ante-natal care and the establishment of a professional body of skilled birth attendants and other staff to guarantee good-quality post-natal care;

48. Ensure mainstreaming of gender issues across all policies towards Africa, recognising the important role women play in economic growth and development, the relevance of gender equality in education, and the disproportionate effects on women of conflict (see paragraph 14 above), poverty-related diseases and lack of maternal health care.