This study is part of the efforts of the ESCWA Centre for Women to improve the performance of national committees on women and the relevant Arab ministries in mainstreaming gender into Government policies and programmes, and to follow up on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and subsequent conferences. The study provides a detailed analysis of the needs of those national committees and ministries, based on a survey. The study clarifies roles, jurisdictions and forms of cooperation and coordination at the Government and non-governmental organizations levels in respect of reducing gender inequality. It includes discussion of the selected experiences of member countries in bridging the gender gap.