At its sessions between 1996 and 1999, the Commission considered all 12 critical areas of concern identified at the Beijing conference. The importance of "gender mainstreaming" as a key strategy for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women is highlighted in all of the Commission's conclusions. This means that women, as well as men, are given equal opportunity, freedom, and rights to pursue their full potential in all areas of human endeavor. This perspective and general strategy permeates all of the Commission's conclusions. The Commission's 40th session produced conclusions on women and poverty and women and the media. Issues addressed in the 41st session pertain to women and the environment, power and decisionmaking, the economy, and their education and training. The 42nd session dealt with violence against women, women and armed conflict, women's human rights, and the girl child. Women's health and institutional mechanisms were addressed in the 43rd session. No conclusions were adopted at the Commission's 44th session. The 45th session, however, adopted conclusions on HIV/AIDS among women and girl children, as well as discrimination against women in the contexts of racism and other forms of intolerance. Conclusions reached in the Commission's other sessions pertain to the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality and women's equal participation in conflict prevention, management, and resolution in postconflict peace-building. Appended listing of topics addressed in expert group meetings organized by the Division for the Advancement of Women on the themes under consideration by the Commission