SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ? ? ? ? Severe limitations on land ownership; Limited access to credit and technology; Difficulties in contracting and employing labour; and Limitations on accessing and utilising machinery in agricultural production. 75. The representatives of the authorities pointed out a number of positive developments, many of which are also contained in the CSAR. For example, the country's commitment to gender mainstreaming and gender equality dates back to the early independence days. A milestone was the creation of the NCWD in 1972. A cabinet-level Ministry of Women and Children Affairs was created in 2001. 76. Ghana has adopted or ratified several international conventions and human rights instruments designed to improve women's welfare and promote gender equality. The international law obligations deriving from those conventions and instruments are largely reflected in domestic legislation and policies. More fundamentally, the 1992 Constitution provides the constitutional basis for gender mainstreaming and equality, and for related legislation such as the Children's Act (Act 560), 1998; the Amended Criminal Code Act of 1998 (Act 554); Act 484; the Revised Population Policy of 1994; the Local Government Act, 1996; and the Domestic Violence Bill. 77. In addition to legislation, the government has introduced a number of policy measures and embarked on programmes to promote women's rights in the country, including the Affirmative Action Policy, 1998; the National Gender and Children's Policy, 2004; and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, 2004. 78. Among specific measures that have been introduced under the Affirmative Action Policy are the following: ? ? ? ? ? Commitment to provide 40% women representation in decisionmaking and executive positions at all levels of government; Allocation of a 30% quota of female government appointees to the District Assemblies; Establishment of a Women's Desk in all ministries, departments and agencies; Promotion of girls' education as part of Free Compulsory Basic Education; and Increased enrolment of girls at the tertiary level. 135