457. In order to involve women more in the process of sustainable development, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, of the Family, of Childhood and Elderly Persons, in the context of its strategy for the reinforcement of the empowerment of women, and this with the objective of attaining the « Millennium Development Goals » (MDGs). For this purpose, the following structures had been created: - The National Observatory on Women’s Affairs (within the Centre for Research, Studies, Documentation and Information on Women’s Affairs); - The National Council for Women’s and Family Affairs, consolidated by the setting up of three technical committees responsible for the preparation of annual reports on the application of laws and equal opportunities, the image of women in the media, the national and international deadlines pertaining to Women and the Family; - The Committee « Women and Development ». B) Impetus given to women’s participation 458. The legal arsenal made it possible for the contents of the rights of women to be increased to a higher level. Starting from the minimal threshold of protection rights and enriched by need rights, the rights of women have attained a new meaning: that of the right to citizenship and that of the political responsibility of the civic woman. Thus, the manner in which women figure individually and politically in public affairs denotes tangible progress. In effect, the participation of women in political affairs leads women to give rise to new rights, in the day to day realities, to a full and total citizenship and to assume responsibilities in this regard in conformity with the principles proclaimed in the international Conventions relative to the rights of women ratified by Tunisia. a) In Public Affairs 459. At the level of the executive powers, the women represent, since the Cabinet reshuffle of the 10th November 2004, a rate of 14.89% of the total number of the members of the Government against 13.6% previously. The Government currently has two women Ministers and five women Secretaries of State. The rate of representation of women in the National Assembly has doubled from 1999 to 2004, rising from 11.5% to 22.75%, against 7.4% in 1994. A woman occupies the post of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and another chairs one of the permanent Committees. Furthermore, the women represent 17% of the members of the Councillors’ Chamber (Senate), elected in 2005, for the first mandate of this new body of whom one of the Vice-chairpersons is a woman. The level of women’s representation in the Municipal Councils at the end of the 2005 municipal elections is 21.6% against 16% in 1995. Their participation in the Consultative Committees has developed significantly. It is currently 25% in the Constitutional Council, 20% in the Economic and Social Council (against 11% in 2002), 20% in the Supreme Communication Council and 13.3% in the Supreme Council of the Magistracy. Moreover, the Tunisian woman had been appointed to positions of high responsibility as the Ombudsman, the First President of the General Accounting Office, Ambassador, Governor … Finally, close to 20 women hold the position of Permanent Secretary within Ministerial Cabinets. 98