national and international level. This policy mostly takes into account the promotion and protection of group rights including the rights of women. D. National Health Policy 316. The national health policy, adopted in 2000 and implemented through the National Health Development Plan (PNDS) 2001–2010, was reviewed in 2011 with the aim of improving the welfare and the health of the population by 2020. The implementation of the PNDS 2001– 2010 made it possible to obtain results in terms of improved health coverage, the quality and use of services, the provision of health services in the area of assistance for births, emergency obstetrical care, the fight against epidemics, and immunisation with the introduction of new vaccines including care for endemo-epidemic diseases. 317. The PNDS 2011-2020 is based on the principles of primary health care and the values of equity, social justice, solidarity, accountability, ethics, probity, respect of the cultural identity of communities and the rights of patients including the gender dimension and good governance. The PNDS grants special attention to the health of vulnerable groups (women, children, older persons …) impacted by transmissible and non-transmissible diseases and characterised by high morbidity and mortality. E. National Employment Policy 318. Adopted on 15 May 2008, this policy falls within the context of continued efforts by the Government to fight against poverty, promote economic development and social progress. The policy provides for actions through sustained projects by the technical and financial partners. The State has gradually put in place an operational mechanism for addressing poverty and unemployment, including the support fund for income-generating activities for women, the support fund for youth initiatives, the support fund for the informal sector and the Special Programme for Employment Creation for the period 2012-2014. F. National Micro-Finance Strategy 319. The National Micro-Finance Strategy (SNMF) and its plans of action for 2012-2016 adopted by the Government aims at promoting access by a large proportion of the population (women, the youth and rural dwellers), within an inclusive finance framework, to diversified and adapted financial services provided by Decentralised Sustainable and Supervised Financial Systems (SFD) operating within a favourable legal, regulatory and fiscal environment. It takes into account the gender aspect through its cross-cutting strategic orientation dubbed “Inclusion of Gender into Micro-Finance”. The major constraints for access to SFD services according to the SNMF are due to their low knowledge of credit mechanisms, the difficulty of mobilising guarantees, their low managerial and management capacity, the offer of products adapted to their needs. 320. Recognising the existence of opportunities either within the sector or via development projects, five (5) major areas of positive action have been selected to guide the cross-cutting actions for the female clients: - Matching credit products meant for women, particularly in the rural areas in order to promote the transition between the types or levels of credit ; Professionalisation of credit services based on needs assessments and delivery of products to women to ensure an offer of products more adapted to the needs of the clients ; 78