A/HRC/RES/23/7 12. Recommends that States collect data, prepare statistics disaggregated by sex and conduct multidisciplinary research reflecting the whole spectrum of women’s engagement in society in order to contribute to overcoming the knowledge gap that exists at the local, national and global levels regarding their participation in political and public life; 13. Calls upon States to support the work of national human rights institutions and specialized mechanisms for women’s human rights and gender equality by improving their resources, as appropriate; 14. Recognizes that the work done by civil society organizations, in particular independent women’s civil society organizations, is crucial to promoting full equality in all aspects of political and public life and eliminating violence against women, including women human rights defenders, and therefore that they require support for their sustainability and growth; 15. Decides to extend the mandate of the Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice for a period of three years on the same terms as provided for by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 15/23; 16. Calls upon all States to cooperate with and assist the Working Group in its task, to supply all necessary available information requested by it and to give serious consideration to responding favourably to its requests to visit their country to enable it to fulfil its mandate effectively; 17. Calls upon States and urges institutions of global governance, including the United Nations, to promote women’s equal access to decision-making positions and processes, and encourages them to appoint and promote women staff members in order to guarantee women’s equal participation; 18. Invites relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, treaty bodies and civil society actors, including non-governmental organizations, as well as the private sector, to cooperate fully with the Working Group in the fulfilment of its mandate, and requests the Working Group to continue its cooperation with the Commission on the Status of Women; 19. Requests the Working Group to continue to work on its thematic priorities, namely, political and public life, economic and social life, family and cultural life, and health and safety, and to dedicate specific attention to good practices that have contributed to mobilizing society as a whole, including men and boys, in the elimination of discrimination against women; 20. Takes note of the intention of the Working Group to focus its next report on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice in economic and social life, including in times of economic crisis, with specific attention to the way in which current and past economic crises have affected women’s access to economic and social resources, as well as policies that effectively protect women’s social and economic status during and after economic crises; 21. Requests the Working Group, in the discharge of its mandate, to offer support to States’ initiatives to address multiple forms of discrimination against women and girls when implementing their obligations as State parties to relevant international human rights treaties with regard to civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, and related commitments, where applicable; 4