Which of the following time spans was officially proclaimed and celebrated as the United Nations Decade for Women, focusing worldwide attention on issues of equality and development for women?

Introduction / Context:
The United Nations has declared several decades dedicated to specific themes in order to focus global attention and encourage coordinated action by member states. One important example is the United Nations Decade for Women, which concentrated on issues such as equality, development, and peace for women worldwide. General knowledge questions often ask about the exact years covered by this decade, because remembering such time spans helps students connect major international initiatives with historical timelines.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the decade officially celebrated as the United Nations Decade for Women.
• The options provide four different ten year periods.
• We assume that the question is referring to the well known UN resolution which defined this specific decade.
• No additional details are required beyond correctly identifying the time span.

Concept / Approach:
The United Nations declared 1976 to 1985 as the Decade for Women, beginning after the first World Conference on Women held in Mexico City in 1975. During this period, the UN organised key conferences in Copenhagen and Nairobi and focused on improving the status of women globally. The other options in the question (1997 2006, 2001 2010, 2003 2012) correspond to different periods and are not associated with the Decade for Women. The correct approach is to recall the historically recognised time span and match it with the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that the first World Conference on Women took place in 1975 and led to the proclamation of a special decade. Step 2: Recall that the United Nations Decade for Women was declared for the years 1976 to 1985. Step 3: Compare this remembered time span with the options provided. Step 4: Identify that only the option 1976-1985 exactly matches the known UN Decade for Women years. Step 5: Select 1976-1985 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can refer to United Nations historical documents or trustworthy exam reference books that list important international decades. They consistently mention that 1976 to 1985 was designated as the UN Decade for Women, with major conferences in 1980 (Copenhagen) and 1985 (Nairobi). The other year ranges are used for different themes or for no specific UN decade at all. Checking at least two independent sources ensures there is no confusion with other initiatives such as decades related to education, sustainable development, or cultural heritage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1997-2006: This period is not associated with the UN Decade for Women and does not match the historical resolution passed by the United Nations on women issues.
2001-2010: Although some UN initiatives span similar periods, these years were not proclaimed as the official Decade for Women.
2003-2012: This ten year span also does not correspond to the UN Decade for Women and is included merely to test whether candidates know the exact years.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to guess an option that feels recent, such as 2001-2010, under the assumption that international focus on women is a modern development. In reality, the UN started taking major steps on gender equality much earlier, beginning with the 1975 Mexico conference and the Decade for Women from 1976 to 1985. To avoid this mistake, students should memorise this particular time span and associate it with the sequence of UN conferences on women held in the 1970s and 1980s.

Final Answer:
The United Nations Decade for Women was officially celebrated during 1976-1985.