The importance of involving women in the development of a stable region was underlined by participants at the conference on 14 January.  “Women at the Flash Point: 2010 and beyond” was a follow up to a conference organised by Gender Concerns International in Kabul in July 2009. The initiative strengthens the voices of women living in conflict, post-conflict or fragile countries in the region around Afghanistan by providing a forum through which they can reach out to policy makers.

Representatives from the region stressed the importance of political will as well as money in making a difference. Gender issues must be mainstreamed into all aspects of policy making from the composition of Parliament and considering how best to help women fill roles in the civil service to on-going work on women’s health and education.  Ambassador Verveer, US Ambassador-at-Large for Global women’s issues stressed the importance of seeing women in conflict zones not only as victims, but also as future leaders who play an essential role in building a stable society. Chantall Gill’ard, Dutch Member of Parliament underlined the need for the international community to act against violence to women, emphasising “it’s not cultural, it’s criminal”.

Paul Arkwright, British Ambassador to the Netherlands, accepted receipt of the recommendations of the conference and promised to pass them to the British Foreign Secretary in anticipation of the London Conference on Afghanistan.

Further detail on the Women at the Flash Point conference is available at www.genderconcerns.org

Speech by the Dutch minister for Development Cooperation: Women's voices should be heard at the Afghanistan Conference

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