Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was a former candidate for the Liberian Presidency and former Assistant Administrator and Director of United Nations Development Programme's Regional Bureau for Africa and a member of the Organization for African Unity Panel of Eminent Persons to investigate the genocide in Rwanda. Elisabeth Rehn is the former Minister of Defence and Equality Affairs of Finland and former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Special Representative and Coordinator of UN Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first edition of Progress of the World's Women was launched in June 2000 and focused on the economic dimensions of women's lives.
Armed conflict affects women and girls differently from men and boys.
These gender dimensions continue to be ignored. Progress 2002 will demonstrate that it is impossible to talk about effective humanitarian responses or inclusive peace processes without taking gender into account. The Independent Experts will consult with women from war-torn communities, as well as with human rights, humanitarian, development and women's organizations. The first field visit is planned to Colombia in June, followed by Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, East Timor, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Somalia. In significant measure, what has been happening to women is the strongest reason for the Security Council's recent focus on their protection in armed conflict and their participation in peace processes.