For example, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration have not been designed to meet the special needs of women combatants, of girls who have been abducted into armed groups, or of the families of former soldiers who are trying to return to civilian life. Electoral systems have not been designed to take women into account - as voters or as candidates. Civilian police have not addressed the issues of trafficking and sexual violence which are associated with conflict. In fact, they have at times been complicit. The Security Council can help ensure that international and regional initiatives not only benefit women - but are also strengthened by them.
Successful reconstruction depends upon the use of every available resource.
Women represent the most precious and underutilised of these resources. Unless a country's constitutional, legal, judicial and electoral frameworks deal with gender equality, then no matter what happens after conflict, no matter how peaceful a transition, the entire country will never have a fair chance at development. During the transition to peace, a unique opportunity exists to put in place a gender responsive framework for a country's reconstruction. Nowhere is this more possible than in East Timor. Last week during my visit there, I saw a country struggling to rebuild.