No full-scale assessment of the impact of armed conflict on women has yet taken place. Ironically, it has happened for children, but not yet for women - their primary caretakers and among those most affected by conflict, she went on. International protection and assistance systematically neglect women and girls. There are thousands of children born of rape and forced impregnation. After conflicts, resources are depleted, infrastructure is destroyed, and social, economic and political relationships are strained.
Successful reconstruction depends upon the use of every available resource.
Women represent the most precious and underutilised of these resources, as it was shown in the Burundi peace process. At the beginning of the negotiation, the majority of proposals crafted by Burundian women at a recent conference held in Arusha from 17 - 20 July were accepted by the nineteen conflict parties. In Burundi, women's voices were heard, but obviously not enough, as the conflict is going on with renewed force, lead by male warlords. Meanwhile, Burundian women are left fleeing the country to an uncertain future in Tanzanian refugee camps, where their security neither is provided for, according to new reports. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions .