Call for measurable goals for women in conflict areas
Gunilla Carlsson, who has just returned from Colombia, recounted the strong impressions she had gained of international efforts for women in conflict and post-conflict areas.
"We can see that although the war is over, acts of war continue," she said.
Breakfast meeting with Gunilla Carlsson. Foto: Ellinor Lundmark.
On Wednesday, the Minister for International Development Cooperation held a breakfast meeting on the new action plan adopted by the Government. The action plan is based on UN Resolution 1325 concerning how women are affected by and can affect armed conflicts. Since last year, a network has been formed in which Sweden's missions abroad cooperate to increase knowledge of Resolution 1325.
Birgitta Ahlqvist, chair of Operation 1325, Eva Zillén, head of information at the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, and Charlotte Isaksson, gender adviser to the Swedish Armed Forces, participated in the meeting to give their views on the action plan. The organisations called for clear and measurable goals in the plan and greater clarity as to who is responsible for ensuring that the goals are achieved. Eva Zillén from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation spoke of the great responsibility incumbent on Sweden as a country that plays a leading role in this area.
"It is good to know that we have a Minister for International Development Cooperation who is strongly committed to this issue. We wish that we also had a Minister for Foreign Affairs who went out and met women in conflict areas," said Eva Zillén.
Gunilla Carlsson responded that work on women's rights should not be seen as a party political issue, but rather should be pursued across the board. An important objective for 2009 is to improve the integration of Resolution 1325 into EU efforts. Ms Carlsson also encouraged those who work in the area of women's rights to challenge the Government in creating a "results-oriented culture".
