In my own country there has been compelling evidence that, when women are emp...

In my own country there has been compelling evidence that, when women are empowered, they can act successfully to change their lives and the lives of those around them. Under “Bolsa Familia”, a conditional cash transfer programme that has lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty, women are the preferred recipients of transfers. As a result, their bargaining power in family relations has increased, and their influence has become stronger on issues such as family planning, education of children and use of the family's income. Although Brazil's reality differs greatly from those of post-conflict countries, we feel that our experience validates a principle that is essential to the promotion of women's role in such societies.

That is why we are actively seeking to ensure that women and their needs are taken into account in our cooperation with post conflict countries. Two examples come to mind, both regarding Haiti: our collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and with OXFAM to support the implementation of Haiti's National Plan for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, through capacity building and awareness raising; and our support to establish a trades and services vocational training centre, which will have programmes especially geared towards women.