"As the Secretary General's report acknowledges, there remain troubling ...

"As the Secretary General's report acknowledges, there remain troubling gaps in what we know about women and security, but one thing we've learned is that there is a correlation between gender inequity and the potential for civil strife. Consider, for example, the Central African Republic, which ranks 138th out of 146 on the UNDP's gender inequality index. Even before the recent explosion in violence, teen pregnancy was out of control and the rate of unhealthy births and maternal deaths was far too high. The situation is now a catastrophe as rebels have replaced law with anarchy and as we've heard a quarter million people have been driven from their homes. The depth of this crisis underlines the importance of Ms. Balipou's presence here today; it is vital that her message of inclusion be heeded."