To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 that urges member states to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels at the London conference on Afghanistan. [HL1518]

At the London conference, the UK worked to ensure that respect for human rights, and in particular for the rights of women, was high on the agenda. We made sure that women's voices were heard at the conference. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers attended a civil society event on 26 January 2010 which offered human rights activists an important opportunity to make statements, ask questions and lobby. Five Afghan women also attended the Prince of Wales’ reception on 27 January 2010, where they used the opportunity to lobby President Karzai, Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton, Richard Holbrooke as well as the Foreign Ministers of India, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Norway, Afghanistan, Belgium, France, UK Ministers, and senior North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials. These events were followed by the presentation of a statement by Afghan women to the London conference itself, delivered by Arzo Qanih, one of the civil society representatives and spokesperson for the Afghan Women's Network. A written statement on behalf of Afghan women was also circulated to all conference participants.