Peace is a fragile thing. It takes courage to secure it. It takes wisdom to maintain it.

NGOs have a significant role to play, alongside governments, in improving the status of women.

Ten years ago in Nairobi we said that the participation of women in the decision-making and appraisal processes of the United Nations was essential if the organization was to effectively serve women's interests.

The Open Skies issue is something that's ongoing and we understand that there are issues in Australia that need to be sorted out. It's something that I think over time there's an opportunity for us and we'll work on that in a progressive way.

New Zealand's taken some very significant decisions in relation to defence in the last two years.

By and large, women in New Zealand are fortunate compared with some other countries, including many in our own region. But there is still progress to be made.

I can't for the life of me see that by being permissive you actually assist anyone.