Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Improving the lives of women and girls around the world is a top priority for this government. It is an important feature of Australia's ambitious aid program. We have advocated and continue to advocate for it strongly. I am proud to say that we will be hosting UN Women's Michelle Bachelet in Australia next week. She is an inspirational challenger for women's rights, and we are a great supporter of UN Women's work. We expect to be its second largest donor by 2015-16.

Afghanistan is an example of where practical programs are making a real difference. Afghanistan remains, of course, one of the worst countries in the world in which to be born female. Every two hours a woman dies in the country from pregnancy-related causes. Female life expectancy has increased, but it is still only 44 years. Over 80 per cent of women are illiterate, and violence against women is estimated to affect over 80 per cent of women. But our assistance is beginning to make a real difference. Under the Taliban there were virtually no girls in school. Today there are more than 2.5 million. We are seeing better representation in parliament: currently 28 per cent of parliamentarians in that country are women. So the challenges are very great, but the contribution we are making is already contributing to a better condition for girls and women in this war-torn country.

I said earlier that we will welcome Michelle Bachelet to Australia next week. She is an inspirational champion for women's rights. I expect to be able to talk to her about programs in Afghanistan where we are helping more girls to get an education and more women to deliver their babies safely, and reducing violence against women and girls.