Although Brazil's reality differs greatly from that of post-conflict countrie...

Although Brazil's reality differs greatly from that of post-conflict countries, some of our experiences may be useful for such societies. One interesting example is the Bolsa Familia, a conditional cash transfer programme that has lifted millions of Brazilians out of overty. Under the programme, women are the preferred recipients of transfers, and experience has shown that this practice increases their bargaining power within the family structure and communities. It is also worth mentioning that, on the margins of the United Nations onference on Sustainable Development, Brazil organized, in collaboration with UN-Women, the Women Leaders' Summit on the Future Women Want. The meeting highlighted the need to accelerate women's full participation in governance at all levels, including women's leadership in all decision-making processes. It also underlined the importance of ensuring the elimination of all discriminatory barriers preventing women from having equal access to, owning and managing productive resources and assets, and from contributing to and benefiting from the opportunities provided by the pursuit of sustainable development. Although this applies to all countries, we know that empowering women may be especially important in post-conflict situations, as it tends to enhance the chances of avoiding a relapse into conflict.