AFGHANISTAN, WOMEN

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question regarding the recent visit of the Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs from Afghanistan.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: Every year, one of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Asian Partners for Cooperation hosts a conference on security issues and emerging challenges in the broader OSCE area from an Asian-Pacific perspective. The Afghani Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs visited Adelaide last week to attend the conference and meet with local stakeholders. Can the minister tell the chamber about her meeting with the Afghani Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for her most important question. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security organisation. It is a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of conflict prevention, early warning, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. It is comprised of 57 participating states across the world. The OSCE also maintains special relationships with particular countries. These countries are known as Partners in Cooperation. The Asian Partners for Cooperation comprise Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Afghanistan, with Australia being granted partner status in 2009.

Every year one of the OSCE Asian Partners for Cooperation hosts a conference on the emerging challenges and security issues that can be seen in the broader OSCE area with a focus on an Asian-Pacific perspective. Adelaide was chosen to host the conference this year and the conference was of particular interest to me as it focused on improving security of women and girls, promoting the economic empowerment of women, and combating all forms of human trafficking.

One of the speakers at the conference was Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs, Ms Sayeda Mostafavi, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet with her following her conference engagement. Ms Mostafavi is a truly inspirational woman. After her education at Kabul University was interrupted by the war in 1990, she moved to Iran where she completed both a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters Degree in Journalism and after returning to Afghanistan in 2004 she began teaching journalism studies at Kabul University. She was appointed as Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs in 2008.

As the chamber would be aware, women's rights in Afghanistan have been a real battleground in more ways than one. It has faced some extremely difficult challenges where women and girls have been placed under significant duress and disadvantage. The challenges faced can appear insurmountable when compared with the challenges of women in developed states. It is a bit of a reality check, having the opportunity to talk with these women from these backgrounds, and I was pleased to hear, however, about the enormous strides forward in relation to equality that Ms Mostafavi and the Ministry for Women's Affairs have made. I was informed there have been significant advances there during the last four years in particular.

Despite the many challenges facing her and the women of her country, Ms Mostafavi has been involved in the draft of the Elimination of Violence Against Women law, which is being implemented throughout the country, and she is working in partnership with the Civil Society Organisation to establish a free telephone line that will provide a free legal service to women. Under the Ministry of Women's Affairs, a High Commissioner for the Prevention of Violence Against Women has been established and is now functioning in 30 Afghani provinces. I am advised that, to date, the High Commission has assessed and resolved almost 38,000 cases of violence against women.

Mr President, I am sure that you will join me in commending these important initiatives and I was pleased to be able to share with Ms Mostafavi the initiatives that the government of South Australia has undertaken. She was very interested to hear about our Strategic Plan and targets, particularly those focusing on the significance of sustained reduction of violence against women. I was pleased to discuss with her our Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009, a system which enables police to issue, if you like, on the spot intervention orders in some circumstances. Of course, she was also very interested in our Family Safety Framework, which provides for family safety meetings across South Australia.

It is always useful to gain a perspective on women's issues that is based on a society that differs greatly from our own; in saying that, Ms Mostafavi and I shared much in common, as well as a common understanding that violence against women in all countries, in any place on this earth, is unacceptable and that we must continue to take steps to stop it. The opportunity to share information was invaluable, and I look forward to hearing of the incredible work of Ms Mostafavi and the Ministry of Women in Afghanistan in the future.