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It is humbling to be asked to speak, as I came to listen.

Indeed, the summary of my job description in one word would be: “listen”.

It is a privilege for me to be your direct link to Brussels: to give voice to your expectations and recommendations for the Warsaw Summit, in July this year.

Your timing is excellent as the preparations of the Summit declaration on Afghanistan are starting now. I can assure you that there is high interest in Brussels, and in capitals, in the outcomes of this Seminar.

I am looking forward to listening to the multiple voices of Afghan women gathered here today. It is excellent that this third seminar is in Kabul, allowing many more voices, particularly from the provinces, to be heard.

I attended the Oslo Seminar in November 2014, hardly one month into office. This is my third visit to Afghanistan since. In all my encounters with Afghan women, I learnt and was inspired. Time and again, I am deeply impressed by the power, courage and resilience of Afghan women and human rights defenders.

When reflecting on my address today, these are the things that immediately came to my mind as the things I learnt from Afghan women:

  • Afghan women arm themselves with knowledge.
  • Afghan women are reconquering their past.
  • It is time to recognise the collective trauma of decades of war and how it has undermined Afghan values of human dignity and respect for women.
  • I also heard loud and clear that Afghan women are tired of being framed as victims: they want to be recognised as agents, and have a say.
  • They expect the international community to come in support of their leadership, their work and continued efforts - to support, enable, secure space for human dignity and human rights.

What the Afghan people taught NATO indeed is that securing space for human rights and gender equality is core business, and that the struggle for human rights and dignity in Afghanistan did not start and will not stop with our presence: that our engagement comes in support of decades of Afghan struggle to regain human dignity and respect for women’s rights.

If there is one thing I would like you to remember from my address it is that for NATO, gender equality is not optional but fundamental. Because we can only build resilient societies when men and women can equally contribute, when we use the full potential our societies have to offer and leave no talent untapped.

So for us: gender equality and women empowerment is fundamental, and will remain core to our partnership with Afghanistan, which we will reconfirm in Warsaw.

Warsaw aims to strengthen an enduring partnership for enduring peace and reconciliation - which is afghan-led, afghan-owned AND inclusive.

The challenge will be to get specific, and to translate the fundamental partnership principle of inclusiveness into practical terms: into our support for the peace and reconciliation process; and into our support for sustainable, capable and accountable ANSDF. It is of critical importance for who we train, assist and advice, on what and how; and for how we strengthen enduring partnership and leadership.

That is what I hope I will hear from you these days: who, what and how.

  • How to increase recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the security sector.
  • How to make sure their acquired knowledge and skills are actually used.
  • How to provide a safe and secure working environment: and to make sure security providers are rewarded on the basis of merit not gender.
  • How to foster inclusive leadership, leadership for change, enduring leadership.

Leadership is key. And there is only one way to lead: lead by example.

Encourage Afghan authorities to have an inclusive, representative delegation in Warsaw, where women not only have a place but also a say. I commit to strive for the same on our side. Also a challenge for us. So a challenge in common, but also shared value and shared interest.

Because that is the historic lesson codified in UNSCR1325: we can only be secure, free and at peace, when we are inclusive, when women and men can equally participate in decision-making at all levels - to prevent, manage and resolve conflict. When women and men can equally contribute to building resilient communities - communities where girls and boys can go as far as their dreams will take them.

‘1325’ is our promise for better and lasting peace.

Because the very foundation of our peace and security is equal rights and fundamental freedoms. And that is the foundation of our partnership, an enduring partnership based on inclusion and equal rights and opportunities.

That is our common leadership commitment. That is what we have to live up to and deliver on in Warsaw. I look forward to hearing your expectations and aspirations on who, what and how we deliver - in partnership - on our promise for securing better and lasting peace.