PRIO organized this conference in co-operation with The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 130 people attended. The conference is part of the Norwegian government’s effort to increase the civilian element of its contribution to stability in Afghanistan: reaching out to the population, increasing security for civilians, and providing basic needs such as health services and education. With this in mind the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked PRIO to organize a conference on the particular needs of Afghan women and how best to meet these needs.