This report highlights UNIFEM's work to empower women in economic and public spheres, including achieving gender equality in democratic governance. Among the highlights during the year 2007–2008 were initiatives in empowering women in politics, advancing legislation on women’s rights, putting sexual violence on the security agenda, and engaging men against gender-based violence, among others.

This report seeks to broaden the scope of peace and conflict impact monitoring by highlighting issues of concern to women, and by showing how these issues may enrich the field. It also describes the experiences and tools used by women’s organizations in holding peace and conflict impact assessment and mainstreaming gender into conflict-sensitive environment.