The conference addressed the importance of enhancing women’s participation and leadership in national security-related policy and decision making, implementation and practice; women as actors and receivers of national security in the defence and security context, the gender based peace dividend, and Government and private sector priorities in the context of the Defence White Paper, Cyber Security Strategy and foreign policy, in this important field. It will be the first conference in Australia of this kind and scope, bringing together participants from the breadth of the national security communities in government, private sector, academia, the diplomatic corps and NGOs here and overseas.