The under-representation of women in Northern Irish politics was described yesterday as "serious" by the First Minister for Northern Ireland, Mr David Trimble.
Addressing the Vital Voices conference in Belfast's Waterfront Hall, the Ulster Unionist Party leader said only 14 of the 108 new Assembly members were women. The figures were "less than satisfactory".
"I think all political parties in Northern Ireland are aware of the need to address this `gender deficit'. It has, unfortunately, been a persistent feature of public life here."
The First Lady, Mrs Hillary Clinton, is scheduled to address the Vital Voices conference tomorrow. The conference is a global US government initiative which promotes women in society and their roles in politics.
Launching the conference yesterday, the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, paid tribute to the women of Northern Ireland. "For the past 30 years, women have held society together during some of its bleakest moments."
She believed the Belfast Agreement was supported by 75 per cent of women in the North. "I get frustrated when people say in Northern Ireland women have done nothing; it is simply not true. But what is the case is that women are not present in the visible positions of power.
"Women have been there in the community and voluntary groups, in the political parties, trade unions and business helping to build up in the community the respect for each other needed to make peace possible."
Another keynote speaker at the opening of the three-day event was the Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland, Mr Seamus Mallon.
He described his vision for the future of Northern Ireland in the era of the Belfast Agreement as a society founded on the core principles of justice, equality and inclusively.
"In implementing the agreement there are no precedents to follow or to draw from. What we have is a blank page upon which we are privileged to be able to write our own history."
Referring to the need for more women in Northern politics, Mr Mallon told the audience, which included many feminist activists, that "in the Executive, we will seek to learn from your experience in tacking such issues".