S/PV.4589 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Grenada, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Nigeria and the Republic of Korea, in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Stuart (Australia), Mr.Heinbecker (Canada), Mr. Maquieira (Chile), Ms. Løj (Denmark), Mr. Stanislaus (Grenada), Miss Durrant (Jamaica), Mr. Motomura (Japan), Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein), Mr. McIvor (New Zealand), Mrs. Yahaya (Nigeria) and Mr. Sun Joun- Yung (Republic of Korea) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under- Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. It is so decided. I invite Mr. Guéhenno to take a seat at the Council table.

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Ms. Angela King, Assistant Secretary- General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. It is so decided. I invite Ms. King to take a seat at the Council table.

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. It is so decided. I invite Ms. Heyzer to take a seat at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I should like to welcome Members of the United Nations, our visiting speakers, our guests and visitors at the back of the Chamber to this unusual open debate on conflict, peacekeeping and gender. Allow me to begin by saying a few words about the format for the meeting. I shall shortly be inviting Under-Secretary-General Guéhenno, Assistant- Secretary Angela King, and the Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Noeleen Heyzer, to talk to us for a few minutes about their work in this field. I will then invite Member States to comment and ask questions, and I propose to give the floor to three Council members, then three non-Council members, or according to the numbers, perhaps two non-Council members, until I reach the end of the speaker’s list. I shall also invite our panel to respond to points raised at appropriate moments throughout the debate. I shall wind up the meeting with a short summary. We circulated a note a few days ago setting out the objectives for this meeting and giving a few details about the format we will be following. Spare copies are available in the room. I shall also like to inform members that in my capacity as Council President I held a meeting earlier this week with representatives of the non-governmental organizations (NGO) Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, at which I invited them to raise issues of importance to their organizations that are relevant to today’s discussion. I can say that that exchange that I had with that working group was very informative. These groups have done an enormous amount of work on the mainstreaming agenda, on the issue of women and families in areas of conflict. We circulated a short note outlining the main points raised at that meeting, and there is also literature from some of these NGOs available for Member States on the table immediately outside this room. I recommend that you pick up that literature, because some of it is very interesting on work in this field. I would now like to give the floor to the Under- Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno. Mr. Guéhenno: I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this discussion, as we prepare to mark, this October, the second anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women, peace and security. Before addressing the areas in which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has made concrete progress in implementing that resolution, I would like to say something on a personal note. When I arrived at the head of the DPKO, almost two years ago, I sensed from various quarters some scepticism about the dialogue about gender mainstreaming. Many appeared to misperceive it as a superficial exercise in political correctness. I should confess that I was not always immune from this misperception. It is now plainly obvious, though, that such an attitude is not only misguided; it is also a drastic misunderstanding of what gender mainstreaming is all about. Gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping is about recognizing that all segments of society are affected by conflict, sometimes in different ways, and that all segments of society also have a role to play in helping to end the violence and lay the foundation for sustainable peace. Traditionally, we have underestimated this point, because we wrongly assumed that conflict and peace are gender-blind. They are not. Certain crimes, whose incidents can increase in a conflict setting, are specifically targeted at women and girls. Certain efforts at reconciliation have a totally different dynamic when women are included in the peace process. In some case, women’s groups comprise individuals who were not engaged in combat, and thus might be more open to dialogue. In other cases, the women’s group concerns can be more radicalized, because they consist of those whose husbands, fathers and sons were killed during the fighting. Furthermore, we should not assume that all combatants are men. There are women combatants, and, sadly, child soldiers as well. The need for heightened gender perspective applies to all areas of work in a peacekeeping mission, including in areas one might otherwise overlook. Take, for example, a very small but illustrative case. In East Timor, the United Nations was given the unprecedented role of administering the territory. This included running the prisons and building correctional facilities. It may not immediately occur to many that not all prisoners are men. There are women who commit crimes, and they are in quite separate prison facilities. As a result, there is a requirement to hire women corrections officers, often through proactive recruitment. In order to properly budget for these distinct requirements, among others, one needs to be able to forecast crime rates among women. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), facing urgent demands, did not think about this until its work was considerably advanced. It thus had to address this issue post facto, once the recruitment process for prison guards was almost complete. Taking all of these factors into account is not political correctness. It is just part of the job. The example that I have just given is a very small one among hundreds. There can be a gender dimension to virtually every aspect of what peacekeepers do, whether it would be dealing with the perpetrators of crime, the victims of violence, or the political actors and civic leaders with whom the real prospects of sustainable peace reside. Recognizing these facts and taking action accordingly is what gender mainstreaming is all about. As far as DPKO is concerned, we do not need further convincing that gender awareness must feature more prominently in our work. I am pleased to report that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has made some concrete progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) within specific peacekeeping operations, notably in East Timor, in Kosovo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sierra Leone and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Five special focus areas stand out in particular, as follows: addressing gender-based violence; responding to the trafficking in women and children; incorporating gender perspectives into the process of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons, including former combatants; facilitating the participation of women in constitutional and electoral reform and civil administration; and lastly, combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. We have done quite a lot of work in each of these five areas, though in deference to time limitation on our opening statement, I will just note a few highlights at this stage. Since the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) launched a nationwide domestic violence project in November 2001, more than 300 cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse have been reported and acted upon by the police. Anti- trafficking efforts of UNMIBH have been enhanced since March 1999, by creating the so-called STOP programme — Special Trafficking Operations Project — in July 2001, which has since conducted over 400 operations against bars and brothels. Some 1,442 women and girls have been interviewed and offered assistance with repatriation. Three safe houses for trafficking victims have been established in coordination with the International Organization for Migration. In Kosovo, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo promulgated a Trafficking in Human Persons Regulation for the protection of victims. In the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mission personnel received training and advice on how to mainstream the gender perspective into all areas of their work. This covers all areas from human rights monitoring, including dealing with crimes of sexual abuse, gender violence and exploitation, to dealing with the different needs of male and female, and child, ex-combatants. In East Timor — which is perhaps the best example of how maintaining the focus on gender, or gender mainstreaming, can yield significant results — political parties voluntarily included women on the tickets after considerable debate within the Timorese civil society. As a result, women represented 27 per cent of the total number of candidates returned to the Constituent Assembly, the highest percentage ever under a United Nations-sponsored election. At Headquarters, a handbook on multidimensional peacekeeping operations is being finalized, which features a key chapter on gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping, as well as best practices and lessons learned from mission experiences. In addition, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues (OSAGI), we are developing specific guidelines for different elements of peacekeeping operations on mainstreaming gender issues, and monitoring and evaluating the outcomes. Lastly, I should like to reiterate that the Secretary-General maintains a zero-tolerance policy on the engagement of peacekeepers in acts of sexual exploitation, harassment, and trafficking of women and girls. We urge troop- and police-contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary, and if needed, criminal action against a national who commits such acts. For its part, the Department is improving preventive measures and strengthening its policies and procedures for disciplinary action against anyone accused of being involved in such unacceptable acts. Our training material and the admission programmes are being revised to place particular emphasis on this point. Furthermore, through collaborations with United Nations and national partners, and by the deployment of HIV-AIDS policy officers in four field missions, United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) and United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), we are developing and implementing strategies to reduce transmission of HIV-AIDS. Much of the progress we have achieved to date in our missions in East Timor, Kosovo, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone is in large part due to the presence of full-time gender advisers. They make a real difference in ensuring that all parts of an operation are made aware of the gender dimensions of their work, beginning first by speaking to the women of the country concerned, who are best placed to set the agenda in a way that is sensitive to local traditions and context. Gender advisers offer suggestions on practical steps to address gender concerns in a manner appropriate to each unique mission circumstance and, consequently, significantly enhance our ability to implement resolution 1325 (2000). While much has been done to date, far more remains to be done, both in the field and at Headquarters. In conclusion, much of what I have said about the importance of gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping may seem self-evident today. Yet the fact that a few years ago these same ideas may not have been understood as clearly is a testament to the ability of Council debate to alter our thinking and approach. Put simply, the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) has precipitated a change in perceptions and it is natural that this process of change can sometimes be slow, face setbacks and scepticism. Inevitably, however, misguided cynicism will be overtaken by the facts. It is only a matter of time.

I thank Mr. Guéhenno for that important statement and pay tribute to the work the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has done in this area of gender mainstreaming. You got us off to a good start for this debate. I call on Ms. Angela King, Assistant Secretary- General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. Ms. King: It is a great pleasure and honour for me to address this open debate of the Security Council on conflict, peacekeeping and gender and to present some findings, challenges and recommendations from the Secretary-General’s study on women, peace and security mandated by the historic Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). I would like to pay special tribute to the President of the Security Council for taking the initiative to organize this debate. The linkage between gender and peace is not new. The Mexico First World Conference on Women — Equality, Development and Peace in 1975, through the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies in 1985, the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 and the Windhoek Declaration and Plan of Action in 2000 are all historic milestones on our way to Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). How is this particular study unique? Its main strength is that it is based on input from all United Nations entities participating in the Inter-agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security. It benefits from a coordinated wealth of wisdom and experience of the United Nations system, both at Headquarters and in the field as well as from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Non-Governmental Group (NGO) Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, and from the distinguished former Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSG), scholars, practitioners and women grass-roots leaders. The study is unique as it provides the first systematic overview of gender-related activities in the peace and security field. It reveals the impact of armed conflict on women and girls at every stage and highlights the corrosive and pervasive violence against women and girls that still exists, and often persists after the conflict, as domestic violence and trafficking. It spells out the role of women, and the obstacles they face in contributing to all aspects of sustainable peace. It also sets out concrete gender perspectives at every phase of conflict and peace-building. If Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) is a blueprint for the integration of a gender perspective in peace and security, then the study is a tool from which practical recommendations can be drawn. Its main conclusion is that sustainable peace and lasting security cannot be achieved without women’s empowerment and full involvement. It unequivocally demonstrates that women do make a difference. The findings of two wider issues are, first, that a mere cessation of hostilities does not bring an end to today’s intra-state conflict. Women are beginning to transform societies by changing social institutions, traditional gender roles, and influencing warring parties. Secondly, lasting peace must be home-grown and based on indigenous processes. Local women who hold communities together during conflict bring these experiences into peace processes and into rebuilding their societies. The study shows that women and girls can also be combatants and perpetrators and, where that occurs, they must equally be brought into the process of disarmament, demobilization, resettlement and capacity-building after conflict. The challenges shown by the study are the lack of political will to recognize women as equal partners and insufficient understanding of how to translate gender equality into our policies or adapt best practices. It is surprising, on one hand, to learn how much United Nations entities have done to develop gender sensitive guidelines and policies, some of which you have just heard from Mr. Guéhenno. On the other hand, it is disappointing to learn how little monitoring and self-evaluation is carried out, even when dealing with training, which is usually extensive but lacks follow- up. Among the many recommendations of the study are that the incorporation of a gender perspective in peace and humanitarian operations must, at all times, have the full support of the Security Council in Council mandates and reporting. The Security Council and the Secretary-General should ensure that all peace agreements and even informal understandings include the issue of the protection of women and children and establish efficient mechanisms for holding parties accountable. States in conflict, mediating States and United Nations negotiating teams should ensure the participation of women at all stages and at all levels of peace processes. All missions should have gender advisers visibly supported by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, adequately supported and backstopped by Headquarters in the person of a senior gender adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). As we have heard, where these exist the mission has a far greater chance of being successful. The necessary financial resources for gender-related programmes must be part of the mission’s approved budget. The Secretariat should maintain a database of civil society organizations, to serve as a resource for consultations by the United Nations. Greater efforts should be made to increase the percentage of women overall in policy and decision- making positions, such as SRSGs in peace operations. Existing inter-agency mechanisms should promote a principled approach to gender equality, including the sharing of effective guidelines, codes of conduct and policies, to ensure that those violators under the United Nations flag are brought promptly to justice. The Security Council should review the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) by Member States, the United Nations system and civil society annually. Many other recommendations on protection issues, humanitarian law, girl-child soldiers, disarmament, demobilization, resettlement and rebuilding are included in the study. Thank you for the opportunity of addressing the Council. I look forward to your views and guidance.

On behalf of the Council, I should like to pay tribute to Ms. King and her whole team in the Division for the Advancement of Women for the work they are doing. We have already seen from the first two interventions how various parts of the Secretariat are interacting with one another on this issue and are beginning to focus in on the same points. I very much hope that Council members will take up the points that Ms. King has made and that they will use this opportunity to make their comments on where we have gotten thus far in order to provide some input into the Secretary-General’s report, which is still under preparation. It is an important point for an interactive debate. I now call on the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Ms. Noeleen Heyzer. Ms. Heyzer: First of all, it is an honour to address the members of the Security Council. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for convening this debate on Council resolution 1325 (2000). Two days ago, I returned from Rwanda. As I address the Council today, I am reminded of the women I met and of their achievements against the greatest odds. They won the legal rights to their land and to their inheritance. They adopted orphans and children born of rape. They risked their lives in the pursuit of justice, and they are supporting their families by confronting HIV/AIDS. Those courageous women are, at the same time, reconciling their past and rebuilding their future. Making resolution 1325 (2000) work means making sure that the challenges facing women like these become a regular item on the political agenda, in thematic debates and every time a country situation is addressed. In moving this agenda forward, the Security Council invited the Secretary-General to carry out a study on women, peace and security. To complement that study, and to give women from conflict zones a vehicle for expression, I appointed two independent experts to carry out a global, field-based assessment of the impact of armed conflict on women and of women’s role in peace-building. It is crucial that women’s voices be heard and that their work on the ground be valued, recognized and supported. After all, it is they who bear the brunt of conflicts, and decisions should be made with them, not for them. We hope that, together, these two reports will bridge operational and political actions in support of peace and security. That nexus goes to the heart of our debate today. Humanitarian and human rights concerns do not compromise military and political decision- making; rather, they are intrinsic to it. That is the human security equation. Over the past year, the independent experts, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Elisabeth Rehn, travelled to 14 conflict areas, the majority of them on the Council’s agenda. The experts’ complete findings and recommendations will be released in October to mark the two-year anniversary of the Council’s landmark resolution. Together with the issuance of the Secretary- General’s report, a comprehensive agenda for action will be proposed. Today’s session lays the groundwork for that occasion. In preparation, I wish to share with the Council eight principal findings and recommendations. The first concerns prevention. Information from and about women in conflict situations has not informed preventive action. We all know of the forced exclusion of Afghan women from public spaces and of the risks they took to provide schooling and medical care, and how that came to symbolize the crisis in that country. But indicators of that kind are not monitored or even systematically collected. This is as much a problem of expertise as one of organizational shortcomings. The experts will recommend ways for such information to be collected, analyzed and made available in a way that is politically meaningful. The second concerns protection. The glaring gaps in women’s protection must be addressed. The experts were overwhelmed by the magnitude of violence suffered by women before, during and after conflict. They heard testimony of gang rapes and of wombs punctured by guns. Impunity still prevails for these widespread crimes against women in war. The third concerns HIV/AIDS. Wherever a woman lives with conflict and upheaval, the threat of HIV/AIDS and its effects are multiplied. HIV/AIDS feasts on that deadly alliance. These are precisely the conditions in which peacekeepers can make a difference in promoting awareness and in providing support to local communities. The fourth concerns peace processes. Formal negotiations that exclude half the population from the political process have little hope of popular support or of sustainability. The whole peace process suffers when women are absent. Quotas have brought women into the political process. In the short run, quotas are the only way to ensure the participation of women and therefore a more democratic, representative and sustainable peace. The fifth concerns peace operations. The experts found that a gender perspective — while it is growing and improving, as we have heard — is still not sufficiently incorporated into peace operations. Rather, it is isolated in the form of a single staff person or of a small unit lacking sufficient seniority and resources. Women in a local community often still have little contact with missions nor do they believe that their needs are taken into account. The experts recommend that gender expertise inform all aspects of mission planning and operation. That must begin with the very concept of operation. They also recommend that peace operations leverage their support for women by drawing heavily on the strength of operational bodies, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Population Fund. The sixth concerns codes of conduct. The experts were alarmed at the reports of violations committed by peacekeepers and by United Nations and other humanitarian personnel. They support the Secretary- General’s call for zero tolerance for those who commit such crimes, and they recommend stronger investigative and disciplinary mechanisms. The seventh concerns regional organizations. Such organizations play an important role in protecting women and in supporting their participation in peace- building. The experts welcome the priority being given to women in the framework of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. They look to women’s peace organizations at the regional level to contribute to such efforts. Many of these peace organizations and networks have been supported by UNIFEM. The eighth concerns disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). The beneficiaries of DDR programmes must not be limited to male combatants. Female combatants and the wives, widows and other dependents of ex-fighters must be included explicitly. Without gender-focused DDR, women and girls may be left with little choice but to exchange sexual favours for food, shelter, safe passage and other needs. I would like to conclude with a message entrusted to me by the women I met in Rwanda. Many of them have testified against war criminals who still wield power and influence. They have endured the pain of telling, retelling and reliving their stories, often without privacy or security. More than 60 per cent of these women have HIV/AIDS. Women seeking justice need protection and look to the standards set by the International Criminal Court. They ask for witness protection, for counselling and for security. They ask for legal support. They ask for a separate chamber and for female judges to hear cases of women survivors of sexual violence. And they ask for sanctions against Tribunal staff who do not respect the rights of witnesses. The women of Rwanda know that the Security Council can take practical steps to make a difference. These women have survived genocide, and now they face continued intimidation and physical threats. For them, it is a matter of life and death. Immediate action is now needed. There cannot be justice without accountability. With few exceptions, those responsible for crimes against women have not been punished and women have not been granted redress. Accountability means being answerable to women for crimes committed against them; it means punishing those responsible and ensuring redress for victims. But accountability alone will not ensure lasting peace. Gender equality and inclusion are fundamental values on which peace- building must be based. Women’s leadership in creating and sustaining peace at the community level has proved essential for nation-building. We, the international community, must support the women and girls who are rebuilding their lives and who have committed their lives to peace and security, for which they have waited too long. I want to leave the Council with the words of Agnes, a 13-year-old girl who had been kidnapped and who was speaking at the global conference on ending violence against women, coordinated by UNIFEM, linking five sites around the world. She said, “I want to go to school. I want to rebuild my life. How can you help me?”

I thank the Executive Director for putting the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) on the map and for the energy she is directing into work on the ground in this area.

The delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic would like to commend you, Mr. President, on your initiative in convening this important meeting on women, peace and security. This attests yet again to the fact that the Security Council devotes particular attention to the role of women and to their contribution to the settlement of armed conflicts, peacekeeping and peace-building. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) represented a qualitative step in the work of the Security Council to enhance the role of women in establishing peace and sustainable development. That resolution also contributed significantly to defining the critical components that countries must address scrupulously and with sincerity. Allow me at the outset warmly to welcome the statement made by Ms. Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and on the Advancement of Women. We also warmly welcome here Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. It is a well-known fact that women and girls constitute the main civilian victims in times of conflict because of their vulnerability. It is estimated that 80 per cent of refugees and internally displaced persons in many countries in conflict are women and girls. We must therefore seek to determine the root causes of these conflicts, in order to alleviate the suffering of women. In many cases, these causes include occupation, aggression and repression, not to mention poverty. We believe that it is essential for women to assume an important role. Indeed, women should be key partners in the decision-making process in order to move forward towards the establishment of peace and development. In this connection, we are in agreement with the main ideas and opinions set out in the two statements made earlier by Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer, respectively. One of the objectives of the Beijing Conference on Women — set out in the 2000 Platform for Action — in which Syria actively participated, was addressing the growing role of women in the settlement of conflicts at the decision-making level and in the establishment of peace, peacekeeping and peace- building. Of course, we support greater gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping and disarmament, and we stress the role of women in the decision-making process aimed at putting an end to violence. Here I should like to remind the international community of the status of women in the Syrian Arab Republic, in Palestine and in Lebanon and of their suffering as a result of foreign occupation. Israel’s practices — oppression, killing, destruction, torture and displacement — against Arab women represent a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, of basic human rights and of all objectives set out by the United Nations in this field. Arab women in the occupied Syrian Golan and in the occupied Palestinian territories live under tragic and inhumane circumstances. They do not enjoy even a minimum level of protection, health care, employment or education, in addition to being denied their basic human rights. Under such circumstances, the status of Arab women, who suffer from the oppression of occupation and the inhumane practices carried out by the occupying forces, will not improve unless those practices come to an end. Those practices run counter to everything we heard in the statements made so far this morning. Furthermore, the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace would help Arab women to continue their struggle against poverty and all forms of violence. Here we would like to draw attention to the fact that many of the victims of the Israeli massacre in the Gaza Strip two days ago were women and children. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is determined to ensure full gender quality through its national legislation as well as equal opportunities for women and men in all walks of life. Syria’s national strategy for women, which is based on the Programme of Action adopted by the Beijing Conference, is one of my country’s true achievements towards enhancing the role of women in all aspects of building and maintaining peace.

Mr. President, let me in turn commend you for have placed on the agenda of this Security Council meeting the item entitled “Women, peace and security”. I should like also to thank the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Ms. King, as well as the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Ms. Heyzer, for their outstanding contributions to this debate. I would add to this list Mr. Guéhenno, Under- Secretary-General for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, whom I wish to thank for the information he has given us this morning. Women and girls remain vulnerable in time of peace and in time of war because of the profound gender inequalities that still characterize our societies. In time of conflict, they are targets for all kinds of violence, in particular rape and other sexual attacks. They are also the majority of victims of anti- personnel land mines, and they are the most vulnerable to the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases due to sexual violence and to the failure of our health-care systems. Their fundamental rights are continually flouted. The rights of women and girls are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights, and the abuses they endure in situations of armed conflict are violations of international law applicable to the rights and to the protection of women and girls as civilian persons. Also, one cannot stress enough the need for scrupulous compliance with the provisions of international humanitarian law and of the various instruments concerning human rights that guarantee the protection of women and girls during and after conflicts. We also believe that it is the duty of Member States to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those who are guilty of crimes, exaction and acts of sexual violence against women and girls. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the fact that the International Criminal Court, in accordance with the Rome Statute, has declared acts of sexual violence in times of conflict to be a war crime and in some specific circumstances to be a crime against humanity. In addition, due to the regrettable events of the recent past, it seems useful to consider the creation of a code of conduct for the personnel of peacekeeping missions and the implementation of a system for the notification of sexual violence in peacekeeping. Women are educators for peace both within their families and in their societies. More and more, they play an effective role in negotiations and contribute to the creation of an environment favourable to the resolution of conflicts and to peace-building. Therefore, my delegation fully supports the idea of incorporating the general considerations of gender equality in peacekeeping missions. In addition, peacekeeping operations are by nature multifaceted and complex, involving humanitarian assistance, political aspects, the holding of elections, and programmes for disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and reconstruction. All that requires, for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security, a more complete understanding of the impact of armed conflicts on local populations, especially on women and children. For that reason, we welcome the study being completed by the Secretary-General on following up and implementing Council resolution 1325 (2000). That resolution offers a global political framework for addressing the role of women in the post-conflict political process. It earnestly appeals to Member States to take appropriate measures so that women will be better represented at all levels of decision-making in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict. In its declaration of 2000 on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the Security Council recognized that women and girls were particularly affected by the consequences of armed conflict. In addition, the Council recognized that peace was inextricably linked to the equality of men and women and declared that the maintenance and promotion of peace and security required the equal participation of women in decision-making. Women should therefore be able to take their rightful place at the table of decision-making on questions of peace and security. In this regard, my country would like to encourage the appointment of women as special representatives and envoys in missions to pursue good offices on behalf of the Secretary-General. Accordingly, we welcome the supporting and advising role of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in promoting the participation of women in the decision-making process at all levels peacekeeping and peace-building. It is with genuine interest that we have followed the preparation of the report of the Secretary-General on the effects of armed conflict on women and girls. We have also studied the assessments made on the ground with the coordination of UNIFEM, which perfectly complement that study. We believe that the study is right on target in that it enables the Security Council and the other principal organs of the United Nations, particularly the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, to have at their disposal new information leading to a better understanding of the needs of women on questions of peace and security. We welcome the synergy of efforts made in the preparation of this study, which is part of the follow-up to Council resolution 1325 (2000). We support UNIFEM’s evaluation of various conflict situations. We also encourage priority being given to women and to peace-building in the framework of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. We hope that the networks of women involved in the struggle for the peace and security of nations can contribute to those efforts. We also welcome the recommendations of the seminar workshop of UNIFEM’s consultations on Central Africa, which took place in my country, at Douala, from 28 to 30 May 2002. In this context, networks and organizations of the women of Central Africa for peace have asked the Economic Community of Central African States to strengthen its support and collaboration with them in order to ensure the greater participation of women in the management of conflicts and in peace-building in the subregion. Accordingly, in its sixteenth ministerial meeting, the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa recommended the creation of a network of women of Central Africa for peace with a view to involving them in ongoing peace negotiations on Central African conflicts. In this regard, I would like to mention the remarkable role played by women in the recent inter-Congolese negotiations on the political situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which took place in Sun City. In conclusion, the delegation of Cameroon awaits with interest the final text of the Secretary-General’s report on women, girls, peace and security, to be published in October 2002. Cameroon hopes that today’s debate will strengthen the efforts of the United Nations system to improve the conditions of all women.

Forgive me, but I do hope that delegations will try to keep their remarks down to around five minutes. I asked speakers at the beginning to remain succinct, and we will not get through this debate with interest unless we are sharp and pick up the points which have been made by the speakers at the beginning of the debate.

I too want to thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Ms. Angela King and Ms. Noleen Heyzer for their statements. I want to begin by saying that Under-Secretary- General Jean-Marie Guéhenno was a very brave man when he began his remarks by saying that he had encountered some scepticism. I believe that he said that in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) this was an exercise in political correctness and not really something of real value. To be completely candid, I thought that in some ways Mr. Guéhenno tabled the most important point that we need to address in today’s meeting, because, looking around this room, what I detect most of all is a huge, invisible elephant of scepticism about the value of this exercise. Of course, those who are sceptical about this exercise are not going to come here and say “I am sceptical about this exercise; it is just a pure exercise in political correctness”. But they exist, and to some extent, that is reflected in the fact that only 11 countries have signed up for this debate. Also, the number of seats that are occupied gives some indication of the degree of scepticism. I make this point at the beginning because I thought that one useful contribution that both Ms. Angela King and Ms. Noleen Heyzer could make in the course of today’s debate would be to try to slay this invisible elephant in the room. One way of doing that is to indicate that this is not an abstract exercise; it is about real life situations and real people, whose lives can and will be improved by our debate today. It is useful to provide statistics that make the case. For example, one statistic that I came across — which I suppose is obvious — is that at the beginning of the twentieth century only 15 per cent of the casualties of conflicts were civilians, but since the end of the cold war, 90 per cent of those killed in conflict are civilians. Apparently, three out of four fatalities of war are now women and children. So there has been this huge sea change in the nature of conflicts. If I may talk of the good old days — if I may use that phrase — when the boys went out to fight boys and then came home, those days are gone. Now conflict directly involves women and girls, and that is why we need to address this issue more directly. It would help us if more details were provided along these lines to make the case that this is not an exercise in political correctness, but, as Mr. Guéhenno emphasized, it is an important issue that we have to address. We were asked to pose questions. I have one for Mr. Guéhenno and one for Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer. I appreciate the point that Mr. Guéhenno has made that DPKO is fully committed to the whole exercise of gender mainstreaming. I am sure that within the Department in New York there is that commitment. But, as he knows, many of the people who are sent to the field are parachuted in from their countries. They come in; they get briefings from DPKO, and then they go out to the field. I suspect that they come with all their cultural values and attitudes intact. Here, since I cannot criticize other cultures, I will just say that, as is known, Asian males tend to be very chauvinistic, male chauvinists. I say this with some knowledge because my wife complains that she has not fully scrubbed male chauvinism from me. These gentlemen are essentially brought up with these traditional Asian values and martial traditions, and then they are sent out into the field and told: I want you to be sensitive in the way you handle women; I want you to understand the needs of women, and so forth. As Mr. Guéhenno himself is an expert on the whole question of values and how to handle values, I am sure that it is a major exercise communicating abstract points on paper to real people in the field. I was wondering whether he had any thoughts on this. Here I note that Ms. Heyzer bravely said in her remarks that experts found that a gender perspective is not sufficiently incorporated into peace operations. Rather, it is isolated in the form of single staff persons or small units lacking sufficient seniority or resources. This is one question that I hope Mr. Guéhenno will try to address. My next question is to Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer. One of the points made in these discussions about the role of women is that women actually can and do make a difference when they are involved in delivering peace. For example, I understand that President Clinton said in July, after the Camp David talks, that “If we had women at Camp David, we would have an agreement.” We also know that when they are involved in peace, women actually make a difference in some areas. I have been given the example of something called Jerusalem Link, a federation of Palestinian and Israeli women’s groups. In 2000 apparently its platform served as a blueprint for negotiations over the final status of Jerusalem during the Oslo process. Of course, we all know how difficult the Jerusalem issue is. Are there concrete examples that can be provided of where the participation of women has made a difference in terms of delivering peace? It strengthens the case for saying: let us get women more involved. I noticed, for example, that, with regard to your debate, Mr. President, on the West Africa workshop, we were very concerned that all the good work that we had done in Sierra Leone might be lost by the new fighting breaking out in Liberia. I noticed that one of the two experts, Ms. Ellen Johnson Salib, is from Liberia. In my own brief visit to Liberia, I found the women in Liberia quite engaged and outspoken. Can she illustrate how the women of Liberia can play a role in trying to contain a real-life dangerous conflict that is troubling the Security Council now? That is just one example. The others that can be provided will be very helpful. I do actually want to apologize to Mr. Guéhenno, Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer. If I am not here to listen to their responses, I will be fully briefed. My apologies if I attend to other commitments. Finally, two concluding points. One is that I would like to support the final concrete appeal that Ms. Heyzer made at the end of her statement about the women in Rwanda and providing some form of sufficient protection from the obvious difficulties they are facing. I hope that something can be done about that. Secondly, I wanted to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the initiative of launching this debate. As I explained earlier, I think that it is a real issue and not one that should be dismissed. Even though there are other voices in the corridors of the United Nations that say that the Security Council’s job is not involved in norm creation but rather to handle specific issues, I think that in this particular case the Council can make a difference. I hope that, when the two reports come out in October, the Council will use them to continue the process. One debate is not going to change the course of events, but it is part of a very important process. I congratulate you, Sir, for participating in this.

I think I have missed a trick in this debate. I think that I should have left time for every spouse of a male member of the Security Council to have the right of reply. I am going to surprise Ambassador Mahbubani and ask Angela and Noleen to respond to his questions now. Ms. King: Indeed, it is very important to have live examples. Because we were somewhat limited, I think we were a little reluctant to go into them, but the study for the Secretary-General is replete with examples. I would just mention the instance of the women in Burundi who got together and drew up a list of demands, and eventually — thanks to some United Nations agencies, including UNDP and UNIFEM and the leader, who was Mr. Mandela — most of those recommendations were included in the final agreement. I would also mention the Somali women who constituted themselves into a sixth clan because they could not get into the main factions. They were very successful in bringing together the warring clan leaders at the peace table. Some of that has fallen apart, but these are very significant issues. I think members are well aware of and very au fait with the question of the Mano River Peace Women’s Network and how those women brought together the two presidents of Guinea and Sierra Leone. In the case of Liberia and Sierra Leone, women were also very successful in actually going out into the fields, mountains and places were there were no roads to persuade young child soldiers to lay down arms and to be part of the disarmament process. What one of the studies in South Africa showed was that women tend to be less hierarchical. They also tend to link up with local women’s organizations. They set role models for local women. The local women also tend to be better conveyers of the message of peace than some of the men. There are many others, but I am sure that Noleen has some others. These are just some of them. Ms. Heyzer: All of us have our impressions. The kinds of impressions that we make and the kinds of positions that we take come from our life experiences. The representative of Singapore has the unusual opportunity to come from a place that is relatively secure. So maybe some of these issues appear to be politically correct rather than being something very urgent that needs to be addressed. But I also know that, especially in countries in areas of conflict — and especially when I have been with the women on the ground — these are not politically correct situations. They are life-and-death situations. They are situations that can make a difference. What we decide on here to guide them will really make a difference. Therefore, it is not with the invisible elephant of scepticism but rather in efforts to change our perceptions, enlarge our experiences and immerse ourselves in the reality of the other that we tend to represent in a situation of this nature. We have been very much involved in trying to bring women from all sides together in the peace process. In fact, with regard to the discussion on the Sudan, for many years we have brought together women from the north and south and have supported the work of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). In fact, it was precisely the death of a woman from IGAD that caused many of these issues to be raised, with a lot of pressure from there. The same is true of the Burundi process; the same is true of the Congo process, and of Guatemala. I could go on. Literally in every conflict we have tried to bring together women across ethnicities and boundaries. What difference does it make? It makes a difference in terms of the issues that it has put onto the peace accords — issues that nobody would want to talk about because of shame, because they could not articulate them, or because there was no representation of them. These are issues of land rights, rape babies, the whole systematic violation of women and redress. There is a whole variety of issues that, unless women were present, would not be put onto the peace table. The same is also true of the participation of women in post-crisis situations. The fact that we helped the training of women in East Timor has allowed them to make sure that, in the restructuring of the constitution, women’s voices are there, and that there is in fact realignment because there is a new opportunity to ensure that the new constitution aligns itself with some of the norms and standards set by the United Nations, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). There are many ways in which women have made a difference. They have made a difference because they know that that is the only way in which they can have a future for themselves and their children.

I am now going to invite two speakers from the rule 37 list. I invite the representative of Jamaica to take a seat at the Council table and to make her statement. Miss Thomas (Jamaica): First of all, let me express my delegation’s congratulation to you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of July. I also commend you for convening this open meeting on conflict, peacekeeping and gender, an issue which the Security Council and the international community have recognized as being as important to the maintenance of international peace and security as the cessation of cross-border conflicts. It has been almost two years since the adoption of Council resolution 1325 (2002) on women, peace and security, which stressed the importance of bringing a gender perspective to the centre of all United Nations peacekeeping, peacemaking, peace-building, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Most importantly, it underscored the need for international attention to what is basically a woman’s human rights, as was underscored by our presentations today. We therefore support the view that this item should be regularly discussed on the international agenda and be given prominence in thematic debates every time a conflict situation is addressed. Today’s meeting serves as timely reminder that mainstreaming of a gender perspective in peacekeeping operations is yet to be fulfilled beyond a normative level and to achieve more operationalized aspects. It is in this regard that we thank the presenters — Under- Secretary-General Guéhenno; Ms. Angela King, from the Department of Women’s Affairs; and Ms. Noeleen Heyzer — for their presentations this morning. As we reflected on the findings of both reports which were shared with us this morning — the Secretary-General’s study and the assessment report of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), we wanted to offer a few comments and observations. First, we concur that the linkage between gender and peace is pervasive and is a complex issue. Experiences have all pointed to the fact that women and girls share similar experience with men and boys during armed conflict, but that the culture of violence and discrimination against women and girls that exists during peace times is exacerbated during conflict. As was clearly stated this morning, women are combatants, victims and perpetrators of violence. Failure to include them in the peacemaking process will only prolong the conflict. One of our observations is that there is a narrow definition of who a soldier is or who a fighter is, which often functions in ways that discriminate against and marginalize women and girls involved in the fighting processes. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation (DDR) programmes. This is an issue that we want to stress. As we have noted and seen from experience, DDR programmes fail to make basic accommodations for women and girls. DDR programmes fall short of the expectation of rehabilitating women and girls into society. What often obtains is that the woman returns to a life of poverty, or even faces stigmatization. Is there any way — and this is something that we could throw to the agencies that might be in the room, as well as to the Security Council — in which the Security Council, the United Nations and its funds and programmes could consider practical ways for a DDR structure to take into account the needs of female ex- combatants to ensure their rehabilitation into society? Perhaps we could elaborate whether such programmes exist. Violence against women is also a growing concern, as was mentioned in the presentation this morning. We commend the positive developments in international humanitarian law, including the work of the ad hoc International Criminal Court and the special court for Sierra Leone, in defining rape and other forms of sexual violence as war crimes and crimes against humanity. This augurs well for ending impunity for violence against women. However, this legal framework should be complemented at the local level by a comprehensive framework aimed at improving existing protection for women and girls. The reports of gender-based violence and related security issues in peacekeeping operations also need to be addressed. I was very pleased to hear the commitment by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to address this issue. Therefore, training peacekeepers in gender awareness and gender sensitivity before they go to the field, and while they are in the field, is of paramount importance. The training should not only be one shot, but continuous. There is also a need for streamlined codes of conduct and investigative and disciplinary mechanisms to be coordinated among the agencies both in the field and at Headquarters. I invite representatives to comment on that as well. We see that domestic violence has become more widespread and systematic in conflict and post-conflict situations. We must commend the United Nations efforts in this area in addressing this in a peacekeeping environment. We have seen very positive examples in Kosovo and East Timor. The question is: how can capacities within the peacekeeping operations be strengthened to address this crisis? We could suggest a couple of things: possibly we need more counsellors on staff in peacekeeping operations, as well as more training to deal with domestic violence. We have noted at the international level that States Parties to the Statute of the ICC can now undertake national law reform to ensure compatibility with the Statute as a matter of priority and support universal jurisdiction, which plays close attention to crimes against women. This is a positive step. At the field and institutional levels we need possibly to implement other tangible things, too. This leads us into the role of conflict prevention, peace-building and peacemaking. Women have played an instrumental role in early warning and conflict prevention. I need not elaborate on what has been said previously, but I would encourage that there be innovative ways of including women in peace talks and negotiations. One tangible way of doing this is, first, to have closer collaboration with the non-governmental organization community and, secondly, the United Nations should continue its thrust towards strengthening the capacities of the non-governmental organizations and women’s groups, because, as has been observed, the expertise exists there. But do they have the capacity? Do they have the financing to fulfil their role as women in a very active way in the peace process? Here I want to commend the work of UNIFEM at the field level in capacity-building and training with non-governmental organizations, and also the work of the departments of women’s affairs at the governmental level. Lastly, I address the Security Council in terms of ensuring that women’s concerns are incorporated in the Council’s mandates and into its decision-making. I believe that there should be a more systematic mechanism to enable women’s participation in Security Council missions. The missions to conflict areas should endeavour to meet with gender advisors to gain insight into the role of women’s groups, as well as to ensure informed decision-making in the formulation of peacekeeping mandates. Most importantly, within DPKO, we firmly believe that there needs to be a greater level of coordination between Headquarters and the field. This would facilitate a more coherent policy on gender mainstreaming and the fact that gender is taken into account in the design and planning of all peacekeeping operations. It is against this background that we support the creation of a senior agenda advisor within DPKO who will serve as a focal point for giving policy advice to gender advisors in the field, as well as feed into the gender policy on gender mainstreaming. We are happy to hear that there are plans to have an agenda advisor in the Under-Secretary-General’s Office. We would hope that this gender advisor would be at a sufficiently senior level in order to have access to the Under-Secretary-General. In conclusion, the need to appoint more women as Special Representatives of the Secretary-General has been highlighted. We note that there has been some improvement, but we hope that more will be done. In this regard, we encourage Member States to endeavour to put forward to the Secretary-General names of women with the requisite experience and qualifications who can fulfil this task.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of Chile, whom I invite to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. President, I thank you for convening this public debate on an important topic that cuts across all aspects of human well-being — namely, the maintenance of peace. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary- General Guéhenno, Assistant Secretary-General Angela King, and Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), for their statements. Women and children represent more than three- quarters of the 40 million people throughout the world who have been displaced by armed conflict or by human rights violations. My country, whose armed forces are brilliantly led by a woman minister, therefore welcomed with enthusiasm and renewed optimism the adoption by this body of resolution 1325 (2000), which attaches great importance to the role of women in conflict prevention, the promotion of peace and assistance in post-conflict reconstruction. This has given even greater resonance to the words of the United Nations Charter relating to “saving future generations from the scourge of war” and proclaiming “the equal rights of men and women”, thus giving renewed impetus to the urgent task of achieving concrete results in this area. The time has come to remove the barriers that prevent women from effectively participating in decision-making processes and foreclose opportunities for them to accede to the spheres of power. Mainstreaming the gender perspective into peacekeeping operations should become a priority item on Government agendas. Since the call contained in the Beijing Platform of Action for all necessary steps to be taken to establish a culture of peace, the international community has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of multilateral initiatives aimed at giving women the opportunity to play an important role in decision-making processes related to conflicts. While these are certainly valuable initiatives, they are still insufficient to achieve a just balance of opportunities for those who in fact constitute the main targets in armed conflicts. It is common knowledge that peace processes are weakened when women are not included, and a consensus exists that, when a society collapses on account of conflict, women play a critical role in the maintenance of daily life. The words of the Secretary- General in this connection are unambiguous when he says that women are the ones “who build bridges and walls”. Chile looks forward to the appointment of a woman as Special Representative or Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for peace missions. We also advocate greater participation by women as military observers, civilian police and human rights and humanitarian affairs personnel. In assuming our responsibility as active members of the Group of Friends of resolution 1325 (2000), and with a view to contributing to the implementation of that resolution, Chile has accepted the challenge of organizing, together with the presidency of the European Union, an international conference next November on “The role of women in peacekeeping operations”, which will open new avenues for the practical implementation of the item under discussion. The conference would include the participation of the United Nations, civil society, experts and Governments and would seek to discuss all of the most important aspects of women’s roles, not only as victims of armed conflict but also as part of the solution to such conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction. As a result, the conference must adopt a series of recommendations that could be useful to the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the rest of the United Nations system in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Likewise, Chile is extremely interested in the report being prepared by the Secretary-General that was requested by that resolution. In our opinion, it should be the cornerstone for follow-up on this issue here in the United Nations.

I will now come back to three speakers on the Council list. Then I will come back to the Under-Secretary-General to comment on everything raised so far.

The organization of this meeting is evidence of our Council’s will and determination to continue to assume our responsibilities in the framework of the follow-of resolution 1325 (2000), entitled “Women, peace and security”. Through this resolution the Security Council underscored not only the impact of conflict on women but also their role in conflict settlement and in peace- building. It also emphasized the duties of the different players in the international community. The important presentations just made by Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Ms. Angela King and Ms. Noeleen Heyzer shed further light on the efforts that are under way for the effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). I would like, on this occasion, to express my delegation’s appreciation to them for the quality of the work accomplished. By adopting the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the international community recognized, among other things, the importance of questions related to women in armed conflict. The conclusions of the 1998 and 2001 sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women, as well as the recommendations of the ad hoc committee of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, “Beijing plus five”, also underscored these questions in many regards. In the framework of the effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) for which responsibility falls on Governments, on the United Nations system, on regional and subregional organizations, as well as on non-governmental organizations and civil society, the following considerations deserve to be emphasized. First, within the United Nations system, every body must identify clearly those areas in which it can make its contribution. The tank will then be to seek out areas of complementarity among the different bodies. In this regard, cooperation between Ms. Angela King’s office, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is to be encouraged. Secondly, at the country, regional and subregional levels, it will be necessary to strengthen the accomplishments, to share experiences and to envisage appropriate solutions. In this context, I am pleased to note the important role being played by Guinean women aimed at putting an end to instability in the West African subregion. In fact, the Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (REFAMP) organized a subregional conference in Conakry, from 24 to 26 January 2000 on the prevention and settlement of conflicts. This initiative was supported by the women of the Mano River Union, at the subregional level, as was indicated a while ago by Ms. Angela King. My delegation appreciates similar initiatives undertaken in other regions and subregions, and believes that the United Nations should gather information on these different experiences, so that it can be shared with the international community. Thirdly, in the context of non-governmental organizations, we appreciate the work of the Working Group on Women, International Peace and Security. Its actions deserve to be supported by all. We also believe that a sharing of experiences among these different parties will contribute to an overall understanding of the question before us. My delegation appreciates the role of coordination played by Ms. Angela King’s office through the establishment of a study group on resolution 1325 (2000) to contribute to the preparation of the Secretary-General’s report. We are awaiting this report with interest. In our opinion, it will take into account the multidimensional nature of the impact of conflicts on women and young girls, as well as their role in the prevention and settlement of conflicts and in peace-building. We are also convinced that the report will assess the implementation of the different provisions of the resolution and identify the obstacles to be overcome, while placing emphasis on the respective responsibilities of the different players. My country, Guinea, which has experience in the area now before us, is prepared to make its contribution to this shared effort.

I want to say, first of all, that I was extremely struck by the comment made by my friend, Christian Maquieira of Chile, on women ministers of defense. It seems that this is a practice that is becoming fashionable in Latin America according to news reports. There are comments and suggestions that I would like to make in this connection. The first comment relates to peacekeeping operations. I would like to commend Under-Secretary- General Guéhenno on his efforts to mainstream the gender perspective in peacekeeping operations. It is necessary to continue to work to ensure that this is a systematic process that can be supported, we hope, by a focal point. I think you have made some announcements in this respect. What we want to emphasize is the need to consolidate some sort of disciplinary mechanism, or to establish a code of conduct that can prevent and punish abuses that might be committed by peacekeepers, or by humanitarian workers, or by any person who is involved in providing protection and assistance to communities that are affected by situations of armed conflict. It is fundamental that we support, without reserve, the policy of zero tolerance that has been affirmed by the Secretary-General. The second comment that I have relates to peace- building and reconstruction. The contribution of women in this field is often marginalized. But experience has shown that dealing with women as merely a vulnerable group is not appropriate. In practice, women can produce a turnaround in the dynamics of negotiation. In this regard, I believe that the examples that we have seen in response to the comments made by Ambassador Mahbubani are of great interest. Women managed to produce commitments that are more community-based. I think that in Western Africa there are very concrete examples of this. They have contributed, moreover, to those agreements that have been more successful in the long term. This is why we believe that it is important to actively and systematically promote the involvement of women at every stage of the peace process. Even though a peace process may be fraught with difficulties, it is important to maintain that involvement. But the involvement cannot stop at that. It must also include involvement in rebuilding the political, economic and social structure after the conflict. This also concerns the daily decision-making processes of the State. The Council must, therefore, play a central role in this regard, not only by promoting the involvement of women in peacekeeping processes, but also by promoting specific measures for women within those agreements. For the information of the presenters here and my colleagues on the Security Council, we are informally examining the feasibility of doing some kind of work on the gender issue and on the question of gender, small arms and light weapons during our own term as President in December. There are a number of months before that time, but we would be extremely grateful for any comments and suggestions that you may have in this respect. I want to conclude with two concrete suggestions for the report. First, something very brief on the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) processes. Here I just want to echo what was stated by our colleague from Jamaica. In other words, it is vital that women be empowered, bearing in mind their multiple roles as ex-combatants, as mothers, as providers of information, as widows, as victims, so that we can best document what the concrete contribution of women is in the DDR processes, and what can be done so that there can be greater participation of women in these processes. This is information that can be of great usefulness to the Council, because this is one of the greatest bottlenecks in Sierra Leone, specifically in the framework of the recent debate that we have on Western Africa. The second suggestion relates to resolution 1325 (2000). This is a resolution that is rather special because it is different from many others adopted owing to its thematic subjects. This has generated more activity on the part of civil society than any other thematic resolution. This resolution has been disseminated globally, with local implementation, and that has been the case in many places, even places not on the Council’s agenda. Resolution 1325 (2000) became a real tool, and it is hard for me to imagine any other resolution with those specific characteristics. I would like to suggest to Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer that the reports should document the usefulness of that resolution, so the Security Council can be reassured that a document truly can produce change in the lives of people. I think there are many lessons to be learned from resolution 1325 (2002) for other thematic areas where there has been less success.

It was an important breakthrough when the Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000) and included women, peace and security on its agenda. That resolution provides us with an instrument to ensure the full and equal participation of women at all levels of decision-making and in promoting peace efforts, including conflict prevention and resolution and post-conflict reconstruction. I commend you, Mr. President, and the United Kingdom presidency for organizing this meeting. It is clearly important that the Security Council actively follow up resolution 1325 (2000) and its implementation. I want to thank Angela King for her leadership in preparing the study on women, girls, peace and security, and Jean-Marie Guéhenno and Noeleen Heyzer for their important contributions. I am pleased to learn that recommendations for future action have been identified during the work on the study. We are looking forward to being able to closely examine the study and the report of the Secretary-General. The recommendations will be crucial for further progress in this field. During the spring of this year several Arias formula meetings were held to provide members of the Security Council with information and views on the status of women in war-affected areas. We heard accounts of horrifying human rights breaches and abuse. Despite the many bleak stories, it must be stressed that women must not be viewed only as victims of crime and abuse. Women are peacemakers and peace builders and it is of the utmost importance that they be included at all levels of peace planning and in efforts to maintain peace in a post-conflict situation. Norway has actively supported strengthening of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) with regard to gender issues. I regret that the gender adviser posts previously proposed by DPKO were not given needed support. We continue to believe that these posts are necessary and hope the study will contain a recommendation to include gender advisers in DPKO. We also look forward to revision of the standard operating procedures to include gender perspectives. Policy- and decision makers need to pay attention to gender-based differences. We recommend that gender focal points be established in all United Nations mandated operations and that gender awareness be included in training packages intended for peacekeeping personnel. Also, more efforts should be made to seek out women candidates and promote women to positions, both in peace missions and as special representatives of the Secretary-General. I also hope the forthcoming recommendations will include practical and detailed mechanisms to ensure accountability for gender mainstreaming. Implementation remains the most challenging part of this work, and efforts should be made to develop practical tools and training. In conclusion, I take this opportunity to suggest that a guidance note on gender perspectives be prepared which details issues that should be included in reports to the Security Council.

I bring in Under-Secretary- General Guéhenno again to respond to some of the points that have come up. Mr. Guéhenno: The ambassador of Singapore asked a very pointed question: how can we make sure that gender mainstreaming gets the priority and attention it deserves? He correctly stressed this is more than a question of procedures and having the right administrative unit here or there. It is a mindset and an issue of the core values the United Nations should always embody. We must begin from the top if we want to get it right. The Special Representative of the Secretary- General (SRSG) in each mission must set the example. When we have women SRSGs there can be a natural awareness that is not always there when we have only men. Until recently, there were no women SRSGs in a peacekeeping mission. I am pleased that our Mission in Georgia is now led by a woman and that we are also beginning to have Deputy SRSGs in missions. However, that is certainly not enough. It is fundamental that men who run a number of our missions must have the right awareness, sensitivities and the right priorities. In order to make sure this happens, it is important that they be engaged at the highest level, that we have senior gender advisors in the office of the SRSG. I emphasize the word “senior” because I think that although our people often have the right values, a lot of ignorance still exists. The issue is not always understood, because it is not always put in concrete terms and because we have to fight centuries of neglect and, in some cases, arrogance. If we want to win the battle, it is essential that there be a dialogue at the senior level and at Headquarters, where it is important that the issue of gender mainstreaming not be taken as just one of the many tasks that have to be performed, like managing planes, like a sort of technical issue or an afterthought in a myriad of issues. It is something that has to cut across and therefore must be addressed at the senior level. Ignorance means there is a need for a lot of training at all levels, beginning with the briefing packages and briefings organized for SRSGs and the senior staff at the missions and continuing through all levels of staff, as well as the military and the police. A lot of work has already been done. There is now a training module that has to be systematically implemented with our troops and police. It also has to be shared with the troop-contributing countries so that the mindset we need to create in missions can be prepared through a joint effort with the Member States. To conclude my answer to Ambassador Mahbubani’s question, I would say it is essential that we have a partnership on this issue with the Member States. In that respect I commend the efforts of Chile, with its regional initiative. This kind of initiative moves things forward. As pointed out by several delegates, Member States also need to have the right resources at the right level so that the issue is addressed more systematically, not as isolated examples in different missions. We must learn from our successes so that we can transfer what has been done right in, let’s say, East Timor, to what could be done better in this or that mission. This requires engagement at the highest level.

We will have two more speakers from our rule 37 list. I invite the representative of Canada to the table.

Thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this public meeting. Resolution 1325 (2000) was a determining factor for strengthening the place of women in Security Council actions for the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. As we meet today, almost two years after the adoption of that resolution, it is high time to see how much progress has been accomplished and how much remains to be done. (spoke in English) As we have heard this morning, accountability is crucial to progress on this area as on other areas of human security. In that regard, Canada was pleased to co-fund the assessment by the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children of the guidelines of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the protection of refugee women. The issue of accountability for the protection of refugee women is a major element of that assessment exercise, made further relevant by recent allegations of sexual extortion in West Africa. We look forward to effective follow-up and implementation of the recommendations of the assessment. Progress has also been made in mainstreaming gender considerations into international humanitarian and criminal law. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which came into effect on 1 July, contains modern definitions of crimes against women in conflict situations, such as rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence. The Statute will ensure that the Court will have personnel and judges with legal and practical expertise in prosecuting crimes against women and children. Furthermore, it is expected that the complementary jurisdiction of the ICC will encourage States to fulfil their own basic obligations to prevent and punish crimes. We look forward to efforts by States members of the Court to assist the Court. Canada will do its part to facilitate the Court’s efforts to prosecute and deter crimes of sexual violence, including those that might eventually be committed by peacekeepers under a United Nations flag. The ICC can be an invaluable and central part of the international response to gender-based violence in conflict. As Angela King noted, many Member States and the Secretariat are strongly committed to integrating a gender perspective into efforts to secure and promote peace, and we commend Mr. Guéhenno for his very encouraging statement this morning. However, while progress has been made in many areas, our collective record to date in implementing the provisions of resolution 1325 (2000) is not as strong as it could be or as effective as it must become. Even a cursory review of reports by the Secretary-General to the Council and of associated resolutions is enough to see that gender issues are still not receiving the attention they warrant. For the Council, whether in the context of approving new or renewed peacekeeping mandates or of reviewing the humanitarian impact of sanctions, gender implications must be integral to its analysis and to its decisions. We urge the Council to be vigorous and persistent in ensuring that its own resolutions relating to women, peace and security — and also to the protection of civilians more generally — are implemented. The periodic appearances of Special Representatives of the Secretary-General before the Council present very useful opportunities to press this issue with people responsible in the field. Secretariat staff need the tools and the know-how to integrate gender perspectives into their work. To date, the development and the use of such tools have not been adequate. As a result, the provisions of resolution 1325 (2000) are not being implemented sufficiently on the ground. I agree entirely with the Permanent Representative of Singapore that, in areas such as this, specificity is credibility. I call on the Secretariat to go beyond abstractions and to give us the straight facts. The graphic presentation of Noeleen Heyzer this morning made clear how bad the situation still is for too many women in too many conflicts, and how far we still have to go to give concrete expression to our principled aspirations. In that regard, following your direction, Mr. President, I should like to ask a question, which is addressed to Under-Secretary-General Guéhenno. In his speech, he referred to progress in five missions. I would welcome an indication of how well we are doing — or perhaps of how well we will be doing — in some of the other missions that were not mentioned. We agree with Ms. King that, at Headquarters, it is essential that gender expertise be established within individual United Nations departments and agencies, such as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), and not simply within the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. To that end, we and others will again urge the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly to authorize the resources that DPKO needs to be able to integrate gender perspectives fully into United Nations peacekeeping operations. We invite Council members to join in that effort. Without such capacity, efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000) in the field will not succeed. Equally, it is our responsibility as Member States to implement this important resolution in our own domestic and international practices and to ensure that the United Nations system is equipped to do so as well. Mr. President, in the light of your wish to make sure that statements stay a reasonable length, I shall omit in my oral presentation the description of the things that Canada is doing domestically, although we shall circulate our written text. Finally, we were pleased to convene the first meeting of the Friends of Women on peace and security, and we look forward to working in that area with Chile and other interested countries. We also look forward to the release of the full reports of the Secretariat and of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. In addition, we look forward to working with other Member States to continue to promote the integration of gender perspectives into the work of the United Nations system and to the full and effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We thank you again, Mr. President, for having provided the general membership with this invaluable opportunity to discuss with the Council the implementation of that seminal resolution.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of the Republic of Korea. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table.

My delegation welcomes today’s debate as a timely opportunity to review developments since the adoption of the Security Council’s landmark resolution 1325 (2000), of 31 October 2000. On this occasion, we renew our commitment to the important roles that women can play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building, as well as to mainstreaming a gender perspective into all United Nations activities in this area. My delegation would like to thank Under- Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guéhenno for giving perspective to today’s debate. My delegation would also like to express its appreciation to Ms. Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, for her tireless contributions on this subject. In particular, we applaud her efforts in leading the study on women, peace and security, as mandated by the resolution. We also commend Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), for the clarity and realism with which she conveyed to us what resolution 1325 (2000) means to women in the field and what it takes to put it into action. We look forward to the publication of the Secretary-General’s report on this issue. We hope that it will contain concrete recommendations for expanding the role of women in conflict resolution, as well as their participation in peacekeeping missions. In many situations of armed conflict, women are the most vulnerable and the most adversely affected. They are also survivors, with a resourcefulness that enables them to overcome enormous odds. A clear understanding of their needs and of their participation as key stakeholders in conflict resolution and in peace- building should greatly increase the chances for long- term, sustainable peace settlements. The starting point is to see women as active agents of change, not merely as victims or as vulnerable segments of a society. Indeed, recent experiences of conflict resolution in Afghanistan and in Sierra Leone provide evidence that the peace effort is greatly strengthened by the active participation of women in key roles. My delegation believes that greater efforts need to be directed towards gender mainstreaming in all activities of the United Nations in the field of conflict resolution and peacekeeping. Women should be involved in far greater numbers in the ongoing endeavours to promote peace, including through their appointments as special representatives and special envoys of the Secretary-General. Indeed, their serving in such high-level United Nations positions would have a positive impact on the role of women in conflict situations. We support the strengthening of women’s capacities to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations as well as in decision-making at all levels. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of gender units in the peacekeeping missions, the most prominent example being the case of East Timor. We also support the proposed establishment of gender posts in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. If we are committed to making gender mainstreaming an indispensable part of the peace efforts in the field, it is only appropriate that such efforts be backed up and coordinated by full-time staff here at Headquarters. In a conflict situation in which gender-based violence is often utilized as a tool of intimidation and war, the full force of international humanitarian and human rights law should be brought to bear upon the perpetrators. Past experience has taught us that without accountability with respect to criminal responsibility, the foundation of a durable and lasting peace will remain shaky. Thus, my delegation applauds the ongoing efforts to bring an end to the culture of impunity, such as the listing of the crime of rape in the statutes of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, and of the International Criminal Court, as establishing important legal precedents. In this way, the international community is sending a clear and powerful message that gender-based violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent provided under the law. In the same vein, there is a need to establish an adequate system of reporting on gender-based violence, exploitation and trafficking of women and girls, along with enforcement, disciplinary and monitoring mechanisms for peacekeeping missions. In this regard, my delegation supports gender and peacekeeping training in the field. Finally, my delegation expresses its strong hope that the Security Council will continue to provide further momentum to according women equal and full representation in matters of sustainable peace, security and harmony around the world.

Mr. President, I wish to thank you for having organized this debate, which not only represents an opportunity to help Ms. King and her staff in drafting this report and its conclusions — and we thank her for her tireless efforts in this area — but it also allows the Council to send a strong signal concerning the importance we attach to this topic in our proceedings. Up to now, the discussion has been very interesting, and I should like in particular to thank Mr. Guéhenno for his very interesting remarks. It is very encouraging to see his Department sensitized to this issue. The representative of the European Union will shortly be making a detailed statement on behalf of the Union. As an associated country, Bulgaria fully subscribes to that statement. Civilian populations suffer the most from the consequences of conflicts. In those situations, women, children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. They are exploited and very often deliberately targeted as a strategic weapon. We all recall the way in which rape was used in the conflict in Bosnia in particular. Women and girls make up a disproportionate number of the civilians affected by armed conflict. They are subjected to forcible displacement, human trafficking, torture and violence, including, and especially, sexual violence. Women and girls have the unhappy privilege of making up the majority of refugee populations and displaced persons, and they remain at risk even in post- conflict periods, because international human rights norms and the norms of international humanitarian law, which are intended to protect them, are rarely applied to them. But women do not have to be only victims in conflict situations; indeed, they can play a crucial role in conflict resolution and in the post-conflict reconstruction of a society. Equitable representation of women at all levels of negotiations is essential in order to bring about lasting peace and security. The presence of women in all phases of peacekeeping missions must be visible and constant. Although they are still underrepresented in decision- making positions, women little by little have begun to participate actively in conflict resolution and in decision-making. This is an encouraging trend. We must create the necessary conditions for them to be greater stakeholders and to encourage them to participate more actively. It is also necessary to maintain basic social services, in particular those for women and children, in post-conflict situations. Social cohesion, which is necessary to stabilize States, must be strengthened by strengthening equality between men and women and respecting their rights. Reconstruction of democratic institutions and of political and public life in a country must go hand in hand with the participation of women in the decision- making process, for reasons of parity. Peacekeeping forces must therefore be sensitized and trained to take into account in their missions of the specific requirements involved in the protection of women. Peacekeepers, the military, civilian police and civil servants all must be trained on gender issues. This training must be based on the Code of Conduct and on a study of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. In this respect, the remarks just made by Mr. Guéhenno concerning the training of peacekeepers are encouraging. I would simply add that such peacekeeper training must be done in partnership with the troop- contributing countries. Resolution 1325 (2000) explores ways of addressing the different experiences of women in periods of armed conflict and ways of responding to their specific needs, including the respect and promotion of their fundamental rights. Bulgaria sees that resolution as a major achievement of the United Nations and the international community. In this spirit, the Council should envisage specific measures to protect the fundamental rights of women during armed conflicts and to ensure their adequate participation in peacekeeping activities.

I should warn the Council that I intend to suspend the meeting at about 1.10 p.m. and resume at 3 p.m.

The Chinese delegation listened carefully to the statements by Mr. Guéhenno, Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer. We appreciate the efforts that they have made in the promotion of the full and equal participation of women in peacekeeping, as well as their invaluable recommendations. The causes and nature of armed conflicts vary in the different parts of the world. However, all have a grave impact on women. This question is increasingly the subject of concern and attention on the part of the international community. In recent years, the United Nations adopted the Beijing Declaration, the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of Action. Two years ago, the Security Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000). More recently, the special session of the General Assembly on women adopted a political declaration. All those initiatives demonstrate fully the determination and resolve of all States to enhance the status of women and to let woman assume their role. However, it is important to note that these declarations and resolutions have not been implemented in a full and comprehensive manner. With regard to the issue under discussion today, it is key to address two issues. First, the rights and interests of women in armed conflict should be protected. Women should be encouraged to participate in peace negotiations and decision-making. The advantage and potential of women should be utilized in conflict prevention, reconciliation efforts and social reconstruction. Secondly, effective measures should be adopted to eliminate or reduce the tremendous harm done to women by small arms, mines, HIV/AIDS and other violent actions. Once again, we strongly urge all parties to conflicts to abide by international humanitarian law and to respect human rights. We call upon all Governments to investigate and to punish those who have committed crimes against women. We call upon the international community to discuss the practice of double standards and to fully investigate recent events in some regions of the world that have harmed civilians. The international community should make concerted efforts to eliminate the root causes of conflicts, to alleviate poverty and to spread education, so as to protect the rights of women and children from harm in a fundamental manner. If more women can participate in conflict resolution and peacekeeping activities, it will be possible not only to minimize the impact of conflict on women but also to promote the establishment of lasting and effective peace. This question touches upon a wide range of areas. It calls for concerted efforts by all parties. The agencies of the United Nations system should utilize their collective advantage so as to achieve the greatest results in their work. Conducting work in this area, the Security Council should fully respect the work conducted by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other organs. We support the action plan on the division of work formulated by the task force of Inter-agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality. We look forward to the publication of the integral report of the Secretary-General on the impact of gender on the peace process.

We join others in thanking Under-Secretary-General Guéhenno, Ms. Angela King and Ms. Heyzer for their very elaborate and useful presentations. Today’s discussion has enabled us to get a broader view of the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, the gender dimensions of peace processes and conflict resolution and the role of women in peace-building. This meeting is an opportunity to take into account the study carried out in collaboration with Ms. King’s office, with a view to implementing resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000. We would also like to thank all those who have contributed to making this study possible. The delegation of Mauritius is happy to see the issue of the protection of the most vulnerable members of society brought to the forefront and to see a culture of protection and prevention being developed progressively. We fully agree with the analysis of the study with regard to the systematic targeting of women and girls during armed conflicts, due to their vulnerable status in society. Statistics testify that the vast majority of victims of armed conflicts throughout the world are women and children. Women have assumed and have been made to assume different roles during conflicts. While in some cases they have actively participated in conflicts and have fought side by side with men, in most cases they are used as human shields, sex slaves and porters during conflicts. Not only are their human rights flouted but their dignity is undermined. They have undergone untold suffering and various other miseries. It is most unfortunate that very little has been done to alleviate their sufferings, and yet, women can play an important role in peacemaking, such as the Mano River Women’s Peace Network, which is doing an excellent job in the Mano River Union countries, and the Comoros Women’s Association, which organized a weapon collection programme on the island of Anjouan during the internal conflicts. Such endeavours at the local grassroots level should be recognized and encouraged. Through its peacekeeping missions and humanitarian organisations, the United Nations should step up efforts to work closely and in a coordinated manner with regional, subregional and non- governmental organizations to sensitize women with regard to gender-based violence, the possibilities of protection from all forms of violence and the rights of women and children. This could be done through the development of general terms of reference for gender specialists within human rights components of peacekeeping operations and through the proper training of peacekeepers on gender and women’s rights issues. In line with the Brahimi recommendations, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should work closely with the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues in implementing projects designed to support the work of the civilian police in the field. We would like to highlight the historic move taken by the African Union recently in Durban towards gender equality in Africa. Accordingly, the African heads of State have endorsed a set of recommendations that calls for a 50 per cent participation of women in all African Union organs. Their initiative is commendable and should be followed by other regional groups in order to ensure the adequate representation of women’s interests at all levels, including key organs dealing with the maintenance of peace and security. Due attention should also be given to women when creating peacekeeping and post-conflict peacekeeping operations. Necessary assistance should be given to women who have suffered rape and other atrocities and to those women and girls who are willing to testify against the perpetrators of such crimes. We also propose that programmes for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration should include provisions for counselling and providing advice to women who have undergone traumas of conflict. In order to reintegrate these women in normal life, they should be fully rehabilitated and provided with the necessary assistance. In this respect, we highlight the need for women to have access to funds, the labour market and training facilities that will give them opportunities to contribute to the welfare and well-being of their families, as well as to society, in the most effective manner. Finally, it is the view of my delegation that women can play an important role in preventing conflict, peacemaking and peace-building. We need to empower them and enhance their role so that they can make their valuable contribution to international peace and security.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of Denmark. I invite her to take a seat at the Council table and to make her statement.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union — Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia — and the associated countries, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, as well as the EFTA country of the European Economic Area, Iceland, align themselves with this statement. We appreciate that this important issue is once again on the agenda of the Security Council. Resolution 1325 (2000) is a landmark resolution very much welcomed by the European Union. It has contributed significantly to the systematic inclusion of certain agenda issues in the consideration of conflict and peace efforts by the United Nations system. A solid momentum has been created, but more has to be done in order to implement the recommendations of the resolution. In this respect we look forward to the action plan on implementation foreseen by the Secretary- General in his report on the prevention of armed conflict of June 2001 (S/2001/574). The European Union shall refrain from reiterating well-known positions on today’s theme. We welcome, however, the opportunity to participate in the process of developing this new and important area by offering a few specific recommendations with regard to conflict, peacekeeping and gender. The first suggestion that I would like to make is a revision of the existing guidelines and standard operating procedures. The Strategic Manual on Multidimensional Peacekeeping should include a chapter on gender mainstreaming. In addition, tools and mechanisms to mainstream gender in all aspects of peace operations should be developed. Proper standard operating procedures on gender should be prepared in order to support systematic implementation and monitoring of progress. In addition, it is our view that all United Nations-mandated military operations should operate in accordance with the Secretary-General’s bulletin on observance by United Nations forces of international humanitarian law. The second suggestion relates to organization and training. We have noted that gender offices have been established in three field missions and that they have achieved good results. We recommend that gender offices or focal points be established in all missions and that they be provided with the necessary support. In addition, proper training packages for all civilian, police and military personnel at all levels should be developed. In the opinion of the European Union we should spare no effort to increase the participation of women at decision-making levels in conflict resolution and peace processes. The European Union is concerned about the limited number of women appointed as Special Representatives or Special Envoys of the Secretary-General to peace missions. Member States and the Secretary-General should more efficiently promote the appointment of female candidates to these positions. The European Union believes that there should be a focal point on gender issues in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in order to improve mainstreaming of gender issues in the entire work of the Department and to backstop the gender offices or focal points in the field missions. In addition, we believe that an increase in the number of women at decision-making levels in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs would be supportive to the advancement of gender issues in relation to peace processes. Women are not just victims in armed conflicts. They can be combatants, prisoners, leaders, negotiators, peacemakers and peacekeepers, as well as activists. Women have the potential to play a more important role in the peacemaking and peace-building processes. There should, however, be a more systematic approach to gender mainstreaming with regard to peacemaking and peace-building. We should, therefore, recommend that a gender perspective be integrated into any mandate and peace plan, as this will enhance the possibility of success. In this respect, allow me, Mr. President, to refer to the very constructive ideas on the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) forwarded to the Council by Ms. Carolyn McAskie, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, during last week’s open meeting on the Mano River. It is obvious that inclusion of such elements in mandates requires that gender experts contribute to all stages of the planning of peace operations, including mission planning and staffing. Furthermore, it would indeed also be important to develop some practical guidelines based on lessons learned on how to include community level and non- governmental organizations in peacemaking, especially women’s groups. These guidelines should also address how the full and active participation of women in the reconstruction of society and in institution-building could take place in practical terms. As mentioned by the representative of Chile, the European Union and the Latin American countries are right now are in the process of planning a conference on women in peace operations. The conference is to take place in Chile this coming fall and aims at raising general awareness on gender dimensions in peace processes in the European Union and in the Latin American countries and at supporting the exchange of knowledge and experience on national and regional capacity-building with regard to international peace operations. The European Union puts great emphasis on the issue of conflict, peacekeeping and gender, and we will continue to pursue our supporting policies in this regard. I hope that the practical proposals that I have offered today will help develop the Secretary-General’s study in a way that will allow it to provide concrete recommendations on the way forward.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of Nigeria. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Let me congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of July. We recall with satisfaction your role in the Economic and Social Council, where you effectively coordinated the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in United Nations policies and programmes. In situations of conflict, women and children constitute the vast majority of civilians adversely affected. They suffer tremendous deprivations. They are abducted, tortured and recruited as domestic and sex slaves. They become refugees and internally displaced persons. Consequently, Nigeria believes that an essential aspect of conflict prevention must include the strengthening of the rule of law, and, within that, the protection of women’s rights based on gender equality through constitutional, legislative, judicial and electoral reform. We observe that ever since the first World Conference on Women held in Mexico in 1975, there has been the recognition that women have an important role to play in the promotion of peace. Furthermore, the Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, and the agreed conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women of 1998 called on Governments and international organizations to protect women in armed conflict and to support their participation in all aspects of peace support, including conflict prevention and post-conflict resolution and reconstruction. In this regard, my country’s constitution ensures participation and representation of women at all levels of government, with the objective of prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. The Security Council, in its resolution 1325 (2000), recognized the negative impact of armed conflict on women and the need for effective institutional arrangements to guarantee their protection. The Council further recognized that the full participation of women in peace processes can contribute significantly to the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. The Council therefore expressed willingness to incorporate a gender perspective into United Nations peace operations and called for measures that would ensure protection of and respect for the rights of women and children. Nigeria reiterates its support for this resolution, especially the mainstreaming of a gender perspective into peacekeeping. It is gratifying to note that the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda made important contributions in addressing violence against women in armed conflict. Nigeria welcomes the coming into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which stipulates that acts of sexual violence are war crimes when committed within the context of armed conflict. The international community cannot afford to continue to ignore the continued exposure of women and children to the dangers of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis in situations where conflicts have devastated infrastructure needed for immunization. We should therefore live up to our Charter obligations and responsibilities with respect to compliance with international humanitarian law that ensures adequate protection for women and children. In this regard, it is necessary for the Security Council to take effective measures to alleviate the negative impact of economic sanctions on women and children as well as to ensure their timely release when taken hostage. The global commerce in and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, along with landmines and unexploded ordnance, threaten the lives of women and children more than others. War affects every aspect of a child’s development. Malnutrition increases due to displacement and scarcity of food. Resources for social services are diverted into the war effort, and this leads to the deterioration of health services and thus of infant and child mortality rates. The destruction of schools naturally reduces school enrolment. All these elements are common features of today’s conflicts. If we are to ensure the well-being of women and children in the twenty-first century, they deserve special attention and action. In West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a number of initiatives as part of a broad commitment towards enhancing the social, economic and cultural well-being of women and children. These include the establishment of a child protection unit within ECOWAS to protect and enhance the rights of women and children caught in conflict. This arrangement is in constant review to ensure adjustment as the situation demands. The gender dimension in the peace process needs to be adequately addressed. To ensure the effectiveness of peace support operations, the principle of gender equality must permeate entire peacekeeping operations at all levels. This will guarantee the participation of men and women as equal partners in all facets of the peace process. We commend the Secretary-General’s target of 50 per cent of high-level positions to be filled by women. We urge that a gender balance be maintained in the appointment of women and men as special envoys and special representatives, and in the pursuit of good offices on behalf of the Secretary-General, especially in matters relating to peacekeeping and peace-building. Women should also be given the opportunity to serve as coordinators in peacekeeping activities in the areas of food distribution in refugee camps. In this regard, we note that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Fund for the Development of Women (UNIFEM) have made some modest efforts by including women in their field activities. We urge them to do more. The important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building cannot be overemphasized. Women played a significant role in the peace process in Afghanistan, especially during elections to the Loya Jirga. In West Africa, the Mano River Women’s Peace Network continues to make important contributions to the peace process within the Union. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are aware of the gender issues being negotiated by women in the inter-Congolese dialogue. We also note and commend the efforts of Palestinian and Israeli women in the Arias-formula meeting on the situation in the Middle East, in the context of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). Nigeria salutes the efforts of these women. Nigeria notes with satisfaction the contribution of the Secretary-General in monitoring the compliance with and commitment to international law by parties in conflict. We commend the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for the commencement of gender-awareness training in United Nations peace missions. We welcome the increased level of cooperation between Governments, the international community, non- governmental organizations and civil society in providing education, training and humanitarian assistance to women and children. We must sustain the rehabilitation of women and children, as this will facilitate their smooth integration into society. Finally, let us hope that these measures will impact positively on our women and children who are unfortunately caught in conflict situations.

I am going to have to suspend the speakers list for lunch. But before we break, I would like to come back to Angela King and Noeleen Heyzer to see if they want to make any further comments on what they have heard so far. Ms. King: I will return to the question of success stories and scepticism and elephants. I would like to mention that one of the goals on which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and my office are working is to produce gender perspectives in disarmament and peacekeeping. We are working on a series of briefing notes, using methodology from my office but very much incorporating the on-the-ground and headquarters experiences of various offices. This is being done with the very strong support of the head of the Department for Disarmament Affairs and his team. The representative of Colombia said that in December he is hoping to base discussions on gender and small arms. There is already a briefing note on gender perspectives and small arms in that kit on which, I believe, he and the Security Council could build. I think that many of the success stories and the convincing aspects that we are dealing with could be used in a kit like that, where methodologies could be presented. Much of this work is already being done. In fact, the representative of Denmark invited DPKO to include a chapter on gender mainstreaming in the standard operating procedures, and we are currently working very closely with DPKO on exactly that, with the help of some of the gender advisers from the field, particularly from East Timor, one of whom is with us today and is now part of DPKO. The representative of Jamaica wondered just what was being done in the area of disarmament. There are a number of initiatives. UNICEF, for example, is doing its best to separate girl soldiers from adults and to involve them in retraining. There are also — again, in the briefing note on gender perspectives, disarmament and development — two case studies. One is from Albania, showing that in programmes for exchanging weapons for development, women were extremely active. Close to 6,000 weapons and 137 tons of ammunition were collected. Women were particularly active in public information and awareness campaigns in the communities, including through rallies and training programmes. In another example, in Cambodia, at a recent burning-of-weapons ceremony in a disarmament for development programme in Bakan district, around 90 per cent of the participants were women and children. So, hidden in a lot of the available literature are some of these very successful and convincing stories. I know that several members of the inter-Agency group — UNHCR, UNIFEM, UNDP and others — have put together small compilations of such case studies. I believe that out of this debate perhaps a call could come for an official, comprehensive compilation that could be printed and distributed at some point. I know that Mr. Guéhenno has already addressed the question of senior advisors, but I wanted to assure the Security Council that the registry or roster of eminent persons is now in place, under the guidance of the Deputy Secretary-General. The senior appointments group is meeting on a regular basis on this subject. I hope that more women will be appointed Special Representatives of the Secretary-General. Other issues were brought up, such as a code of conduct for peacekeeping. That is also being updated, as are some of the policies on sexual harassment. We are currently working with DPKO to make it more user-friendly. Ms. Heyzer: There were a number of comments to the effect that Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) is the only resolution having a whole constituency. I would like to say that this constituency is our partner to make things happen on the ground. What we have tried to do is to make sure that they have a voice and that they can be visible in the implementation process. What are some of things the Council can do to make sure that this kind of implementation makes a difference at the level of women’s lives? A number of recommendations and findings will be coming out. One of these ideas is that the Council may want to look at and map out some of the responsibilities of the various actors of the United Nations system through the adoption of another resolution. The Council could also respond to the gaps that have been identified by this report. Also, new actors have emerged, such as the financial and regional organizations. We also hope that the Council will make sure that this topic — women, peace and security — will become a regular item on its agenda. What are some of the ideas that women on the ground have raised that could be helpful in terms of peacekeeping operations to protect women and ensure their participation in the peace process? One of the ideas that have come up is to dedicate civilian policing units. This has worked in Kosovo and in East Timor. We can build up on good practices that have worked at the ground level and consider how to disseminate them. Secondly, there is the concept of operation and mandate. We have to have a more gender-sensitive approach. The protection needs will be identified if that concept is incorporated. There has to be greater dialogue with women on the ground. Is it working or not? What are some of the good lessons that have been learned in terms of collaboration? What are some of the gaps that we still need to address? What about the whole need to address women’s organizations and quick-impact projects, and to support and promote the participation of women in peace-building? There is much that we have been able to do in partnership with civil society, but at the same time there is much to be done and a long way to go. We hope that the findings of the two studies will be a step towards making sure that we reach our journey.

We will continue this afternoon, but in view of the hour, I intend, with the concurrence of members of the Council, to suspend the meeting now, until 3 p.m. sharp.