S/PV.4852Resumption1 Security Council

The President: In order to optimize the use of our time, I will not invite speakers individually to take seats at the Council table. When a speaker is taking the floor, the Conference Officer will seat the next speaker on the list at the table. I call on the representative of Italy.

Mr. Spatafora (Italy): I have the honour of taking the floor on behalf of the European Union (EU). The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia and the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey declare that they align themselves with this statement. The European Union welcomes the opportunity to highlight the importance of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). In discussions in the Council last year, the European Union put forward a number of proposals to make the resolution more operational: to revise guidelines and operational procedures; to look into organization and training; to provide gender officers to field missions; and to mainstream gender into all peace mandates, mission planning and staffing. The deliberations of last October confirmed the Council's commitment to gender. I am pleased to inform the Council that the European Union has recently discussed a new initiative that builds on resolution 1325 (2000) and that can serve as a basis for setting up a road map for strengthening a gender perspective in European Union conflict management. Resolution 1325 (2000) represents one of the most important milestones of gender mainstreaming at the United Nations. Since October 2000, that important tool has allowed all United Nations bodies and agencies, through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, to work together on issues related to women and peace and security. It has provided the mandate for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the Department for Disarmament Affairs and the Department of Political Affairs to actively include gender issues on their agendas. It has also encouraged Member States to do the same in their work in the Security Council. Along these lines the European Union, during the Athens Forum on "Gender, Peace and Foreign Policy: the European Union Perspective", held in May 2003, called on Member States to ensure, in a systematic manner, that women in conflict and post-conflict situations were fully empowered. Peace is inextricably linked to equality between women and men. The growing targeting of civilians, particularly women and girls, exacerbates violations of the human rights of women. As shown by the 2002 study on women, peace and security overseen by the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, women are not only victims of armed conflict, they are also active agents and often direct participants in conflict. Women also play an active role in informal peace processes before, during, and after conflicts, although they are frequently excluded from formal peace processes, including negotiations and the drafting of peace accords and reconstruction plans. Last year, on the second anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), the Secretary-General presented a 21-point programme based on the findings of the aforementioned study (see S/2002/ 1154), with a View to ensuring the Security Council's action towards the full implementation of the resolution. On that occasion, the European Union welcomed the system- wide implementation action plan developed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security. The plan covered all areas pertaining to the mandates of United Nations entities identified in the resolution, including gender mainstreaming, training, humanitarian assistance, post-conflict cooperation and development, disarmament, gender-sensitive training, protection of women and girls in armed conflict, constitutional and political issues and reproductive health. The European Union believes that the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) can be achieved only through an increased recognition of the crucial role of women in all the cited areas. One of the most important issues still remaining to be addressed with regard to women and armed conflict is women's participation in conflict resolution and in the negotiation of peace agreements at national and international levels. The European Union welcomes the creation last spring of a gender focal point position in DPKO, which it considers to be an important factor for mainstreaming gender in peacekeeping operations. In that respect, we would like to express our greatest appreciation to Mr. Guehenno, whom we heard this morning, for his readiness to implement the relevant Security Council recommendations. Our full support is with him. The European Union also encourages the Secretary-General to intensify efforts to appoint more women as special representatives and envoys, especially in matters related to peacekeeping, peace- building and preventive diplomacy. The strengthening of the full participation of women in constitutional and electoral processes in post-conflict countries is also of utmost importance. The European Union believes that the increased involvement of women in all those areas would contribute to the achievement of the overall goal of gender equality in relation to peace and security. That goal is still, three years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), far from achieved. As the outcome document of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (General Assembly resolution S-23/3) recognized, the lack of gender-awareness in those areas presents serious obstacles for the countries currently in a conflict or post-conflict situation. In today's conflicts, women and girls are more and more often directly targeted, and rape and sexual violence continue to be used as weapons of war. Clearly, this differential impact on women and girls calls for more effective responses from the international community. Much more needs to be done to make those involved in conflicts aware of relevant international laws and to prosecute and punish those who violate those laws. In that respect, the European Union calls upon all States to ratify and implement the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and actively to cooperate with the Court, which has a vital role in ensuring justice for all and in fighting impunity. The European Union is also strongly committed to the adoption of all international measures and instruments, including the Palermo Protocol, aimed at supporting the fight against trafficking of human beings, in particular women and children, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The European Union calls upon other States to do the same. The European Union strongly believes that the international community must continue to focus its attention and advocacy on the situation of women in conflicts throughout the world, to ensure the incorporation of a gender perspective during disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, rehabilitation, reconstruction, repatriation, resettlement and development programmes and the active and equal participation of women in those processes.

The President: I call on the representative of Australia.

Mr. Dauth (Australia): Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to speak today. It would be remiss of me not to begin, Sir, without acknowledging your personal commitment and energy in carrying this debate forward. We also thank Under-Secretary- General Guehenno and Amy Smythe for their very helpful presentations this morning. At the risk of annoying the interpreters, I shall summarize my prepared remarks to make them even briefer than they were, in the interest of moving things along this afternoon. But I cannot leave out the first paragraph, which notes that this is the third anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and that we, Australia, are proud to reaffirm our commitment to that resolution. Resolution 1325 (2000) was the first resolution addressing gender issues to be passed by the Security Council. A great deal has been accomplished since then, but a great deal more needs to be done. Not least, of course, because women and girls remain overwhelmingly the main victims of armed conflict, often victims in the most horrific of ways. Women continue to be significantly under- represented in peace-building, peacekeeping and post- conflict reconciliation and reconstruction, despite the acknowledgement by resolution 1325 (2000) of their importance in those areas. So much still needs to be done. We have some very relevant experience in the Pacific region which bears attention at the United Nations and by Member States more generally. In particular, we have built issues of the impact of conflict on women and children into our peace, conflict and development policy, which is now an integral part of our aid policy. We have had experience, in both the Solomon Islands and Bougainville, of drawing particularly on the contribution which women in both of those conflict areas have been able to make. In particular it is the case in the Solomon Islands and Bougainville that women have made a more than equal contribution toward the achievement of peace. I am pleased to note that we have a senior Australian policewoman as the current United Nations Police Commissioner in East Timor. Police Commissioner Sandra Peisly is the only woman holding such a position in an operation of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). We make a concerted effort to include women peacekeepers in our peacekeeping contributions around the world. We remain committed to the sustainable implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We commend the first steps that have been taken towards that objective, including through the appointment of a Gender Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as others have noted, and the development of gender action plans in the Department for Disarmament Affairs and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. We note also that DPKO is developing a field guide to gender mainstreaming and has issued a gender and peacekeeping training manual. In all of this, Jean-Marie Guehenno deserves commendation for his leadership. But, as I have already said, much more needs to be done. Without further concrete action, resolution 1325 (2000) will only remain a set of aspirational standards. In that context there are some questions which many others have asked but which, I think, DPKO and the Secretariat more generally need constantly to address. What are the hurdles in achieving the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in current peacekeeping operations? Has the Secretariat put into place any institutional mechanisms to monitor progress made in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000)? What efforts are being made to ensure that the recommendations in resolution 1325 (2000) are mainstreamed into the work programmes of all United Nations agencies? The responsibility for implementing resolution 1325 (2000) rests not only with the Secretariat. Member States - and, in particular, Council members - also have important responsibilities, not least in ensuring that mandates take full account of gender perspectives. We all now need to focus on practical steps to give effect to resolution 1325 (2000). Australia stands ready to do its part.

The President: I call on the representative of South Africa.

Ms. Grobbelaar (South Africa): It is an honour for my delegation to participate in today's open debate on resolution 1325 (2000). We express our appreciation to you, Sir, for convening today's meeting. My delegation also supports the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his reports to the Council during the past years, as well as the important contributions made earlier today by Mr. Guehenno and Ms. Smythe and initiatives undertaken by United Nations specialized agencies and Member States in pursuing this topic. As we confront the challenges of peace and security in global terms and in particular in Africa, we acknowledge the need to remain vigilant concerning the impact of armed conflict on women and girls. However, the leadership role women could have in situations of conflict prevention, resolution and post- conflict peace-building efforts remains underutilized, despite commitments made at Beijing and Beijing +5 and in the outcomes of major conferences and summits. The Millennium Declaration agreed on the third Millennium Development Goal on the importance of achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and that women should engage on an equal basis with men in the political, economic, social and civic development of their respective countries and continents. Women's participation is therefore critical, especially during periods of transition, in ensuring that gender mainstreaming takes place in the areas of democracy, good governance and human rights. Concerning the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), South Africa has undertaken certain initiatives at the national level. We have also enhanced our partnership with United Nations agencies through the recent visit of the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) when, on 16 May, the South African Parliament hosted the African launch of the UNIFEM. report on the independent experts' assessment of women, war and peace and the impact of armed conflict on women and their role in peace-building. The event generated huge interest and was of importance to South Africa and our partners in Africa. As a result, the report will be tabled in a number of Parliamentary committees to ensure that the gender dimensions of peace and security, including the implementation of such human rights treaties as the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the draft protocol on the rights of women in Africa, are incorporated into national structures. At the regional level, the African Union decided to include women as contributors to peace processes and to enhance their active participation in this regard. The African Union also acknowledges that failure to ensure gender equality and the empowerment of women seriously undermines a peaceful and violence- free environment. The Union's first initiative in this regard was in 1998, when the African Women's Committee for Peace and Development was established to ensure the participation of women as decision makers. This structure was successful in raising the awareness of women on the issues before us today. The Committee initiated, for example, the solidarity mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in December 2001 to support Congolese women in their preparations for effective participation in the inter-Congolese dialogue hosted in South Africa early in 2002. Networks of women working for peace in the Great Lakes region have also been established and Committee members have been on teams to observe elections in African countries, in line with the African Union's commitment to implementing gender equality. Furthermore, the Windhoek Declaration and the Namibia Plan of Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations strengthened these initiatives. As a country, we have remained principled on the issue of gender mainstreaming and, as a co-sponsor of United Nations resolutions on the advancement of women at all levels, our leadership is keenly aware of the centrality of women as peacemakers and facilitators in political processes and peace-building initiatives. My delegation has consistently stressed the importance of gender mainstreaming in United Nations peacekeeping operations and we are encouraged to learn that the presence of gender expertise in these missions has contributed to some progress in gender mainstreaming in the field. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the appointment of an interim Gender Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and expresses the hope that the permanent position of Senior Gender Adviser will be filled as a matter of priority. The valuable gender mainstreaming work of the Secretary-General's Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women in the recent peace process in Liberia is testimony to the urgent need for that unit at United Nations Headquarters. We trust that the human resources capacity of the Adviser's Office will be expanded, in accordance with the objectives of resolution 1325 (2000). My delegation would also recommend that the international community consider establishing centres of excellence to train women for leadership positions in peacekeeping operations. This could assist the United Nations system in accelerating progress in the rate of representation of women at the professional and higher levels. The effectiveness of the United Nations capacity in maintaining peace and security could be strengthened by improving the number of women in senior positions and in peacekeeping missions, and we hope that appropriate and measurable targets to achieve that objective can be adopted. The most obvious reason is that it is a fact that, through women's presence and their effective participation in peacekeeping operations, the benefits gained by local women and girls, including other vulnerable groups caught up in armed conflict, improve drastically. In conclusion, the women of our continent know that our destiny is inseparable - that our citizens are bound together by geography, history, heritage and, often, conflict. In roles of leadership or as caregivers, women wish to be partners in the peace process and in building secure futures for generations to come. They cannot do it alone, however, without the realization of the principles contained in the operational paragraphs of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

The President: I call on the representative of Colombia.

Mr. Giraldo (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I should like at the outset to thank you, Sir, for having taken the initiative of convening this open debate of the Security Council on women, peace and security so that we may assess progress made in implementing resolution 1325 (2000), in which member States expressed their concern over the situation of civil populations, particularly women and children, in armed conflict. My country is a member of an informal group of delegations working to formulate initiatives allowing the United Nations and its membership effectively to formulate and implement gender equality policies; focus on women and child victims of armed conflict throughout the world; take into account the specific needs of women; and help in reconciliation and the restoration of the social fabric. Colombia is committed to the ideals expressed in resolution 1325 (2000). As a member of the group of friends, we have supported the resolution's implementation and follow-up. In Colombia, violence perpetrated against civilians by illegal armed actors has led to the forced internal displacement of thousands of people, mostly women and children, with grave social and economic consequences for the entire nation. We also have the tragedy of women combatants in these illegal armed bands, where, in addition to becoming machines of death, they are also the subjects of sexual and psychological discrimination and abuse. In such bands, women lose their very natures and vocation as the bedrock of family, community and social stability. The existence of women combatants makes it impossible to build the peaceful and sustainable society that every country requires. Given the particular vulnerability of women and children in armed conflict, the Government of Colombia has focused special attention on the participation of women in issues related to peace and security. We have devised a national policy of women as builders of peace and development, a policy geared towards peace, equity and equal opportunity. Building equity starts with identifying populations in which there are clear differences in opportunity and needs. All those issues have been included in our national development plan, "Towards a Communal State", a document reflecting the current Administration's priorities. Resolution 1325 (2000) has particular meaning in Colombia, being closely linked to our harsh reality. Just like men, and even children, women are both participants in and victims of armed conflict. Our efforts are aimed towards ensuring that all members of illegal armed bands disarm, demobilize and reintegrate themselves into civil society. Our commitment is to the thousands of internally displaced persons, to whom we want to give the necessary assistance so that they can soon return to their homes. In both tasks we attach particular importance to women and children, who make up at least half of the membership of illegal armed bands and of internally displaced persons in our country. The repatriation, reintegration and rehabilitation of combatant and non-combatant populations are basic priorities during the post-conflict stage in order to build foundations for reconciliation and structures for peace. In those circumstances, the achievements in programmes for women and children have a direct and immediate impact on communities and entire countries. On 14 October, while subscribing to the national agreement on equality between men and women - an event in which Government officials, members of the executive and legislative branches and representatives of civil society participated - President Alvaro Uribe made a special appeal to women in the ranks of illegal armed bands to lay down their weapons. He also gave a firm commitment by the State to support them in that process. Colombia, like the United Nations and Member States, has the goal of taking all children out of armed conflict. We must also aim to take every woman out of the ranks of illegal armed bands. Colombia appeals to the United Nations and Member States to give particular attention to the reality of women soldiers in illegal armed bands. Programmes and campaigns must be implemented to encourage those women to abandon the path of violence and become true builders of peace and development. Women's organizations in Colombia make a considerable contribution to the restoration of peace and to reconciliation. There is therefore an urgent need for women combatants in illegal armed bands to end their involvement and join all those who are daily working to extricate the country from decades of violence and armed conflict. A woman without a rifle is an active member of society whose example influences families and communities. A woman without a rifle has a direct impact in the task of taking children out of conflict. A woman without a rifle is a guarantee that society is ready to become more deeply involved in building peace. I conclude by reiterating the commitment of the Government of Colombia to respect for international humanitarian law and the human rights of all Colombia's citizens, both women and men. It is high time for the illegal armed bands themselves to decide to respect the lives, integrity, property, freedom and other rights of the civilian population. We must urgently begin to strengthen peace and security while taking women and children out of armed conflict. By doing so, we will be making a considerable contribution to peace.

The President: I now call on the representative of Bangladesh.

Ms. Tasneem (Bangladesh): Let me begin by complimenting you, Mr. President, on the manner in which you have stewarded the Council's deliberations during the current month, as well as on your initiative in organizing this open debate on a subject so close to every Bangladeshi heart. Mr. Guehenno's comprehensive briefing also deserves high praise. We feel privileged by the presence of Ms. Angela King and Ms. Amy Smythe. Gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment are key components of Bangladesh's foreign policy thrusts. They have indeed gone a long way towards aiding our own positive societal transformation, as well as towards marginalizing extremist and irrational thought and action. They have helped render moderation and tolerance the twin characteristics of Bangladeshi society, and enabled us to play the constructive role that we play in the global arena. It is therefore no accident that in the Council Bangladesh was so closely associated with the evolution and adoption of landmark resolution 1325 (2000). It was the Bangladeshi presidency that issued the statement on women and peace for the first time in the Council on International Women's Day in March 2000. The thesis of that statement was that equal access to, and full participation of, women in power structures and their full involvement in the prevention and resolution of conflicts were essential ingredients for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. On the third anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), we need to reflect further on how best to advance its implementation. We need to analyse what poses the main challenges and how they can be overcome. Certain practical steps immediately come to mind. One is adequate representation of women at all levels of decision-making, both at the pre-conflict stage and during hostilities. The same applies at all points in peacekeeping, peace-building, reconciliation and reconstruction. The other is the need to continue to maintain sustained commitment at all times to gender justice and women's empowerment. Ensuring protection from, and zero-tolerance for, impunity for war crimes committed against women are of paramount importance. Greater representation of women in peacekeeping operations and the appointment of a special representative to the Secretary-General should make profound impacts in enhancing gender sensitivity at all stages of peace missions. While numbers are important, it is equally significant that issues pertaining to gender be mainstreamed and integrated so that outcomes benefit women. That empowerment must be effected both politically and economically. Your delegation, Mr. President, has initiated in the Third Committee this year a draft resolution on women and political participation. We commend you on that. Bangladesh has co-sponsored that draft resolution, because we deeply believe in its contents. Once a peace process is set into motion, women's groups and networks can be energized to work together with the United Nations system to educate and raise awareness with regard to human rights and the rule of law in areas of conflict. Their adequate participation in peace negotiations will help them focus on the special difficulties that women confront at such times. It is during the stages of peace-building and reconstruction that women can make an even greater contribution. Recently, the Second Committee, which the Ambassador of Bangladesh has the privilege to chair this year, organized a panel discussion on women's empowerment, microcredit and poverty eradication. Simple innovative ideas like microcredit and non- formal education for women in post-conflict societies can render an immense service to positive societal transformations. A politically and economically empowered woman who is also educated can form the backbone of any post-conflict society- indeed, all post-conflict societies. In many places devastated by conflict- Kosovo, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and others - microcredit has proved to have a stabilizing effect on local economies. Immediate access to financial resources for the most disadvantaged, such as war widows and other female heads of household, provided employment, generated income, improved food security for the family unit and jump-started the economic development process. Bangladesh's experience in empowering rural women through micro-credits and education is well known. Our investments in women have contributed to the values of pluralism, democracy and human rights. We believe that those ideals provide the matrix for sustainable peace. We are prepared to share this with the world, particularly with societies of a comparable milieu. Bangladesh's vibrant civil society organizations work to spread those values in Africa, Afghanistan and Timor-Leste. Our peacekeepers, one of the largest contingents in United Nations peacekeeping, carry those ideals with them, aiming to impart them to people in distant parts. The United Nations system, particularly the Security Council, can collate those experiences and practices, examine and study them and transmit them in an institutionalized fashion. This may contribute to move us forward from advocacy to implementation, from thought to action and from hope to fruition.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of Japan.

Mr. Ozawa (Japan): At the outset, I should like to pay tribute to you, Sir, Ambassador John D. Negroponte, for convening this meeting on the third anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. I should also like to extend my appreciation to Mr. Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and Ms. Amy Smythe for sharing with the Council their insightful observations regarding the implementation of the resolution. The ultimate goal of the international community, and therefore of the United Nations, is to build a world free of conflict. By adopting that resolution three years ago, the Security Council showed its wisdom by fully recognizing the important role played by women and girls in the process of building and maintaining peace and security. As a country striving to do its utmost in the areas of conflict prevention and post-conflict peace-building, Japan fully supports this resolution and will intensify its efforts to implement it. Empowering women is one of the key elements of enhancing peace and security. Allow me to share with the Council some modest but practical steps that Japan has taken in this regard. In Afghanistan, we remember that under the Taliban regime, women were denied access to education and work outside their homes. For a country in a reconstruction process, such as Afghanistan, Japan is convinced that the participation of women is absolutely essential, and thus a gender perspective is taken into account in all aspects of Japan's reconstruction and humanitarian assistance programmes for Afghanistan. For example, the Japan International Cooperation Agency sent experts on gender issues to the Ministry of Women's Affairs, to the sector responsible for the rehabilitation of women's schools and colleges and to the mother and child healthcare hospital. Japan provides the United Nations Development Fund for Women with assistance through the Trust Fund for Human Security. That assistance finances vocational training, seminars, and income-generating programmes for female Afghan refugees and displaced persons. We believe that such programmes help to empower women and girls and encourage them to assume more active roles in Afghanistan. Allow me to share with the Council another example of the efforts Japan is making. In February last year, the Government of Japan dispatched a Ground Self-Defence Forces engineer group of 680 members, together with 10 headquarters personnel, to the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Timor- Leste. For the first time in our history, Japan included female personnel in that large peacekeeping unit. Seven women were members of the group, a relatively small number but significant nonetheless, we believe. Japan recognizes the need for expanding the roles and contributions of women in United Nations field-based operations and indeed for increasing the participation of women at all levels. We are starting by doing what we can but have every intention of broadening and increasing our efforts. On this third anniversary, I reaffirm the commitment of my delegation to the implementation of the provisions of the Council's resolution on women and peace and security; my delegation condemns the violations of the human rights of women and girls in conflict situations, wherever they occur. We are all aware that women experience conflict in different ways than men. In a conflict situation, women are often widows grieving the loss of their husbands, mothers who mourn their lost children and victims of violence that targets their gender. Today, however, women's roles are changing in every aspect, and more women have a say in how they will participate in conflict resolution. More women can participate not only by providing non-military support but also by assuming important roles in peace-building if they so wish. In order to provide an effective response to the challenging needs and priorities of women and girls who take on this range of tasks, gender perspectives have to be more systematically integrated into all activities related to peace and security. There is still much to be done in this regard. Japan hopes that the Security Council, Member States, the United Nations system - including the offices within the Secretariat responsible for these issues - non-governmental organizations and civil society as a whole will all do everything in their power to fully and systematically implement the recommendations of this resolution. To conclude, may this discussion be a demonstration of the firm commitment of the entire international community to achieving the goal of creating a world of peace and security.

The President: I call on the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Kim Sam-hoon (Republic of Korea): I thank you, Ambassador Negroponte, for organizing this open debate on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). Allow me to begin by commending you, Sir, on the most appropriate manner in which you have chosen to steer the debate to mark the third anniversary of that historic resolution. The focus on implementation, I believe, is both timely and necessary. Since the adoption of the resolution, the Security Council has held a number of open debates to reaffirm its commitment to charting a definitive place for gender perspectives on its ongoing agenda. Thanks to that commitment, it is now widely accepted that the concerns of women and girls must be actively addressed in matters of conflict resolution and peace- building. Marking the second anniversary of the resolution last year, the Secretary-General's report (S/2002/ 1154) offered a comprehensive set of recommendations for doing so, and the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2002/32) incorporating many of the recommendations into a call for action on the part of the Council, the Secretary-General and Member States. The task now is to ensure their full and continuing implementation. In this regard, I am grateful for the presentation made by Under-Secretary-General Guehenno on the work undertaken by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to implement Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and that of Ms. Amy Smythe on her experiences in the field as Senior Gender Adviser to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have clearly outlined the progress made thus far as well as the challenges that remain in implementation. The Republic of Korea welcomes the progress made by the Secretariat at Headquarters and in the field. We are encouraged that gender specialists are now assigned to 10 United Nations peacekeeping missions and are backed up and coordinated by a Gender Adviser at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). We also commend the progress made to provide gender perspectives training to staff in peacekeeping operations. We know and appreciate that much of the push for the progress was provided by the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, led by Ms. Angela King. We encourage the Secretariat to keep up the efforts towards the full completion of these measures. We also see that references to gender issues are included in DPKO reports to the Council. We would have liked to see great detail and elaboration in those references. We hope the substance will be provided in future reports of missions as well as when the Secretary-General presents his next report on the issue to the Council in 2004. In the meantime, we strongly encourage the collection of data related to peace operations, desegregated by gender and age. For policies to be effective, they must accurately reflect the situation on the ground, where the experience of conflict and peace- building remains very different for men than for women and for different ages. We also note the lack of progress in other areas. There has been no meaningful increase in the number of women appointed as special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General. In any case, the appointment of women to high-profile tasks and gender specialists to peace missions would be just the beginning. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) calls for the full integration of gender perspectives and the increased participation of women in peace processes, peacekeeping, humanitarian operations and rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, and, further, in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. The Republic of Korea hopes that the investment of personnel, expertise and training by the United Nations will serve as a catalyst in getting all actors on board, including parties to armed conflicts, for materializing the full vision of Security Council resolution 1325 (2005). In the process, the continuing willingness of the Council to incorporate a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations will be instrumental as it compliments and reinforces the work of other bodies of the United Nations in strengthening the role of women as active agents of change in times of both peace and conflict.

The President: The next speaker on my list is the representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Jenie (Indonesia): Mr. President, thank you for convening this meeting today on the agenda item before us, which reflects the renewed determination of the Council to protect women in armed conflicts and promote their role in addressing issues of peace and security. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary- General Jean-Marie Guehenno and Ms. Amy Smythe for their important briefings. On the occasion of the anniversary of Council resolution 1325 (2000), concerning women and peace and security, my delegation wishes to affirm its support for the resolution. Since its adoption on 31 October 2000, we note encouraging progress resulting from the implementation of the resolution by Governments, United Nations bodies, non-governmental organizations and other relevant sectors of civil society. Gender mainstreaming activities by United Nations bodies continues in the fields of peacekeeping operations, peace-building, and disarmament. We welcome the initiatives by the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations to incorporate gender focal points and gender affairs offices in field operations and by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Department of Political Affairs to promote programme activities in enhancing women's role in peace-building. We also welcome the development of the Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan by the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs, which incorporates gender perspectives in the fields of disarmament and security, and the establishment of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, which serves as a focal point for implementing all aspects of resolution 1325 (2000). My delegation also notes with interest the actions taken by the relevant non-governmental organizations to disseminate the resolution and to promote women's role in peace and security. Their contribution should fortify the work of Governments and the United Nations system in that field. Despite the aforementioned progress, much remains to be done in the future. In our view, as long as conflicts occur in various parts of the world, we will continue to deal with women and other vulnerable populations in such situations. During armed conflict, women often become targets of groups who use terror as a tactic of war, and suffer from gender-based violence. They have often been forced to become sex workers. Women have also been abducted and trafficked for sexual exploitation. When women are forced to leave their countries and become refugees or internally displaced persons, they often have to deal with violence at camps. A report by UNIFEM, entitled "Women, War and Peace", indicates that sexual exploitation of women and girls occurred at refugee camps in some conflict zones and its impact was devastating. The teenage pregnancy rate reached 50 per cent at the camps. Women often suffered from attacks by members of different ethnic groups. They also often risked abuse from their own relatives. Armed conflicts have also brought about severe impacts on women's health. This has been more serious for women who were pregnant or breastfeeding their children. Women often suffered from infectious diseases, injuries and wounds, mental fatigue and stress-related diseases. Access to health services became scarce because war had ruined the health systems and access to providers of health services. In some conflict areas, women have also been at risk for HIV/AIDS. According to the UNIFEM. report, women's exposure to HIV in war zones was due to sexual violence and exploitation, lack of adequate health care facilities and medical treatment, contaminated instruments and the mixing of civilians and combatants. Underlying factors but not direct causes of the epidemic were economic destitution, psychological trauma and poor nutrition. My delegation has in the past supported concerted international efforts to alleviate the suffering of women dragged into conflicts. We believe that the rights of women in armed conflicts should be acknowledged as an explicit priority and firmly entrenched in peace- making, peace-building and conflict resolution processes, as well as in demobilization and reintegration plans. We give particular emphasis to the efforts to make women central to peace-building by promoting the understanding of the impact of conflicts on women, improving protection and assistance for women, placing women and gender perspectives at the core of peace processes and fostering gender justice. We also value initiatives to develop networking among women stakeholders, such as the Mano River Women's Peace Network. My delegation stresses the need to address the cases of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls in humanitarian crises and conflict situations, including those cases involving humanitarian workers and peacekeepers. We welcome in this regard the Secretary-General's bulletin on special measures against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and other measures developed by the United Nations system to prevent and address such incidents. We also see the need for contributing countries to incorporate the six core principles of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on emergencies, the relevant provisions in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome of the United Nations General Assembly's special session on women and relevant provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women into pertinent codes of conduct for peacekeeping personnel. Contributing countries are also encouraged to develop appropriate disciplinary measures and accountability mechanisms and to improve awareness of the responsibilities of United Nations peacekeepers, especially in the protection of vulnerable populations. Among the Secretary-General's recommendations in his last report was the expression of his intention, which we supported, to establish a database of gender specialists and women's groups and networks in countries and regions in conflict. We look forward to obtaining some elucidation on how work is progressing on this database, which will be of tremendous help when conflict breaks out in a particular region. In this regard, we recommend the support of this idea by Member States of the Organization, donors and civil society towards providing financial, political and technical support for women's peace-building initiatives and networks. Indonesia looks forward to the forty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2004, which, in accordance with its multi-year programme of work for the period 2002 to 2006, will review the thematic issue of women's equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace-building. We also welcome the initiative of the Division for the Advancement of Women, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Department of Political Affairs, to organize an expert group meeting on "Peace agreements as a means for promoting gender equality and ensuring participation of women - a framework of model provisions", to be held in Ottawa, Canada, from 10 to 13 November 2003. Indonesia wishes to reaffirm its commitment to implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and to constructively contributing to the deliberations on that issue at the forthcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

The President: I call on the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr. Mahiga (United Republic of Tanzania): My delegation is pleased to participate in this open meeting on the third anniversary of the adoption of the historic Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. I should like to express my delegation's appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guehenno for his opening remarks, which we found to be useful and very helpful in this debate. Similarly, we greatly appreciate the presence of Ms. Amy Smythe, Senior Gender Adviser of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The first-hand information that she has provided about her experiences and about the challenges in the field merits our careful and serious consideration. The demonstrated catalytic role of the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, under the leadership of Ms. Angela King, is also highly appreciated, and we encourage Ms. King to persevere on that path. The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) was an acknowledgement of the importance of the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution and in peace-building. It was a further acknowledgement of the fact that women not only are disproportionate victims in conflicts but also assume a variety of roles during and after conflict, including those of civilian combatants, peace activists and participants in reconstruction efforts. It was also an acknowledgement of the need to involve women fully in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and to make that role concrete and visible. Resolution 1325 (2000) prescribes a role for all players. Three years after its adoption, it is evident that there is a gap between resolve and reality. It is obvious that, for resolution 1325 (2000) to become a reality, Member States must take action commensurate with operationalizing the provisions of the resolution. That leads me to pose a few questions. Have we been able to give meaning to the resolution by incorporating gender perspectives into all peacekeeping operations? Have we been able to allocate adequate resources - including human resources- to permit gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping operations? Have we made any provisions for the required training of staff, consistent with the resolution? At this juncture, it is important for me to acknowledge the appointment of an interim Gender Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. That is certainly a welcome development, which, my delegation believes, signifies the relevance and importance of resolution 1325 (2000). While we express the hope that the Gender Adviser will champion the incorporation of gender perspectives into peacekeeping operations, it is important to ensure that her Office has the requisite support and cooperation from the United Nations system as well as from Member States. We appreciate the fact that the position of a Senior Gender Adviser is being earmarked for the peacekeeping mission in Liberia. We hope that that will be standard practice in future. I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to share with the Council efforts that have been made in the regions of East Africa and Southern Africa to give meaning to resolution 1325 (2000). Conflict situations have amply demonstrated women's abilities to take active and leading roles in resolving conflicts. Women in the region are progressively taking a keen interest in issues related to peace and security. Political and military establishments and armed groups are increasingly becoming aware of the role and potential of women in those areas. Women, on their own, are also increasingly becoming a powerful constituency in advancing their role in peace and security issues and have proved to be essential in that area. The involvement of women in the Burundi peace process is a case in point. In the broader context of gender mainstreaming, we within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), have set for ourselves the goal of reaching a minimum target of 30 per cent representation by women in politics and in decision- making structures by 2005. The overall regional situation indicates that SADC member States are making progress in that regard. At least two member States have provided for representation by women in their respective constitutional amendments. Women's combat experiences and their civilian roles in the liberation movements of many of these countries have proved valuable and have paved the way for the logical involvement of women in post-conflict governance, reconciliation and nation-building. There is a deliberate, gradual increase in the proportion of representation by women in various structures in most member States. As most member States in the region are expected to hold general elections in 2004 and 2005, it is expected that they will use the opportunities of those forthcoming elections and other measures to advance and achieve the immediate minimum target of 30 per cent. The process of women's empowerment will continue thereafter. The imperative is not to give token attention to women's participation, but to acknowledge the fact that the foundation for durable peace, development, good governance, human rights and justice lies in women playing a full part as equal partners in all peace processes and in the maintenance of peace. My country, Tanzania, is working closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure the security of refugees, including women and girls, as well as to ensure the humanitarian and civilian nature of refugee camps and settlements. As we in the Great Lakes region prepare for an international conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region to be held in June 2004, we are gratified to note that women have carved out a niche for themselves as important participants in the preparatory process leading to the conference. While we take note of the few positive steps towards the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), it should be a matter of concern to all of us that women still make up only a small part of those who participate in peace and security negotiations. They continue to be marginalized in most post-conflict planning. My delegation believes that resolution 1325 (2000) is a powerful instrument in our hands. Our challenge is to put that instrument to work to achieve the results it is intended to accomplish. That can happen only if we harness the political will to allocate the necessary funding, to identify the requisite staffing and to provide the training that is required to make resolution 1325 (2000) a way of our political life. Today's debate is a valuable contribution in sustaining the momentum for change in that direction. The trend towards empowering women has generated its own dynamic, which cannot be ignored or reversed.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

Mr. Kuchinsky (Ukraine): First of all, let me thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this important open meeting marking the third anniversary of the historic resolution on women, peace and security, adopted during the Namibian presidency of the Council, with the participation of Ukraine, which was then a Council member. As has been mentioned, that document strengthened specifically the political legitimacy of women's struggle for a seat at the negotiating table, and provided a framework within which women's protection and their role in peace- building can be addressed. I would like to express our appreciation to the Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Ms. Angela King, and all members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, as well as to the Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Jean-Marie Guehenno, for their activities in promoting the coordination of efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000). Despite the progress made, however, issues of gender representation and gender perspectives have still not been systematically incorporated into all United Nations activities on peace and security. During the past three years, the Security Council has increasingly focused its attention on the situation of women and girls in armed conflict. However, these issues have often been discussed as a separate item, rather than integrated into wider deliberations by the Council. In order to effectively respond to the needs and priorities of women and girls during armed conflict, in our View gender perspectives must be systematically integrated into all peace-building, peacekeeping and peacemaking efforts, as well as humanitarian operations and reconstruction processes. Unfortunately, in today's conflicts, women and girls are increasingly targeted directly, and are threatened by rape, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, trafficking, sexual humiliation and mutilation. They are at heightened risk in all settings, whether at home, in flight or in camps for displaced persons. That is why we think that all humanitarian responses in conflict situations must include systematic reporting on sexual violence, emphasize the special reproductive health needs of women and girls and reflect a strengthened policy guidance on responses to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. It is important that the Rome Statute reflect ground-breaking developments in the criminalization of sexual and gender violence and the establishment of structures to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of such crimes by the International Criminal Court. As such, the Rome Statute is the first treaty to recognize certain acts of sexual and gender violence as being among the most serious crimes under international law. With regard to sexual violence, we should not forget one of its worst possible consequences - the risk of the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. In our opinion, measures regarding an HIV/AIDS response should be better reflected in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Ukraine has already incorporated HIV/AIDS awareness training into the national training programmes for military personnel in preparation for deployment. Although they are often victims of armed conflict, women cannot be considered merely as passive recipients who are incapable of taking charge of their own destiny. The international community should use the potential of women as agents of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peace- building. Recent years have witnessed the flowering and growth of a vibrant women's peace movement. From grass-roots activism to international networks and campaigns, women's organizations have brought new energy and focus to peace-building. Despite the obstacles and difficulties they face, many have had a positive impact on local and national peace processes. This can be noted in Liberia, Burundi and South Africa, as well as in the Middle East, the Balkans and South-East Asia, where, in their struggle for peace, women's networks bridge the dividing lanes of conflict, despite threats and abuse. The contributions made by the informal peace initiatives of local women's groups and networks should be recognized and supported by the world community. Regional organizations also play an important role in protecting women and supporting their role in peace-building. In this context, I would like to draw attention to the initiatives of the Cooperation Forum of the Women of the GUAAM. countries- Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The resolution adopted at the second meeting of that body, which took place in Kiev last year, contained a provision aimed at the creation of an international peace movement, entitled "Women against violence, conflicts and wars". The Forum also called upon the Secretary-General to use all of his power and authority to intensify efforts aimed at resolving existing armed conflicts and preventing the emergence of new ones. In spite of the increasing information and knowledge surrounding women's experience of conflict, relatively little systematic documentation on their peace-building efforts is available. The work they do is still largely invisible to the eyes of the world's media and policy makers. Scepticism about women's contributions continue to hamper policy and programmatic developments aimed at supporting and enhancing women's participation. Perhaps as a result of this scepticism, today only one woman leads a United Nations peace mission. Our delegation supports the appeals of the Secretary-General and the Special Adviser on Gender Issues to Member States to act in proactive manner by identifying women to serve in senior decision-making positions and to increase their recruitment to military observer teams, peacekeeping contingents and civilian police units. A broad database of experienced women in peacekeeping and other relevant disciplines should be created. Eight female officers from my country already number among civilian police and military personnel, and we want that figure to increase. We believe the Security Council has a special responsibility to support women's participation in peace processes by ensuring respective gender balance in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Finally, let me remind members of one of the greatest time-honoured customs of the peoples of the Caucasus. A woman could stop bloodshed just by throwing her scarf between the combatants. It is a centuries-old practice, but should we not sometimes heed the wisdom of our ancestors?

The President: I give the floor to the representative of the Philippines.

Mr. Mercado (Philippines): I should like to express my delegation's appreciation to you, Mr. President, for having provided us with this opportunity to participate in an open debate on the issue of women, peace and security. In our view, this open debate sustains the momentum of resolution 1325 (2000) as we assess the work that has been done to improve the plight of women in conflict situations, including their role in conflict resolution, conflict prevention and peace-building. We wish to thank Under-Secretary-General Guehenno for his report on the efforts that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is making in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) in all peacekeeping missions. We support his efforts to mainstream gender in peacekeeping operations. We likewise wish to extend our appreciation to Ms. Amy Smythe, the Senior Gender Adviser of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), for sharing her experiences, as well as setting out the challenges one faces in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) while working on the ground in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We support her proposal to increase the number of police women in peacekeeping operations, since they can better relate to the plight of women and girls. Conflict resolution and peace processes must essentially have a gender dimension. The increase in weapons collection in communities during periods of post conflict has been attributed to the role of women. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) "Weapons in Exchange for Development" programme in Albania has proved to what extent women have played a vital role in the disarming of civilians after an armed conflict, thereby contributing to the reduction of threats to public order. For a lasting peace to be built, negotiation processes at all levels must necessarily include all significant actors, including women. The inclusion of women in the negotiating process ensures their participation and involvement in post-conflict political, social, civil, economic and judicial structures. Short- and long-term actions aimed at creating democratic institutions following an armed conflict require inputs and commitments from both men and women in regard to peace, security and development. Furthermore, both formal and informal processes must be pursued through collaboration with civil society and non-governmental organizations that have advocated the role of women in peace-building. We in the Philippines continue to exert efforts to achieve peace, democracy and development. We recognize that women have suffered the most from armed conflict and that they have contributed significant efforts to put an end to it. Filipino women are at the forefront in the resolution of conflict and have taken lead roles in the Philippine peace process. More than 10 years ago, the groundwork for the peace process was laid through the National Unification Commission, which is headed by a woman. That Commission was strengthened by the creation of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, also headed by a woman, one who has had extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations in conflict resolution. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process manages and supervises the peace process through several programmes: first, by pursuing socio-economic and political reforms that address the root causes of internal armed conflict; secondly, by building consensus and empowerment for peace, including through the institutionalization of the interfaith dialogue to build and sustain intercultural understanding among Christians and Muslims in Mindanao; thirdly, by sustaining and enhancing peace zones through the conduct of peace negotiations with different rebel groups; fourthly, by implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for former rebels, their families and communities; and fifthly, by building and nurturing a climate conducive to peace through peace advocacy programmes. My Government, in partnership with women leaders from the private sector and civil society, remains steadfast in its pursuit of an agenda for long- lasting peace and development. We have placed special emphasis on the training of young women leaders in peace-building and in the provision of livelihood training and assistance to combatants and their families and in their reintegration into the mainstream of civilian, economic and social life. We look forward to the forty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to be held in 2004, when we will be reviewing the thematic issue of women's equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post- conflict peace-building. We view it as another opportunity to discuss the issue of gender mainstreaming in peace and security-related issues in the ongoing activities of the United Nations system. It is our hope that the international community will further strengthen its commitment to ensuring the increased participation of women in the process of conflict prevention at all levels of decision-making.

The President: The next speaker is the representative of Croatia, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Drobnjak (Croatia): I would like to start by commending the United States presidency for having convened this open debate of the Security Council on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). It is important to proceed along the road paved by that resolution and to prove in practice that it remains an action-oriented, results-producing document. The issue before us is as important as it is complex. One could approach it from various angles yet still leave many of its important aspects untouched. As a country that not so long ago was exposed to armed aggression and went through the horrors of war, Croatia has gained valuable knowledge about some aspects of the field we are debating today. Let me briefly share with the Council some of Croatia's experiences and achievements in that regard. The Government's Commission for Gender Equality - an intergovernmental Commission entrusted with the creation of policies and the coordination of all activities for the promotion of gender equality at the local, national and regional levels - incorporated a chapter on women and armed conflict in the National Policy for the Promotion of Gender Equality for the period 2001-2005 and its implementation programme. Both documents were adopted by the Croatian Parliament. The following activities have been envisaged for implementation by 2005. The Commission for Gender Equality, in cooperation with other relevant institutions and organizations, especially non-governmental organizations (NGOs), will inform women, on an ongoing basis, about the work of the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. It will educate women and children about landmines and other types of explosive devices; secure appropriate assistance for displaced persons, refugees and victims of the Homeland War; and participate in the implementation of measures aimed at simplifying their return and reintegration into society. The Commission is also entrusted with the task of promoting the participation of women in activities associated with the maintenance of peace at all levels; enhancing knowledge of humanitarian law and human rights; and enabling greater representation of women in bodies dealing with security issues and the defence policy of the Republic of Croatia. Some tangible results have already been achieved in pursuit of the goals set in the National Policy. I am pleased to inform the Council of the following facts. Through the Defence Act, adopted in 2002, the Committee for Gender Equality was established within the Ministry of Defence. Today, in the Croatian Ministry of Defence and in the Croatian armed forces, women constitute about 15 per cent of the workforce. That includes the Minister of Defence herself, as well as one of the Assistant Ministers and the Secretary of the Ministry. As an integral part of the modernization of military education and training for the armed forces, the subjects of international humanitarian law and human rights are now included in the school curriculums of the Croatian Military Academy. In the teaching of those subjects, special emphasis will be placed on the promotion and protection of women's human rights and on the introduction of measures aimed at combating violence against women in war, in armed conflict and during post-conflict transitions. In July 2003 the Parliament of Croatia adopted the Law on Gender Equality, which, inter alia, stipulates that all State administration bodies and corporate entities with public competences have an obligation to apply special temporary measures and adopt action plans for the promotion of gender equality, thus introducing the principle of gender mainstreaming into Croatian legislation. With respect to Croatia's participation in peacekeeping missions, not only do we support the incorporation of a gender perspective into peacekeeping field operations, but we also implement that rule ourselves. Croatia contributed four female officers to the German contingent of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. In addition, I should like to draw the Council's attention to the fact that a Croatian army captain is the first female army officer to take part in the Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. Non-governmental organizations in Croatia are playing an active role in the promotion of the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace- building. They are carrying out various projects, ranging from awareness-raising and capacity- building activities aimed at increasing the representation of women at all decision-making levels, to specific activities in which NGOs assist women in multi-ethnic areas and areas heavily damaged by armed activities. For the post-war confidence-building process to be successful, it is essential to include women as active participants in post-conflict reintegration and reconstruction. Croatia has gained a great deal of experience in this area, and we stand ready to share it with others. The issue of the protection of women in armed conflict and their fundamental role in conflict prevention and peace-building cannot be considered without taking into account the fact that they are among those most affected by the violence and economic instability brought upon society by armed conflict. Yet when it comes to negotiating peace, post- war reconstruction and reconciliation, women are still grossly under-represented. Therefore, we need to enhance the role of the main bodies of the United Nations so that they can streamline their efforts towards the empowerment of women. Strengthening the participation of women in the work of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Development Fund for Women could make a real difference on the ground. Post-conflict transition, recovery and reconstruction cannot be achieved if gender equality and the promotion of women's rights are absent. Croatia welcomes the increased involvement of women in peacekeeping operations, especially among human rights and humanitarian personnel, military observers and civilian police. Along those lines, we strongly encourage the practice of mainstreaming a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations. At the same time, we must strengthen our efforts to improve protection for women in armed conflict, in parallel with the enhancement of their contribution to peace processes and rebuilding their communities. As the Secretary-General has stated "Sustainable peace will not be achieved without the full and equal participation of women and men". (S/2002/IZ54, para. 68) Let me conclude by saying that, although much has been done, we still witness continuous violence against women during conflict, women who are forced to flee their homes for that reason, lack of health care and the accelerated spread of infections such as HIV/AIDS in conflict and post-conflict settings. It goes without saying that we need to do more at the international, regional and national levels. Our deliberations here today and constructive ideas are our joint efforts in that direction. It is encouraging to see the Security Council engaged in this debate. I take this opportunity to commend once again the effort to convene and successfully organize this meeting.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

Mr. Laurin (Canada): Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting. We thank Mr. Guehenno for addressing this open debate today, and welcome the commitments he personally made this morning. We also thank the United States presidency for creating an opportunity to hear directly from a senior gender adviser about her work in the field. Ms. Smythe's experience in this area is critical to bridging the gap between policy and implementation. We commend her for her work. Canada strongly and actively supports full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We welcome the efforts of the United Nations to integrate the resolution into its day-to-day operations. While we join other speakers in recognizing the progress that has been made, we cannot forget that there is a vast amount of work left to be done. We welcome the United Nations coordinating efforts undertaken through the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Women, Peace and Security. We are particularly heartened by efforts of the Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in partnership with the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), to develop detailed gender action plans, which we believe will lead to more effective and representative programming and policy by these bodies. We welcome the recent establishment of a gender adviser position in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and look forward to the assessment announced by Mr. Guehenno this morning. We would be interested in Mr. Guehenno's views on the prospect of the Department's undertaking an initiative similar to that of DDA and OCHA to facilitate a better integration of gender considerations in the activities of the Department. We strongly support initiatives related to training peacekeepers on the importance of integrating a gender perspective in their work. In that respect, we would be interested in further information from Mr. Guehenno on efforts to ensure that gender perspectives are mainstreamed in all training modules and are not confined to gender-specific training modules. We believe this will contribute significantly to tackling this issue. Canada warmly welcomes the issuance by the Secretary-General last week of the bulletin on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. This document has been much anticipated and provides an important accountability framework for the United Nations system, as well as for Member States, complementing the important work undertaken by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on this issue. Putting in place mechanisms for monitoring and follow-up are essential next steps for preventing such incidents and effectively addressing them, should they occur. We were pleased that, in response to last year's Office of Internal Oversight Services report on sexual exploitation, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General instituted a Personal Conduct Committee to look into cases of misconduct, including sexual exploitation, involving civilian and military personnel of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone. We welcome Mr. Guehenno's commitment to setting up similar mechanisms in all missions. We would be interested in being informed by Mr. Guehenno on the follow-up action taken by the Secretariat to convene the meeting requested by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations to discuss ways and means of meeting challenges in the areas of conduct and discipline. (spoke in French) We again call for explicit reference to gender considerations in all Security Council mandates. The lack of information in the reports to the Security Council, noted this morning, should not be an excuse for inaction. Council members can seek information from the Secretariat and take advantage of the presence of Special Representatives of the Secretary-General in the Council to hold them accountable and ask them for information on the situation of women and girls and on ways of enhancing the protection of civilians. We would like to know what difficulties Ms. Smythe encountered in ensuring that information finds its way to the Council. With regard to the Council's recent missions to West Africa and the Great Lakes region, we, like other speakers, are disheartened that their reports are silent on gender equality issues and give no indication of whether meetings were held with women or with ministries and organizations dealing with gender. Such missions should systematically include this item in their mandates. They should address it explicitly in their reports and make specific recommendations on the situation of women and girls. We welcome Germany's commitment in this connection with regard to the Council's mission in Afghanistan. We must again call attention to the absolute need for the system and us, the Member States, to achieve gender balance in the system. In 1995, in Beijing, we set the goal of 50/50 gender distribution in the United Nations system by 2000. In the context of today's meeting, resolution 1325 (2000) urges the Secretary- General and Member States to improve gender balance. Yet, at the level of Special Representative of the Secretary-General, there is still only one woman leading peacekeeping operations, out of approximately 50 such positions. We must recommit ourselves to achieving this 50/50 gender balance goal. Moreover, as Mr. Guehenno noted, we must remember that it is our role, as Member States, to put forward candidates. Canada continues to actively implement its commitments made at the time of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). We are pleased to be working with the Division for the Advancement of Women in organizing the upcoming Expert Group Meeting on "Peace agreements as a means for promoting gender equality and ensuring participation of women", to be held in Ottawa next month. We call on all States to fulfil their commitments and to work to make this resolution a reality for women in order to ensure their protection and to give them the opportunity to participate in rebuilding their communities. I thank you again, Mr. President, for providing a forum for this important debate.

Mr. Aliyev (Azerbaijan): I would like to echo previous speakers in welcoming the initiative of the United States presidency to hold an open debate in the Security Council on the agenda item "Women and peace and security". Our thanks go to Under-Secretary- General Guehenno and Ms. Smythe for their valuable observations. The item under consideration is of key importance for our country. At the same time, it is in the limelight for all members of society. In that regard, I would like to thank the Secretary-General and all those who contributed to the preparation of the report on women, peace and security, document S/2002/ 1154. The report presents valuable recommendations for the consideration of Member States. Azerbaijan agrees with them and supports their operationalization. The twenty-first century has witnessed both a dynamic movement towards worldwide implementation of the principle of gender equality and the proliferation of various kinds of conflicts where women have to an alarming degree become victims and targets of atrocities and aggression. Analyses of both trends have proven that notions of peace and the advancement of women are inextricably linked in a number of dimensions. This interconnection is strikingly evident in situations of armed conflict, the consequences of which most severely affect women and children both physically and psychologically. Nevertheless, while trying to mainstream the gender perspective into each stage of the conflict resolution process, one cannot ignore the striking fact that women suffering as a result of various forms of violence are more hesitant than men to avail themselves of rehabilitation programmes. Moreover, the report of by the Secretary-General on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, prepared in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000), indicated that women and girls are disproportionally targeted in contemporary armed conflicts and constitute the majority of all victims. We concur with the Secretary-General's recommendation on the necessity that we must recognize the extent of the violations of the human rights of women and girls during armed conflict and ensure that this is duly taken into account in the planning and implementation of peace support operations. In that regard, local and international non- governmental organizations acting to protect and assist those affected by armed conflict could serve as reliable sources of information. To that end, cooperation between international organizations, including those of the United Nations system, and the Government concerned is an indispensable element in ensuring the dynamic of a positive change in the attitudes and mind- sets of affected women and girls upon whom peace and security depends. In our view, one of the most outrageous impacts of armed conflict takes place when civilian women and girls are taken hostage by parties to the conflict. In such a situation, women and children hostages are exposed to various forms of violence ranging from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to rape, slavery and trafficking in women and children for the purpose of their sexual exploitation, forced labour or other services. Here, I would like to mention that the Commission on the Status of Women of the Economic and Social Council already condemned these illegal acts committed against women and girls in its resolution 46/1 entitled "Release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflict". That organ condemned such violent acts - which are in contravention of international humanitarian law - against the civilian population in areas of armed conflict, and called for an effective response to such acts, in particular the immediate release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned in armed conflict. We are pleased to note that during the past decade international legal frameworks that provide protection for women and girls affected by armed conflict have been developed. It is encouraging that the statutes of the two international tribunals created by the Security Council to address crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone have been expanded to include gender-based violence, such as rape, enforced prostitution and trafficking during armed conflict, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and enslavement. At the same time, we believe that other forms of violence affecting women and girls in situations of armed conflict, including hostage-taking, must also be recognized and adequately acknowledged by an appropriate legal body, specifically the International Criminal Court. That would allow women and girls who are victims of violence in situations of armed conflict, to have the opportunity to pursue claims for compensation for injuries and other physical and moral damages. Another dimension of the impact of armed conflict on women and girls is the situation of women and girl refugees and internally displaced persons. Coping with problems of women refugees requires the integration of specific gender-sensitive concerns into the full spectrum of emergency assistance, in particular the transition from relief assistance to development. Women refugees can be effectively involved in the process of identifying the needs of affected populations and distributing humanitarian assistance in the field. Their active participation in tailoring gender-sensitive rehabilitation programmes relevant to their own livelihood, food security and health would provide better relief and employment opportunities for women refugees. All the aforementioned points bring me to the conclusion that, despite women's increased vulnerability and exposure to violence during armed conflict, their role in giving and sustaining life has gradually developed their unique skills and instincts for contributing to peace and development. Therefore, I believe that it must be our common goal to ensure that the concerns of women are fully incorporated into our efforts to maintain peace and security.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Ileka (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (spoke in French): At a time when the month of your presidency is drawing to a close, please allow me, Sir, to commend you for the skill and competence with which you have accomplished your difficult task. My delegation would also like to commend you for your praiseworthy initiative in organizing this important debate on women and peace and security, marking the third anniversary of the unanimous adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1325 (2000). That resolution was the result of many years of work among Governments, non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies. My delegation is pleased to participate in the current meeting. It is pleased that the Council wished to retain this item on its agenda and to follow up on the implementation of the provisions of resolution 1325 (2000), thereby showing its determination to remain involved in the work to ensure gender equality in the area of peace and security. I would like to take this opportunity not only to thank Mr. Guehenno and Ms. Smythe for their invaluable introductory presentations on the item under consideration, but also to pay a well-deserved tribute to Ms. King and her entire team in the Division for the Advancement of Women for the work they are doing in promoting the status of women, and for their efforts to increase the participation of women in the sphere of conflict prevention and settlement. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the appointment of an interim Gender Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). When the Namibian presidency convened a meeting of the Council to discuss the status of women and peace, a large number of delegations, including my own, welcomed the initiative. The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) by the Council was thus a historic turning point that allowed us to draw the world's attention to and heighten its awareness of the effects of conflict and the important role played by women in settling disputes and maintaining peace. It was the first Council resolution dealing exclusively with women in armed conflict. Among other things, it drew up a complete programme on women, peace and security, designed, inter alia, to ensure their full participation on an equal footing in peace processes and peace-building activities and provided for training on the role of women for the personnel of peacekeeping operations. The commemoration of the third anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) is a timely reminder that the Council had asked Member States to involve women in all peace efforts. The Council had called on the Secretary-General to implement a strategic plan of action to that end and to draw international attention to women's priorities. It also highlighted the contribution of women to peace processes. Lasting peace and security cannot be achieved without the emancipation and full participation of women, since their contribution at the local level to maintaining cohesive communities in conflict, along with their experience in peace processes and social reconstruction, are undeniable. States must therefore make the necessary effort to ensure women's participation at all phases and levels of the peace process so as to ensure political stability to the benefit of all. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Transitional Constitutional provides for the State's obligation to take measures in all areas, especially in the economic, social and cultural spheres, to ensure the full participation of women in the nation's development. My delegation welcomes the opportunity afforded by this debate to stress once again the basic importance of peace and security to achieving parity between the sexes and allowing women to participate in the decision-making process. At its twenty-third special session, the General Assembly reaffirmed the international community's dedication to the creation of a conducive atmosphere for and to the implementation of policies to promote, protect and guarantee women's enjoyment of their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, including the right to development, with a View to achieving equality, development and peace. The promotion of sustainable development, which involves fighting poverty, hunger and disease, needs long-term action to promote equality between men and women. Similarly, the report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security remains timely. Indeed, it offers an assessment of the challenges facing women and girls in armed conflict and a series of useful recommendations on how the international community can contribute to meeting them. Congolese women certainly belong to this group. They have taken up the challenge by playing their role and resolving to uphold the values and ideals of peace, stability and democracy. Congolese women are deeply involved in the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation or resettlement process by striving to fulfil the specific needs of widows, female combatants, soldiers' wives and their own families. They also take care of women, girls and children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, the exponential growth of which has been especially exacerbated by recurrent rapes used as a weapon of war in the ongoing conflict. Finally, Congolese women are to be found in fields as varied as health care, particularly for children, peace campaigns and education to cope with the violence of armed aggression. For its part, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is resolved to address the needs of women in conflict zones and to support the role of women in the peace process. Mr. Joseph Kabila, President of the Republic, is sparing no effort to ensure that gender issues are taken into account and appropriately addressed at every phase of the ongoing transition process, along with scheduled reforms, particularly in the electoral, judicial, and legislative fields, and, above all, the essential reconstruction and national reconciliation. The Government has planned a sweeping programme in this regard that requires the significant involvement of the international community. We take this opportunity to thank Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), for her support during the issuance in Kinshasa of the report on women, war and peace. Her recent visit to my country was seen as an expression of support for Congolese women, who have paid a heavy price during the armed aggression that has lasted some five years now. My delegation particularly welcomes the announcement on the opening of a UNIFEM. office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This happy initiative will allow Congolese women, the principal victims of the war, fully to play their role in the reconstruction of the country and the improvement of their tenuous status. Moreover, my delegation supports the efforts of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ease tensions and to urge the establishment of peace- building mechanisms, as well as the role played by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We hope that everything will be done to ensure that attacks on the physical integrity and dignity of women are prosecuted and punished under international law as war crimes and crimes against humanity. We support the recommendations to establish mechanisms to investigate cases of exploitation of women, whether their perpetrators be parties linked to the conflict or messengers of peace. In this connection, my delegation welcomes the presence of women in United Nations peacekeeping operations, which improves access to and support for local women. This presence, while allowing better protection for women caught in the trap of armed conflict, also increases the capacities of such operations and encourages their personnel to be more thoughtful and responsible. We believe that it would be useful to draft a code of conduct for peacekeeping personnel and a system of notification of sexual violence in the context of peacekeeping. In conclusion, my delegation reiterates that the Democratic Republic of the Congo attaches the highest importance to the implementation of positive measures to draw attention to the needs of women in conflict zones. The Government recently dispatched a team to the eastern part of the country to analyse the violence being committed against women and girls, especially in Ituri, where the humanitarian situation is most alarming. The women and children of Ituri continue to be subject to terrible violence and tensions. My delegation takes this opportunity to express its deep concern over the persistence of this violence against women and children in the eastern part of our national territory, particularly in Ituri. Following the example of Ms. Petronille Vaweka, a member of the Ituri Pacification Commission - whose courage in working to restore normalcy in Ituri we hail - Congolese women are involving themselves directly in the promotion of peace in their country. The Congolese women's search for liberating peace must now be supported, because the return of peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo can help Congolese women in their fight against poverty and all forms of violence and discrimination against them. They have a right to that peace, without which all hope for human dignity, well-being and development is vain and compromised.

The President: I call on the representative of Liechtenstein.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein): The debate you have convened, Sir, on the issue of women, peace and security is a timely one and we thank you very much for your initiative. We believe that there are two main areas of this broad topic, which warrant equal attention, and they are the issues of protection and participation, as set out in resolution 1325 (2000). On the protection side, women and girls continue to be prime targets due to their perceived role as bearers of cultural identity and their special vulnerability. The recent past has certainly brought about some landmark developments in the area of protection, most prominent among them the recognition of rape and other forms of sexual violence as a crime under international law. The ad hoc tribunals established by the Security Council have done groundbreaking work in that area, and the relevant provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court were drafted in a manner that allows the Court to bring to justice perpetrators of gender- specific crimes in times of armed conflict. Protection under the law, and in particular under international law, is of paramount importance and can have a preventive effect, but it must of course be complemented by practical and operational measures, in particular those undertaken by United Nations operations and presences in the field. In that context, we welcome in particular the appointment of an interim gender adviser in the Department for Peacekeeping Operations. We hope that the permanent position for a senior gender adviser can be filled in the near future. We very much welcome the presence of the Senior Gender Adviser to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at today's meeting. We would like to thank her for her contribution to this debate. Still on the issue of protection, the study on women, peace and security submitted last year also makes it clear that the effects of armed conflict on women are particularly grave where a culture of violence and discrimination against women and girls exists even prior to an armed conflict. There is therefore a continued need for close cooperation between the Security Council and the General Assembly, which is active in the elimination of discrimination and domestic violence against women. The attention given to the participation of women must be at least as strong as that given to the need for their protection. There seems to be a continued lack of awareness of the fact that women can, and often do, play an active role in connection with armed conflicts, as participants in hostilities but also as crucial players in peace processes, in particular when they are informal, and in post-conflict peace-building situations. The United Nations and its operations on the ground are perfectly placed to utilize that largely untapped resource. We continue to believe very strongly that the appointment of women as special representatives and envoys can play a catalytic role in increasing the involvement of women in peace processes, especially when those processes reach more formal stages. Such appointments might also have a positive impact on the level of reporting on gender- related issues to the Security Council, which is still unsatisfactory. Again, since the Council last met on this topic, progress on women's representation in such leadership positions has been disappointing. Resolution 1325 (2000) was a groundbreaking text that was followed up by an excellent study and report to the Council last year. The 21 points identified for action by the Secretary-General constitute a very concrete basis for action. Their implementation will go a very long way to address and, in fact, alter the current situation of women in armed conflict. We very much commend the work done by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security. We would also like to make particular mention of the implementation work carried out by the Department for Disarmament Affairs and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Nevertheless, there is obviously a long way to go, and we wonder if all the tools are actually in place to ensure full implementation. The action plan for implementation developed by the Task Force requires a significant coordination effort, and it is not clear to us whether the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women is sufficiently equipped to fully play that crucial role. It also seems to us that the Council itself has not been consistent enough in incorporating resolution 1325 (2000), or aspects thereof, in its relevant resolutions. Enhanced coordination along the lines of the proposal made earlier in this meeting by Chile would be an excellent measure to improve the Council's efficiency in that respect.

The President: I now give the floor to the Ambassador of Norway.

Mr. Lavald (Norway): In the interest of time, I will give a brief version of the statement that is being circulated. The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) has undoubtedly increased our awareness and recognition of women's contributions to peace and security around the world. Today a growing number of State leaders, policy makers, non-governmental organizations and international organizations are advocates of gender mainstreaming in conflict management and conflict prevention. The United Nations has played an important role in mobilizing for such new norms and standards. As important as it may be, the time is ripe to move beyond the mobilizing phase and look at where we stand in terms of implementation. In that regard, I wish to thank Under-Secretary-General Guehenno and Senior Gender Adviser Smythe for their reports this morning. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) requires that the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council address the gender aspects of the conflict situations in question. The analysis recently completed by the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women reveals that two thirds of reports make no, or only one, mention of women or gender issues. That is not good enough. There is a need to place greater emphasis on gender issues in all reports to the Council. Furthermore, we call on the Security Council to mainstream elements of resolution 1325 (2000) into all future resolutions on peace and security. Mr. Guehenno informed us this morning of the status of the work by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations with regard to its efforts to mainstream gender issues into the training and planning for peacekeeping operations. In that regard, Norway hopes that the recruitment process for the gender focal point position within the Department will be completed as soon as possible. A single position can be only a first step. Further strengthening and, not least, upgrading is necessary. Gender issues form an integral part of Norway's United Nations training courses and programmes. We will work actively to make sure that a gender perspective is included in all relevant training activities. We also welcome and strongly support the Secretary-General's policy of zero tolerance with regard to United Nations personnel engaging in acts of sexual exploitation and abuse. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) urges Member States and actors involved in negotiating and implementing peace agreements to adopt a gender perspective on their work and to invite women to the peace table. In Afghanistan women have been invited to be members of the Constitutional Commission, which is crucial in order to ensure the rights of women in the new Afghan constitution. It was interesting to note during the public consultation process that respondents put the rights of women high on the agenda of the new constitution. However, there are many challenges ahead. In Sri Lanka the parties to the peace process agreed to establish a mechanism to ensure a central role for women and to have women's issues properly incorporated into the peace process. To support that important initiative of the parties to the peace process in Sri Lanka, Norway has appointed a senior adviser on gender issues to the Sri Lankan peace process. What more can Member States do to speed up the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000)? A good basis for that is found in the recommendations included in the report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the resolution (S/2002/1154) and in the proposals put forth in the report commissioned by the United Nations Development Fund for Women entitled "Women, war and peace". Those reports paint a painful picture of the situation of women in conflict zones, but, just as important, they also paint a promising picture of the potential of women as peace-mongers and peace- builders. Gender issues have a bearing on both peace and development, and women's active involvement is an asset in the promotion of both.

The President: I now call on the Ambassador of Iceland.

Mr. Hannesson (Iceland): Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) lays down the ground rules for women to play a central role in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace-building. The key issue now is implementation. Like those who preceded us, we welcome the decision by the presidency to hold this open debate to mark the resolution's third anniversary. Such debates remain necessary, considering how far we are from full implementation. By adopting the resolution, the Security Council acknowledged that women have a role to play, whether it concerns conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacekeeping or reconstruction. The United Nations involvement in such processes and its promotion of gender equality is a key element to establish peace and security in conflict regions. The Security Council should put the same effort into ensuring the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) as it puts into all its other resolutions. The effectiveness of the United Nations and its international authority ultimately rest on the extent to which it is seen to implement its own decisions. Iceland has consistently supported gender equality and the advancement of women. Resolution 1325 (2000) is an important element of the United Nations agenda in that field. The Icelandic Government has, for the past three years, been financing the post of a gender expert at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) office in Kosovo, where UNIFEM. has been playing an important role in advancing gender equality. The Icelandic Government stresses the importance of hiring both men and women for the Icelandic peacekeeping unit. We welcome the appointment of an interim Gender Adviser to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. We hope that the permanent position of Senior Gender Adviser will be filled shortly. Staff working directly on gender issues must be included in all peacekeeping operations and afforded effective authority to ensure compliance at all levels. We also encourage the Secretary-General, as a matter of priority, to appoint more women as special representatives and envoys, as called for in resolution 1325 (2000). Iceland was the tenth State to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The entry-into-force of the Statute and the establishment of the Court represent a major breakthrough for the protection of human rights, including those of women. It recognizes, inter alia, the specific impact of armed conflict on women by criminalizing sexual and gender violence and puts an end to impunity through ensuring effective investigation and prosecution of those crimes by the Court. It also addresses another very important subject that is reflected in resolution 1325 (2000): by being the most gender-balanced bench of all international judicial institutions, the ICC provides an excellent example of how to ensure the increased representation of women at all decision-making levels.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of Timor-Leste.

Mr. Guterres (Timor-Leste): Allow me from the outset to express my delegation's appreciation to you, Sir, for convening this meeting on the anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). This commendable initiative highlights the commitment that the Council attaches to the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building processes. Resolution 1325 (2000) recognizes that women and children are the most vulnerable group both during and after conflict and establishes a framework within which to ensure their full participation in all aspects of the peace process. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my delegation's appreciation to Under- Secretary-General Guehenno and Ms. Smythe for their detailed presentation this morning because it is particularly useful to have insight from the field. We recognize the significance of this resolution in the area of peacekeeping and endorse the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in his report on women, peace and security of 2002 (S/2002/ 1154). We also welcome the appointment of a Gender Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations; it will further contribute to ensuring a gender perspective in all areas of peacekeeping operations. However, more needs to be done to fully implement resolution 1325 (2002) at all levels. Timor- Leste welcomes the efforts of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as reflected in Secretary-General's note (A/58/ 168), which reviews and updates the activities conducted by UNIFEM. in 2002. In particular, we commend the Independent Experts' Assessment of the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women's Role in Peace-building, issued in 2002. In Timor-Leste, UNIFEM. has played a key role in addressing gender equality and women's empowerment by strengthening their economic security and rights, promoting human rights and supporting women in governance and peace-building. In reference to the latter, UNIFEM. provided training to various groups of women in political processes and participation. The close collaboration among Timorese women, UNIFEM, non-governmental organizations and other relevant United Nations agencies resulted in a high percentage of women being elected to the Constituent Assembly in August 2001. In fact, 27 per cent of Timor-Leste's National Parliament is comprised of women, almost achieving the 30 per cent quota set out in the Beijing Platform for Action. In May 2003, UNIFEM. re-established its office in Timor-Leste with the objective of training women candidates for local elections and to continue its dynamic partnership with the Government of Timor- Leste in achieving the objectives of gender mainstreaming and economic and political empowerment in all facets of governance and civil society. In addition, with the technical and advisory support provided by the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) to the National Police Service, the number of women on active duty in that law enforcement body now makes up more than 20 per cent of the total number of police officers. Timor-Leste is committed to a nation-building process which promotes a culture of peace, with full respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, the equality of all citizens and non-discrimination. Based on that, the National Parliament ratified a package of international human rights conventions on 10 December 2002, notably the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol, the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. My country will do its utmost to meet international human rights standards in its laws, policies and practices. To that end, Timor-Leste would like to extend its appreciation to the donor community for its commitment and support. In that context, the Office for the Promotion of Equality in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, in cooperation with UNIFEM, will draft Timor-Leste's first national report to the Committee on the CEDAW, due in March 2004. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, a landmark treaty, recognizes that specific acts of sexual and gender violence constitute serious crimes under international law. In addition, the Statute guarantees the fair representation of women on the bench and requires the inclusion of judges with legal expertise on violence against women and children. Finally, let me reaffirm Timor-Leste's commitment to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), which is essential to the achievement of the Millennium Declaration Goals. We share the View previously expressed here that sustainable peace and lasting security cannot be achieved without the full and equal participation of women in conflict resolution and peace-building. For those reasons, we would like to see this issue remain a regular item on the Security Council's agenda.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of India.

Mr. Nambiar (India): I thank you, Sir, for holding this open debate of the Security Council on gender and peacekeeping to mark the third anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. I also wish to thank the senior United Nations personnel who have provided us with valuable introductions to the topic at hand. The critical importance of this issue stems from the fact that civilians are increasingly the victims, sometimes unintended and sometimes intended, of the violent conflicts that occur in different parts of the world today. It has been estimated that close to 90 per cent of current war casualties are civilians, the majority of whom are women and children, compared to a century ago, when 90 per cent of those who lost their lives were military personnel. Although entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict, women and children are particularly affected because of their status in society and their gender. Despite this, women should not be viewed solely as victims of war. They assume the key role of ensuring family livelihoods in the midst of chaos and destruction, and are particularly active in peace movements at the grassroots level and in cultivating peace within their communities. However, the absence of women at the peace-negotiating table is unconscionable. My delegation supported many of the recommendations made in the report of the Secretary- General (S/2002/ 1154) pursuant to resolution 1325 (2000). We welcome, in that context, the decision to appoint a gender adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Armed and other types of conflicts, terrorism and hostage-taking still persist in many parts of the world. My country has been the victim of a vicious campaign of cross-border terrorism for two decades, resulting in the deaths of at least 63,000 persons, mainly civilians, women and children included. On 27 October, two days ago, the first day of Ramadan, one person was killed and 34 were injured in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir when a grenade was indiscriminately lobbed into a public telecommunications centre where people were lined up to pay their bills. The campaign of terrorism and intimidation seeking to force itself on an unwilling citizenry in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been compounded by the misguided zealotry of the fundamentalists who have launched a terror campaign specifically targeting women for their so-called non- observance of strict moral codes. In an area where society has traditionally placed no such restrictions on women and in which women have played such an important role, the externally-foisted and forced imposition of such social codes can only impact adversely on society in general and on women in particular. It is our experience that terrorists exploit the vulnerabilities of women in situations where violence prevails and where normal life and livelihoods are disrupted on account of terrorist activities. Perhaps those that direct and sponsor terrorist activities are aware that women, having the most vested interests in ensuring a stable and peaceful society, foster values that go against violence and terrorism. Moreover, when provided the opportunity to mobilize themselves through democratic processes, women have been at the forefront of initiatives for the consolidation of peace and security. One consistent factor in democratic elections in different parts of India has been the preponderance of women among voters. The success of elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year can be partly attributed to the high turnout of Kashmiri women desirous of utilizing this democratic exercise to empower themselves with the means for producing a more secure and stable environment. It is implicit that their participation would also foster and strengthen activities that combat terrorism. In Afghanistan, women are finding their rightful place in society. The violence of the gun has largely given way to a more peaceful and settled existence for a large part of the population. An entire generation of women who were denied their right to education and work by those represented by the Taliban are now pursuing educational and professional opportunities. Unfortunately, the same religious fundamentalists have now diverted their attention to other parts of the world, including the Indian state of J ammu and Kashmir. India recently undertook the largest democratic decentralization exercise when it provided grassroots level panchayats - locally elected self-governing bodies - across the country, with decision-making powers. Since at least one-third of all panchayat members in India are women by statutory law, that decision has opened up the opportunity to Indian women to lead on peace and security issues from the grassroots level. Undoubtedly, women having a voice in inculcating systems that foster peace and security in a country of a billion people will have an impact far and wide. Women and children constitute some 80 per cent of the world's millions of refugees and other displaced persons. They are threatened by the deprivation of property, goods, services and their right to return to their homes of origin, and by violence and insecurity. We therefore support the Secretary-General's recommendation that the reintegration of women through disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes be an integral part of all future peacekeeping missions. The debate today has provided a valuable opportunity for the Council and the larger membership to be updated on and further sensitized to the important role that women can and should play in securing peace and international security. It is incumbent upon the United Nations to play its role in supporting and furthering efforts in that direction. We support the implementation of the Secretary-General's recommendations, although, as with all broad recommendations, this must be conditional upon circumstances and situations. The representative of Pakistan has, in his wisdom, chosen to make unwarranted and unsubstantiated comments on the treatment of women in India. I have earlier drawn the attention of the Council to the invaluable role the political empowerment of women can play in inculcating values that serve as a deterrent to violence and terrorism. The stark contrast between Indian and Pakistani politics, seen in their historical and current contexts, can offer no better evidence of the differing political, legal and social frameworks within which each country views its women as a resource in addressing the issue of peace and security. Early this month, in an open letter, dated 10 October 2003 addressed to the President of Pakistan, the Executive Director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch devoted one entire section to legal discrimination against and mistreatment of women and religious minorities in that country. The letter also addresses, inter alia, the issues of the torture and mistreatment of political opponents and journalists, return to civilian rule and the legal framework order and sectarian violence. The letter specifically records that inaction on the Hudood laws persists despite the Government-run National Commission for Status of Women calling for a repeal of the Hudood Ordinance on the grounds that it "makes a mockery of Islamic justice" and is "not based on Islamic injunctions." This, despite the outcry over cases such as the tribal jirga-ordered gang-rape of Mukhtaran Bibi in Punjab and the sentencing to death by stoning of Zafran Bibi on grounds of adultery. Human Rights Watch has monitored those and other cases involving abuse under the Hudood laws. Informed estimates suggest that over 210,000 cases under the Hudood laws are under process in Pakistan's legal system. The aforementioned is just an illustration of the problems that women in that country face. A State that is unable and unwilling to provide basic rights to its women is incapable of any sensitivity towards the plight of women in other countries brought about by terrorist actions. Conversely, it reveals the ethos - under which the sponsors of the regressive Taliban in Afghanistan have decided to use similar means to subdue a civilian population, particularly women and children, of another nation into succumbing to the threat of terror.

The President: I would now like to offer a statement in my national capacity. The United States vigorously supported the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and we continue to pursue its goals, particularly through the Group of Friends of resolution 1325 (2000), so ably energized by the Canadian delegation. We therefore scheduled today's meeting to take stock of progress made to see what can be done to continue to advance implementation and to provide an operational perspective on implementation. The two presentations that started off today's discussion provided us with valuable information, followed by a useful and thought-provoking debate. I thank Mr. Guehenno and Ms. Smythe for joining us today. We heartily commend the efforts of the Secretariat, the Gender Advisers, Member States, civil society and others on their insight and accomplishments. But we clearly have work to do before we can say that Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) has been fully implemented. I address this point to everyone - the members of the Security Council, other Member States, parties to conflict and, of course, every department and office in the Secretariat. Although we called upon the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to provide today's report, we have not forgotten about the responsibilities and contributions of other United Nations departments, including the Department of Political Affairs, the Department for Disarmament Affairs, the Office of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), among others. For our part, we in the Security Council, where appropriate, include references to gender and resolution 1325 (2000) in our resolutions, mission mandates and reports - although there have been comments throughout the day that perhaps we do not do that sufficiently. My Government's support for resolution 1325 (2000) and the principles it embodies are part of a larger United States commitment to advancing the rights of women more broadly at home and around the world. We envision a world in which participation in all aspects of civic life by both men and women is free and whole. With respect to the focus of resolution 1325 (2000), it is literally impossible to understand conflicts and then frame and implement policy responses to those conflicts without overcoming the inertia that too often sidelines, sidetracks and silences half of the world's population. No approach to peace can succeed if it does not view men and women as equally important components of the solution. The United States, therefore, is placing great emphasis on the role of women in resolving conflicts and building peace in countries that desperately need their vision and full participation. That is why we are investing heavily in bringing women into the equation in post-conflict areas where their voices have been muted. For example, the Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues in the United States Department of State lists nearly 175 projects dedicated to women's political, economic and social development in Afghanistan. These include a $2.5 million grant to build women's resource centres in 14 provinces, as well as an additional $1 million for educational and training programmes on topics ranging from employment to human rights education and political participation skills; grants to support women's political participation and potential female candidates in various Afghan provinces, and an advocacy training programme held in the United States for Afghan women political activists in preparation for the Loya Jirga. We look forward to the Council's upcoming trip to Afghanistan as an opportunity to see first-hand what kind of progress women in Afghanistan have made and to continue to urge their involvement in the post- conflict reconstruction of their country. I am pleased to have heard Minister of State Muller confirm Germany's commitment to that aspect of the Council's visit. In Iraq, we are promoting women's inclusion in the building of civil society. The Coalition Provisional Authority governance team has in fact held dozens of meetings with Iraqi women on a range of issues, including constitutional and legal reform, security, human rights and education and health, among others. In May, the Authority Administrator, Ambassador Bremer, personally met with Iraqi women representing a range of backgrounds to discuss the future of Iraq. He encouraged them to form a steering committee, and as a result, on 9 July more than 70 women - experts in law, education, health, human rights and economics - participated in a day of workshops entitled "The voice of women in Iraq". United States Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky gave the keynote address and delivered a personal message from President Bush, who commended the women attending the conference for "their strong commitment to creating an Iraq where the benefits of freedom are available to all citizens". Representatives from the United Nations and United Nations agencies - including the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund and UNIFEM, which do such important work on these issues - also participated and contributed. There is remarkable work being done at the United-States-supported Fatima al-Zahra Centre for Women's Rights in Hillah, where another important meeting, entitled "The heartland of Iraq's women's conference", took place just this month. More than 150 women attended from the five south-central provinces, including women involved in the establishment of women's centres and organizations in their communities. In addition, we are working to strengthen community-based groups in Iraq to foster citizen participation in the local policy-making process. In that regard, our funding for women's organizations has helped them build their capacity to promote women's issues at interim advisory councils across Iraq and to organize workshops for Iraqi women to discuss reforms in such areas as matrimonial law, the prevention of violence, abuse against women and equal opportunities in education and employment. Reinforcing those efforts, the Coalition Provisional Authority and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are cooperating with the Baghdad District Advisory Council women's committee, the Baghdad Women's Non-Governmental Organization Coordinating Council and Women for Women International to conduct on-site assessments for the establishment of nine women's training and education centres across the city. As Ms. Smythe noted, women are among the most disadvantaged members of the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, another strife-torn nation. To help women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have funded programmes through the International Human Rights Law Group to support local organizations attempting to end sexual violence against women. USAID has also granted $500,000 to the International Rescue Committee for a programme to counsel women and help them deal with the consequences of rape in North and South Kivu. Those are but a few examples of our programmatic emphasis on implementing resolution 1325 (2000) in letter and spirit. As a further manifestation of our resolve, shared by many of the countries present here today, the United States has sponsored a draft resolution on women and political participation during the current session of the General Assembly. Our draft resolution outlines a series of practical steps that States and other actors can and should take to increase women's participation in politics and decision-making. It also specifically mentions resolution 1325 (2000) and urges States and the United Nations to increase women's participation in conflict resolution and peace processes. I would also like to draw attention to another issue that has a significant impact on women, particularly in conflict situations. We know that each year hundreds of thousands of women and children fall victim to the sex trade. As President Bush said to the General Assembly last month, "Nearly two centuries after the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and more than a century after slavery was officially ended in its last strongholds, the trade in human beings for any purpose must not be allowed to thrive in our time." (A/58/PV.7, p. 12) The United States Government has therefore committed $50 million to support organizations that are rescuing women and children from exploitation and giving them the hope of a new life. In this regard, I would especially like to thank Under-Secretary- General Guehenno for his update on the current response of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to trafficking in women as it affects peacekeeping operations, and note that we look forward to the lessons-learned study that he has under way. We join others in expressing our pleasure at hearing that the Department intends soon to fill the Gender Adviser position at Headquarters. I conclude by saying that, while we have made progress, there is indeed much more work to be done. I echo many of the questions that my colleagues have raised. My Government and my Mission will continue to support and push for the implementation of the landmark resolution. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. Because of the press of other business, Under- Secretary-General Guehenno was unable to be with us this afternoon. I therefore propose that the presidency of the Council undertake to comb through some of the questions that were addressed to him during the course of this afternoon's discussion, ensure that they reach his Office and ask for those replies that he can provide at this particular time. In any event, I am sure that such questions will serve as a guide to his Office and to others with regard to the concerns expressed here this afternoon by Member States. Since Ms. Smythe has been with us this afternoon, listening patiently throughout the debate, I would now like to ask her if she has any additional comments to make or if she would like to undertake to reply to any of the questions that have been asked this afternoon.

Ms. Smythe: I do not feel able to step into Mr. Guehenno's shoes and answer the questions directed at him. I would like, however, to say that I recognize that sensitivity on gender issues has taken hold. We in the field would like to see verbal commitments translated into real action. The support that we have received so far has enabled us to come as far as we have. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular, the question of elections is preoccupying many women's groups, as well as civil society in general. So we are very pleased to know that some work has been done by your Government, Mr. President, on women and political participation. That is one of the issues that we will follow up very quickly - as soon as I get back - so as to get more information for my colleagues in the system, as well as for people in the United States Embassy. Perhaps we omitted to mention this morning that one source of support that enabled us to do the amount of work that we were able to do was the Office of Ms. Angela King. From the outset, when there was no Gender Adviser, her Office supplied much useful advice to the gender office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are particularly grateful to Ms. King and her team for that. We apologize for the omission in our statement this morning. Having made those comments, I would like to add that we shall work very closely with Mr. Guehenno's Office to supply any answers that may be needed as a follow-up to this meeting. I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity to speak here today.

The President: I would like once again to thank Ms. Smythe for her statement and for bringing us the perspective of somebody who is working very hard on these issues in the field.

Mr. Khalid (Pakistan): I wish to respond to the remarks by the representative of India. One of the dimensions of today's debate is the plight of women as victims of conflict. It was from that perspective that my delegation highlighted the travails and tribulations of Kashmiri women facing brutal repression by the Indian security forces. The tales of torture and rape of Kashmiri women have not been concocted by Pakistan; they have been systematically catalogued by Indian and international human rights organizations over the past 13 years. The horrific gang rape of over 20 women in the Kashmiri village of Konan Poshpura by Indian soldiers remains a scar on the conscience of humanity. In that so-called largest democracy there is still no accountability for the perpetrators. I would like to quote just one report. Asia Watch states: "Rape is used as a means of targeting women. In raping them, the security forces are trying to punish and humiliate the entire community." The international media has reported similar tactics employed by the Hindu mobs during the recent killing of over 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat. Just recently, a key witness of the killing of many innocent Muslims in what is known as the Best Bakery case, a woman of young age, was harassed to the point where she had to go back on her earlier accounts in order to save her life and the lives of the remainder of her family. That incident has been extensively reported by the Indian media. I would also like briefly to draw the attention of the Council to a report in The New York Times on 2 February 2003 on the Gujarat killing. It states: "The scale of the violence was matched only by its brutality. Women were gang-raped before being killed. Children were burned alive. Gravediggers at mass burial sites told investigators that 'most bodies that had arrived were burned and butchered beyond recognition. Many were missing body parts - arms, legs and even heads."' That report was contributed by Mr. Pankaj Mishra, an Indian who is the author of a novel entitled The Romantics. Despite these reports, impunity continues for the perpetrators, while the victims live in fear, shame and ignominy. The Indian representative referred to the case of a Pakistani woman, Mukhtaran Bibi. In that unfortunate incident, the law took its course, and all the perpetrators have been brought to justice. Such isolated incidents are indeed not comparable to State-sponsored terrorism unleashed on innocent people. Our discussion today will not be complete if we fail to speak for those and other such victims around the world. It would be morally wrong to pretend that everything is fine just because India says so. We believe that the international community has a responsibility to stand up for the helpless Kashmiris as well, who cannot match India's military might but legitimately hope for justice and fairness. It is high time for India to give up its policy of deceit and chicanery and instead engage in a serious and purposeful dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute, which has brought untold suffering to 12 million Kashmiri people.

The President: At the outset of the meeting, I indicated that the presidency would undertake the task of preparing a summary of the main points expressed during our discussion. Accordingly, the presidency will do so as soon as possible and issue it as a press release. I wish to thank all the participants in today's very evidence of the strong interest in the United Nations in interesting discussion on the implementation of the implementation of this very, very important resolution 1325 (2000). A total of 37 Member States, resolution. including Council members, took the floor, which is The meeting rose at 5.55 pm.