S/PV.6642Resumption1 Security Council

The President: I would like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Afghanistan, Fiji and Mexico. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite those representatives to participate in the meeting. I wish to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 28 October 2011 from the representative of Germany, in which he requests that the NATO Civilian Liaison Officer to the United Nations, Ms. Eirini Lemos-Maniati, be invited to participate in the consideration of the item in accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. The President: I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than four minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

Ms. Boiko (Ukraine): I would like to begin by commending you, Madam President, for convening this debate. It allows Member States to reaffirm their commitment to implementing Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), to assess progress, exchange views and develop new approaches to such an important issue. Our appreciation also goes to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, to Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN-Women, to the President of the Economic and Social Council and to the representative of the NGO Working Group for their thoughtful insights into today's topic. While Ukraine aligns itself with the statement by the delegation of the European Union, I will make few brief points in my national capacity. The eleventh anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) is an opportunity to strengthen the global agenda on women and peace and security. We welcome the latest report of the Secretary-General on this issue (S/201l/598*) and take positive note of its recommendations. My country remains fully committed to the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009). Ukraine considers that ensuring gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the empowerment of women is not only an important objective, but is also an essential part of the pursuit of democracy and development. This year's awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to three distinguished and inspirational women is an acknowledgement of the crucial role of women as defenders of human rights and contributors to political settlements, conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In recognition of the essential contribution of women towards achieving those objectives, Ukraine co-sponsored a draft resolution on women and political participation. Despite all international efforts, women and girls continue to be the most vulnerable victims of armed conflicts, targeted with sexual violence, sexual exploitation and other forms of gender-based violence. Eliminating impunity is critical for preventing gender- based crimes. In 2010 Ukraine became a co-sponsor of Council resolution 1960 (2010), which concerned sexual violence in armed conflict. We remain ready to undertake further steps, in particular as a member of UN-Women. Ukraine recognizes the instrumental role that a stronger United Nations gender architecture could play in advancing women's rights. It is a great responsibility for my country to be represented on the Executive Board of UN-Women. Ukraine's activity in this entity is focused on implementing policies and practices that seek to reduce gender inequality in all its manifestations in every sphere of life, including decision-making and leadership, the elimination of violence against women and girls, and trafficking in women and girls. We welcome the Council's efforts to pay special attention to the concrete needs of women and girls affected by armed conflicts in such spheres as health, education, legal support, and water and sanitation. The focus of today's debate on the participation and role of women in conflict prevention and mediation could not be more timely. Ukraine has always stressed the need for the widest possible use of the potential of women in the spheres of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We believe that there is still much to be done to redress the current underrepresentation of women in decision- making with regard to conflict resolution so as to make their voice heard loud and clear in peace negotiations. 11-57075 In that context, we welcome the adoption of the first-ever resolution on "Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention and resolution" (General Assembly resolution 65/283). In that document, all Member States resolved to promote the equal, full and effective participation of women at all levels of the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution, as well as to provide adequate gender expertise for all mediators and their teams. My delegation prides itself on the long record of participation of Ukrainian women, as civilian police and military observers, in United Nations peacekeeping efforts. Currently, they are deployed in five United Nations peacekeeping operations - in Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, South Sudan and Timor-Leste. Their dedicated service to peace is one of the concrete ways in which Ukraine contributes to advancing the agenda of today's meeting on the ground. The importance of women's participation in peacebuilding can hardly be overestimated. The issue is one of the priorities of Ukraine as a member of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and one of it current Vice-Chairs. We see a great deal of merit in strengthening collaboration between the PBC and UN-Women in this field. From that perspective, Ukraine was one of the initiators of the first-ever joint high-level meeting of those bodies aimed at promoting advocacy for women's participation in peacebuilding, in line with the Secretary-General's thematic report. In conclusion, Ukraine calls on Member States to renew their commitments under resolution 1325 (2000) and to launch new strategies to address gender equality issues in peace and security processes. Ukraine is resolved to do its share.

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

Mr. Beck (Solomon Islands): My delegation would like to begin by thanking Nigeria for the initiative to hold this meeting. We also would like to begin by associating ourselves with the statement to be made by the representative of Vanuatu on behalf of the Pacific small island developing States (SIDS). We present this statement in our national capacity. 11-57075 One of the six main goals of the UN-Women strategic plan, 2011-2013 (see UNW/2011/9), deals with women's leadership in peace, security and humanitarian response. That plan has outcomes with targets and indicators by which we can measure progress over time. As a country emerging from conflict, we have put in place a number of peace and security initiatives. We have adopted traditional and external mechanisms. We have borrowed the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission model, which has a gender chapter to it. I am pleased to say that during its work it has accumulated data relevant to resolution 1325 (2000) that we will feed into our national policy framework when the Commission's mandate comes to a natural end next year. Given our lack of capacity and resources, much of the work on gender in Solomon Islands is externally supported and heavily consultant-driven. That said, our homegrown faith-based gender components have been in existence for the past couple of decades. We are assisted by the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Gender equality is factored into the Mission, led by Australia and supported by New Zealand and all our Pacific neighbours. I am pleased to say that by the end of this year, RAMSI will have a new coordinator, who is a Tongan professional woman. My Government looks forward to working with her. United Nations relations with Solomon Islands are by remote control through a regional office abroad. Our concern is that the United Nations gender- supported early warning system initiative, initiated years back, unfortunately did not grow roots nationally and went silent after completion of the project. In that regard, we have been calling for an enhanced United Nations presence in Solomon Islands to ensure that there is a permanent partnership in transferring projects within the country. Nationally, two ministries are leading the charge in implementing resolution 1325 (2000), namely, the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace and the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children's Affairs. Their work on gender goes beyond resolution 1325 (2000), as has been clarified in the concept paper (S/2011/654, annex). It covers the other resolutions, 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010). 3 My subregion is in a permanent state not of conflict, but rather of adapting, mitigating and addressing the various challenges of climate change and combating poverty. We are in a transitional phase of providing and improving women's access to food, water, health, education and economic opportunities. The results have been mixed and the problems are growing. Five Pacific SIDS are classified as least developed countries (LDCs). The Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 has a gender orientation to it. It calls for investment in the productive sector within our countries, especially in infrastructure, agriculture and energy, with the ambitious goal to transform and graduate 50 per cent of LDCs by 2020. As my colleague from Vanuatu will state later on, the Pacific SIDS are developing a regional action plan on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), which will be complemented by a national action plan. On that note, Solomon Islands wishes to register its appreciation to UN-Women, which has provided financing to assist us in working on our national action plan. My delegation is mindful of the deep gaps within resolution 1325 (2000), as it deals merely with peace and security, not development. Our reading of the resolution is that it engages women becoming agents of change in conflict prevention, management and peacebuilding, acting as fire-fighters putting out tires without looking at the causes of conflict. Peace and security, however, can be sustained by having a sustainable development context to them. Solomon Islands is also one of the 17 members of the g-7, a small group of countries emerging from conflict and having the objective of trying to improve and reform global policies towards countries emerging from conflict, focusing more on State peacebuilding and State-building in relation to aid effectiveness. The recommendations of the group will be presented at the forthcoming High-level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, to be held in Korea this year. One of the root causes of conflict today is climate change. The swallowing of land due to sea-level rise is disempowering women landowners in matrilineal societies in Solomon Islands. Challenges with regard to drought, food and water are reversing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals all around the world. Today - not tomorrow - we need the leadership of the developed countries to adopt ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gases in order to stabilize temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Currently, we are on a path with weak pledges on the table that will see the temperature rise to more than 5 to 7 degrees Celsius unless something drastic happens in five weeks' time in Durban, South Africa. Once we reach that point, resolution 1325 (2000) will become irrelevant. I hope that this presentation will contribute to providing us with an early warning that will be reflected in the discussions to come.

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

Mr. Kolga (Estonia): My delegation fully aligns itself with the statement made earlier by the representative of the European Union. At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary- General for the encouraging remarks he made this morning. For a start, I would like to emphasize that women's security is part of overall peace and security and that women can contribute to peace processes and are very able to do so. Here, I would like to use the same quotation of Aristotle that the Estonian President used during the General Assembly's general debate this year (see A/66/PV.11, p. 47). Aristotle noted that where the state of women is bad, almost half of human life is spoiled. That is no less true today - and it will remain so. I therefore welcome this Security Council debate to discuss women's participation and role in conflict prevention and mediation. The involvement of women in peacekeeping operations and conflict prevention is of the utmost importance to ensure the success of the operations, as it is the only way to reach the whole population. In October of last year Estonia adopted its first National Action Plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its follow-up resolutions, which sets out our priorities for the future. We are now in the process of reviewing the implementation of the Action Plan over the past year. The purpose of the National Action Plan is to ensure that Estonia's international military and civil contributions and development cooperation take women's needs systematically into account. It contains commitments to include the gender perspective in those activities. One of the countries closely connected to the implementation of our Action Plan has been Afghanistan, where NATO and Estonia have jointly endeavoured to promote the involvement and advancement of women. In November 2010, Estonia organized an international conference, entitled "Women, Peace and Security - the Afghan View", focused on the cooperation between national and international contributors. The National Action Plan also includes Estonia's commitments regarding resolution 1325 (2000) that stem from our role as a contributor to international peace and security through our active participation in international civilian and military operations, as a donor country and a member of the European Union, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations. The Action Plan also seeks to raise general awareness and interest in gender-related issues in our own society and to increase gender-related expertise. We support women's participation in posts related to peace and security and will take further steps to increase women's participation in military, police and rescue services. In the future, we would like to integrate the gender perspective into our pre-mission training even more. It is also our aim to consider gender-related issues during the general training of officers and non-commissioned officers. At the international level, we want resolution 1325 (2000) to remain an important political subject in the United Nations, OSCE, the European Union and NATO in an ongoing way. We welcome the United Nations strategic results framework and the set of indicators on women and peace and security, which guide the implementation of resolutions, and we also welcome the comprehensive report on the NATO/ Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council policy on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions. In addition, we believe that the International Criminal Court has an important role to play in ending impunity in crimes against women. Finally, let me note our appreciation of the work of Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN-Women, whose leadership in that role is of crucial importance to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We also expect that UN-Women will play an active role in helping to turn the principles of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security from words on paper into reality. I would also like to extend our appreciation to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict and to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict for their involvement.

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

Mr. Niyonzima (Burundi) (spoke in French): Allow me at the outset, Madam President, to thank you for organizing this debate on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and to commend the Secretary- General on his report (S/2011/598*). The political will of the Government of Burundi to promote gender equity and gender equality is well established. Indeed Burundi has subscribed to international agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and other international conventions and agreements on equality and non-discrimination on the basis of gender, and has implemented a national gender policy. To implement resolution 1325 (2000), the Government of Burundi has decided that no strategy will be adopted or implemented without taking into clear account the gender dimension, so as to guarantee the full participation of women in decision-making, in prioritizing plans of action and in implementing them. As things stand, our National Plan of Action on resolution 1325 (2000) has been drafted and its adoption by the Council of Ministers is expected next month. The plan is designed to respond to the Government's national and international priorities, which are reflected in national policy documents, such as the "Strategic Framework for Combating Poverty, Second Generation", "Vision 2025" and the revised version of the national gender policy. The substance of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security is chiefly built around four pillars - participation, prevention, protection and recovery. In terms of participation in decision-making, Burundi has made significant progress. For example, the 30 per cent rate stipulated by the country's Constitution has been exceeded during the post- election nominations in 2010. Nine of the 21 ministerial positions are currently held by women- equal to 43 per cent. With that percentage Burundi leads the rest of Africa. Our rate of women's representation in the Senate places Burundi in first place in Africa and in second place worldwide, after Bolivia. In hiring practices for both civil service and private industry, women and men go through the same selection process and have an equal chance. In many cases, applications from women are strongly encouraged. In matters of peace and security, Burundi's National Security Council includes 2 women among its seven members. Plans for gender integration in the police force and the army have already been adopted by the relevant ministries, and currently women are increasingly included as part of peacekeeping missions on the ground in other countries. In the area of prevention and protection, the Government of Burundi has taken stern measures to discourage abuse of girls as wives or sex slaves, by instituting a police unit for minors and morality under the ministry that handles public security. As part of the fight against gender-based violence, training sessions are regularly conducted for the military and the national police forces. On top of everything else, a national strategy to fight gender-based violence has been drawn up and will soon be adopted by the Government. The implementation of that strategy will, however, require strong support from the international community. In terms of recovery, the Government encourages women to form associations, so as to be able to receive assistance and support from the Administration and other benefactors. As part of implementation of the action plan under resolution 1325 (2000), the Government would like to establish a support fund for income-generating initiatives in order to enhance the economic power of women. The Government also encourages women entrepreneurs to create organizations, as that will facilitate the search for funding to bolster their companies and their management capacities. Many challenges, such as the eradication of violence against women, the struggle against poverty, changing mindsets and capacity-building of women for their empowerment, remain to be met for effective implementation of the resolution. I want to conclude by thanking, on behalf of my Government, all our development partners, who continue to give all the necessary support to enable Burundi women to assume their rightful place.

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

Ms. Anderson (Ireland): The award of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize to President Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman recognized the importance of encouraging and empowering women to play their full part in working for peace. In its citation, the Nobel Committee recognized the non-violent struggle of those three women for the safety of women and for women's right to full participation in peacebuilding work. The latest Secretary-General's report (S/2011/598*) covers the four themes of prevention, participation, protection, and relief and recovery. Justifiably, protection issues have received much attention. Special Representative Wallstrom and her team, with their unstinting efforts to help prevent sexual violence in conflict and end immunity for the perpetrators, deserve our full support. We expect to announce shortly a significant Irish financial contribution to her Office. However, as has so often been emphasized, a focus on the way that conflict can victimize women should not lead us to obscure the role that women can play as agents of conflict resolution and recovery or, in the words of the Nobel Committee, lead us to ignore the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent. More than simply asserting the right of women to participate in peacemaking or peacebuilding - which is, of course, their right - the report of the Secretary- General acknowledges what women bring to the table and what their absence from the table implies. Efforts at peace that accord women prominent and active roles have a better chance of successfully addressing key post-conflict issues. The corollary is equally clear: "[The e]xclusion of women and lack of gender expertise in negotiations leads to irreversible setbacks for women's rights" (S/2011/598*, para. 18). While the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and the four subsequent resolutions on the topic represented a paradigm shift in relation to women and conflict, there remains a striking reluctance in many quarters to include women as full and equal partners in peace efforts. Of the nine peace agreements signed during the course of 2010, only two have provisions ensuring women's rights. There is a basic design flaw that needs to be addressed: peace processes in general are not set up to engage non-traditional actors like women's groups or other civil society organizations. That has to change. Processes need to be structured from the outset to draw more fully on non-formal and non-traditional influences, where women, woven into the social fabric of societies, have so much to offer. The mediation phase, when things remain in flux, presents a good opportunity to empower and include such groups. As the Secretary-General points out in his report, it is critical that women peacebuilders and mediators be engaged as early as possible in the conflict prevention and resolution cycle - and not just by the inclusion of women negotiators, but by a broader gender perspective, so that gender is established as a thread running through all major peacebuilding issues, rather than being parked on its own as a discrete topic. Gender is not a box to be ticked, a nod to political correctness. Its place is not at the end of a long list; it is a concern that should condition the approach from start to finish. The promise and potential of women peacebuilders was evident to a delegation of women ambassadors, including Ireland's Ambassador to the African Union, who paid a visit to the Sudan earlier this year and met with a cross-section of women peacebuilders, legislators and internally displaced persons. The delegation's report noted the determination of women to play a full role in conflict prevention efforts and recommended that international organizations take on more responsibility for implementing women and peace and security priorities. The Arab Spring provides a crucible for addressing the questions of the representation and participation of women. The striking and inspirational roles played by women in the early stages of events in Cairo, Benghazi and elsewhere have given way to a sense of women being side-lined. The risks for women are obvious; revolutions begin on the streets but, at a later stage, key decisions may be taken in smoke-filled rooms. In that transition, women all too easily lose out; their courage helped to make the revolution, but their inexperience of power allows others to shape the outcomes. Special Representative Wallstrom has previously referred to the risk that the Arab Spring could turn into a cold winter for Arab women. As those societies and interim Governments continue to adjust and settle, the international community must use its leverage to ensure that democratic changes under way are seen through and that the full role promised to women is realized. Our watchwords must be "delivery" and "urgency". Good intentions and solemn commitments are of value only to the extent that they are acted upon. All of us must step up to the plate. Ireland's principal pledge at last year's debate on women and peace and security was to develop, adopt and launch a national action plan on resolution 1325 (2000) (see S/PV.6411). I am pleased to announce that Ireland has recently adopted its national action plan and that this plan will be officially launched in the coming weeks. The plan was informed by a cross- learning initiative that brought together women from Timor-Leste, Liberia, Ireland and Northern Ireland to discuss the most critical issues facing women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings. As we implement our national action plan, Ireland will continue to listen to the voices of women affected by conflict, strengthen institutional capacities through comprehensive training of personnel deployed overseas, and support programmes that promote women's participation. In its Peace Prize citation earlier this month, the Nobel Committee wrote that "[w]e cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society". That is not just a worthy sentiment in a citation; it is a bald statement of reality and one that demands our full and urgent attention.

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

Mr. Apakan (Turkey): At the outset, I wish to thank you, Madam President, for organizing this open debate on an issue of the utmost importance and to express our deep appreciation for your valuable efforts in this field. Further, I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive and pertinent report (S/2011/598*). We welcome the concept note on women's participation and role in conflict prevention and mediation (S/2011/654). Let me also state that we welcome with satisfaction the progress that UN-Women has achieved under Ms. Bachelet's visionary leadership. Since the adoption of landmark resolution 1325 (2000), progress has been achieved across a broad range of issues aimed at enhancing the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls in conflict- affected situations. A stronger gender perspective in post-conflict processes, as well as in United Nations programming and reporting, has been steadily built. The issues of gender equality and the empowerment of women have become critical components of political deliberations and actions. All in all, a better understanding is taking hold. We heartily welcome and commend the United Nations entities, non- governmental organizations and women's organizations that are working selflessly in this area. Yet as today's debate and the Secretary-General's report have shown us, there remain formidable challenges before us. Many structural and institutional impediments persist. Women continue to be largely marginalized in the national and international decision- making spheres because of persistent challenges, such as discriminatory laws, cultural stereotypes, lack of education, inability to access basic services, and sparse economic opportunities, to name a few. We firmly believe that the participation of women and the incorporation of gender perspectives in all contexts are vitally important. We must expand the role of women everywhere. We need women to play a greater role in preventive diplomacy, mediation and peacekeeping. We need women to play a greater role in post-conflict reconstruction and institution-building, and we need a greater role for women in sustainable development and as agents for social transformation. The integral link between peace, security, gender equality and development is evident. This interaction renders women's participation in peace processes and sustainable development mutually reinforcing. The issue of women's security should therefore be addressed through holistic methodologies rather than ad hoc solutions. In that regard, while we should put gender equality and the empowerment of women at the core of our efforts, we should further encourage and support their participation in the work of peace, including post-conflict recovery efforts and the sustainable development process. In this context, we are particularly pleased to note that the interconnection between security and development has been acknowledged by the international community in broader terms. Millennium Development Goal 3 - promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women - will no doubt help emphasize the effectiveness of the efforts in this area. I should also recall that the Programme of Action (see A/66/134) agreed on at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least-Developed Countries in Istanbul in May proposes a number of joint actions on gender equality and the empowerment of women, concrete steps to be taken jointly by least-developed countries and their development partners. The positive ramifications of increasing women's participation in every context and at every stage of political transition are widely recognized and critically important. Situations of political transition should be perceived as providing opportunities for enhancing women's roles in decision-making at every level. It is equally important to redouble our efforts to combat impunity. Unfortunately, armed conflict and post- conflict disorder hit women and children the hardest. Targeted measures should be directed at the perpetrators of sexual violence and rape. We should all ensure that effective international mechanisms are established to respond to such crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice. I would like to conclude by emphasizing my country's strong support for the full implementation of all Security Council resolutions on women and peace and security. Mindful of the positive repercussions of women's increased participatory role in global affairs, we should strive to address the root causes of the challenges to it. Turkey is committed to promoting the rightful place of women in the economic, social and political life of our society.

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

Mr. Acharya (Nepal): My delegation wishes to express its sincere appreciation to you, Madam President, for organizing this important open debate on women and peace and security in the Security Council today. I thank the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN-Women, the President of the Economic and Social Council and the representative of civil society for their briefings this morning. We greatly appreciate the establishment of UN-Women, which will certainly raise the profile of women's issues on the global agenda. Resolution 1325 (2000) brought to the fore the importance of women as peacemakers and peacebuilders. The resolution was a historic shift from the traditional perspective, which saw women as passive recipients of the suffering produced by conflict. It rightly stressed the role of women as active participants with important and indispensable parts to play in peacemaking and peacebuilding. The resolution rightly urged Member States to mainstream the gender perspective by ensuring an increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in the areas of the prevention, management and resolution of conflict, post-conflict reconstruction and institution-building. On the eleventh anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), it is high time to take stock of our achievements, identify challenges and share experiences of successes and difficulties to ensure an enhanced level of effort and support for the effective implementation of the resolution. There have been many notable efforts in a broad range of areas by Member States, the United Nations system, and civil society organizations towards the resolution's implementation. Yet there are areas where our concerted efforts are needed. Countries emerging from conflict are in need of genuine partnership and cooperation from the international community to fill the gaps in the financial resources and human and technical expertise needed to rebuild their societies. The lofty goals and vision of resolution 1325 (2000) will remain unfulfilled if countries coming out of conflict are left without adequate financial and human resources and capacity-building. The Government of Nepal is proud to inform the international community that it has adopted a national action plan for the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) for the five-year period from 2011 to 2015. For Nepal, a country coming out of conflict, the adoption of a national action plan is a manifestation of our commitment to making the role of women in peacebuilding and the country's overall governance prominent. Our national action plan is time-bound and structured around five pillars, namely, participation, protection and prevention, promotion, relief and recovery, and monitoring and evaluation. The plan was prepared with the broadest possible consultations with all stakeholders, and as such it implies their important role in its implementation. In particular, the growing awareness of the rights of women and their increasing role in local governance, women-specific issues and development-related activities are good signs of progress, which we can attribute to the recent transformation in Nepal. We are ready and eager to collaborate with the international community for effective implementation of our national action plan. As enshrined in Nepal's Interim Constitution, one third of Parliament is represented by women. This political representation will be continued down to village-level elected bodies. Local peace committees are functioning in all districts with at least 33 per cent of participation of women, and are empowered to address post-conflict-related issues at the local level. Nepal has been implementing gender-based budgeting for some years, through which gender mainstreaming gets special attention in all development activities. We have introduced a policy of affirmative action in various areas, including the civil service, with a view to ensuring that women are placed at public sector decision-making levels. We are also committed to increasing the number of women in our army and police forces. The Government of Nepal has accorded a high priority to the protection and promotion of women's rights. We believe that it is only in an inclusive process that our progress and development become sustainable and equitable. Besides that, women are major stakeholders in any country's progress, since their promotion has a strong multiplier effect in many economic and social sectors. We have adopted various measures to fight against gender-related violence, including setting up a toll-free hotline at the Office of the Prime Minister, and establishing a gender violence prevention fund and various gender violence control committees in all districts throughout the country. We are committed to establishing women's and children's service centres in police stations across the country for the expeditious investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender- related violence cases. With the support and cooperation of all, we intend to translate our commitments into actions. Ensuring the effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) will have a long-term salutary impact on the international community as a whole. It ensures the rightful place of women as peacemakers, peacebuilders and peacekeepers in this turbulent world. That is what we need the most at this time. This debate is therefore a step forward in charting our course for the effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

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

Mr. Momen (Bangladesh): I thank the presidency of Nigeria for organizing this important event. I also commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Under- Secretary-General Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, and other speakers on women and peace and security on their insightful statements. Eleven years ago, the Security Council adopted the landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. Bangladesh, a member of the Council at that time and one of the core sponsors of the resolution, was closely associated with the adoption of that historic document, which endeavours to ensure women's rights and roles in peace and security. The decisions adopted in the document apply not only to States, but also to actors involved in the post-conflict peace process. We take a modicum of pride in what we did a decade ago. Thereafter, several resolutions, such as resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010), have been adopted to buttress the process initiated in resolution 1325 (2000). We are, however, disappointed to note that violence against women and girls continues, as detailed in various reports. As we have mentioned in the past, women and girls suffer most as victims of conflict, while in the peace process they are mostly deprived of the dividends. Therefore, the onus lies on us to ensure that the oppression of women and girls, particularly that based on gender, is stopped forever. We are well aware that poverty, the struggle for scarce resources, and socio-economic injustice and unfairness lie at the heart of conflicts, and that all of them sadly create breeding grounds for social blights, including violence against women and girls. The resulting impact not only leads to insecurity for women and girls, but also impairs political and economic stability, as well as national security. Therefore, protecting women's rights is not an option, but an obligation that requires coordinated action from all of us. We recognize that empowering women will lead to their taking command of resources and acquiring adequate leadership capabilities for the efficient management of those resources. Therefore, we emphasize the fulfilment of women's economic needs and the necessity of their engagement internationally at all levels and in all forms of decision-making. While the former could be achieved by ensuring women's access to and participation in income- generating and entrepreneurial activities, such as micro-credit, education, vocational training and public health, the latter could be ensured through the recruitment of women, particularly to senior positions. In order to more clearly understand the needs of the women of the South, we must ensure that women from the global South get due recognition in the consideration of such recruitment. For proper coordination with the field, the fair representation of troop- and police-contributing countries must be ensured, as decided previously by the General Assembly and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations. We believe that women's participation can be ensured through an inclusive process. At the policy level, this requires the creation of a mechanism to integrate women into decision-making processes, which should be supported by the necessary capacity- building initiatives at the community level that would enable women to effectively participate. We strongly believe that our debates and discussions, instead of being confined to our respective capitals, should transcend borders and reach women at the grass-roots level, women who may sometimes be unable even to find the words to express their agony. This has to be done by empowering the people, especially women, at the grass-roots level. If we fail to do so, our progress will be slow. In Bangladesh, through our experience of nation- building and women's empowerment, we have embraced that view and developed what our Prime Minister, Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, calls a peace model. The central message of the model is to empower people, including women and vulnerable groups, by providing them with an education and helping them to build their skills, by ensuring that they exercise their right to vote and participate in governance, by raising their income level, by ending poverty and hunger and by eliminating all forms of discrimination and terrorism. In her address to the General Assembly (see A/66/PV.22), the Prime Minister of Bangladesh presented her model to the world community, as she is convinced that if peace is attained, development and prosperity will follow. We would be happy to share our experiences with interested delegates. In Bangladesh, women occupy the top political leadership posts in the country. The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees the equality of men and women within the broad framework of non-discrimination on the grounds of religion, race or gender. The Government has adopted a national policy for women's advancement and a national plan of action. A women's development implementation committee, headed by the Minister for Women's and Children's Affairs, monitors the implementation of policies for women's empowerment. It has also introduced gender-based budgeting. The results have been highly positive. To cite just one example, the enrolment of girls in both primary and secondary level schools exceeds that of boys, helped by tuition waivers and the provision of stipends for girls in secondary schools. The Government has enacted laws to protect women against domestic violence and is currently implementing a number of projects to develop the capabilities of women. Many affirmative actions have been taken that help women in distress and elderly women. In order to involve women in decision-making processes, the Government has adopted a quota system for women in the national Parliament and in the recruitment of our civil service officers, in addition to direct elections and open competitions. In the maintenance of international peace and security, we take pride in our modest contribution of troops and police forces to United Nations peacekeeping missions. The recruitment of women to the police forces and the military amply demonstrates our commitment to women's empowerment in both the national and the international arenas. We are pleased that we were able to deploy a full contingent - an all- female formed police unit - to the friendly country of Haiti following the devastating earthquake there. I am pleased to report that our all-male troop contingents are fully briefed on gender issues. We provide the necessary on-the-job training to reinforce their understanding and sensitivity in that regard. We are aware that we need to mainstream a gender perspective into all conflict prevention activities and strategies, develop effective gender-sensitive early warning mechanisms and institutions and strengthen efforts to prevent violence against women, including various forms of gender-based violence. In conclusion, I would reiterate that we in Bangladesh have been making our best efforts to ensure women's empowerment and participation in all spheres of life, as we believe that educating a boy means educating a person, while in contrast, educating a girl means educating a family. We are willing to replicate any good practices that we come across globally in our national policy and are similarly ready to share our relevant experience with others for the good of humankind.

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

Mr. Kamau (Kenya): I thank you, Madam President, for giving me the floor. Kenya welcomes the leadership shown by Nigeria in holding this debate on women and peace and security during its presidency of the Security Council. Kenya also appreciates your role, Madam, as President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. It is indeed a clear demonstration of your dedication to issues of fundamental importance to women and the international community at large. There is no doubt that matters of women and peace and security begin with women themselves. It is women who have the strongest and most sustained voices in championing women, peace in their societies and security in their lives. Last month, Kenya, and indeed the entire world, lost a great champion of the cause of women. Ms. Wangari Maathai, a Nobel peace laureate, passed on. We will miss her and her courage. It is with consolation that Kenya welcomed the news that 2011 Nobel Peace Award had gone to three distinguished women - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee, both of Liberia; and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen - for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's right to full participation in peacebuilding work. Last year, we commemorated 10 years since the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1325 (2000). That resolution, together with other international instruments, constitutes the basis for cooperation among all actors engaged in this field and contributes to the wider agenda of gender equality and empowerment of women. The issue that we are addressing today - women and peace and security - deserves the international community's utmost attention and unequivocal support. In this regard, I wish to reiterate Kenya's commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), together with the follow-up resolutions. Prevention is undoubtedly the cornerstone of any strategy to address the challenges that society faces. We note with satisfaction the various actions that have been undertaken by Member States, the United Nations system, civil society and other actors in implementing resolution 1325 (2000). We believe that countries must systematically integrate and mainstream women- specific issues in their action plans in order to tackle the growing problem of sexual and gender-based violence during conflict and even in peacetime. In this regard, it is important that more support be extended to countries in order to buttress preventive measures and support their institutions to combat these vices. Sexual abuse is indeed one of the most pervasive crimes of our time. It is imperative, therefore, that the international community support national systems and institutions - such as the police, prosecution and the judiciary - to combat this despicable crime. My delegation wishes to underscore the importance of education and communication as tools to prevent and combat violence generally. It is in this connection that my delegation urges UN-Women to continue prioritizing education and public communication within its mandate. My delegation believes that women's participation enhances social harmony and inclusivity and reduces the chances of conflict. Women, therefore, should participate as full partners in governance institutions. The new Kenya Constitution has entrenched women's participation in all aspects of Kenya's governance structures and social life in general. Furthermore, the national policy on gender and development has set up an ambitious agenda aimed at integrating women into the mainstream of decision- making processes through regulatory and institutional reform. These efforts have begun to bear fruit. Kenya's next Parliament will have 48 and 16 seats reserved for women in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively, in addition to those who will be competitively elected in the various constituencies. Furthermore, in all cases where special interests are represented in the legislature, the seats will be divided equally between men and women. Currently, women serve as members of constitutional commissions, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution and the Public Service Commission, to name just a few. Additionally, the top two positions of any public body cannot be held by people of the same gender, thus giving an equal chance to women to either lead or eventually ascend to the top leadership positions of all public institutions. As I have intimated before, Kenya condemns all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence, and has consistently urged compliance with humanitarian and human rights law during times of conflict. Issues of peace and security cannot be dealt with in isolation from other themes. Women must have access to resources, entrepreneurial skills, including job creation, and land, housing and property. It behooves us, therefore, to emphasize a multi-pronged approach to eliminating violence against women. The Security Council has an important role to play in dealing with peace and security matters internationally. States, however, bear the primary responsibility to protect their citizens from violence. It is in this regard that my delegation calls for more concerted efforts by the international community and the United Nations system to support national efforts to prevent and address the myriad issues surrounding conflicts. Indeed, countries in conflict and those recently emerging from conflict have unique challenges that, if not comprehensively addressed, will lead to either a continuation or a relapse into conflict. Finally, Kenya expresses its gratitude to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report (S/2011/598*) on this agenda item, which, inter alia, showcases the key sectors where tangible progress has been made by countries, and identifies gaps and challenges in implementation. Kenya is particularly grateful for the thematic indicators under which Member States reports were compiled. My delegation will seek to engage further with all Member States and stakeholders in order to see to it that the indicators achieve the widest possible acceptance. In conclusion, I wish to once again reiterate Kenya's commitment to implementing resolution 1325 (2000). In so doing, we must ensure greater coherence and coordination in addressing women's issues in conflict and post-conflict situations in a holistic manner. I emphasize once again that the establishment of UN-Women accords us a very strong platform for addressing issues affecting women in general, and the acceleration of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in particular. It is Kenya's expectation that UN-Women will rise to the challenge expeditiously.

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

Mr. Osman (Sudan) (spoke in Arabic): As we deliberate the issue of women and peace and security today, it is my pleasure to see 11 women at the head of their countries' delegations in the Security Council. This in itself is proof that the role of women in the world has been strengthened. I should like to reiterate my congratulations to you, Madam, as you crown your presidency of the Security Council by devoting this open debate to the issue of women and peace and security 11 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), on the basis of which the United Nations has adopted a strategic framework and standard indicators to assess the implementation of the resolution and its time frame at the regional and international levels, as reflected in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2011/598*) before us. On this occasion, we evoke the need to push forward in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) in the coming decade by adopting comprehensive and cohesive regional action plans. In that respect, we note the importance of strengthening the capacities of countries emerging from conflict, especially given the fact that the issue of women and peace and security has become one of the most prominent items on the Council's agenda over the past decade. With respect to women's issues, I can state with pride that the Sudan has long-standing, pioneering initiatives in this respect. Sudanese women have been real partners in political life and in decision-making. They participated in the election of the first Sudanese Parliament in 1954, prior to the declaration of independence; that success was followed by the election of a woman to Parliament in 1964, after independence. My country has applied the principle of equal pay for equal work since 1967. Legislation and laws concerning women have been developed, especially in 2003, when a law was passed equalizing the age of retirement for men and women. With respect to the promotion of the rights of Sudanese women in the area of political participation, there has been a qualitative development in the form of the electoral law of 2008, which increased the percentage of participation by women to 25 per cent in the federal and State Parliaments and was fully implemented during the elections held in the country last year. Thus women constitute one quarter of the membership of the Sudanese Parliament, while the report before the Council (S/2011/598*) states in paragraph 23 that women make up 19 per cent of parliamentarians globally. Regarding the level of participation of Sudanese women in the civil service, which has reached 66 per cent, I wish to note by way of example that in the judiciary alone, there are 79 women judges. Many such judges eventually become Supreme Court judges. Sudanese women have held high diplomatic posts, and many of them serve as ambassadors to various countries. A large number of women are doctors and specialize in various fields of medicine. In addition, they have assumed leading posts in the armed forces, the police and the security forces. Concerning the issue of violence against women, the Government of the Sudan in 2007 adopted a national strategy elaborated at both the official and the popular levels. The strategy includes six principles on strengthening and revitalizing the participation of women in the maintenance of peace, and on their right to participate in terms of decision-making, economic development, education, health, the environment and the settlement of disputes. The strategy has been implemented at both the federal and the state level. In that respect, the priorities included in paragraph 3 of the report of the Security Council are almost identical to the criteria included in our national strategy. The Government of the Sudan has also established several specialized centres at the federal and state levels for the coordination of women's efforts in the areas of peace and development, and for providing guidelines and advice on the principle of equality between men and women and on the gender perspective. Our national programmes on resettlement, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration have given priority to the situation of women, in close coordination with the relevant United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). In that respect, we commend the relationship of cooperation with UNIFEM. in connection with women's issues and its role in the implementation of the aforementioned plan of action. We hope that the Fund, through the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), will take on a more important and active role in enhancing national capacities and efforts aimed at advancing the situation of women in the country. We would like to highlight the sections of the report of the Secretary-General that relate to the role of women in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Supporting the capacities of developing countries so as to enable them to attain those objectives is the best way to ensure the advancement of women. The provisions of the Beijing Platform for Action must be taken into consideration, especially given the strong interlinkage between the Platform for Action and the realization of the MDGs, as well as the impact of such realization on the empowerment and advancement of women. Last year, the Government of the Sudan celebrated the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. In our capital, Khartoum, a broad-based workshop was organized and a special day held to celebrate that anniversary, in coordination with the United Nations Mission in the Sudan and the country offices of the United Nations agencies in the country, notably UNIFEM. That celebration was an excellent opportunity to disseminate the policies of the Government of the Sudan aimed at enhancing the status of women and putting an end to all forms of violence against women, within the context of the national plan to combat gender-based violence. The implementation of that plan began in 2005 through specialized entities in the context of the Human Rights Consultative Council, the Sudan Police Administration, the Ministry of the Interior, and the department for the combat of violence against women, within the Ministry of Justice. The situation of women in armed conflict is closely linked to the integrated efforts to deal with the root causes of conflicts. We therefore agree with what is stated in the report as regards the plan of action, which is based on the principle of dealing with the root causes of conflict, including poverty, lack of development, climate change, and given the fact that in the end, war is war. Wherever war occurs, its negative consequences affect vulnerable sectors of society, including women and children. My country therefore once again stresses the fact that a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement to conflict is central to addressing the issue of women in conflict situations. My delegation also reaffirms the need to base the Council's measures on country reports submitted by States and on accurate information contained in the Secretary-General's periodic reports on the issue, not on information contained in reports by non-governmental organizations and media sources. My country also encourages the United Nations and its bodies to directly organize workshops and seminars with countries that are affected by conflict, in order to share expertise on the situation of women affected by armed conflict. In conclusion, my country looks forward to today's deliberations leading to the development of an integrated approach to deal with the important issue of women, peace and security. Women make up half of society - indeed, women are the foundation of society.

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

Mr. Kydyrov (Kyrgyzstan) (spoke in Russian): At the outset, I wish to thank you and the delegation of Nigeria, Madam, for having organized this important debate. Kyrgyzstan welcomes the report of the Secretary-General (S/2011/598*) and his recommendations, including the strategic framework to clearly guide actions to implement resolution 1325 (2000) at the national, regional and global levels in the next 10 years. Kyrgyzstan has made significant headway over the past two years in promoting the participation of women in the country's political life, conducting democratic reforms and peace-based initiatives. The 2010 national referendum resulted in the election of the first female president in Central Asia. Today, women occupy nearly one-third of the parliamentary seats. They also hold the posts of President of the Supreme Court, Prosecutor General and President of the National Bank. Women also hold posts as ministers, governors and heads of various non-governmental organizations. Following the inter-ethnic conflict in southern Kyrgyzstan in 2010, special importance was given to supporting female initiatives in the area of conflict resolution, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. In that difficult time, women activists joined together to form women's peacekeeping networks in order to put an end to conflict and violence and to prevent a recurrence of the tragic events. My country notes the timely and swift reaction of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, which funded projects to promote national reconciliation and post- conflict reconstruction. Today, the women's peacekeeping network includes 20 local women's peace committees and serves as the link between local communities and the central Government. Kyrgyzstan believes that the key role in coordinating agreed measures on women's participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts should be played by the new entity UN-Women. Through close partnerships with UN-Women, UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in May the network of Kyrgyzstan women peacekeepers began to implement 11 projects aimed at fostering inter-ethnic harmony and ensuring peace in post-conflict areas of Kyrgyzstan. We also consider it necessary to more actively promote that component in the action strategy of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan believes that United Nations peacekeeping operations serve as the main tool for maintaining peace in conflict zones. In that respect, my country supports the efforts to enhance the role of women in the field missions of peacekeeping operations. It would be relevant to expand the targeted training programme for women to relevant positions in United Nations peacekeeping missions. In the future, Kyrgyzstan intends to increase the number of women serving in the military and police contingents of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We have developed draft legislation on principles and procedures for the participation of the Kyrgyz Republic in the maintenance of international peace and security, which also incorporates a gender perspective. Preventive actions in post-conflict countries, including comprehensive reform of judicial and law enforcement systems, are important as the only way to ensure the rule of law and better protection of the rights of women, particularly in protecting them from violence and increasing their participation in the law enforcement sector. My country believes that positive experience in that area must be mainstreamed and disseminated. In conclusion, I would like to point out that work has begun on a draft national strategy on achieving gender equality in the Kyrgyz Republic by 2020, as well as a draft national plan of action on achieving gender equality for the period 2012-2014. Those documents will stipulate further measures for strengthening the role of women in the area of peace and security, including in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

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

Mr. Errazuriz (Chile) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation would like to thank you, Madam, for convening this important meeting on women, peace and security. We endorse the statement made by the representative of Switzerland on behalf of the States members of the Human Security Network. My delegation thanks Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his comprehensive report (S/2011/598*) and strategic framework for the period 2011-2020. The report reveals that while progress has been made in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), the situation of women in conflict and post-conflict situations has nevertheless not improved significantly. We therefore welcome the strategic framework proposed by the Secretary-General for the period 2011-2020. Likewise, my delegation welcomes the briefing by Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. There can be no doubt that the establishment of UN-Women constitutes a milestone in the defence of the rights and the protection of women. In June, Under- Secretary-General Bachelet submitted to Member States a first strategic plan, which my country fully supports. Eleven years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the Council has continued to make progress in providing guidelines on strengthening the protection of women in situations of armed conflict. To that end, in 2008, the Council adopted resolution 1820 (2008), which noted that attacks on women in armed conflicts continued to occur. On 16 December 2010, the Council adopted resolution 1960 (2010). One important aspect that has been highlighted is the need for increased participation by women in political processes, particularly in mediation and in peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations. In that respect, the meeting organized by UN-Women in the context of the sixty- sixth session of the General Assembly on women and political participation takes on particular importance. My delegation feels that the meeting should be replicated at the regional, national and local levels. With regard to the peacebuilding process, Chile notes the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the vision of gender equality that the Commission has brought to its work, in keeping with the resolutions that led to its creation. It is also noteworthy that the Peacebuilding Fund has allocated significant resources to incorporating the gender perspective in the projects it funds. The implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) is not the exclusive province of the Security Council or of the United Nations system; it is also incumbent upon the international community as a whole. In that respect, the formulation and development of a national action plan is crucial. Chile has had such a plan in place since 2009. By involving a broad swath of civil society in its development, and by incorporating the Secretary- General's earlier recommendations, we designed an integrated action plan that brings together, as effectively as possible, agencies charged with the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, all with the comprehensive inclusion of a gender perspective. The main action lines of that document are to apply a gender focus to the respect and promotion of human rights; to promote the equal participation of women both in peacekeeping operations and in related decision-making bodies; to bring a gender perspective in the broadest sense of the term to bear on the design, implementation and execution of our international cooperation policies; to strengthen the technical capacity of both public officials and civil society with regard to gender issues and security and conflict; and to promote the regional implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) through the exchange of experience and international cooperation, both bilaterally and via the regional peacekeeping operations in which Chile takes part, particularly in the context of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. In conclusion, we support today's presidential statement of the Council (S/PRST/2011/20), which reiterates this principal organ's commitment to the complete and effective implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) on women, peace and security, as well as previous relevant presidential statements.

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

Mr. Chuquihuara (Peru) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation thanks you, Madam President, for the initiative of holding an open debate on the role of women and the theme of peace and security. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2011/598*), as well as to note the importance of the statements made throughout the day. Resolution 1325 (2000), adopted 11 years ago, represents a fundamental milestone, because ever since its adoption the issue of the role of women in peace and security has occupied an important place on the agenda of the Security Council. As a result, it has taken on an important and essential role in the achievement of international peace and security. The resolution has served as the point of departure for subsequent developments on this issue in the Security Council when it comes to ensuring the participation of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding and, most especially, with regard to combating sexual violence against women and girls. For that reason, along with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, resolution 1325 (2000) and resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) provide the international community with a normative framework for considering the needs of women in conflict and post-conflict situations. As we all clearly acknowledge today, women are decisive actors in every stage of long-term peacebuilding processes, which is why we concur with the Secretary-General on the need to encourage women's participation as an integral part of efforts to establish, maintain and build peace. In that context, my delegation would like to point out that my country is a contributor of military observers. I am pleased to announce that, this November, Peru will deploy women on the ground in peacekeeping operations. We have already said repeatedly that we should never allow sexual violence to be seen as the inevitable consequence of armed conflict. We therefore welcome the zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence and abuse that the Secretary-General has been introducing into peacekeeping operations. We also believe that training and consciousness raising for military personnel deployed on the ground are fundamental to enable them to respond in a timely and appropriate fashion when faced with situations of sexual violence. Because combating the impunity of gender violence is fundamental to peacekeeping processes, States need to strengthen their judicial systems so that such cases can be brought to trial. In that regard, it will continue to be equally important to pursue the ratification of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Women are decisive actors in the three pillars of achieving lasting peace, namely, economic recovery, social cohesion and political legitimacy. In that respect, it is essential that emphasis be placed in all post- conflict phases on strengthening the rule of law as well as the economic and political empowerment of women in order to guarantee their full insertion in the community. My country resolutely supports the work currently being carried out by UN-Women and encourages it to continue its decisive contribution to the implementation of resolutions relating to peace and security, as well as to follow-up with regard to the indicators that the Secretary-General presented in October 2010. Similarly, my country values the work of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict on aspects related to women, peace and security, in particular with respect to the prevention of sexual violence. Peru believes that the high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) proposed for 2015 will be an opportunity to comprehensively review the progress made by the United Nations system and by Member States in the priority areas of prevention, participation, protection, relief and recovery, as well as on the recommendations put forward by the Secretary- General or by a working group established to implement the resolution. We have moved forward in recognizing the importance of women's participation in peace and security. However, we still face many challenges. What is most important is to join forces so that women and girls are able to exercise their right to live without fear, without violence and with respect and equality of opportunity.

The President: I now give the floor to the NATO Civilian Liaison Officer to the United Nations.

Ms. Lemos-Maniati: It is a great pleasure for me to be here today and to represent NATO in this important debate. NATO's approach towards the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) is firmly anchored within the framework of building and maintaining sustainable peace and security. With more than 100,000 men and women currently engaged in operations, from Afghanistan to the Western Balkans, NATO has made clear that the involvement of women in operations is crucial if we want to establish relationships and trust with civil society. The tenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), which was celebrated last year, provided a catalyst for further initiatives and an impetus for continued high- level engagement. For NATO, that was highlighted at the Lisbon Summit of November 2010, when the Allied heads of State and Government renewed their political commitment to resolution 1325 (2000). At the same time, they endorsed both a comprehensive report on the implementation of Alliance policy and a NATO action plan on mainstreaming resolution 1325 (2000) into NATO-led operations and missions. Both documents have guided our work in 2011, setting out a number of concrete goals, such as improving the gender balance at the senior level in NATO-led operations and missions and encouraging nations to include the gender perspective in their national training initiatives, to be achieved by clearly defined deadlines. In our efforts to mainstream resolution 1325 (2000) in NATO-led operations and missions, we have also added an initial set of indicators, making further progress more easily measurable. On the ground, our efforts have led to the creation and filling of gender-related positions in our operations, from Afghanistan to the Western Balkans. Since 2009, when the first military gender adviser was deployed to the International Security Assistance Force headquarters in Afghanistan, we have seen a significant increase in the number of gender-related positions in NATO-led operations and missions. Even more important, the gender perspective is increasingly becoming an integral part of all our operational planning. In the fields of education and training, gender perspective modules have now been included in most of NATO's predeployment training efforts. That is an area where we feel that we can benefit from the experience of other international organizations. We are therefore pleased to contribute to the United Nations Development Programme project aimed at supporting gender mainstreaming in security sector reform in the Western Balkans. We hope that the programme, and similar cooperation that we have already begun with the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, will continue and will deepen over the course of the coming year. We have also continued to support women's networks, especially in Afghanistan, which play a key role in the development of governance and social and economic development. We are also actively engaged in training women as part of local forces. As we look ahead, we know that we need to do more. We will continue our efforts to mainstream resolution 1325 (2000) in our operations, to develop education and training in civilian and military frameworks, to share experiences, lessons learned and best practices, and to encourage nations to promote the participation of women in their armed forces. In so doing, we strive to continue our work of making the principles of resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions an integral part of the everyday business ofNATO.

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

Mr. De Laiglesia (Spain) (spoke in Spanish): Spain aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. Eleven years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security, we now have an important regulatory body of resolutions and statements. More important, we have proof that women are the best agents of peacebuilding when they have the resources and the normative framework to do so. Spain welcomes the report of the Secretary- General (S/2011/598*) and fully supports its recommendations, as well as the ambitious programme of quantified objectives and the strategic results framework annexed to it. It is fundamental that the Security Council not only dedicates efforts to thematic debates and continues to strengthen the regulatory framework on women and peace and security, but also that it mainstreams the issue in all its work and decisions. In addition, my delegation once again welcomes the work of UN-Women and its Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet, in that area. We hope that, by continuing the fruitful cooperation already under way with other departments, agencies and programmes of the system, that entity has the central place that it merits in addressing the issue. For that, it can count on my country's full support. My country drew up an action plan on women, peace and security in 2007, which it has since updated twice. The effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions requires a significant cooperation effort, with the participation of six ministries, as well as constant and fluid contacts with civil society organizations, involved throughout the process, including the practical implementation of concrete actions. An action programme on women and peacebuilding, applicable to post-conflict situations in a cross-cutting way, is also included in the master plan for Spanish cooperation, in the context of the strategy on gender and development. Regarding specific recent actions, allow me to highlight the first version of an international course on a gender comprehensive approach to operations, organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and of Defence of my country, in cooperation with their counterpart departments of the Government of the Netherlands, and held from 14 to 18 June in Madrid. The course focuses on implementing the international community's appeals, specifically resolution 1960 (2010), and also the recommendations of the NATO Lisbon Summit, to invest greater efforts in the training of civil and military employees on gender issues. Through practical exercises, it focuses on the integration of the gender perspective in civilian and military peacekeeping operations in various kinds of conflicts. Professional academic, military and civilian speakers of the United Nations, NATO and European Union took part in the course. In the same spirit of cooperation between the Administration and civil society, we are already working on new training activities that are largely inspired by the recommendations of the most recent report of the Secretary-General. Those activities will be collected in the third revision of the Spanish action plan, whose drafting is already under way. The international community must continue to strive in pursuit of peace and security, and should make use of the capacities of women as agents of change. This year, the Nobel Committee recognized the efforts of women who fought, in different areas, to achieve peace - proof of the added value of their work and of the importance of continuing such an effort, for which the cooperation of my Government can always be counted on.

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

Mr. Khan (Indonesia): Let me join previous speakers by first congratulating you, Madam President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council, and by expressing my appreciation to you for convening this open debate. I also thank the Secretary- General for providing us with the report on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*), as well as the other speakers today for the important briefings on the issue that we are debating. The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) was hailed as a landmark and groundbreaking resolution. For the first time, the importance of women's full participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding at all levels was recognized. Since then, the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its sister resolutions have paved the way for the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in United Nations peacekeeping operations and missions worldwide. In a similar vein, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which also addresses women and armed conflict, should continue to be implemented. Those various international frameworks on women are complementary and mutually reinforce our efforts to protect the rights of women in conflict situations. Our annual debate on women and peace and security is built upon various premises, among them, first, that women in conflict are often victims and shoulder multiple consequences of conflict, and secondly, that despite being vulnerable, in many instances women in conflict have continued to demonstrate their transformative role and their potential for creating sustainable peace. Indonesia shares the common view that through the promotion of women's role as agents of peace, their plight as victims of conflict can be overcome. Embedded in that common view is the paramount importance of conflict prevention. In this context, our efforts in waging peace should nurture an environment that accommodates the contribution of women to conflict prevention. That would mean, among other things, enhancing women's participation in decision-making processes, building a culture of peace that respects life, and promoting a way of life that values non-violence and dialogue and is characterized by cooperation and social responsibility. In a peaceful atmosphere, women can fulfil their role as transmitters of values, as economic resource managers and as solidarity supporters and networkers. If they have the space to build networks, women can encourage social and political groups to take preventive measures before conflicts break out. Given their unique perspectives and insights on women in conflict, the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) would benefit by the presence of more women in formal institutions of conflict prevention and resolution, including in preventive diplomacy and mediation efforts. Women's potential as agents of change, skilfully reshaping and rebuilding communities affected by conflict, is an important resource to tap into. However, it is not always the case that they can be readily available for such a huge task. In post-conflict situations, the deficit in experience, skills, understanding and knowledge on women and peace issues is often a hindrance to enlisting a greater involvement of women. Overcoming the trauma they have had to endure can also be a factor working against women becoming active peacebuilding actors. Taking those challenges into account, an important aspect of realizing the aims of resolution 1325 (2000) is fostering capacity-building for grass- roots movements and organizations established in conflict and post-conflict times. Recognizing that post- conflict capacity-building is not an overnight endeavour, the scope and time frame for developing women's capacity should be long-term. To conclude, let me reiterate that the responsibility to implement relevant Security Council resolutions on enhancing women's participation in peace processes, including the protection of women, rests primarily with individual Governments. Through this debate, we can once again reaffirm our readiness to promote the participation of women in peace processes, including within the framework of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). We hope and expect that the adoption of a set of global indicators to track implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) (see S/2010/498, annex) at the conclusion of the tenth anniversary debate last year (S/PV.6411), will help the Council to re-energize and strategize its efforts in an effective manner. We hope that that the set of indicators can help to resolve the bottlenecks that have contributed to the delays in implementation of the activities that the indicators are designed to measure.

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

Mr. Mikec (Croatia): Let me begin by extending our congratulations to you, Madam President, and to your delegation on your presidency of the Security Council for the month of October and by assuring you of our full support, as the issue at hand is of vital importance to the Republic of Croatia. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the delegation of the European Union. I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity. The adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1325 (2000) bears testimony to the progress made during the past decade in the area of women and peace and security. That landmark resolution has brought much-needed attention to the question of women's empowerment, which represents a priority for my country. While all the resolutions on women and peace and security are equally important, resolution 1325 (2000) serves as an umbrella resolution in addressing women's empowerment, their task as peacebuilders and their fragile position as victims of war. The Republic of Croatia welcomes the latest report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of that resolution (S/2011/598*), the recommendations contained therein and the presidential statement adopted by the Council today (S/PRST/2011/20). Furthermore, Croatia commends the roles of and work done by both the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Wallstrom, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Coomaraswamy. We call upon the Security Council to intensify its efforts in the fight against impunity and to provide strong and effective leadership in strengthening the rule of law, with the ultimate aim of eradicating this abhorrent behaviour. The Council should include sexual violence as a priority element in resolutions mandating its sanctions committees, and they should explicitly include sexual violence as a criterion for the designation of political and military leaders for targeted measures. Perpetrators of sexual violence, including commanders who commission or condone the use of sexual violence, should be held accountable. Furthermore, we encourage strengthening the coordination among United Nations agencies both at Headquarters and in the field, especially in monitoring and reporting on situations where parties to armed conflict engage in rape and other sexual violence as means of war. Although women are widely recognized as effective agents of peace, they still have little access to decision-making positions and peace negotiations. Women in the aftermath of conflict have little or no protection or access to services, justice and economic security, and those are the areas in which women's needs and gaps in response are most evident. Furthermore, the inclusion of women and gender expertise in peacebuilding activities is essential to reconstituting political, legal, cultural and socio- economic and social structures. Gender equality brings new degrees of democratic inclusiveness to peacebuilding, faster and more durable economic growth, and human and social capital recovery. Those opportunities, however, can be enhanced significantly depending on how the international community sets its priorities for recovery and uses its strategies for peacebuilding. Those priorities should consist of specific national and international policies aimed at increasing women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution, mediation, peace negotiations and peacebuilding. The integration of the resolution has to be country-driven, and Member States need to take responsibility for its success by ensuring that it is integrated into national policies. We urge countries to apply a broad gender-mainstreaming approach across Government, for instance through a system-wide approach that links development, humanitarian and defence issues. All plans should include civil society consultations, as well as monitoring and reporting mechanisms. I am very pleased to say that the Croatian Government has recently adopted its national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009). The basic objective is to support and monitor their implementation at all levels. At the local level, that can be done through the mitigation of the effects of conflicts and crises and by mainstreaming the gender awareness of our local population, while at the national level it will be set as part of Government programmes. Furthermore, Croatia will remain actively involved in the work of international organizations engaged in the areas covered by the resolutions in question. As a country with authentic experience in the field of conflict prevention and resolution, as well as mediation and peacebuilding, Croatia is actively contributing to the realization of the objective of the resolution during both times of conflict and times of peace. As a way of contributing to international peace and security, Croatia is increasingly taking part in peacekeeping operations, thereby informing our perception of the role of women in preserving peace as special and unique. The lack of women's empowerment poses a major setback to the full achievement of human rights and overall economic and political development and progress. Croatia's policy in this regard is directed towards the substantial deployment of women in peacekeeping operations, in both the armed forces and police, as their presence reinforces the importance of women's perspective and represents added value for all initiatives aimed at achieving peace. Our national action plan will contribute to the implementation of specific tasks in a more consistent and coordinated manner, setting up measurable appropriate indicators and raising interest in women's participation in issues related to peace and security. Following the completion of the four-year period the plan has been set up for, it will be revised in the light of its performance. Specific measures in the plan are suitable for implementation in coordination with efforts by civil society and religious organizations engaged in providing humanitarian aid and development assistance.

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

Mrs. Kazragiene (Lithuania): Allow me at the outset to welcome the Nigerian presidency of the Security Council this month and to express my delegation's appreciation for its having convened today's debate. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by observer of the European Union. Lithuania is firmly convinced that national, regional and international activities related to peace and security should take gender issues into account by protecting women and promoting their participation as beneficiaries, practitioners and decision-makers. Resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions on women and peace and security provide us with a useful framework in this regard. We support the prompt and full implementation of these resolutions. Resolution 1325 (2000) is relevant to the implementation of Lithuania's foreign, security and development cooperation policy objectives, as well as our participation in international peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions. Lithuania was one of 38 Member States that contributed to the Secretary- General's report on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*). The Lithuanian National Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2010-2014 raised, for the first time, gender issues in the national defence system and included measures for training gender experts who will now prepare Lithuanian personnel in this area for deployment to missions and operations. As announced by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite during the General Assembly general debate in September (see A/66/PV.16), Lithuania drew up its first national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in 2011. We seek through the national action plan to facilitate outreach to our society concerning the aims of the resolution, to promote and protect women's rights, to encourage them to participate in international military and civil operations and missions, to involve more institutions and non-governmental organizations, and to streamline activities at all levels. With respect to national action plans, we note with interest the references in the Secretary-General's report to the practices in some countries of providing for the production of shadow reports of civil society organizations as part of their monitoring mechanisms. Following the adoption of its national action plan, Lithuania intends to apply for membership in the Group of Friends of resolution 1325 (2000). Last June, women leaders from all parts of the world - Special Representative of the Secretary- General Wallstrom among them - met in Vilnius at a conference entitled "Women Enhancing Democracy: Best Practices" under the Lithuanian presidency of the Community of Democracies, and shared their experiences and best practices in enhancing the role of women. The Working Group on Gender Equality and Women's Rights, co-chaired by the United States of America and Lithuania, discussed, among other priority issues, women and peace and security. The conference showed that, in many parts of the world, the involvement of women is still low. Indeed, women could and should play a bigger role in human rights and security monitoring and establish early warning systems to generate information about specific threats, peace talks, donor conferences, elections and decision- making. Lithuania attaches particular importance to conflict prevention. We support the first General Assembly resolution on strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes (resolution 65/283), which, inter alia, advocates the enhanced role of women in peace mediation. We welcome the joint strategy on gender and mediation launched by the Department of Political Affairs and UN-Women, and look forward to its further implementation. Successive chairmanships of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), including that of Lithuania, have sought to include gender issues within the scope of OSCE activities related to peace and security. Ministerial Council Decision 14/05 builds in part on resolution 1325 (2000) and calls for engaging women in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. In October, the OSCE held a major conference in Sarajevo entitled "UNSCR 1325: Moving Beyond Theory to Maximize Security in the OSCE". This year, the Lithuanian OSCE Chairman-in-Office appointed his Special Representative on Gender Issues, Ms. Wendy Patten, to coordinate implementation of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality. The improvement of the status of women, in particular in countries with identified patterns of conflict-related sexual violence, starts with addressing the very basic issues involved in enabling women to live a more decent life. The experience of Lithuania and other partner countries in Afghanistan, where Lithuania is leading a provincial reconstruction team, shows that women's empowerment and full participation at all levels of economic, political and social life are key not only to peace and security but also to poverty reduction, economic recovery and sustainable development. To cite but two examples, one project aims at consulting local medics and patients on midwifery and other women's health- related questions at the provincial hospital. Another important development project for local women and their organizations was dedicated to strengthening the capacity of the provincial administration and local non-governmental organizations to prepare and implement their own projects. Finally, Lithuania calls on the Security Council to use its authority to ensure that all resolutions, including those on mission mandates and their renewal, integrate and advance the women and peace and security agenda.

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

Mr. Kalpokas (Vanuatu): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Pacific small island developing States (Pacific SIDS) represented at the United Nations: Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and my own country, Vanuatu. I wish to thank Nigeria for having convened this important debate. The Pacific SIDS are committed to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). In advancing our efforts, we are pleased to announce that in December 2010, as part of the tenth anniversary commemoration of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we established the Pacific Regional Working Group on Women, Peace and Security. The Group is an inclusive endeavour among diverse stakeholders in our region. In order to further advance the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in the Pacific region, it is important that we focus our work on approaches that reflect the reality of the situation on the ground in our islands. We believe that the development of a Pacific regional action plan would assist in this regard, and would build on our efforts to integrate resolution 1325 (2000) into the wider regional peace and security agenda. A Pacific regional action plan also has the potential to channel a series of high-level regional commitments into viable national action plans, which is essential for enhancing security-sector governance policies and programmes in our region. The Pacific is also committed to international efforts, and in this regard we welcome support for the Pacific SIDS candidate from the Solomon Islands for the Executive Board of UN-Women. We ask that the United Nations and donor partners continue to provide resources and support for our efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000), particularly those aimed at enhancing women's participation in prevention and broader peacebuilding. We asking the United Nations to support pre- and post-deployment training of peacekeepers in our region, both as police and military, particularly to ensure the incorporation of training in human rights compliance. The Pacific SIDS wish to highlight the importance of conflict prevention as an essential element of resolution 1325 (2000). Unabated climate change raises the risk of increasing violent conflict in many parts of the world and its consequent impact on women and girls, which is potentially beyond the capacity of the international community to respond to adequately. The adverse impacts of climate change alter the distribution and quality of natural resources such as fresh water, arable land, coastal territory and marine resources. Such changes can increase the competition for available resources, weaken Government institutions and lead to internal and international migration. Furthermore, such adverse impacts can create obstacles that substantially interfere with the ability of nations to maintain their territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. All these effects of climate change can create a severe risk of increased violent conflict in many parts of the world, along with the ensuing impacts on women and girls during and after conflict. We welcome the recent statement by the President of the Security Council on climate change and the maintenance of international peace and security (S/PRST/2011/15*). This was a landmark event, as it was the first time that the Security Council, which has primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and Security, explicitly acknowledged the link between climate change and international peace and security. It provides a solid foundation and, indeed, an imperative for the Council to undertake further work on this critical issue. As a first step, the Pacific SIDS seek the appointment of a special representative on climate security to identify and assess threats to international peace and security resulting from the current and projected adverse impacts of climate change.

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

Mr. Nazarian (Armenia): First, Madam President, allow me to thank you for having convened this debate on a topic that my delegation is particularly glad to see addressed. Armenia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union delivered this morning, and I would like to make some brief observations in my national capacity. We join previous speakers in thanking the Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General Michelle Bachelet and the President of the Economic and Social Council for their contributions. We also welcome the Secretary-General's report on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*), which includes guidance for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and for the use of the set of indicators for monitoring progress and implementing the framework, and we take note of the recommendations contained in the report. In regard to its resolution 1325 (2000), over the past decade the Security Council has put in place a normative framework on women's participation in peace processes, the protection and promotion of women's human rights, the mainstreaming of gender equality, and perspectives in the context of armed conflict, peacebuilding and reconstruction. As the Secretary-General notes, many peace processes now regularly include consultations with many women's peace groups. In many post-conflict countries, the number of women in the Government has increased dramatically and they have used their public decision- making roles to advance women's rights. Despite this progress, however, much still needs to be addressed and accomplished, as the female voice is not always heard. It is a matter of concern that progress in addressing the many constraints on women's capacity to participate in sufficient numbers is still slow. In this regard, the most important agenda item is increasing the presence of women in decision- making processes. Women remain largely excluded, especially from efforts to find workable solutions to conflicts, and we should further promote their participation. The inclusion of women in all stages of the peace process guarantees a more lasting and representative settlement. That being the case, we should further promote their participation and recognize the important contributions that women have made to achieving transparent and accountable Governments in many countries. We would also like to take this opportunity to express the importance of women's political participation in times of peace and conflict alike, and at all stages of peaceful settlements. We have experienced this first-hand in our region. Representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani women's non-governmental organizations have discussed ways of finding peaceful solutions to the Nagorno Karabakh issue. These peace dialogues have also been oriented towards implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). More meetings of both sides are expected to take place. We believe that there are a number of ways to increase women's political participation through more gender-sensitive electoral laws and processes and the implementation of specific quotas and capacity- building programmes for female candidates, as well as awareness-raising among political parties and the general public. Meaningful policy changes can also be achieved through such means as technical assistance, as well as support for civil society and the media in monitoring and evaluating national actions taken in these areas. We will work closely with the United Nations and other institutions and organizations concerned to expand and implement the resolution 1325 (2000) agenda towards bettering the situation of women around the world, including those affected by armed conflict.

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

Mrs. Borges (Timor-Leste): Allow me first to thank your delegation, Madam President, for having organized this important open debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his participation today. I also thank the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Women, Michelle Bachelet, and the President of the Economic and Social Council, Mr. Lazarous Kapambwe, for their informative briefings. I would also like to thank Ms. Orzala Ashraf Nemat from the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security for her contribution today. Timor- Leste welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*). Resolution 1325 (2000) represents a watershed moment in the international community's approach to conflict and its resolution. It recognizes the disproportionate impact that conflict has upon women and children, the vital role women play in maintaining and sustaining peace, as well as the need to engage women across all sectors, starting from the very beginning of the peace process. However, as noted in the Secretary-General's report, progress has been both slow and uneven. More than 10 years have passed since resolution 1325 (2000) was adopted, and efforts to fully implement the resolution must be accelerated in order to protect the most vulnerable groups. Women's participation in mediation and negotiation is critical and is directly proportionate to the level of rights and opportunities that women experience during peacebuilding. Having women mediators appointed to senior positions at the forefront of international efforts in peacebuilding would send a strong message and would also ensure that the needs of vulnerable groups are not forgotten. Timor-Leste supports the Secretary-General's call that women be appointed to senior mediatory positions. Timor-Leste recognizes the vital role that women played, both in our independence movement and in their contribution to peace through our nation-building efforts. We are committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women. We are currently in the process of drafting a national action plan on resolution 1325 (2000). Efforts are already under way to promote that resolution and to raise awareness of gender-based violence, human rights and peacebuilding through the training of women's groups, survivors of violence, men and youth. Community mediators, 50 per cent of whom are women, have been trained to assist in situations involving local conflict. Involving women at the outset has had an exponentially beneficial effect in Timor- Leste and has laid the foundation for women's participation and inclusion, not only in Government, but also across all sectors. We are proud to note that women's representation in our Parliament is at 29 per cent, and we have set a goal to reach 35 per cent representation by 2015. The recently adopted electoral law requires that every third candidate on party lists be a woman, thereby ensuring that this target will be reached. UN-Women, together with international partners, has provided great support to our efforts to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. As a member of the Executive Board of UN-Women, we are steadfast in our support of the new entity and are confident of the value of its work on the advancement of women. That commitment is further reflected in our three-year contribution to the core budget of UN-Women. According to the World Bank, women and girls with disabilities are three times more likely to be victims of gender-based violence. Periods of conflict increase the number of those afflicted with long-term physical, mental or sensory impairments, leaving a larger group of women and children who are disabled and often targeted by abuse and violence. In mainstreaming gender into the area of peace and security, the needs of those with disabilities should not be forgotten. Moreover, in creating plans for post- conflict service delivery, it is important to remember that those with disabilities may require different or specialized services, and to plan accordingly. In that regard, it is important that women with disabilities are factored accordingly into national action plans on resolution 1325 (2000). It is necessary to stress the importance of making resources available to women's organizations, which can be utilized to shed light on the needs of women and children during and after conflict, but also as a tool in peacebuilding. The innovative cross-learning initiative on resolution 1325 (2000) involving Ireland, Liberia and Timor-Leste is an example of such a dialogue. It was designed to draw upon the experiences of those directly affected by conflict, thereby enabling them to discuss the most critical issues facing women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings, as well as the challenges that remain in post-conflict rebuilding. Finally, improving coordination and sequencing will enable the United Nations system to address the needs of all women, including those with disabilities, in peace and security. We welcome the formation of the High-level Steering Committee on Women and Peace and Security , and look forward to its work. We are also encouraged by the increase in the number of Security Council reports addressing the issue of women in conflict and post-conflict situations, along with the mission mandate renewal resolutions on that issue. We hope that they will act as an impetus for the delivery of results on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Peace and security measures must be approached with a long-term vision that encompasses prevention, participation and protection. This year's Nobel Peace Prize winners, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman and Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee highlight the important role that women play in the peace process. In that regard, I would like to pay tribute to the four women peace advocates who were recently presented with the inaugural N-Peace Awards in Asia, including Ms. Filomena Barros dos Reis of Timor-Leste, for their contributions to peacebuilding in their communities at the grass roots and national levels. Let us take inspiration from those women and use their efforts as a catalyst in our efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000).

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

Ms. Kamara (Liberia): It is an honour for me to participate in this debate during your presidency, Madam, which itself reflects the level of participation that we hope will become increasingly accessible to larger numbers of women. It pleases me even more, given the important contribution that your country, Nigeria, and other Member States have made towards the creation and maintenance of an environment of peace in Liberia. It is that enabling environment, coupled with visionary leadership and strong partnerships, which has allowed the Liberian Government to pursue policies that provide opportunities for the advancement and empowerment of Liberian women. Already one year has passed since we commemorated the tenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) with many activities, including a similar debate in this very Council (S/PV.6411); a plethora of commitments by Member States to translate the major tenets of that resolution into smart national action plans; the adoption of initial indicators to measure progress; and a request that the Secretary-General develop a strategic framework to guide the United Nations implementation of the resolution. It remains our challenge to meet the expectations that have been raised by those activities. We commend the Secretary-General on his report on women and peace and security (S/201l/598*), which reflects a laudable effort to use the indicators currently available in assessing progress. The report provides some insights into good practices and progress made by Member States, regional and international organizations, as well as constraints in the global effort to fully engage women in all national processes, whether they concern peace and security or political or socio-economic development. We broadly support those recommendations. Liberia continues to make progress in its efforts to involve women at decision-making levels in all areas of national governance. At critical junctures in Liberia's history, its women have demonstrated the ability to lead. Liberia holds the distinct honour of being the birthplace and home of the first woman and the first African to be appointed President of the General Assembly at its twenty-fourth session in 1970. In recent history, during a lull in the protracted conflict, Liberia had a female interim President, in the person of Mrs. Ruth Perry, who steered the work of a transitional Government from 1996 to 1997. Then there were the unsung heroes - the countless number of women who bravely shouldered the responsibility of caring for their families, even as they participated in discussions on peace and security, while living in the internally displaced persons and refugee camps across West Africa and further afield. The year 2003 marked another milestone, when a group of Liberian women, led by Leymah Gbowee, appeared, uninvited, at the door of a negotiation room in Accra and vowed not to move or be moved until a peace accord was signed. Their resolve and determination were expressed in a simple song with a persistent refrain: "We want peace, no more war". A small group of mobilized and determined women morphed into a national movement that in turn translated into a groundswell of support for a female presidential candidate and culminated in the election of Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as President, in 2005. Today, women's community peace huts in counties around the country are venues for conflict mediation and resolution. They also serve as safe havens for women escaping domestic violence and as counselling centres for survivors of sexual and gender- based violence. In the peace huts, women address child support issues and work with local police to identify suspects who have committed crimes against women, so as to ensure their arrest and interrogation. Women also monitor the early warning signs of conflict and lead peaceful demonstrations on issues that affect their well-being. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), discussions have revealed many examples of women's effective contribution to conflict prevention, peace processes and peacebuilding in the various regions of the world. Women bear the consequences of conflict and are thus well placed to contribute to solutions. Having reached this realization, our common challenge is to find creative means to institutionalize this role at the national and international levels. Women must be capacitated and strategically positioned to play their rightful role. Liberia is moving deliberately and purposefully towards the fulfilment of its commitments to women's advancement. There has been a gradual increase in women's presence in leadership and decision-making positions at the central and local Government levels. Gender-responsive policies, strategies and programmes, some of which are mentioned in the Secretary-General's report, are being integrated into all sectors of national action. In 2009, Liberia became one of the first countries to have completed its national action plans for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). This progress has been made possible through the consistent and much-appreciated support of development partners. All the same, inadequate resources remain a challenge and hindrance to robust implementation. We are encouraged by the recognition that has been accorded internationally to the modest achievements made by Liberia in its efforts to meaningfully involve women in national governance and to build and utilize their productive capacities, including for the consolidation of peace. Mindful that food security has a conflict preventive dimension, I cannot fail to mention that the Hunger Project's prestigious 2011 Africa Prize for Leadership was awarded a few days ago to the Liberian Minister of Agriculture, Ms. Florence Chenoweth, for her dedication to improving the livelihoods and food security of women farmers in Liberia. Of course, all recognitions have been crowned by the joint award of the Nobel Peace Prize to three women, two of them Liberians - President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee - each for her contribution to securing peace in Liberia, strengthening the position and enhancing the influence of women in Liberia. As Liberians, this recognition fills us with pride, even if we realize that it is intended to have impact far beyond Liberia. The message to the global community, in the words of the Nobel Committee, is to "realize the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent". We are proud and inspired by these accolades, but we realize that there is still a long way to go. The incidence of rape of girls and women is still unacceptable high, and women constitute only 14 per cent of the Liberian legislature. We are humbled when we consider the vastness of the challenges that still lie ahead; the gender inequities that still exist; and the high walls that we still have to scale before female mediators and peace negotiators become normal features of the international peace architecture. We believe that the systematic use of quotas at the national and international levels could help to accelerate progress towards this objective. Affirmative action programmes are also required to give the necessary impetus to our effort to place women centrally in conflict prevention, mediation and peace processes. Liberia pledges to make more concerted efforts to comply with reporting requirements so as to contribute meaningfully to future reports of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security. The presence of UN-Women in Liberia provides the needed support to national efforts to implement resolution 1325 (2000) and reduce gender inequities. We therefore look forward to continued partnership with UN-Women towards the enhancement of women's empowerment, peacebuilding and sustainable development. It is our hope that, in the not too distant future, the capacities of women will be so fully integrated into the global peace architecture that the focus of debates on conflict prevention and mediation will not be on women's role and participation but simply on the subject matter.

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

Mr. Rakhmetullin (Kazakhstan): I would like to join previous speakers in thanking you, Madam President, for having convened this very important meeting, as well as all those who contributed to its preparation. We are pleased to note that resolution 1325 (2000) has continued to open new perspectives of awareness about women's role in peace negotiations, humanitarian planning, peacekeeping operations, post- conflict peacebuilding and governance. Even so, there is a wide gap between aspirations and the reality on the ground. The report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*) provides a strategic road map for the United Nations, together with national, regional and international stakeholders. We must continue to ensure that women play key roles in peacekeeping operations and political missions; we must not only look at gender as a thematic issue, but ensure that women hold key and responsible positions at every level. We endorse the recommendations of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations that a larger proportion of women be deployed in the military and police contingents of peacekeeping operations, and recruited into the armed forces and police services of Member States, with predeployment training for military and police on gender issues. It is through these actions that we can achieve the target of women constituting 20 per cent of peacekeeping operations by 2014, from the highest decision-making level to field operations. In addition, there must be dedicated budgets, targets, timelines and indicators aligned to national peacebuilding plans, overall national defence and security strategies or poverty reduction programmes. Focus in the post-conflict recovery phase must ensure that women's needs and rights are consistently addressed. My delegation supports the Secretary-General's recommendation that at least 15 per cent of United Nations funds for peacebuilding be dedicated to projects that address the specific needs of women and girls, advance gender equality and empower women. Adequate financing is vital to ensuring resources for gender training and support for non-governmental organizations and local groups that focus on issues of food security, nutrition, health and HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, education, and the rehabilitation and reintegration of women affected by war. The prevention of the violation of women and girls' human rights, including sexual violence, must enjoy the highest priority. It is high time that we bring war criminals to justice, end impunity for their atrocities, and invest in immediate service and assistance mechanisms for women and girl war crime victims. Our focus must also be on including women in peace processes as mediators, members of negotiating parties, and signatories to peace agreements. Kazakhstan welcomes the drafting of a comprehensive set of indicators aimed at tracking implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), which can serve as benchmarks for standards to design and set in place a methodical monitoring system allowing countries to review their own structures and mechanisms and resource allocations. We must also condemn rape as a tactic of terror and war. The flagship agency on gender - UN-Women - has begun to prove its leadership in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) through United Nations system-wide coherence. It has been able to pulled together a set of key universal and regional human rights instruments. The focus on women and peace and security can be further strengthened through collaboration with humanitarian, human rights and aid- to-development agencies, and the defence forces of concerned United Nations Member States, as well as with all categories of women, including activists, war victims, refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants. To conclude, we must go forward to strengthen resolution 1325 (2000), structured on the three main pillars of participation, protection and prevention, and is a most powerful tool for women's organizing, mobilization and action.

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

Mr. Schaper (Netherlands): I thank you first of all, Madam, for having organized this important debate and for giving Member States the opportunity to participate in it. My delegation would like to make a few remarks in addition to the European Union statement, with which we align ourselves, and others underlining the importance of women's participation in mediation and conflict prevention. Resolution 1325 (2000) is considered internationally to be a milestone for women's roles in peace and security. As United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, it is an imperative to human security, and its full implementation is our common responsibility. On 4 December 2007, the Netherlands adopted its first national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). The Dutch national action plan relies on a broad support base, and is unique in its kind as it was signed jointly by Dutch Government and civil society. The plan has led to many joint activities benefiting from the complementarity between Government bodies and civil society. A further element of the Dutch national action plan is that we strongly believe that the ownership of these activities should be with the national stakeholders - the Government and civil society - of the fragile States for which they are developed. A good example of such a joint achievement, in our view, is the security sector development programme in Burundi. Based on research done by the Dutch non-governmental organization Oxfam Novib, a gender perspective in the security sector was developed by the Burundian Ministries of Defence and Public Security, together with the Dutch Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs. This led to specific empowerment programmes for female military personnel and to a high number of female applicants for the Burundi police force. Another example is the number of Afghan women in Government and Parliament. The Netherlands Government, together with other Governments, the Afghan Women's Network and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) - now UN-Women - organized meetings and lobbies that resulted in more female candidates being nominated for political positions. In past years, important initiatives and strategies have been developed, and many examples of joint achievements, such as the ones I mentioned in Burundi and Afghanistan, are at hand. The Netherlands is one of a group of countries that work hard and make real progress. These are important accomplishments, but far more needs to be done. To quote our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uri Rosenthal: "Women represent 50 per cent of human capital, and it is in every country's own interest - and especially in the so-called fragile States - to make sure that women are actively involved in society, the economy and political decision- making. They must be part of the power structures; that is what empowerment is about". Only if we manage to include women can we be more assured that peace in those societies will be sustainable, and, by doing so, global stability will be promoted as well. At this very moment, the Dutch ministries and civil society are developing the second resolution 1325 (2000) national action plan for the period 2012-2015, to be launched in December. While the first action plan focused on the physical and legal security of women and men, this second national action plan is fully dedicated to the enhancement of female leadership and the political participation of women in conflict-affected societies. Peace and security are linked to the playing of active, powerful roles by women. The power of women to positively influence situations of crisis was shown beautifully by the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winners Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman. In his words of congratulation, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs said: "The fact that these three women have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their struggle for freedom, peace and stability in the world is an excellent example of the fact that women are not solely victims, but current and future leaders." Accordingly, it is not surprising that the Netherlands continues to emphasize that the local men, and especially women, living the daily reality of a conflict are the key stakeholders in any intervention. Individual local women and men, women's organizations and women's movements are the real drivers of durable change. Concretely, this means that the second resolution 1325 (2000) national action plan emanates from a demand-driven approach. This plan is about the women, be it at the community or national level, who have the courage to step up and become leaders and to play their part in conflict mediation, resolution and reconstruction. Thus our national action plan is created to support the needs of those strong, knowledgeable women and their movements. We believe they know best what to do in their situation and in the context of their culture. We are on the eve of a new decade of promoting women, peace and security. Together we are responsible for implementing our joint commitments now.

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

Mr. Pintado (Mexico) (spoke in Spanish): First and foremost, Madam President, I should like to thank you for having convened this important open debate. I should like also to thank the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), the President of the Economic and Social Council, and the representative of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security for their important briefings. Through the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions, the United Nations has been able to develop, integrate and fine-tune the tools available to it to address a gender perspective in a multidimensional manner, by recognizing the importance of women's active participation in the various stages of conflict prevention and resolution, as well as in peacekeeping, reconstruction and peacebuilding. We welcome in particular the establishment of UN-Women, the agency that lies at the heart of the gender architecture of the Organization, as it coordinates all efforts undertaken in this field. We welcome also the inclusion of specific indicators in the reports of the Secretary-General, as is the case in the report before us today (S/2011/598*), as well as the seven-point action plan. Unfortunately, however, as a result of the unequal implementation of resolutions dealing with the gender architecture, there exist significant gaps. One of the clearest examples of this is the persistence of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations. My delegation is concerned about the identification of patterns of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations in many States and regions. Sexual violence as a tactic of war stokes crises, fuels the continuation of armed conflict, promotes the displacement of people, limits subsistence activities and reduces opportunities for development. In order to avert that phenomenon, it is pivotal that peacekeeping mission personnel as well as mediation and electoral assistance teams have sufficient specialized expertise in the field of gender and sexual violence and also have the capacity to act in a timely manner so as to initiate the relevant investigations. There can be no lasting peace unless we guarantee access to justice as well as accountability and support the fight against impunity. In that regard, I wish to recall that the International Criminal Court could exercise its jurisdiction with regard to such crimes. We are also concerned about the low level of participation by women in peace negotiations. The exclusion of women and the lack of experts in gender matters in negotiations perpetuate inequality. As is indicated in the current report of the Secretary-General, issues related to women tend to be addressed at the later stages of conflict prevention and mediation. The Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to outstanding women in this field this year undoubtedly sends a positive message, but it is nonetheless insufficient. The presence of additional female peacekeepers and female staff in peacebuilding operations, at both the military police and civilian levels, would have a clear positive effect. It is therefore necessary to increase the number of women who hold high-ranking posts in such operations. We welcome the decision of the Peacebuilding Fund to allocate $5 million to the gender promotion initiative; we hope that this will lead to tangible results in the short term. We believe that the provisions of these Security Council resolutions are relevant at both the international and national levels. In Mexico, following an approach to prevent violence, the institutions that are responsible for monitoring security, safety and law enforcement receive ongoing training in the field of gender affairs. As a result, more women have become involved in the administration of justice, with the notable example of the appointment of the Attorney- General, Marisela Morales - the first Mexican woman to hold this important post. In turn, the national defence agency has trained almost 80,000 personnel in the field of gender equity, and this year will see the graduation of the first female air force pilot. In the diplomatic sphere, a high number of female representatives have had a bearing my country's foreign policy, starting with Ms. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Minister for Foreign Affairs. The recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General are highly useful in identifying existing shortcomings in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and in ensuring the harmonization and coordination of United Nations efforts in that area. Mexico will continue to support the protection, empowerment and participation of women in decision- making processes, as we are fully convinced that women are key stakeholders in strengthening the three pillars of lasting peace, namely, economic recovery; social cohesion and political legitimacy. The commitment of States Members of the United Nations and of civil society is essential in order to continue to strengthen the central role played by women in the maintenance of international peace and security.

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

Mr. Faqiri (Afghanistan): I thank you, Madam President, for convening today's debate, which offers us all an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to protecting and ensuring women's rights and their momentous role in peace and security. I also take the opportunity to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2011/598*) and his strong words of support. And I thank Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary- General for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, for her work and for her statement. The history of war and violence has left a disconcerting impact on my country. Violence still takes its toll on every Afghan's life. I hope that the anguish facing every Afghan family will one day come to an end. Women continue to bear the bulk of the burden of conflict in Afghanistan, while their right to secure, healthy and prosperous lives is still in peril. We meet today to recognize the crucial role of women in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, the tangible fruits of which have already been seen in Afghanistan in the decisive presence of women at the Consultative Peace Jirga in 2010 and in the continuing efforts to ensure women's participation in leadership positions within and outside of the Afghan Government. The debate is particularly appropriate as Afghanistan is entering the second phase of transition to Afghan leadership and ownership and increased responsibility for security and economic development. With regard to development, we have begun to implement our 10-year national action plan for the women of Afghanistan based upon the priorities of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. As part of the action plan, we have established gender units in 14 of the 25 Government ministries. However, given the 10-year timeline, accelerated efforts are necessary to ensure the full implementation of that very comprehensive action plan, which incorporates vital goals that include achieving a 30 per cent rate of representation of women in governmental positions by the end of 2013 and their 35 per cent participation rate among university students by the end of 2012. We have also made strides in ensuring the rule of law, most recently the establishment of a national commission on the elimination of violence against women, following the enactment of the law in that regard in December 2010. Those steps have been vital in enhancing Afghan women's access to legal redress and have also sent a strong message that the Afghanistan Government is committed to the rights of women and to ensuring that there is no impunity for those who violate them. Ensuring the rights of women is only half of the battle; we also need to see the full participation of women, as resolution 1325 (2000) reminds us that they have a vital role to play in peace and security. The representation of women in governance and their political participation has steadily increased. We have succeeded in holding two presidential and two parliamentary elections, in which women actively participated as candidates, elections staff, poll monitors and electorates. Women comprise 25 per cent of the Parliament, thus ranking Afghanistan thirtieth among the countries of the world with the highest rate of women representatives in Parliament. The Afghanistan National Parliament has also established a resource centre for women parliamentarians to enhance their capacity to effectively include women's voices and perspectives in national development and reconstruction plans. When reviewing these facts and figures, let us not lose sight of the great personal risk that these women undertake in order to participate in the governance of their country and in their future. I wish to take this opportunity to honour the women who continue take risks in order to assume an active role in the future direction, peace and security of our country. Our international partners have assisted the Afghan Government in our endeavours. UN-Women has administered a multi-donor trust fund for the elimination of violence against women that provided grants for national organizations to combat violence against women. I am very pleased to report that, in collaboration with UN-Women, Afghanistan has submitted its first country report on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The continued collaboration of our Government, international partners and both Afghan and international civil society groups will be vital to ensure the full realization of women's rights in a strong and stable Afghanistan. Building a stable and secure environment that enables women to live free of intimidation and violence and promotes their participation and leadership in efforts to maintain peace and security is one of the core objectives of the Afghan Government. We are also focusing on women political actors at national, subnational and local levels, as well as on capacity-building and advocacy strategies to enable them to obtain critical roles in high-level decision- making processes, policy and law-making positions in key Government institutions and to assist them in carrying out their significant political and social responsibilities. In conclusion, with the support of our partners and the international community, we will continue to work towards the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), while recognizing that our goal of sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan will not be achieved without the full participation of the entire Afghan nation.

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

Mr. Thomson (Fiji): The Fiji delegation wishes to convey its salutations to you personally, Madam, and to your Government on the occasion of your presidency of the Council, and to express our gratitude for the convening of this important debate. We also thank the Secretary-General for his most comprehensive report (S/2011/598*) and his valuable recommendations. Fiji associates itself with the statement delivered earlier today by the Permanent Representative of Vanuatu on behalf of the Pacific small island developing States. We are encouraged by the initiatives currently being undertaken by the Secretary-General and UN-Women on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We acknowledge that progress has been made in all four thematic areas of the United Nations system- wide action plan. We believe, however, that much work remains to be done; not only in relation to the United Nations strategic framework, but, importantly, in national implementation of the resolution. We need to take a holistic response to effectively make progress in the implementation of the resolution. We depend upon the guidance of the Security Council and the advice of the Secretary-General, UN-Women, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other relevant United Nations departments and agencies. We need the input of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as the assistance of civil society and regional organizations. In addition, we need to build local capacities by learning from the experiences and good practices of other countries on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We welcome the initiatives of the Security Council and the work carried out by the Secretary- General in establishing the set of indicators for tracking the implementation of the resolution and to provide guidance for all Member States in their efforts to achieve its desired goals. Such universal indicators should be complemented by national implementation frameworks and policies to ensure that the various thematic areas of the resolution are addressed. It is for that reason that Fiji supports the development of a regional framework for the Pacific small island developing States as an important step towards the full implementation of the resolution in the Pacific. We believe that a framework that incorporates the principles of the resolution, with clear policy guidelines on its application to our unique national and regional characteristics, will accelerate the implementation process in the Pacific. Fiji's commitment to the resolution is exemplified in our policies that, among other things, strongly encourage the recruitment of women in our security forces and their deployment with equal opportunities to peacekeeping missions. We support the global effort to increase the participation of women in United Nations police peacekeeping roles to 20 per cent by 2014. We encourage the provision of pre- and post-deployment training of our peacekeepers and welcome further assistance and expertise in that regard. Furthermore, we support the participation and representation of women at all levels of decision- making. In our consultations and interactions with civil society and the public, we acknowledge the work of FemLINK Pacific, a Fiji-based non-governmental organization that deals specifically with resolution 1325 (2000). The Fijian Government promotes the enhancement of efforts to collaborate with the expertise and experience of women's groups, with a view to enhancing the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) at the national level. We welcome the pronouncement by the Secretary-General in his report that the most significant institutional development with regard to women, peace and security has been the creation of UN-Women, with the purpose of leveraging the entire United Nations system to ensure the accelerated implementation of all relevant resolutions on the issue. In conclusion, we look forward to working with UN-Women in achieving the goals of resolution 1325 (2000).

The President: There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 6:15 pm.