S/PV.6852 Security Council

I wish to draw Council members’ attention to document S/2012/732, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security, and to document S/2012/774, which contains a letter dated 2 October 2012 from the Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary- General. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. After consultations among Council members, I have been authorized to make the following statement on their behalf: “The Security Council reaffirms its commitments to the full and effective implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), and 1960 (2010), and recalls all statements of its President on women and peace and security as reiterating the Council’s commitments. “The Security Council urges all parties to fully comply with their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women of 1979 and the Optional Protocol thereto of 1999 and strongly encourages States that have not ratified or acceded to the Convention and Optional Protocol to consider doing so. “The Security Council underlines the primary role of national Governments affected by armed conflict to enhance the participation of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict and in peacebuilding within the framework of the women, peace and security agenda. The Council further stresses that United Nations entities should continue to support and supplement, as appropriate, efforts of national Governments in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). “The Security Council takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2012/732) for the purpose of implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and particularly welcomes its call for enhanced participation, representation and involvement of women in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict and in peacebuilding, as well as a stronger commitment to addressing challenges to such engagement of women at all levels. “The Security Council welcomes the role of UN Women in contributing to the implementation of resolutions on women and peace and security. The Council welcomes briefings by the Under- Secretary-General/Executive Director of UN Women. The Council notes with satisfaction the increased coordination and coherence in policy and programming for women and girls within the United Nations system, welcoming efforts to avoid duplication and overlap since the creation of UN Women. “The Security Council recognizes the contributions of civil society, including women’s organizations, through informal interactions with members of the Council at Headquarters and during Council field missions. “The Security Council recognizes the need for more systematic attention to the implementation of women peace and security commitments in its own work to ensure the enhancement of women’s engagement in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding and to continue to integrate appropriate gender perspectives into the mandates of relevant United Nations peacekeeping missions, as well as in other relevant thematic areas of peace and security. “The Security Council welcomes the contribution of Gender Advisers to the implementation of resolutions on women and peace and security by providing training and awareness- raising to United Nations peacekeepers and assisting in capacity-building activities of national Governments, as well as those of civil society. In this regard, the Security Council underlines the need for continued, appropriate and regular training for Gender Advisers. “The Security Council reiterates its call to deploy Women Protection Advisers to peacekeeping missions. The Council stresses the need to ensure that gains made in the protection and promotion of women’s and girls’ rights and empowerment are sustained during United Nations mission drawdown and transitions. “The Security Council takes note of the important role that civil society, including women’s organizations, can play in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, peacebuilding and post-conflict situations, and encourages the international community, regional organizations and concerned Member States to promote their active engagement and effective participation in a variety of roles, as appropriate, with a view to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). “The Council welcomes the efforts of Member States to implement resolution 1325 (2000) at the national level, including the development of national action plans or other national-level strategies, and encourages Member States to continue to pursue such implementation. “The Security Council recognizes the important engagement of men and boys as partners in promoting women’s participation in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, peacebuilding and post-conflict situations. “The Security Council welcomes the Secretary-General’s call upon his Special Envoys and mediators, as well his senior representatives in United Nations mission context, to regularly consult with civil society, including women’s organizations, as well as with women and girls from affected communities, enabling them to actively engage in all stages of peace processes. “The Security Council stresses the importance of promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girls in the context of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and other relevant Security Council resolutions. The Security Council acknowledges that the human rights of women and girls are at particular risk during armed conflict and post-conflict situations, and notes that civil society members working on women’s human rights issues may be targeted in a number of these situations. The Council urges concerned Member States to pay special attention to addressing these risks. “The Security Council stresses the importance of assisting Member States in promoting women’s full and equal participation in post-conflict electoral processes and constitutional reform. The Council encourages concerned Member States conducting these electoral processes to continue their efforts, with support from United Nations entities, to address the gender dimension in all phases of electoral processes, noting that specific attention must be paid to women’s safety prior to, and during, elections. “The Security Council underscores the need for Member States in post-conflict situations, in consultation with, inter alia, civil society, including women’s organizations, to address the specific requirements and priorities of women and girls in their national strategies to improve their socioeconomic conditions, participation in income-generating activities, and their access to education and basic services. “The Security Council stresses the need for continued efforts to address obstacles to women’s access to justice in conflict and post-conflict settings, including through gender-responsive legal, judicial and security sector reform and other mechanisms. “The Security Council reiterates its strong condemnation of all violations of applicable international law committed against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence and killing and maiming, in armed conflict and post-conflict situations and urges the complete cessation by all parties of such acts with immediate effect. The Security Council also urges Member States to bring to justice those responsible for crimes of this nature. “The Security Council notes that the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern committed against women and girls has been strengthened through the work of the International Criminal Court, ad hoc and mixed tribunals, as well as specialized chambers in national tribunals. The Council reiterates its intention to continue forcefully to fight impunity and uphold accountability with appropriate means. “The Security Council draws attention to the importance of a comprehensive approach to transitional justice in armed conflict and post- conflict situations, encompassing the full range of judicial and non-judicial measures, as appropriate. “The Security Council requests the Secretary- General in his next annual report to give an update on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) to include, inter alia, achievements, gaps and challenges to the implementation of the resolution, as well as this statement of its President.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2012/23. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.