S/PV.7289 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Afghanistan, Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Germany, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women; Mr. Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations; Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; and Ms. Suaad Allami, of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following to participate in this meeting: Mr. Thomas Mayr- Harting, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations; Ms. Marriët Schuurman, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of NATO for Women, Peace and Security; and Ms. Miroslava Beham, Senior Adviser on Gender Issues of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2014/693, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security. I wish to also draw the attention of Council members to document S/2014/731, which contains a letter dated 10 October 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept paper on the item under consideration. I now give the floor to Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka: The Secretary-General is regrettably not in a position to join us today. He has asked me to deliver the following message on his behalf. “I thank the Security Council, under the presidency of Argentina, for convening this important debate. The Council’s consistent focus on women and peace and security has enabled the international community to move beyond viewing women as only victims of conflict to seeing them as agents of peace and progress. The Security Council is now increasingly addressing the particular concerns of women and involving them in mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. “The immense human and financial cost of conflict is starkly evident in the situation of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons. Unprecedented levels of displacement are testing global commitments to addressing the needs of women and girls, ensuring their protection and engaging their participation in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding. “The confluence of crises we face, rather than distracting from the imperative of gender equality, should drive us to do even more to live up to the principles in the Charter of the United Nations and global norms. Squandering the potential dividends of gender equality for peace and development has never been so costly. We must urgently stand against abuses. I am outraged by targeted attacks and human rights violations committed against women and girls, as well as those who defend their rights. I call for immediate action to end impunity in such cases. “I am also concerned by continued discrimination against women and girls. I call for greater investment in measures to address this problem. Resolution 1325 (2000) set out a bold agenda for achieving gender equality as a prerequisite for peaceful and inclusive societies. Led by UN-Women, the United Nations is striving to realize this vision. Next year’s convergence of major global policy events will offer an opportunity to advance this. The United Nations counts on the active participation of all countries in the upcoming strategic high-level reviews on issues ranging from sanctions to peace operations, peacebuilding and gender equality. “I also count on broad participation in my upcoming global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, which will include targeted recommendations to accelerate results. I also commend the lead author of the study, Radhika Coomaraswamy, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, who is well known to the Council for her energey and excellence. Ms. Coomaraswamy, the Advisory Group and the study’s secretariat will be undertaking broad-based consultations with Governments, academia, civil society and, most importantly, women who have experienced the direct impact of conflict. I encourage all Member States to support that effort. This wide spectrum of challenges provides an undeniable spur to action. I urge the Council to join in responding with urgency and resolve.” I shall now continue with my own remarks. It is an honour to address the Security Council, and to present the Secretary-General’s report on women and peace and security (S/2014/693). I thank the presidency of Argentina for hosting this debate and for highlighting the challenges faced by displaced women. This is especially timely as we are witnessing the worst levels of displacement since the end of the Second World War. In my first year as Executive Director of UN-Women, I have travelled to displacement camps in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, and to the Syrian refugee camps in Jordan. Without fail, at every stop I was inspired — albeit in sadness — by women peacebuilders working so hard in dangerous conditions. Ms. Suaad Allami, a leading women’s rights advocate from Iraq, will speak on their behalf today and on behalf of displaced and refugee women everywhere. As we look around at a world in crisis, there is a sense that we are experiencing not simply an increase in violence and insecurity, but a shift in the nature of conflict itself. In more and more parts of the world — Iraq, northern Nigeria, Syria, Somalia and Mali, to name just a few — violent extremists are taking control of territory, and directly threatening and targeting women, girls, and their communities. This is the terror that contributes to the high levels of displacement we are discussing today. Women and girls are forced to marry their abductors and rapists or sold as slaves. Human rights defenders are threatened and killed for speaking out against abuse. Courageous journalists are silenced by violence and death. Teachers, students and front-line service providers are targeted. And key decisions are still being made behind closed doors, deaf to the voices of those directly affected. Last week, we greeted with cautious hope reports of possible progress regarding the abducted Chibok girls. This week, our hopes were devastated by news that they are not yet to be released. This again highlights the fact that, even after this horrendous event, more women and girls have been abducted. We must not forget the reasons why they are abducted. We must not forget the horrifying nightmare they face and that so many others continue to endure. During and after conflict, more women die during childbirth, and more girls are forcibly married. Fewer women work and participate in the economy, and fewer girls go to school. Of primary school-age children that are out of school, half live in conflict areas. Only 35 per cent of girls are enrolled in secondary education in these settings. This prompts me to say that, if we did not have so much conflict, we would have made a lot of progress in gender equality. That puts the whole world in danger. The report of the Secretary-General, which I have the privilege to present to the Council today on his behalf, recognizes advancements made at the normative level over the past year. The Council adopted new resolutions to strengthen women’s protection from sexual violence. It reaffirmed the critical importance of women’s empowerment and gender equality to international peace and security. Through regional or national action plans, over 80 countries have committed to the women and peace and security agenda. Regional organizations are increasingly appointing high- level envoys dedicated to this issue. In this respect, I particularly want to welcome the appointment of long- time champion for women Bineta Diop as the African Union’s first Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security. The report shows that women’s participation and representation in conflict resolution and peace processes have improved. Of the 11 active negotiations co-led by the United Nations last year, eight included at least one senior woman among negotiating delegates. The percentage of peace agreements that commit to advancing the security and status of women and girls has more than doubled since 2011. In the ongoing Colombian peace talks, more than one third of the negotiators are women, and a committee dedicated to gender has been established. Today, an unprecedented six women Ambassadors sit here in the Security Council. All of this indicates progress. The gains are remarkable. However, we all have to agree that it still leaves us with nearly half of all peace agreements that say nothing about women’s rights or needs, and a majority of peace processes where women’s minimal presence is an afterthought. The report of the Secretary-General highlights new initiatives to protect women’s rights, new measures to increase women’s representation in military and police forces and the milestone appointment of the first female Force Commander of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. But 97 per cent of military peacekeepers are still men. There is now broad understanding of the importance of women’s economic empowerment in post-conflict settings, but peacebuilding and recovery funding still largely ignore women’s economic role and under- invests in their livelihoods. The report also features a recently launched Secretary-General’s guidance note on reparations for survivors of sexual violence. That has been a neglected area in our agenda. Reparations are not just about justice, they are about empowerment. Empowered women and girls are the best hope for sustainable development following conflict. They are the best drivers of growth, the best hope for reconciliation and the best buffer against the radicalization of youth and the repetition of cycles of violence. We see that clearly, and with appreciation, in the honour bestowed on Malala as this year’s recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize: it is important to affirm girls’ role in peacemaking. The year 2015 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which laid the foundations for the women and peace and security agenda; the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000); and the beginning of the new sustainable development agenda. That combination of events is an unmissable opportunity to integrate the women and peace and security agenda into broader development efforts. Next October, the Security Council will conduct a high-level review of the women and peace and security agenda, which will be informed by the Secretary-General’s global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). UN- Women is proud to be its secretariat. In fact, I am pleased to recognize the study’s distinguished lead author, Radhika Coomaraswamy. She is here with us today, as as are several members of the high-level advisory group, who are here for the week. We are grateful for their time and dedication.They will together examine progress and challenges in implementing resolution 1325 (2000). Today’s debate provides an opportunity for the members of the Security Council and others to share their assessment, which I am sure the advisory group will listen to attentively. It is also a chance to renew our commitments to the women and peace and security agenda as the global security context shifts, and to adapt accordingly. Before I conclude, let me touch again on today’s topic. Crises in Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia created more than half of the 10.7 million persons newly displaced by conflict or persecution in 2013. The total displaced population now exceeds 51 million people. During the height of the violence in Gaza earlier this year, almost one third of the population was internally displaced. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced by ongoing crises in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. New displacements have been caused by protracted conflicts, such as the one in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and by new ones, such as the one in Ukraine. The rights, needs, protection and participation of displaced women and girls have been a Security Council matter since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). In subsequent resolutions and in international and regional human rights and humanitarian law it is stated over and over again: the meaningful participation of women in decisions that affect their lives is essential to creating resilient communities. As Nobel Peace Laureate and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee said during the General Assembly’s high-level week last month, “If we exclude women from peacebuilding and post- conflict reconstruction, we will build unbalanced structures, and they will fall.” Yet efforts to empower women with leadership, training and education and access to land and other productive assets are still marginal. Displaced women are often excluded from justice systems, and investments to fix this are still insufficient. Time and time again, women refugees and internally displaced persons suffer disproportionately from gender-based violence, including sexual violence, forced marriages and trafficking. In resolution 2122 (2013), the Council notes that unequal citizenship rights and asylum processes and a lack of access to identification increase women’s risk of statelessness. They suffer exclusion from decision-making and unequal access to education, health, housing, land and property rights. It is time to dramatically improve the situation of women refugees and displaced persons around the world. It is time to renew our commitments and see them through. As we review policies and strategies over the coming months, we should be clear about what sustainable peace and development require in these changed circumstances. The Security Council faces extraordinary challenges, from the Ebola outbreak — which also has a gender dimension — to the rise of violent extremism and the unprecedented levels of displacement that come with it. We will not overcome those challenges without putting gender equality front and centre in our efforts to maintain peace and security. That is this Council’s obligation. It is also our collective test for 2015. On behalf of UN-Women, I welcome today’s debate and look forward to keeping our promises to all women and girls threatened by conflict and violence all over the world.

I thank Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Mulet. Mr. Mulet: I am very pleased to brief the Security Council today, as the topic of this debate is central to our work on peace. We remain determined to protect women and girls and to promote their role in all aspects of peacekeeping operations. Women always bear the brunt of any protracted conflict, especially in displacement. Displaced women are frequently subject to heinous human rights violations, including sexual violence. These criminal acts destroy community identity and tear apart traditional ways of life, leaving women alone to face the challenge of providing for their families. During displacement women and girls are most at risk to sexual and gender-based violence, especially in overcrowded sites with little privacy and security. Uprooted from their environments, they struggle to access support networks and health services. We know that the most effective and appropriate ways of preventing violence towards internally displaced women and girls is to intensify protection mechanisms, while at the same time increasing support for women’s participation in political processes and in governance. Peacekeeping missions advocate for the political participation of women. The mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic emphasizes consultation with women on issues related to political participation in that country. Recently, the Mission organized a high-level women’s advisory group meeting with Mission leadership to discuss the inclusion of women’s voices in political dialogue and national reconciliation processes. In South Sudan, advocacy by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has resulted in an increase in representation and election of women as traditional leaders in Eastern and Equatorial States. Structural obstacles continue to exacerbate the risks for women in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). In the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, we have attempted to promote the voices of women in order to identify what structural obstacles are in place and to reduce the direct threats to women’s security. In Haiti, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti has increased its strong uniformed presence in IDP camps and high-crime areas where women and girls are most at risk of sexual violence. In South Sudan, the rapid increase of women and girls who sought shelter in United Nations bases created a strain on camp logistics, leading to increased vulnerability of women and girls. UNMISS therefore advocated with the camp management committees for a gendered approach to camp logistics and protection, resulting in the establishment of separate facilities for women and men and the appointment of women as camp managers. Likewise, in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, a women’s protection network was established for residents of IDP camps around Zalingei to discuss with women strategies to better protect and promote their participation in the peace process. We must recognize that the best way to protect and support women IDPs is to help women help themselves by giving them a voice in decision-making and the socioeconomic resources to empower them. We need to do more to support States in developing gender-sensitive policies, particularly in the justice and security sectors, that both protect and encourage women’s participation in all peace and reconciliation efforts. It is critical for the international community to sustain all efforts to address and remove critical obstacles that impede women’s full participation in peace and security. By doing so, we will make sure that women are leading actors and champions of peace. We have a responsibility to better protect women, but protection cannot exist without genuine understanding of women’s rights and acceptance of their full participation, as demanded by resolution 1325 (2000) and all subsequent Security Council mandates on women and peace and security. The protection of women, be they settled or displaced, is possible only when women can themselves define, shape and influence the course of their lives and ultimately the course of peace.

I thank Mr. Mulet for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Beyani. Mr. Beyani: I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of Argentina and the other members of the Security Council for holding this open debate on the critical issue of displaced women and girls in the framework of the women and peace and security agenda. The intersection of peace and security, human rights and development is critical to dealing with the issue of internal displacement. We must not lose sight of the important role that internally displaced women can play in negotiating peace, ensuring their human rights and bringing about development in post-conflict situations. As part of my mandate, I enter into dialogue with Governments and the international community alike to advise on and advocate for the best possible protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and in all my field missions I pay specific attention to the protection of internally displaced women and girls. This year alone, I have carried out missions to Kenya, Azerbaijan, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti and Ukraine. Such field missions are significant in that they provide an early warning system for the international community through the Human Rights Council, the General Assembly and, in this instance, the Security Council itself on the actual causes, conditions and situations of displacement. My mandate receives specific support from United Nations agencies and entities, in particular the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and I am grateful for their support and great collaboration. My work could not be possible without the outstanding support extended by Member States, both those working to cope with and to protect IDPs and those supporting action to improve the lives of internally displaced persons internationally. I am grateful for the ever-growing cooperation extended by States to my mandate. I would also like to highlight the Arria Formula meeting in May on the protection of IDPs, co-chaired by Chile and Argentina, which I had the privilege to address and during which the issue of internal displacement and threats to international peace and security were tackled. We started 2014 with an unprecedented peak in the number of persons forcibly displaced within their own countries due to armed conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations ‑ 33.3 million internally displaced persons, the highest figure ever recorded. In many countries, IDPs are also displaced by natural disasters, further compounding existing vulnerabilities. Women and girls account for some half of the world’s IDP population. Since the 1990s, greater attention has been paid to the rights and needs of women and girls in emergency and post-conflict situations and to promoting gender- sensitive approaches in humanitarian, development and early recovery response. A wide range of resolutions — for instance, the landmark resolution 1325 (2000) — but also policies, gender-mainstreaming efforts and targeted programmes have been adopted in this regard, and they have increasingly encompassed internally displaced women and girls. The 1998 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which detail the specific rights of internally displaced women and girls, have been recognized by the General Assembly and in Security Council resolutions. The Guiding Principles have informed the inclusion of concrete and progressive provisions on internally displaced women in subsequent instruments, such as the 2006 Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region and the 2009 African Union Kampala Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa. In 2013, I dedicated my thematic report to the Human Rights Council to the situation of internally displaced women, and during this debate I would like to draw to the attention of the Security Council to that report. Despite such positive developments, responses to internal displacement still do not adequately address the specific concerns and roles of women and girls. During situations of conflict and violence, women and girls flee to escape arbitrary killings, rape, torture, inhumane or degrading treatment or starvation. They may have been the victims of such violations themselves or seen their loved ones attacked and abused. The experience of my mandate is that women and girls are targeted as a means of armed conflict ‑ to destroy and humiliate communities, to manipulate the demographic composition of communities, for sexual slavery including enforced concubinage, and at times enforced sterilization. As IDPs, women experience the various human rights challenges that are characteristic to displacement situations and that often place IDPs at greater risk than other affected populations. Such challenges include the loss of livelihoods and key documentation, as well as the lack of effective access to a number of important rights and services. In addition, internally displaced women often face double discrimination, based on being both an IDP and a woman, and experience human rights challenges due to the intersection of gender with other factors such as age, group affiliation such as minority status, disability and civil or socioeconomic situations. Displaced women often have to assume new gender roles that further expose them to gender-based violence, including physical violence and trafficking. Those roles include being the only breadwinners and taking on the increased burden of care for extended families. Internally displaced women risk their lives, safety and physical integrity to protect their husbands and families. They have told me, “If we let their husbands and male children fetch firewood, food or water, they will be killed, whereas we may be raped but spared death”. Other specific protection concerns for internally displaced women include inequitable access to assistance and psychosocial support, education, training and livelihoods; poor reproductive health care; and exclusion from decision-making processes. The fact that more IDPs tend to live in urban rather than camp or rural settings also raises additional challenges that have detrimental impacts on women and girls. I first visited Côte d’Ivoire a year after the end of the post-electoral violence. Many IDPs had found refuge in urban areas, including girls who had been impregnated during displacement and could not go back to their communities as a result. However, the inability of IDPs to continue renting their shelters in those urban centres, once the cash grant they received to enable them to stay in urban areas ran out. pushed the most vulnerable communities, including women and girls, to the outskirts of the city. Many displaced women and girls, particularly those belonging to minorities, are at risk of statelessness. Pre-existing patterns of discrimination in many of those contexts are exacerbated during conflict and contribute to violations of women’s rights to housing, land and property. For instance, during my visit to Sri Lanka, I was struck by the fact that many IDP women either lacked proper documentation to their land or had documents in the name of their deceased husbands or fathers, preventing them from accessing their land. To respond to those intricate problems with far- reaching consequences, we need to look at long-term solutions. Displacement is not just a humanitarian issue, but also an issue of building peace, and constitutes a long- term development challenge with profound political, economic, environmental and security implications. If left unaddressed, protracted displacement generates further marginalization, inequality, fragility and vulnerability and erodes women’s resilience. Displacement can overwhelm the institutional capacities of affected States, which are already dealing with major conflicts or disasters. Many States have neither policy frameworks or coordination systems in place to respond to internal displacement, nor a set of procedures to bring quick assistance to populations made extremely vulnerable from one day to another as they have lost livelihoods, social protection and have gone through traumatic experiences. States also lack comprehensive IDP registration systems by age and gender. More needs to be done if we are to respond adequately to the specific protection concerns of IDP women. Data collection disaggregated by sex, age, location and other key indicators is critical for effective advocacy and the development of programmes to respond to the specific needs of IDP women at all stages of displacement, irrespective of the cause of displacement. National and international efforts to collect, update, analyse and disseminate both quantitative and qualitative data on IDPs, including those outside of camps, displacement- affected communities and communities at risk of displacement should be strengthened. A more preventive approach to sexual and gender- based violence in the context of internal displacement is also essential. In that regard, gender-sensitive training should be provided more systematically to police and military forces, judiciary personnel and social workers. A stronger focus on prevention is also required within the households and communities of the internally displaced, including engaging men and boys in those prevention and protection efforts. States should take all measures to combat impunity for sexual and gender-based violence, including by investigating and holding perpetrators accountable. Efforts to reduce exposure to sexual violence also entails ensuring that survivors have access to appropriate support, including reproductive health care and psychosocial services. Ensuring access to justice and accountability mechanisms is key when addressing internal displacement with a gender lens. In addition to promoting access to criminal and civil justice systems for IDP women, it is also essential to consider how their concerns can be addressed through transitional justice measures such as truth and reconciliation commissions and reparations. Donor accountability for gender- equality programming for IDPs is essential and entails more effective integration of gender issues into donor practices. I was heartened by the resilience of IDP women I met in Ukraine. Many of them were volunteering to help other displaced persons. Meaningful participation by IDP women and girls in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of laws, policies, programmes and activities that affect their lives at all stages of displacement is key in the response to internal displacement. IDP women, as individuals, have the right to make free and informed decisions concerning the resolution of their displacement on the basis of adequate and appropriately communicated information, participate fully in building peace and in planning and management of their return, local integration or resettlement elsewhere. The participation and leadership of IDP women in finding durable solutions that address their very specific concerns is critical. I would like to thank again Argentina for the opportunity to address the Security Council today.

I thank Mr. Beyani for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Allami. Ms. Allami: I am here for my friends and colleagues Samira Salih Al-Nuaimi and Umaima Al-Jebara, who were recently killed defending women’s rights in Iraq; Razan Zaitouneh, who was abducted for documenting human rights violations in Syria; and all activists who risk their lives daily to make women and peace and security not just a resolution, but a reality.Concrete steps are needed to implement the entire women and peace and security agenda in all settings. I speak on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, and in my capacity as Founder and Director of the Women for Progress Centre in Iraq. Displacement is a cause and consequence of conflict. In my daily work I see how displaced women and girls are affected when they are forced to flee. Many are traumatized by the violence. Imagine fleeing because your daughter is at risk of being kidnapped, forced to marry a militant fighter or trafficked into sexual slavery. Today must be about women and girls and responding to their rights and needs, promoting their rights, leadership and voice. We in civil society echo their voices in reporting to the Security Council that we have seen no significant change in the areas that would have the biggest impact. That includes in the efforts of the United Nations and Member States to end gender inequality, stop supplying arms that exacerbate the damage caused in wars, insist on women’s inclusion in negotiations, consult with women and support and invest in women’s human rights and civil society. I want to address three key interconnected ways to overcome this inaction: first, the importance of women’s leadership and participation; secondly, the need for gender-sensitive and multisectoral responses to protection efforts and humanitarian assistance; and, thirdly, women’s role in conflict prevention and in combating State and non-State violence, including violent extremism and terrorism. First, women must fully participate and be consulted systematically in decision-making across all displacement settings, in humanitarian programming and, of course, in the broader political, security and peace processes. Supporting women’s civil society and human rights defenders is key, both politically and financially. National Governments, international actors and donors must invest in community-led long- term solutions and provide assistance and training to a diverse range of grassroots civil society organizations. Secondly, it is vital that protection efforts and humanitarian assistance be gender-sensitive and multisectoral, in accordance with international law. Women and girls, including those displaced, must have access to livelihood opportunities, the full range of health-care services, including sexual and reproductive health, and education to give them greater control over their lives. Much attention is being focused on providing immediate humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people in Iraq. However, there are gaps in addressing the long-term impact on them. Recently, two young Yazidi women were rescued when they were bought from Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighters. They had been passed from one group of fighters to another across the country and repeatedly raped. They were returned to their community, where they have no access to health or psychosocial services. Local religious leaders assured them they would not be further harmed, but no emphasis is being placed on addressing their long-term trauma or stigma. Using a survivor-centred approach, we must also build the capacity of law enforcement agencies to respond to sexual and gender-based violence, including in displaced settings. Women must be recruited to senior policing roles. All perpetrators, including in South Sudan and Somalia, where sexual violence by all sides of the conflict is at horrific levels, must be held to account under national and international human rights and humanitarian law. Thirdly, conflict prevention lies at the core of the women and peace and security agenda and all solutions must address the root causes of conflict and displacement. That includes addressing disarmament and demilitarization, gender inequalities and investing in women’s human rights, equality, economic empowerment and education and women- led civil society. Militarization and arms proliferation fuel conflict by directly and indirectly killing and impacting civilians. We condemn the use of violence against women, girls and all civilians, including in Gaza, Syria and Iraq. The number and conditions of women internally displaced persons and refugees has been exacerbated by both State and non-State actors. In Iraq and the region, violent extremists are deliberately displacing communities. Women must be supported in their efforts to connect formal and informal justice systems and to engage moderate tribal and religious leaders on women’s rights. Iraq’s national security strategy, currently being developed, must fully incorporate the role of women within it and reflect the commitments in its national action plan pursuant to resolution 1325 (2000). Efforts to combat extremism must address the pre-existing threats to women and girls embedded in laws and social norms. The Iraqi Government must uphold its duty to ensure that the legal framework protects women and girls and ensures their full participation. The Government must abolish every form of discrimination, in line with international obligations, including passing domestic violence legislation and abolishing and criminalizing child marriage and marriages outside of the court. Iraq must guarantee the independence of its institutions, in particular its National Human Rights Commission, and ensure that they can operate free from political influence. Legal aid for marginalized and vulnerable groups must be funded and institutionalized. All the aforementioned requires international pressure and domestic political will. We call on the Security Council and all Member States to use a gender lens to address the challenges faced by women who have been forcibly displaced, as well as across all peace and security efforts, and to recommit to working towards the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Next year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). Let us make 2015 the year for progressive action, for senior political leadership, for strengthened women’s participation and leadership opportunities and, once and for all, for the consistent implementation of all women and peace and security commitments. In conclusion, all human beings have the right to be safe and to live a life in dignity.

I thank Ms. Allami for her testimonial and statement. Members of the Council have before them the text of a draft presidential statement on the topic of today’s meeting. I thank the Council members for their valuable contributions to the statement. In accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council, I shall take it that the members of the Security Council agree to the statement, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2014/21. It is so decided. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Security Council.

I thank you, Madam President, for holding this important debate today and for your personal commitment to this issue. I also warmly thank Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Mr. Mulet and Mr. Beyani for their compelling and sobering briefings. I would particularly like to welcome Ms. Suaad Allami from Iraq and to thank her for sharing her experiences with the Council today. I also thank everyone who has come to this meeting to demonstrate their interest and commitment. Their presence here is an encouragement to all of us to do more. Today, one year on from the adoption of resolution 2122 (2013) and one year before the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), we consider the strides that we have made and what remains to be done to make our commitments real on this vital agenda. I welcome the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693), which demonstrates that attention to women and peace and security is increasing across the board. Over a third of those included in Colombia’s peace talks are women, as we have heard. That figure rises to 75 per cent in the Philippines. We welcome the dedicated consideration of gender issues in such processes since last year. There are more trained investigators of sexual and gender- based violence deployed than ever before. This year, an unprecedented 40 per cent of ambassadors at the Security Council are women. However, that progress is incremental. Sadly, those are exceptions to the rule. The fact that we still have to fight to include sufficient gender expertise in our peacekeeping operations, most recently in the Central African Republic and Mali, that we still have to battle to have just one women included in most peace processes, and that Governments and armed groups continue to violate and to abuse women’s rights, including by perpetrating sexual and gender- based vilence, makes clear that a real commitment to women and peace and security is still piecemeal. The peacekeeping review and the global study are two opportunities to galvanize action on those issues but change must start now. The report of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict will also be published shortly. We encourage all actors to implement its recommendations. Presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21, which we have adopted today, has four key elements. First, it reiterates core principles of resolution 2122 (2013) with regard to women’s leadership and gender equality and the working methods of the Council. Secondly, it calls on Member States to enhance protection and services for displaced women and girls and for sex and age-disaggregated data to inform policy and programming. Thirdly, it highlights the tremendous impact of violent extremism on women and urges States to protect and to engage with them in addressing that trend. Finally, it calls for all actors to review and to reinvigorate their commitments ahead of the 2015 high- level review. We are living through a period of unusual instability. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, only 11 countries in the world are not linked to conflict in some way. For the first time since the Second World War, the number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons has exceeded 50 million. If displaced people had their own country, it would be the twenty-fourth most populous in the world. That is a staggering statistic. The United Kingdom recognizes the particular hardships faced by refugees and internally displaced persons, including the additional burden and vulnerability of women and girls. We have provided the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with over $180 million in the period 2011-2014. We have committed over $1 billion to helping people affected by conflict in Syria, while in Iraq we provide $40 million in humanitarian aid, $30 million of which supports international non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross. That includes supporting programmes to prevent and respond to sexual violence — for example, by establishing women-and-children centres to provide group counselling, as well as providing safe spaces for children. In crises like those in Syria and Iraq, many of the most vulnerable households are headed by women, who often lack access to basic necessities to meet their needs and those of their children. The United Kingdom has provided cash assistance to help female refugees in Jordan pay their rent and receive livelihood support. Pregnant women are particularly at risk. We are providing essential equipment to new mothers and pregnant women in Iraq and reproductive health services for women in Jordan. We also provide financial support for vulnerable Syrian women who are thought to be at risk of coerced marriage. Gender-sensitive programming must be increased alongside access to international protection, health and education services and livelihood activities in conflict- affected States. We must do that for all displaced persons, particularly women and girls. The international community must also step up its efforts to address the root causes of conflict. That requires concerted long- term effort and financing. The benefits of that are clear. Finally, we must put women and girls at the forefront of our approach to tackling violent extremism and defeating the extremist ideology that underpins the barbaric acts of groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We must not allow the crackdown on women’s rights — from prohibiting girls’ education to enslaving women’s bodies — to go unheeded. Women must be part of the solution. We have a formidable task before us. I am confident, however, that through our shared purpose and with effective follow-up, we can convert the expertise and goodwill in the Chamber to greater protection for some of the most vulnerable people around the world and create space for women to be full and equal partners in all endeavours to strengthen peace and security. We must redouble all our efforts in the important year that lies ahead.

I wish to thank you, Madam President, for organizing this debate. I would also like to warmly thank for their briefings the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Edmond Mulet; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Mr. Chaloka Beyani; and Ms. Suaad Allami, a defender of human rights in Iraq. Their commitment is a source of inspiration and has won admiration from us all. The topic of women in conflict is a high priority for France, as demonstrated by the presence among us of a large delegation of French senators. I would like to welcome and to thank them for their active commitment to this issue. In addressing the challenges posed by today’s topic, we must be demanding and ambitious. The high-level review of sanctions, which is drawing to a close, the high-level review of peacekeeping missions, which is beginning, and the high-level review for resolution 1325 (2000), which has been announced, are all opportunities to advance the women and peace and security agenda. It is a cross-cutting priority that concerns nearly 80 per cent of Council resolutions, and therefore deserves the same attention as other topics related to peace and security. Women — and we cannot overstress this — are key players in the maintenance of peace and security, not just for the Council but also through peace negotiations or within peacekeeping operations. We will continue to emphasize that to the United Nations mediators, especially with respect to Syria. In that context, I wish to welcome the adoption by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support of the gender strategy for 2014-2018, as well as the activities of UN-Women in that regard. I also welcome the adoption of an ambitious presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21), thanks to the efforts of the United Kingdom. The attention paid by the United Nations to women’s issues should also be felt on the ground, including in countries in conflict. We too often hear that, in times of crisis or emergencies, security issues take precedence over those for women. However, there can be no security and peace without the security and protection of women, in particular the most vulnerable — those who are forcibly displaced. Violence and human rights violations committed against women refugees or displaced women cannot be considered inevitable as collateral damage to conflict. That is unacceptable. Those violations are too numerous, frequent and intolerable to be minimized or to take a back seat in the Council’s concerns. The upheavals of the global security environment with the rise of violent extremism and terrorism and the implosion of States or health challenges, like Ebola, have contributed to an unprecedented level of forced displacement — unprecedented since the Second World War. Around 32,000 persons were internally displaced every day in 2013. Three quarters of them were women and children. In Syria and Iraq, the year 2013 was characterized by a dramatic increase in violations — rapes, forced early marriages, prostitution and forced labour were daily occurrences in the lives of women and girls in regions controlled by Daesh. The actions of human rights advocates, such as those of Ms. Suaad Allami in Iraq, become even more critical. In Syria, the persecution of women by the regime, the bombing of civilian areas by the Syrian army and the multiple restrictions placed on the most basic economic and social rights endanger the survival of whole families and cause 2.5 million refugees to take to the road, over three quarters of whom are women and children. Women who have fled are all the more vulnerable to various forms of exploitation, sex trafficking, domestic violence and poverty. Access to gynaecological and health care becomes very difficult. To try to meet the needs of women in the region, since 2013 France has been supporting local non-governmental organization projects to provide aid to Syrian women who are displaced within Syria or have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, including psychological or medical support for victims of sexual violence. We regret, once again, that the French draft resolution that would have referred those crimes to the International Criminal Court was not adopted. In the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan and South Sudan, massive displacements of populations have led to the increased vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence and all forms of violence committed by armed forces and groups. Deploying a gender adviser for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) represents a step forward in the fight against sexual violence. France, which has mobilized along those lines for MINUSCA, requests that all resolutions establishing or extending peacekeeping operations include relevant provisions for the protection and participation of women. We must also ensure that missions report on violations in their reports, as we recall the case of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur in the Sudan. The armed forces and groups in countries in conflict are a daily threat to women and girls who are refugees or have been displaced. In that context, the entry into force in December of the Arms Trade Treaty is a crucial step. France calls for the full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty, including the provision on gender, so as to better take into account the risk of the use of arms against women and children. It is essential that the rights of refugee and displaced women be guaranteed in all phases of their displacement, whether in camps or outside them. Unfortunately, various services remain unattainable for refugees and displaced women and children. Furthermore, severe insecurity in some camps, for example in South Sudan, prevents women from accessing basic services such as water and food, while other services remain inaccessible. In terms of access to education, too often the path to school is too dangerous for girls, who are therefore fewer than boys in attending school in times of conflict. As for access to health services, few displaced or refugee women have the right to sexual and reproductive health services. In that context, we welcome the work of the United Nations Population Fund in providing reproductive health services to more than 67,000 people in Syria. Finally, it is crucial that refugee and displaced women have access to justice, which, as we know, remains the lynchpin of any post- conflict stabilization effort. National Governments bear the primary responsibility for prosecuting and punishing perpetrators of sexual violence. However, when States fail in that responsibility the International Criminal Court (ICC) must play its role. The Court has been seized of cases in Darfur, the Central African Republic, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the open debate of 23 October that was organized by the Argentine presidency (see S/PV.7285) the importance of effective follow-up to the Court’s decisions was underscored. France welcomes the regular exchanges between the Court and the Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We encourage deeper exchanges and urge the reports of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to take fully into account judicial developments. France will continue to mobilize to combat impunity in cases of perpetrators of violence against women through the ICC and national tribunals and through the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda as a cross-cutting priority of the Council. That is our joint responsibility. The Council can count on France to remain on the front line of that fight.

I thank the Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, for her briefing and for conveying the message of the Secretary-General. I also thank the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Edmond Mulet, for his briefing. I welcome the presence of Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and of Ms. Suaad Allami, whose briefings inspire us to redouble the Council’s efforts. I commend the Argentine presidency of the Security Council for its choice of topic for this open debate, at a time when the number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide has reached a level not seen since the Second World War. I thank the delegation of the United Kingdom for facilitating the negotiations on presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21, just adopted by the Council. Luxembourg fully aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. Today’s open debate marks the beginning of a period that it is hoped will be decisive in the advancement of women worldwide. The year 2015 will indeed mark the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and allow us to take stock of the situation of women with respect to peace and security. The review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, on the occasion of its twentieth anniversary, will allow us to examine the progress made and the challenges to the full promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Finally, the post-2015 development agenda and the sustainable development goals should guarantee that women, as agents of change, will play their deserved role in human development. Conflicts do not create new situations of discrimination. They merely highlight and accentuate those existing in peacetime. In that context, there is no better illustration than the situation of refugee and internally displaced women. Day after day, the news coming from Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and South Sudan — the latter two visited by the Security Council in August — illustrates the sad state of affairs. For my part, I cannot forget the poignant testimony of Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, who went for the first time to South Sudan early this month and last week provided an account to the Council of the tragic situation of internally displaced women in the Вentiu camp (see S/PV.7282). Refugee and internally displaced women are among the most vulnerable populations; their rights to security, sexual and reproductive health and education are systematically trampled. Sexual violence in and around IDP camps is endemic. Responsible for providing for their families, women must often brave several checkpoints in search of water and food. Left to their own fate, they lack any means to defend themselves against attackers. Fear of sexual violence can also promote early marriage, as is the case for example in Somalia. Those arrangements are supposed to protect young girls, but have harmful consequences in terms of health and access to education. Refugee and displaced women face not only sexual violence; access to education, justice and health services represents some of the challenges contained in the concept note of the Argentine presidency (S/2014/731, annex). There can be no simple answer to this complex situation; a holistic approach is needed. The joint commitment of Member States, the United Nations system and civil society is required. I will address four areas that I consider priority. We must put an end to impunity for perpetrators of violence against women and girls. Without credible judicial and security systems, the perpetrators of those crimes will pursue their malfeasance. The international community must support the capacity-building of Member States in the short and long term. Innovative initiatives exist and must be supported. I am thinking primarily of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Justice Rapid Response initiative. Luxembourg actively supports those two initiatives. I also reaffirm my country’s full support for the International Criminal Court — an institution that strengthens the fight against impunity and plays a very important role. Condemning the perpetrators of crimes is only one aspect of justice; ensuring that victims receive genuine compensation for the harm they have suffered is equally essential. In that context, we welcome the Guidance Note of the Secretary-General on Reparations for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence that was published in June by UN-Women and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Thirdly, women’s participation in all discussions related to their specific rights and needs must be guaranteed in the decision-making structures of refugee and IDP camps, in the development of humanitarian programmes and in peace negotiations. Women’s participation is a necessary condition to guarantee the success of any measure taken. To that end, we must strengthen and support the role of civil society and of women defenders of human rights. My fourth point is to recall the role that the Security Council must continue to play in this area, including during its field visits. Our recent visit to South Sudan and Somalia allowed the Council to meet with women’s civil society organizations. During its visit to the Great Lakes region in October 2013, the Security Council also met with internally displaced women in the Mugunga III camp, near the city of Goma. That practice should be maintained. As I said earlier, the year 2015 will be an important one for women throughout the world. We eagerly await the results of the global review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) that the Security Council requested in resolution 2122 (2013) and that Luxembourg supports through an important programme implemented by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. We sincerely hope that we can collectively live up to the expectations to which promised to respond almost 15 years ago. Let us ensure that this fifteenth anniversary does not become an opportunity for complacency, but that it encourages us to redouble our efforts to end discrimination against women in conflict and to thereby guarantee more lasting peace and security.

I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for this important meeting. I would also like to thank Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Mr. Edmond Mulet, Mr. Chaloka Beyani and Ms. Suaad Allami for their briefings, their dedication to the peace and security of women around the world, and their courage. We also welcome the adoption today of the presidential statement contained in document S/PRST/2014/21. The issue of women and peace and security has captured our attention anew as violent extremist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) conduct targeted attacks against women and girls daily in Iraq and Syria. That terrorist group brazenly takes credit for the abduction, enslavement, rape, forced marriage and sale of several thousand Yazidi and other minority women and girls, rationalizing that abhorrent treatment by claiming falsely and outrageously that such acts are sanctioned by religion. ISIL tortured and then publicly executed Iraqi human rights defender Samira Salih al-Nuaimi for bravely speaking out against the group, even in the face of repeated threats to her life. Just last week, another Syrian woman was stoned to death. We strongly condemn the treatment of women and children as spoils of war and their subjection to horrific physical and sexual violence, intimidation and deprivation of liberty. For the United States, focusing on the issue of women and peace and security through the lens of forced displacement is particularly appropriate. Forced displacement has reached an unprecedented level. Some 51.2 million people, 80 per cent of them women and children, were displaced by the end of 2013. This crisis cannot be solved without holistically addressing and integrating the four women and peace and security pillars — protection, participation, conflict prevention and relief and recovery — into the work of the Council as we seek to fulfil our mandate to foster peace and security. I should like to focus on three elements: participation, access to health and education, and economic opportunity and the rule of law. Participation means more than just voting or going to school. We need more women leaders at the national and local levels represented throughout various sectors of society — women like Claudia Paz y Paz, the first woman Attorney General of Guatemala, or women like those in the Second Peshmerga Battalion, an all-female battalion fighting on the front lines against ISIL. Major General Kristin Lund was the first woman appointed to command a United Nations peacekeeping force, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, bringing the United Nations closer to its goal this year of including more women in peacekeeping missions and leadership positions. The participation of women as political leaders is vital, yet the percentage of female parliament members globally remains static at below 22 per cent. There are some bright spots. Nearly 3,000 women candidates ran in Iraqi elections this year — the greatest number ever to do so there. But as the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693) points out, election-related violence against women remains a serious concern, as does women’s freedom of political participation. There was a horrifying string of sexual assaults on women during Egypt’s inaugural celebrations for its new president, including a mass attack on a 19-year-old student, who was stripped in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. In the Horn of Africa, deadly attacks on parliamentarians in Somalia, including women, must stop. We have seen that the meaningful participation of women and girls in decision-making, programme design and implementation, and leadership is critical in humanitarian crises. Just as important is the sense of empowerment that women experience because they are given a role in decision-making on issues that affect lives. In Nepal, local women’s organizations built responsive programmes by consulting Bhutanese refugee women with disabilities on effective gender- based violence programmes. That led to the creation of vocational training classes that better suited their needs and significantly improved their lives. But to participate and show leadership, women need to be healthy and educated. As noted in the Secretary- General’s report, maternal mortality rates in conflict and post-conflict countries are 60 per cent higher than the global rates. Access to health and education services is even more essential for displaced communities. That includes women such as those in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, who face desperate conditions and limited access to food, safe water and medical supplies. Less than two weeks ago, the International Committee of the Red Cross was able to deliver medical aid to Yarmouk for the first time in a year. The hospital there is no longer able to provide the emergency medical treatment required for women and newborns. There has been an increase in miscarriages due to food shortages and poor nutrition for pregnant women and due to the collapse of prenatal care under the siege. Education can mitigate the effects of conflict and provide the basis for long-term economic growth and stability. Education services for women and girls in conflict-affected settings are essential. The United States is working to increase equal access to education in crisis and conflict environments for 15 million learners by 2015. For example, in the Darfuri refugee camps in Chad, we are ensuring that secondary education programmes are accessible to boys and girls alike. At the same time, we need to continue to strive to break multigenerational cycles of poverty and we must therefore focus on equipping young girls with the tools necessary to escape need. The United States is taking action. On 9 October, we announced an initial funding of $29 million for the SPRING Initiative, a partnership with the United Kingdom Government and the Nike Foundation aimed at accelerating the economic empowerment of girls. The Initiative will help businesses bring to market products that enable girls to learn, earn, invest and save, thereby improving the lives of up to 200,000 girls over the next five years and, we hope, millions more by 2030. If women are to play their rightful role in every society and culture, equal protection under the law through institutional and structural reforms is essential. That means making sure that women know their rights and have real and practical access to justice and that those who target women are held to account in credible and transparent processes. That is true not just with respect to violence and abuse. In some societies, women often become family breadwinners but lack the same rights and freedoms as male heads of household. At a time when the world is becoming increasingly aware of radicalized young people joining violent extremist groups, that imbalance must be addressed. Young people who have grown up with strong female role models and outside of poverty are less likely to embrace extremism. One way to address such challenges is to bolster funding for projects that support women’s empowerment. Such investments can support crisis recovery and stability by enabling women to contribute economically to their families and their communities. We urge Member States to invest seriously in those efforts, particularly in programmes that support female-led households in displacement and post-conflict settings. In a similar vein, unequal citizenship laws make women and their children more vulnerable. While many Member States, in line with resolution 2122 (2013), are reforming laws that discriminate against women in nationality matters, at least 25 countries maintain laws that do not allow women to confer nationality on their children. To conclude, we have done a lot, since the Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000) 14 years ago, to advance the role of women in peace and security. I mentioned some of the areas in which we still need to make progress to protect women and girls and to empower them to reach their full potential. This is a vital and cross-cutting issue in all of the Council’s work. Against that backdrop, the United States welcomes the 2015 high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000) as an opportunity to assess current programming, identify implementation gaps and address emerging problems. Considering that the review will run concurrently with our own national action plan review in 2015, we hope that the processes will complement and support each other, reminding us how far we have come and of how much remains to be done. As Secretary Kerry said at a summit on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in London in June, no society will know peace if it leaves half its population behind. Women’s voices are a critical part of coming to terms with the past by investing in a shared future that rejects conflict and promotes dignity. Countless women have been subjected to rape and sexual violence as tactics of war. Now we must enlist all women and empower them as agents of peace.

Allow me to thank you, Madam President, for convening this meeting. I would also like to express my gratitude to all the briefers for their detailed statements on this important topic. Resolution 1325 (2000) was adopted 15 years ago and has lost none of its relevance. It provides guidance on increasing the role of women in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, in post-conflict reconstruction and even in the protection of women during conflict. We read carefully the Secretary-General’s report prepared for this meeting (S/2014/693). We share the concern regarding new trends of growing numbers of acts of violence against women and violations of their rights, including those related to terrorism, violent extremism and transnational organized crime. Women are usually victims of violence during armed conflict. The killing and wounding of women and children, including through indiscriminate or excessive use of force against civilians, is a serious concern. Today that also happens in Europe. It is inadmissible to ignore such crimes or justify them as inevitable collateral damage. One guarantee of the effectiveness of Council action on resolution 1325 (2000) is its work in the context of specific mandates and its consideration of women’s issues in the context of the maintenance of peace and security and with respect to those situations included on the Council’s agenda. The issue of violence against women comes under the authority not only of the Security Council but also of the General Assembly, the Peacebuilding Commission, the Human Rights Council and the Commission on the Status of Women. The efforts of those various bodies will obtain the best results insofar as they respond to the principle of the division of labour and the non-duplication of authority. We therefore continue to doubt the advisability of including in the report appraisals of situations of women that are not directly linked to issues of international peace and security. Regarding the idea of drafting national plans of action for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), we think such plans should be prepared on a voluntary basis, first of all by those States that are in a situation of armed conflict or in post-conflict peacebuilding. We call for an approach to that issue that takes into account the specificities of the situation in each particular country. The rise in the numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons, the majority of whom are women and children, means there is a need to take effective measures to protect those individuals. we express our satisfaction that the presidential statement adopted today (S/PRST/2014/21) pays due attention to that very issue. We are convinced that there is a strong advantage offered by the participation of women, refugees and internally displaced persons in various aspects of resolving armed conflict and post-conflict rebuilding. Their active participation is a means of preventing and overcoming violence against women and girls. A year ago, the Russian Federation was faced with the task of providing massive assistance to refugees from south-eastern Ukraine. Currently, approximately 830,000 Ukrainian citizens are hosted on Russian territory, 450,000 of whom have requested official status, which would allow their extended stay in Russia and grant them the status of refugees or temporary refugees. The overwhelming majority of them are women and children. Given the continuing shelling of residential areas in south-east Ukraine, the numbers that I have cited could increase. Refugees are hosted in 66 Russian regions. Specialized emergency-service personnel work with them and provide medical and psychological aid. Free meals are organized, and one-time allowances are paid. Employment specialists help newcomers to find jobs. Spaces are made for children in kindergartens, schools and institutions of higher learning. Necessary medical assistance is provided to children and pregnant women, among others. There are 24-hour hotlines. According to representatives in Russia of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Russian Government is fulfilling 100 per cent of the refugees’ needs. Volunteers and non-governmental organization are lending a hand as well. It is encouraging that preparations for next year’s celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) have now started to take shape. We hope that the Council’s request in resolution 2122 (2013) for a global high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) will galvanize States’ efforts to fill gaps and identify priorities for further action in ensuring the equitable and full participation of women in the prevention and settlement of armed conflicts. For that process to be effective, all States must participate actively. Taking into account the position of all States, and not just of Security Council members, can ensure that further measures regarding women and peace and security are genuinely effective. We call for a transparent and open process of preparation for the review, in close cooperation and consultation with States. We await with interest the results of the review, which the Secretary- General is to present during his yearly thematic report to the Council.

I thank the delegation of Argentina for convening this open debate and for the excellent concept note (S/2014/731, annex) provided to guide our discussions. I also thank our briefers for their informative briefings. It is befitting that your delegation, Madam, should preside at a debate on the subject of women and peace and security, considering the fact that Argentina was a non-permanent member of the Security Council when landmark resolution 1325 (2000) was adopted, in October 2000. The presidential statement we have just adopted (S/PRST/2014/21) underscores the determination of the Council to take forward the women and peace and security agenda, with a welcome focus on the situation of displaced women. It builds on the gains of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1889 (2009) and reaffirms the leadership role of the Council in addressing issues pertaining to the welfare of women in situations of distress. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), women and girls comprise about half of any refugee, internally displaced or stateless population. UNHCR has also determined that in many societies women and girls face specific risks related to their gender and that those risks can be exacerbated in situations of displacement. The UNHCR further notes that displaced women and girls who are unaccompanied, pregnant, disabled or aged face particular challenges. Responding effectively to the problems faced by refugee and displaced women requires a holistic approach that combines preventive strategies, responses and solutions. It is also essential that gender perspectives be integrated into policies across all sectors related to refugees and displaced persons in accordance with the relevant international law, including international refugee law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In order to be effective, such policies must address all four pillars of the women abd peace and security agenda, namely, participation, conflict prevention, protection and relief and recovery. They must also ensure that refugee and displaced women are involved in all protection, prevention, participation and relief and recovery efforts. In October 2009, the African Union adopted the Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, also known as the Kampala Convention. That landmark instrument, which entered into force on 6 December 2012, marks a significant step towards strengthening the national and regional normative and legal frameworks for offering protection and assistance to displaced persons in Africa. Nigeria embraces the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which stands as an important international framework for the protection of internally displaced persons. Nigeria has ratified key international and regional instruments on refugee protection, including the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as the Organization of African Unity’s 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. We have passed into law the key international and African refugee conventions through an act of parliament establishing a national commission for refugees and providing a legal and administrative framework for refugee management in Nigeria. It also sets guidelines for determining the status of refugees in the country. In line with its commitment to protecting and assisting displaced persons, our Federal Government has accelerated the process of adopting a national policy that will define a framework for its actions in that regard, part of its efforts to fulfil its obligations under the Kampala Convention. It also signifies our commitment to respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of displaced persons in Nigeria. Finally, Nigeria supports the global study on women and peace and security that the Secretary-General has commissioned. It should tell us what we have achieved in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and what remains to be done. We look forward to the high- level review in 2015, and we take this opportunity to re-state our commitment to the agenda for women and peace and security.

The Chinese delegation welcomes Argentina’s initiative in convening today’s open debate. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I would also like to thank Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women, and Assistant Secretary- General Mulet for their briefings. China also listened carefully to the statements by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and the representatives of civil society. Next year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. Thanks to the joint efforts of United Nations Member States, agencies and regional and subregional organizations, positive progress has been made in its implementation. The international community has achieved significant results in its efforts to provide comprehensive protection for the security, rights and interests of women, and to enhance the unique role that women play in the area of peace and security. Meanwhile, the current international situation is becoming increasingly complex and challenging, as various regional conflicts have arisen one after the other. In many areas, civilians, and women in particular, are being displaced by war and conflict. They have to deal with various kinds of violence and violations by themselves, without any assistance, and therefore urgently need the international community’s support. We must therefore work together and in close coordination in order to strengthen the comprehensive protection of women in conflict. In that regard, I would like to emphasize the following three points. First, the protection of women in conflict should be addressed so as to deal both with its symptoms and its underlying causes, and it calls for a holistic approach. The international community should take effective measures to provide a comprehensive guarantee of security to women and ensure that they receive humanitarian relief. At the same time, we should also vigorously enhance the political process, promote national reconciliation and settle differences through dialogue and consultation, aimed at creating a safe and stable external environment conducive to protecting women’s rights and interests. At every stage of the peace process, women’s full right to participation and decision-making should be ensured so that a system of guarantees can be established to protect their rights and interests. Secondly, the United Nations agencies should strengthen their coordination and cooperation in support of national efforts to protect women in conflict. The countries involved bear the primary responsibility for protecting women in conflict, and the international community should fully respect that leading role, while providing constructive support based on the needs of the countries concerned. The Security Council should coordinate more closely with the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council and UN-Women, based on their respective mandates, so that they can carry out their various functions synergistically. Regional and subregional organizations should also play a full role. Thirdly, comprehensive economic and social development and the eradication of the root causes of conflicts are prerequisites for guaranteeing the rights and interests of women. They can also advance women’s empowerment and improve their positive contribution to international peace and security, in order to help the countries concerned get to work as soon as possible on post-conflict reconstruction and the development of women. The international community should increase its development assistance and technical support to developing countries, with priority being given to the countries concerned in the area of national capacity- building, as well as to ensuring an adequate focus on the complementary role played by women’s groups and civil society as a whole. The international community is currently experiencing a new resurgence of terrorism in some countries and regions; terrorism and extremism are becoming rampant and causing enormous harm to civilians in general and women in particular. This is now one of the major causes of the displacement of women, and the international community should ensure that it pays adequate attention to the issue and makes resolution 1325 (2000) an integral part of its response to terrorism, taking effective measures to protect women from the effects of terrorism and extremism, and to ensure women’s participation in international efforts to counter terrorism. Next year the United Nations will conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), studying the lessons learned based on Member States’ experience and practices, and will explore effective ways to protect the rights, interests and security of women in conflict. China welcomes the Secretary-General’s efforts to initiate that global study and will actively support and participate in the relevant activities. We will join with all Member States in helping to advance United Nations activities in the area of women and peace and security to a higher level.

We welcome the Argentine presidency’s convening of this open debate. We thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report (S/2014/693) and its recommendations. We also commend the work and dedication of Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN-Women, and her team, and thank all the briefers today for their valuable contributions. More than 50 million people are currently displaced around the globe, the worst levels we have seen since the Second World War. Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, the Central African Republic, Iraq, Sudan and South Sudan — and that list is not exhaustive — have all seen massive numbers of people flee for their lives. Syria, with its more than 6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), is the worst humanitarian crisis of this century. And in the middle of Europe, forced displacements have also peaked owing to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Accounting for half of those displaced, women bear the physical and psychological brunt of conflict. For many of them, as they provide subsistence for their families, procure firewood and water and take care of basic sanitary needs, every step outside the displacement camps — and often even within the camps — is fraught with very real physical dangers, including sexual violence and rape and a heightened risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Early and forced marriages stunt the lives of many Syrian girls living in refugee camps. The horrendous practices of forced impregnation, human trafficking and sexual slavery are shattering lives in areas under the control of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We are yet to see the release of the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram. The illicit flow of arms through porous borders and in defiance of arms embargoes fuels violence and criminality and increases the vulnerability of refugees and IDPs, even in refugee camps and settlements. Women and children are the primary victims of such illicit flows, as recalled earlier today by Ms. Allami. A number of important documents provide the basis for addressing the problem of displacement. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement provide an overarching normative framework that applies international human rights and humanitarian law to IDPs. The Kampala Convention, the first of its kind in the world, binds Governments to provide legal protection for the rights and well-being of those forced to flee inside their home countries due to conflict, violence, other human rights abuses or due to natural disasters. Then there is the landmark resolution 1325 (2000), whose fifteenth anniversary will be marked next year, and its follow-up resolutions, including resolution 2122 (2013), which includes important references to forced displacement and its effects on women and girls. However, as our British colleague has reminded all of us, gaps still exist, and we need to work to close those gaps between existing legislation and the reality on the ground. We must continue working to improve gender mainstreaming by providing gender-awareness training to peacekeepers, field staff and humanitarian actors, appointing gender advisors and developing concrete indicators to assess the implementation of gender- mainstreaming policies. Gender-disaggregated data is key to better decision making in terms of addressing the needs and concerns of displaced women, as Special Rapporteur Beyani said earlier today. Even basic improvements, such as supporting on-camp provision of cooking fuel or water and integrating women in the design, implementation and review of distribution systems, can literally make a difference between life and death, by reducing their exposure to attacks. Developing leadership skills and the capacity of displaced women is essential to enabling their meaningful participation in decision-making processes at the community level, within camps, in non-camp and urban displacement settings, as well as in the broader political, security, peace and reconciliation processes. As the UN-Women Executive Director noted earlier today, in part women and girls are the best hope for sustainable development following conflict. Existing good practices must be collected and made readily available, including on engaging displaced women in transitional justice processes. Sexual violence in the context of displacement affects those already most vulnerable. Last week we heard a shocking account from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Zainab Bangura, of her recent visit to South Sudan. Such crimes will continue unabated as long as those who commit them know they will walk free, no matter how many victims they leave behind. The importance of bringing the perpetrators of sexual crimes against displaced women and girls to account under national and international law is paramount. The systematic collection of accurate, reliable and objective information by commissions of inquiry, fact-finding and human rights missions on the crimes committed against displaced women and girls is key to pursuing justice. We note the significant advancement in international law made by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which includes sexual violence in the definition of crimes, in particular as a crime against humanity. The ICC continues to be an important mechanism in combating sexual violence in conflict and should be used vigorously to pursue accountability. Greater interactions between the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Sanctions Committees, as well as the regular inclusion of violence against displaced women and girls, including sexual violence, as a sanctions-designation criterion would facilitate tackling impunity for such crimes. Systematic and delicate work needs to be done on the ground to address the social stigma associated with such crimes and to create an environment in which victims of sexual violence will feel safe to speak out. Providing gender-sensitive training to local police, military forces and judiciary personnel, as well as health care personnel and social workers, in the particular context of displacement, is thus essential. The recruitment and training of female law and order officials and judges, and providing the necessary social and psychological support mechanisms for displaced women and girls should be further advanced. On the peacekeeping and field staff side, preventative measures must be part and parcel of predeployment training. A zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual violence and abuse must be firmly implemented. It is unthinkable that women and girls could suffer sexual abuse from those who are there to protect them. The recent allegations against personnel of the African Union Mission in Somalia are deeply troubling and must be properly investigated. We welcome the fact that the African Union has established a panel to this effect. Finally, while discussing the situation of displaced women, we should also bear in mind non-conflict related displacement caused by natural disasters and climate change. We need to closely examine the gender dimensions of such displacement in order to identify specific vulnerabilities and good practices in gender- sensitive protection, assistance, adaptation, mitigation, relocation and reconstruction processes.

Australia thanks Argentina for convening this open debate on women and peace and security, and for drawing the Council’s attention to the specific risks and challenges faced by some of the most vulnerable members of society — displaced women and girls. We also thank the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN-Women and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations for their commitment to implementing the Council’s women and peace and security agenda. We also thank the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons and Ms. Suaad Allami for sharing with us the extraordinarily harsh realities facing refugee and internally displaced women and girls in conflict. We commend the Council’s adoption today of a presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) focused on these issues. The world is facing more simultaneous major crises than at any time since the Second World War. Civilians are direct targets in military strategies that aim to wipe out entire populations and to terrorize civilians. Critical civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, is being deliberately targeted. More people are displaced and more humanitarian workers are being targeted than ever before. Against this terrifying backdrop, it is women and girls who are being disproportionately affected and harmed. As we have heard, of the more than 51 million displaced people around the world, the majority are women and girls. As they flee, many face the risk of violence, human rights violations and abuses, as well as deprivation and discrimination. They face increasing risks of preventable disease as basic services fail under the strain of displacement and crisis. And women’s existing vulnerabilities are exacerbated: child, early and forced marriages increase; economic opportunities are undermined, which increases women and girls’ exposure to sex or labour trafficking; and girls’ education is disrupted at a higher rate than that of boys, affecting their opportunities over their lifetimes. We must ensure that our responses address women’s and girls’ specific vulnerabilities to sexual and gender- based violence. We must focus on improving prevention and response efforts, while supporting the efforts of civil society and other human rights defenders, strengthening accountability and access to justice and ensuring access to a full range of services — medical, legal psychosocial and health services, including sexual and reproductive health. Australia recognizes this is a significant issue, and more practical support on the ground is needed. Since 2013 Australia has provided $3 million to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to support delivery of the Action against Sexual and Gender-based Violence Strategy. The Strategy coordinates actors operating on the ground and supports civil society to implement prevention and response strategies. We have also provided $4 million to strengthening the International Committee of the Red Cross response to sexual violence. Increased exposure to sexual violence also exposes women and girls to dire health risks. Services that enable the safe termination of pregnancies from conflict- related rape, and access to HIV-testing and counselling services are fundamental to helping survivors of sexual violence restore their lives. In 2007, Australia supported the establishment of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme in Crisis and Post Crisis Settings — known as the “SPRINT” initiative — and has since provided $10.2 million to fund the initiative. Only last month, Australia provided $2 million to the United Nations Population Fund to support hundreds of thousands of women and girls affected by the ongoing violence in Iraq. We have also provided emergency obstetric supplies for 780,000 women in Syria, as well as 57,000 dignity kits and reproductive health services. Displaced women and girls are not merely victims. Their leadership and participation in preventing and resolving conflict, as well as in reconstructing post- conflict societies, must be harnessed. That includes in refugee camps and displacement settings, where women must play a central role in the design and delivery of gender-sensitive programmes. Over the 2012-2016 period, Australia will provide $12 million to the United Nations peacekeeping fund. There need to be more projects focusing on women in peacebuilding, particularly women’s participation in political processes and post-conflict planning. We are still a long way from achieving the target of spending 15 per cent of overall funds on gender equality. More must also be done to ensure that displaced women and girls have legal protections, and that they can remove themselves legally from situations of vulnerability. Citizenship rights must enable nationality to pass from a mother to her children, and women and girls must be provided access to identity documents. To help relocate women and girls from danger, the Australian Government provides specific resettlement avenues through the Woman at Risk programme. Since 1989, Australia has resettled more than 14,500 refugee women through that programme. The lack of data on displacement, including sex- and age-disaggregated data, affects our prevention and response efforts. As Australia suggested during the Council’s Arria Formula meeting on the protection of internally displaced persons, which Australia convened with Chile in May, peacekeeping and other United Nations missions should be required to monitor and report on displacement-related developments. In conclusion, next year, as we commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), Australia looks forward to the 2015 High- level Review, which will enable us all to reflect on the progress made, as well as the ongoing challenges in implementing the Council’s women and peace and security agenda. We welcome the appointment of Radhika Coomaraswamy, the author of the global study entitled “Women, Peace and Security”, and look forward to working with her and the high-level advisory team, as well as to further embedding the women and peace and security agenda in the Council’s work.

I join others, Madam President, in thanking you for organizing this open debate on women and peace and security — Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors, on the occasion of the fourteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000). The choice of that specific topic is a demonstration of your continued commitment to the protection and promotion of women and girls in conflicts and post-conflict situations. I also thank Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women, Mr. Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and Ms Suaad Allami of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security for their insightful remarks. The importance that Rwanda attaches to this debate derives from our own experience, as many Rwandans were deprived of the right to live in their country for around 35 years, owing to exclusion and bad governance. Rwandans lived for many years in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, and many witnessed how women and girls were particularly vulnerable. Fortunately, our efforts to restore the country after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis has paid off, and from 1994 to 2013 over 3.4 million Rwandan refugees, a majority of whom were women and girls, returned home and were successfully reintegrated into the society. On 30 June 2013, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) invoked the cessation clause for Rwandan refugees. Following that decision, Rwanda continued to mobilize and facilitate the return of the remaining 100,000 refugees, as per UNHCR statistics. In that respect, we have continued to work with UNHCR to accelerate the full implementation of the cessation clause, so that all Rwandans can enjoy the right to their country. At the same time, we are concerned at the fate of women, men and children that are still being held as hostages and used as human shields by the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) for the past 20 years. We hope that the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will ensure that they return home, as more than 10,000 already have done since 2001, in accordance with resolutions 2098 (2013) and 2147 (2014). As the concept note (S/2014/731, annex) that you have prepared for this debate recalls, Madam President, the current numbers of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons (IDPs) have never been higher since the Second World War — more than 50 million by the end of 2013, many more since 2014, with 32,000 forcibly displaced people daily, half of them women and girls. It is clear, as the Permanent Representative of Luxembourg reminded us, that the situation of forced displacement exacerbates the existing vulnerability of women and girls, since they, more than anyone else, are exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, to trafficking and enslavement, to exclusion based on historical and cultural traditions, and they have specific health needs. Furthermore, many women who have lost their husbands in conflicts face social and economic challenges, as a number of them are uneducated and they must take responsibility for their households. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) in October 2000, however, there has been notable progress in the advancement of the agenda of women and peace and security, which has become one of the priorities of the Council, as demonstrated by country-specific and thematic resolutions that we have been adopting since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). Member States, including my own, are also at the forefront of that issue, as many of them have adopted national action plans to implement resolution 1325 (2000), and have endorsed a declaration of commitment to end sexual violence in conflict. As for the African Union, our continental organization, as recalled by the representative of Nigeria, it adopted a landmark document in 2009, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, known as the Kampala Convention, which Rwanda has ratified. The Convention imposes a number of obligations on States parties related to general and specific protection of women and girls, including protection against sexual and gender-based violence, and to reproductive and sexual health. Given that background, we can say that the world is equipped with a comprehensive legal and normative framework for the effective protection of women and girls, including in the case of forced displacement. Despite local, national, regional and global efforts to protect women refugees and IDPs, there is still a gap between the framework and its effective implementation. The theme you proposed for this debate, Madam President, invites us to discuss the issue of “Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors”. Those two notions — leaders and survivors — are complementary, as both protection and promotion are indispensable for an effective implementation of our policies. Indeed, the protection of women and girls, in case of forced displacement, requires our resolve, as we must effectively protect them from sexual and gender-based violence in refugee and IDP camps, and ensure that those who are sexually-abused benefit from medical services, including health and psychological care. One of the practical steps to achieve that goal includes the increased deployment of women peacekeepers. That will, of course, be possible with the increased training and recruitment of women into national armies and police. It will also require a greater commitment on the part of Member States to appoint women peacekeepers, including in leadership positions, as well as women protection advisors. Another practical measure for the protection of women, as suggested by Mr. Beyani, is to prevent women from venturing outside refugee and IDP camps to collect firewood for cooking. In that regard, Rwandan peacekeepers in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur brought improved energy-saving cooking stoves to Darfur, which were introduced in Rwanda in 2000 in order to preserve trees. We believe that those cooking stoves are critical, not only to protect the environment, but also to protect women refugees and IDPs. However, no protection measures will be effective if they are not accompanied by our collective resolve to hold the perpetrators of sexual violence and other mass atrocities accountable. Furthermore, the protection of women refugees and IDPs must go hand in hand with the promotion of their empowerment. That requires our collective efforts to promote the education of girls, and I take this opportunity, as Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka did earlier, to pay tribute to Malala Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this month. Women’s empowerment should also be reflected not only in the Council but also in other leading positions, such as the Government and Parliament. Indeed, that measure would not only reflect the actual representativity of women in our societies but also enable them to ensure the mainstreaming of gender issues in our laws, including those related to economic, human rights and humanitarian issues. As the representative of the United Kingdom said — and I thank him for introducing presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21, just adopted — the best protection of women internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees is to ensure that they do not become refugees and IDPs in the first place. As Rwanda has always said, the Security Council needs to shift its attention from the day-to-day management of conflicts and their consequences to their prevention, including by addressing their root causes. Let me conclude by noting that 2015 will be the year of a triple review: the peacekeeping review, the peacebuilding review and the high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000). We hope that all those reviews will be complementary and lead to a better protection and promotion of women’s rights, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations. Our country is ready to share its experience and to further contribute to a world where women and girls are not only protected but also empowered to become the leaders that they deserve to be.

Fourteen years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), Chile thanks the presidency of Argentina for having convened this debate on this topic, in particular, the situation of internally displaced women and girls. We thank the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN-Women, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons and, especially, Ms. Suaad Allami, whose words encourage us to continue implementing the resolution. Chile will continue to contribute to such implementation through its second national action plan, which we hope to launch soon. My delegation associates itself with the statement to be delivered by the representative of Austria on behalf of the Human Security Network. The idea that the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality are central to the task to maintaining international peace and security is increasingly gaining support. National action plans, the emerging development of indicators and the developments in legislation, such as the Arms Trade Treaty and Recommendation No.30 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, are evidence of that. The appointments of Bineta Diop as first Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security of the African Union, and of Major General Kristin Lund as first Force Commander in the history of the United Nations, urge us to continue to advocate for a larger number of women in positions of responsibility. However, aspirations still do not reflect the reality and there is still a large gap between legislation and implementation. In fact, discrimination and violence, in addition to the lack of access for women to decision-making bodies, mean that they continue to be underrepresented in peace processes and State-building. The continuing sexual and gender-based violence and targeted attacks on women and girls, including students and human rights defenders, are alarming. We recall with regret those who have been murdered for defending their rights, as is the case of those living in the Middle East and North Africa. It is therefore urgent to develop and implement mechanisms to ensure the prevention and protection of women, as well as their full participation on an equal footing with men, in ceasefire agreements, peacebuilding processes, the establishment of the rule of law and justice and security sector reform. That is a necessary requirement for achieving peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Peacekeeping missions, sanctions committees and other subsidiary organs of the Council, commissions of inquiry, the Peacebuilding Commission and other related mechanisms must consider a gender approach in their work and train and include advisers in that area. Obstacles to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions will be overcome only through an effective commitment to empowerment, women’s participation and human rights, a resolute leadership, gender and age-disaggregated data and consistent and adequately funded multisectoral measures. Such efforts must go hand in hand with accountability and the fight against impunity. The International Criminal Court is an important complementary tool. Talking about her visit to South Sudan, Special Representative Zainab Hawa Bangura reported with dismay the insecurity and unimaginable living conditions that displaced women face in Bentiu. Together with Australia and with the support of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Chile organized an Arria Formula meeting on the protection of the internally displaced on 30 May, where we noted the increase of that phenomenon and its devastating impact on women and girls. That is why the situation of the internally displaced and refugees, who are particularly vulnerable to forced marriages, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence, often used as a tactic to induce displacement, must be at the core of the Council’s decisions. We must prevent, protect against and alleviate such situations, ensuring adequate access for women to health-care services and justice, as well as accountability. Displaced women must be protagonists in early warning, mediation and prevention initiatives and their participation must be ensured in efforts to address the root causes of conflict. The system must also continue its support to countries that host refugees. We highlight the importance of deepening information exchange among all actors in the field, strengthening the training of peacekeeping personnel and providing innovative multisectoral responses that include the special needs of displaced women and girls. Encouraging and promoting the role of civil society in that area is vital. Women must be provided with the necessary tools and the training to be able to lead such resiliance. The year 2015 will be crucial for that agenda. We hope that the development of the post-2015 development agenda, in which gender equality and the empowerment of women must be a separate goal, the twentieth- anniversary review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the strategic reviews of United Nations sanctions and peacekeeping in 2015 ensure that they include commitments and priorities in the context of resolution 1325 (2000). The commemoration of the fifteenth anniversary and the independent global study on resolution 1325 (2000) will provide a road map to accelerate implementation and ensure the role of women in developing solutions. In conclusion, President Michelle Bachelet has agreed with the Executive Director of UN-Women to convene a high-level event, to be held in Santiago in February 2015, to contribute to the debate on women’s participation in decision-taking. We conclude with the words of Caddy Adzuba, a prominent African activist: Women, who until now have been victims, must be at the negotiating table because they know what they have suffered and what they must demand.

I thank the delegation of Argentina, Madam President, for organizing this thematic debate marking the fourteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) and gives us an opportunity to assess our commitment to the post-2015 agenda. I would like to thank Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women; Mr. Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary- General for Peacekeeping Operations; and Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on human hights and internally displaced persons, for their briefings. I would also like to welcome and thank Ms. Suaad Allami for her commitment and courage. Finally, I would like to thank the United Kingdom delegation for having successfully conducted negotiations on the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) we have just adopted. When peace and security are threatened, one of the first indicators is the movement of people. At the beginning of the millennium, numerous natural disasters and various armed conflicts, terrorism or simply economic constraints are visible through a significant rise in the number or refugees and asylum seekers and internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at the end of 2013 the world had a record 51.2 million displaced persons, three quarters of those people were women and children, among them women and girls represented half. Africa is the primary theatre of the movement of refugees and displaced persons. The war in Mali, re-occurring conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan are just a few examples that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes our countries. Currently in Africa, there are more than 2.8 million refugees. The principal host countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad and Uganda. There are also 7 million IDPs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2.2 million in the Sudan and roughly 3 million in other countries. Allow me to now focus on the experience in my country, Chad, which hosts a significant number of refugees coming from three neighbouring countries — the Sudan, the Central African Republic and Nigeria. The conflict in the Central African Republic, terrorist violence in Nigeria and intercommunal violence in the Sudan have stretched the capacities of my country to host refugees. Respecting the principle of not turning anybody back, between 1 January and 14 September 2014 we have hosted more than 19,000 refugees from the Central African Republic, 1,000 from Nigeria and more than 30,000 from Darfur. According to UNHCR, there are a total of roughly 50,000 refugees hosted by my country coming from those respective three countries. More than half of them were women and children. Among those from the Central African Republic, about 1,000 children were unaccompanied minors. As the Council is aware, the impact of armed conflicts adversely impacts men and women, boys and girls very differently. There are also various sexist traditions against women and girls, which bars their access to resources, education, employment, sexual and reproductive health and excludes their decision-making. For that reason, in times of conflict and in post-conflict situations, women and girls confront major challenges that make them more vulnerable. In the majority of cases, these women, separated or having lost their spouses during war, are alone with their children and find themselves as heads of their families. Without the protection of their families or communities, displaced and refugee women and girls continue to be victims of sexual and gender-based violence, rape, domestic violence, forced prostituion and human trafficking. All of those are daily realities. In Chad from January to June, there were 668 incidents of sexual and gender-based violence against refugees and displaced persons, according to data from UNHCR and its partners. The response and protection were immediate, and that allowed 100 per cent of known victims to benefit from medical assistance. Psychological support was provided for 95 per cent of the survivors, while another 26 per cent of the victims were in need of follow up and security services. Of the recorded cases, only 8.1 per cent of them were brought before tribunals. In spite of that low rate, this was an increase over 2013, when only 4 per cent of the cases were the subect of judicial proceedings. Beyond the various challenges of managing refugee and IDP flows, the protection of women and children has its own difficulties, such as identification. More than 80 per cent of refugee and IDP populations, in particular women and children, have no identity documents. More than 75 per cent of the victims of sexual violence are under 18 years old. We also face the stigmatization linked to rape and the culture of silence regarding sexual violence, which hamper the filing of complaints. There are also various issues pertaining to security in camps, as well as a lack of capacity on the police and the army to conduct investigations regarding sexual violence. Lastly, there is lack of judiciary capacity to prosecute perpetrators. Chadian officials, through a national commission on the hosting, reintegration and repatriation of refugees, along with the relevant ministries, working in close cooperation with United Nations agencies and other national and international partners, promptly responded to those challenges by implementing a guiding mechanism with a multisectoral approach to prevent incidents of sexual violence and gender- based violence. That allowed survivors to receive care, psychological support, legal assistance and security protection. In a more general way, Chad has announced its strategy for refugees so as to ensure independence and reduce refugee dependence on humanitarian aid in the long term. That strategy targets a majority of the Sudanese refugee population in the 12 eastern camps, as well as the Central African Republic refugees in five southern camps. Moreover, Chad is working to strengthen national laws, and efforts are being aimed at the ratification of international instruments regarding international human rights, IDP and refugee laws as well as international humanitarian law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the African Union Kampala Convention on the Protection and the Assistance of Displaced Persons in Africa, among others. In conclusion, Chad reiterates its commitment to developing effective mechanisms to protect women and girls who are refugees or displaced. That also goes for institutions to guarantee their protection and participation in peace processes. Chad endorses the principles of resolution 1325 (2000), and in particular the principles set out in resolution 1822 (2008) and resolution 1889 (2009), covering the challenges facing women and children who are refugees or displaced. In the 14 years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we are all aware that international peace and security can be possible only with the participation of women. Finally, we welcome the global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) to be launched in 2015.

I would like to thank Executive Director Mlambo-Ngcuka, Assistant Secretary-General Mulet, Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani and civil society representative Suaad Allami for their insightful briefings. The Republic of Korea welcomes the progress made at the normative level to support the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda since the adoption of the landmark Council resolution 1325 (2000). We also note with appreciation the continued efforts of the international community to ensure the protection of women and girls in situations of armed conflict, as well as their participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. However, Korea is of the view that much greater efforts are needed to meet the commitments set out in resolution 1325 (2000). As pointed out by the Secretary-General in his report (S/2014/693), in the past year there was a series of heinous crimes linked to conflict, leading to new mass displacements, humanitarian catastrophes and serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights. Many of the victims of such increased violence in conflict are women and girls. Over 51 million people were forcibly displaced as of 2013 — the highest number since the end of the Second World War — and three quarters of the refugee and IDP population are women and children. Displaced women and girls continue to face tremendous threats and violence in the conflicts in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Syria, among other places. Even more troubling is the fact that many armed groups bent on violent extremism are deliberately targeting women and girls. In addition, the high risk of violence that women and girls face during the period of displacement usually continues until the process of return and reintegration. Their vulnerability increases when gender is compounded with other factors, such as disability. Having said that, I would like to make a few observations on the protection of displaced women and girls. First, it is imperative to tackle sexual and gender- based violence committed against displaced women and girls. Sexual exploitation, forced marriage and human trafficking are just a few of the human rights abuses perpetrated against displaced women and girls. Preventive measures, including heightened security at camps for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDP), as well as accountability for perpetrators, must be ensured. There should be zero tolerance for sexual harassment and abuse by any troops, including Government forces, non-State armed groups and even peacekeepers, who take advantage of the victims’ vulnerability. In that regard, we express our particular concern over the persistent allegations of the sexual exploitation of women and girls in IDP camps in Somalia. Secondly, displaced women and girls are not only victims, but also survivors and leaders. They often show remarkable courage and resilience in protecting and supporting their families. Currently, one in four Syrian refugee families in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan are headed by women struggling to take care of their traumatized families. We should strengthen their self- reliance by supporting their economic empowerment, legal rights and education. Thirdly, it is critical to ensure that the voices of displaced women and girls are heard. In order to reflect their special needs, they must be included in decision-making procedures and play a leadership role. The participation and representation of refugee and IDP women must be improved during the process of developing, implementing and evaluating policies and programmes that affect their lives. Lastly, improving compliance with international law serves as a comprehensive measure for the protection of displaced women and girls. We urge all parties to armed conflict to uphold their obligations regarding international human rights and humanitarian law. We need to close the implementation gap of international law through awareness-raising, capacity-building and follow-up legislation. Displaced women and girls in conflict constitute one of the most vulnerable groups. They are too often invisible, forgotten and overlooked. Our empowerment and humanitarian support is essential for them to overcome the hardships they face. As part of our efforts to support the implementation of this important agenda, the Republic of Korea is supporting Afghan women refugees by making a multi-year contribution to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the returnees. We also made efforts to improve the status of women refugees and asylum seekers in the Republic of Korea, based on our refugee act. Such efforts include support for their livelihoods, vocational training and social and cultural adaptation. As the 2015 high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000) approaches, the Republic of Korea reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the protection of women and girls in situations of armed conflict.

At the outset, allow me to thank you, Madam President, for your tireless efforts during your presidency of the Security Council this month. We would also like to thank all the speakers for their important briefings and welcome the adoption of the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) earlier today. I would like to stress the importance of today’s discussion with regard to displaced refugee women and girls, particularly in the light of the progress achieved in developing the standards and legal frameworks of the women and peace and security agenda since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), which was further developed by the Council through the adoption of the subseqeunt resolutions 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013). In spite of all the efforts carried out to implement the agenda, we continue to see an unprecedented increase in the numbers of displaced and refugee women and girls around the world, in particular in the Middle East. Recently, due to conflicts and wars, which violate the most basic rights of women and girls — and which are mostly unconventional conflicts, in which at least one party is a non-State actor — the intensity of violations and the impunity of the perpetrators have increased. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693) and the recommendations contained therein indicate that much work needs to be done to implement the women and peace and security agenda and, most important, to hold accountable the perpetrators of crimes against women and girls and ensure that they do not enjoy impunity. In that regard, we would like to stress the importance for the Security Council to step up its cooperation with the International Criminal Court in the referral of all situations in which horrible crimes are committed against refugees and displaced women and girls. The necessary measures should be taken to identify perpetrators of such crimes among the ranks of those working to protect displaced and refugee women and girls. Jordan believes that the time has come to finalize a draft convention on the criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on United Nations missions, with a view to implementing a zero-tolerance policy against perpetrators of such crimes. Due to the crisis in Syria, Jordan has been hosting 1.5 million Syrian nationals, 51 per cent of which are women and girls. Jordan is doing its utmost to provide high levels of protection and services for Syrian women refugees on its territory, in accordance with the women and peace and security agenda and the relevant Security Council resolutions. We are doing so in spite of the great economic, social and security burden that we shoulder due to the refugee crisis, as well as a chronic scarcity of energy and water resources. Jordan has opened both its public and private schools to refugee Syrian children — it is our duty to do so. The number of Syrian pupils has reached 120,000, both inside and outside the camps, 94 per cent of them being girls. As a result, on average, classrooms are overcrowded by 41 per cent. That has prompted 80 per cent of our schools to adopt a dual school day. Jordan also recently established special care centres for refugee children, as well as a centre to foster a protective educational environment for girls, in addition to enabling adolescents to obtain necessary psychological and social support, in cooperation with UNICEF. In coordination with specialized United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in the Kingdom, Jordan continues its systematic efforts to organize educational symposiums for Syrian refugee girls and women, with a special focus on reproductive and health care services. That includes workshops to train the staff of NGOs active in the camps on how to deal with women and girls who have been subjected to violence and domestic abuse, in coordination with the family unit of the Jordanian police. We also provide material support to microprojects run by women, and particularly in families headed by women, which are among the most poor and marginalized families inside and outside the camps. Jordan welcomes the promotion of women in peacekeeping operations, particularly their involvement in decision-making on issues arising in conflict settings. The Jordanian armed forces have been actively favouring the promotion of women’s role in the military with a view to increasing the effectiveness of the military in peacekeeping operations and special humanitarian missions, in addition to promoting the role of women in the Royal Medical Services in field hospitals in conflict zones. Jordan’s military women have played an important role in the reception, protection and care of Syrian refugees. In that regard, we support the proposal to dedicate a special budget within the United Nations peacekeeping budget to dispatching specialized women’s protection advisers to all missions and not only a few, as is the current practice. In conclusion, I stress that Jordan attaches great importance to the high-level review on women and peace and security that is to take place on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) 15 years after its adoption. That will require the support of all in promoting the women and peace and security agenda in a manner commensurate with the challenges faced and with a view to creating a better future for the millions of refugee and internally displaced women and girls.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of Argentina. I come from a country where women represent 15 per cent of the military and have achieved the rank of military officers among the hierarchy. We have become a country that now promotes the presence of women in all branches of the army, where they had been banned until 2012. We have established gender offices in each area of the military and have strengthened gender focal points with a view to preparing for deployment the men and women who will participate in peacekeeping operations. Furthermore, child care centres for parents who work in the armed forces and the security forces have been opened. We have also re-assigned personnel of military hospitals who have declared that they have conscientious objections to the interruption of pregnancy, which is permitted under Argentine legislation, so that women are able to exercise their right to sexual and reproductive health services without any obstacle or delay. We advocate for laws on same-sex marriage and gender identity and against any form of discrimination. This year in London, we signed, along with 137 countries, a commitment to bring an end to sexual violence in armed conflict. We work in our region and we work with our region. I come from a country where women in particular peacefully confronted State terrorism  — I am speaking of the Mothers and Grandmothers of May Square  — in deciding to fight for justice rather than for vengeance. They chose to free the truth rather than remain prisoners of lies. They chose to pass through the culture of memory rather than the indifference of oblivion. I come from that country and that is why we can understand, as members of the Security Council, that in all situations of armed conflict, the number of civilian victims far exceeds the number of combatants. Today, that number is the highest ever seen in history. We know that women and men suffer all types of human rights violations during conflicts. However, only recently have we been able to reveal and to make people understand that there are specific forms, different types of violence that women suffer during conflicts and that there are different impacts at the various stages — prior to conflict, during conflict and post-conflict  — on women and girls. We know that, whether we are talking about civilians or combatants or refugees or displaced persons, the impact of conflict on women and girls is multidimensional and complex. The varying types and modalities of violence affect women disproportionately and differently, simply as a result of their being women, with devastating effects on their psychological and physical integrity and fundamental rights. Various reports in recent years from United Nations agencies, including UN-Women and human rights organizations and women and feminist organizations have provided accounts and empirical evidence of the fact that conflicts crystallize, deepen and generate evidence of the disproportionate practices of violence, based on the pre-existing stereotypes of inequality, discrimination and violence against women in society. Also in peacetime, we still encounter cultural patterns based on patriarchal power structures that seem to tolerate or justify violence, rape and other forms of sexual abuse against women. It is undisputed that in a scenario where political tension increases and militarization appears to be the chosen path for resolving a growing conflict, all forms of violence seem to increase, including rape and other forms of sexual violence against women. We know that violence, which precedes conflicts and intensifies during a conflict, often remains, in the post-conflict period, as part of the legacy of the conflict. It is known that in such situations women and girls are most vulnerable to sexual violence, especially rape. Women also face enormous obstacles in obtaining justice, owing to the stigma that characterizes us as survivors of sexual violence and the conditions of structured gender inequality that exist in most of our societies and often force us to experience and coexist with the impunity of perpetrators. On a daily basis, the Council receives reports describing human rights violations against women and crimes against the sexual integrity of women and girls in conflict situations, including the abduction of women and girls for the purposes of labour exploitation, sexual slavery and human trafficking. The Council has been warned that, in many cases, the perpetrators are members of rebel groups or groups committing terrorist acts; however, they also belong to militias that are supported by Governments, including members of governmental armed forces or security forces, or even members of peacekeeping operations. We know that, and we know that women reach refugee camps but are still not safe there. In March, according to a United Nations report, up to 16 women living in refugee camps were being raped every day when they went out to look for water, fulfilling their duties and tasks, because there was a fear that if men left the camp they would be killed. Today we know that acts of violence against women, refugees and the displaced in the camps, including sexual violence, are not an exception but, in many cases, the rule. Furthermore, sexual violence and the rape of women and girls used as a weapon of war remains so widespread and present in all situations of conflict that it is sometimes considered to be an inherent component of conflict, running the risk of making natural what clearly constitutes, in international human rights and international humanitarian law, a war crime and a crime against humanity. Moreover, while sexual violence may be the most extensive type of violence practiced against women in conflict, we have also learned that women also suffer specific damage and are disproportionately affected in many other ways in conflict situations. Economic aspects of vulnerability, social exclusion and cultural marginalization are the effects of militarization and conflict. The adverse impacts on the rights of women to food, water, housing, employment, health care and education are just as great a threat to the lives of women as the physical form of violence. In 2013, it was said that there were 50.2 million forcibly displaced persons in the world. We know that women constitute more than half of the refugee population. However severe the vulnerabilities of displaced people may be, women live in situations of even greater vulnerability still, as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says, including once they have managed to reach a place that is apparently safe. Some women are pursued because they do not follow certain customs or because they were the object of an early or forced marriage. The risk of sexual violence increases also in places where they go to be protected. When women become refugees, they must break with their livelihoods and the cycles of life and become completely dependent on humanitarian agencies for basic survival. The anguish is immense for women who leave their homes to begin an uncertain journey, which more often than not does not include a return trip. Women and girls who have fled their homes and communities often experience prolonged suffering, and the place of refuge becomes a place of violence. Sometimes they are forced to offer sex in exchange for food or to obtain the status of refugees or to have access to documentation. Women belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities suffer even more. Age, sex, sexual orientation and other specific factors can also expose them to risks of additional discrimination and lack of protection. Women who are disabled face a greater risk of lack of protection during a displacement in the camps. Women and girls who seek refuge in the cities run the risk of experiencing discrimination and abuse. Many live in poverty or extreme poverty, which makes them even more vulnerable and exposed to the risk of becoming merchandise in the sex trade. Women and girls who go to camps for displaced persons and refugees may discover that even there the material assistance is minimal. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said this year that only 12 per cent of the projects that are being financed today in order to comply with international humanitarian law in the camps — only 12 per cent — include the gender perspective and a human rights approach. The physical distribution of the camps also represents a problem and a risk for women. In some cases, the very officials who are supposed to look after and care for the refugees are the ones who violate the rights of women. There has been a considerable rise in the number of undesired pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and abortions. Pregnant women sometimes have to face a risk to their health due to the lack of medical assistance, which, along with the physical and psychological pressure of the conflict, leads to a disproportionate number of non-provoked abortions, miscarriages, babies with low birth weights, representing between 20 and 50 per cent of newborns. The rate of teenage pregnancy in the camps is roughly 50 per cent. In some cases, the supplies do not include the specific needs of women. I note that it was only recently, and thanks to the impetus and demands of the women’s movement, that we have included hygienic items in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ list of essential supplies even when most of the refugees are women. When there is no access to hygienic products, women and girls have to remain separate, without access to education, without being able to look for food, and without receiving the regular supplies they need when they menstruate. Lastly, I believe it necessary and important to have this debate today because the current members of the Security Council have experience with the reality of refugee camps. I believe that, as my colleagues have said, in the light of the upcoming review of resolution 1325 (2000); in the light of the post-2015 sustainable development goals; in the light of the forthcoming review the sanctions system and United Nations peacekeeping operations; and in the light of our twentieth-anniversary review the of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, it is time for women, as we have said so often — because we are half the population, because we are human, because we have the right to enjoy our rights, and because we have a voice, convictions and courage — we will head into 2015 staking our claims, expressing ourselves, making our demands and defending our rights. We will exert the liberty to think, to say, to act and to be what even women in refugee camps need. We do not want to be either oppressors or oppressed. We want to be free and equal, so that we can be the authors of real peace. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. I wish to request all speakers to limit their statements to no more than four minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Delegations with lengthy statements are kindly requested to circulate the texts in writing and to deliver a condensed version when speaking in the Chamber. I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Estonia and Latvia. I thank all the briefers for their statements today and welcome the adoption of the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21). Estonia and Latvia align themselves with the statement to be delivered by the observer of the European Union. As highlighted in the concept note prepared by the delegation of Argentina (S/2014/731, annex), throughout the development of the normative framework of the women and peace and security agenda, namely, in a number of Security Council resolutions on the subject, the particular risks faced by women and girl refugees and internally displaced persons has been addressed. Despite that, the issue has been more in the background than the specific focus of earlier Security Council open debates. Therefore, we would like to thank Argentina for choosing this relevant theme for today’s debate. The forced displacement of women and girls is not only a humanitarian issue, but a long-term development issue, a human rights issue, a peace and security issue and a key challenge for the women and peace and security agenda. It is paramount that we tackle the discrimination, human rights abuses and obstacles to justice that refugee and internally displaced women and girls are facing every day. Throughout this year, women and children, particularly girls, have been affected by newly emerging forms of violence and conflicts associated with the proliferation of militias and armed groups linked to violent extremism. In Iraq, the terrorist movement called the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has conducted the abduction, enslavement, rape, forced marriage and sale into slavery of several thousand Yazidi and other minority women and girls. In Nigeria, another extremist movement, Boko Haram, abducted schoolgirls and has been holding them captive for over six months now. The international community must resolutely oppose such barbarity. Those are only a few examples. Sadly, the list is longer. Many protracted conflicts that deeply affect women and girls — in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — remain unresolved. Unfortunately, this year we have also witnessed a military conflict in Europe, which has caused suffering to the people of Ukraine. More than half of the registered internally displaced population in Ukraine — 66 per cent — are women, and 31 per cent are children. We welcome the steps taken by the Ukrainian Government to address the internally displaced persons (IDPs) situation. While many IDPs have been able to return to their homes in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, encouraged by the ceasefire, the overall situation of IDPs in Ukraine requires a long-term solution for their economic and social integration in host communities or successful return home. It is a duty of the international community, and especially of the Security Council, to work towards resolving conflicts and to lessen human suffering. Unfortunately, women and girls make up about half of any refugee or internally displaced population. Therefore, we must pay special attention to their needs. The situation of refugee and internally displaced women and girls is often complicated by restricted access to resources and inequitable access to services such as education and health, including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, and to training and livelihoods initiatives. Improving the educational level of women and girls is crucial for their political and economic empowerment. Education is necessary for preventing the abuse of women and girls’ vulnerable situation as refugees or displaced persons and for helping them to adjust to life after conflict and integrating them into their host society if they do not have the option to return to their home country. Currently, only 12 per cent of girl refugees attend secondary school. It is highly regrettable that sexual violence also occurs in refugee camps. We must take resolute steps to prevent situations where women seeking refuge from war and conflict have to face new threats and fear in the camps instead. Ensuring accountability for the perpetrators of sexual violence crimes is crucial to deterring and ultimately eliminating sexual violence. It is equally important for providing justice to victims of those crimes. As strong supporters of the 2013 Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, Estonia and Latvia will focus on the practical implementation of the commitments to end the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Sexual and gender-based violence as a war crime or crime against humanity has been prosecuted primarily at the international level. The International Criminal Court therefore has an important role to play when States lack the capacity or political will to hold perpetrators to account. Estonia and Latvia are supporting victims of gender-based and sexual violence in countries affected by armed conflict through the Trust Fund for Victims set up by the International Criminal Court. Unfortunately, even in the United Nations own peacekeeping missions, sexual violence has been an issue. We must continue our efforts to provide training to and raise awareness in all peacekeeping missions and prioritize the fight against sexual violence when planning missions. Despite the progress achieved, continued cases of sexual exploitation threaten the credibility of the international peacekeeping system and individual missions. Those cases may also discourage victims from coming forward. Best practices described in the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693) should be more widely used to avoid any recurrence of such situations. It is self-evident that women’s empowerment is crucial for long-lasting peace and stability. The participation of women and women’s organizations in policymaking and in post-conflict reconstruction must be ensured from the outset and throughout the process. Similarly, it is necessary to support post-conflict countries in the rebuilding of judicial systems in order to ensure the rule of law and the protection of human rights. Next year we will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). Estonia has included the protection of women in national strategies on conflict prevention and has adopted a national action plan to implement the resolution. Protecting and promoting the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls is one of the principal priorities of the humanitarian aid and development cooperation policies of Estonia and Latvia. We have supported the alleviation of the humanitarian situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, primarily women and children, in many conflict zones. For example, Estonia supports the activities aimed at improving the quality of women’s health-related education in Afghanistan, raising knowledge about reproductive health in Kyrgyzstan and ending child marriage in Yemen. As to the elimination of conflict- related sexual violence, I am glad to say that Estonia has also been providing financial support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, and we will continue to do so. Latvia has been focusing on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) primarily through its development cooperation policy and, in close cooperation with civil society organizations, has engaged in projects aimed at the advancement of women’s rights in different parts of the world, especially Central Asia. Over the years, both Estonia and Latvia have actively promoted women’s rights and gender equality at the international level. In view of the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, we will be even more engaged in our activities on the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality. We are convinced that the aims of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action are still very much relevant and should be integrated in the new post-2015 agenda. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), remarkable achievements have been made at the normative level, and the international community has come a long way since the year 2000. However, challenges remain at the level of implementation. We look forward to the global review next year and hope it will advance the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and the follow-up resolutions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. First, let me thank all the briefers. I would like to thank in particular Ms. Suaad Allami for her participation here today. The role and influence of civil society in preventing conflict and building peace are both essential and must be supported. Realizing the women and peace and security agenda is a top priority for the Nordic countries. Next year will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of ground-breaking resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. We need to grasp that opportunity to accelerate our efforts. It is time to move from normative commitments to full implementation. In preparing for the high-level review on resolution 1325 (2000), we encourage all Member States to develop national action plans on women and peace and security, and to effectively implement already existing plans. Gender inequalities lie at the heart of the issue. Gender equality in political, economic and social life is a goal in itself and also contributes to preventing sexual violence and armed conflict. We must therefore firmly address the root causes of gender inequality. This includes changing the norms in society that are denying women and girls their human rights. It also means pursuing policies that ensures women’s political and economic empowerment, secures sexual and reproductive health and rights, and improves women’s security. Not least, we must guarantee the right to education of all women and girls. The fight against impunity for sexual and gender- based violence is also crucial, not least at the national level. We welcome and support the undertakings of the chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in this regard. We furthermore recall the unique capacity of Justice Rapid Response, in close cooperation with UN-Women, to address situations where expertise is needed for investigating sexual and gender-based violence crimes. Women are not only victims, but also actors and agents of change. We therefore need the participation of women and men alike in formal as well as informal processes, in mediation, peace negotiations and humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts. Sustainable peace and security can never be achieved if half the population is excluded. The theme of today’s debate is “Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors”. Unfortunately, the levels of forcibly displaced persons in the world today are unprecedented. Patterns of violence against women and girls are often amplified in conflict-affected settings. As we see in many parts of the world today, extremism and terrorism are a prominent part of conflict situations and constitute a threat to women’s rights and lives. All the relevant actors, States and the United Nations and other international organizations must ensure that displaced populations are protected from violence, that humanitarian access is granted and that gender-responsive services, including for sexual and reproductive health, are delivered. Women and girls who are forcibly displaced are at particular risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Effective protection strategies must include the empowerment of women and girls, such as access to education and specific efforts to increase the enrolment and retention of girls in school, access to registration and documentation, and livelihood opportunities. Improving women’s participation and leadership in situations of displacement is also crucial. In that regard, we welcome the good practices of the camp management committees in eastern Nepal, which have attained 48 per cent participation by women. However, equal participation by men and women should be the norm in every case, and we urge the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and others to step up their efforts in that regard. It is a sad fact that many refugee and internally displaced person settings are not temporary situations, but often become semi-permanent or even permanent arrangements. In all of these cases, we call on Governments to find suitable solutions in consultation with affected populations. The United Nations system has a central role to play in implementing the women and peace and security agenda. Next year several critical reviews will take place, including the Secretary-General’s review of peace operations, the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, the review of the Beijing Platform for Action and the high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000). In order to ensure coherence, all these reviews should take into account the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) objectives in a coordinated manner. The work to promote women and peace and security should not take place in isolation. Although there has been an increase in the number of mandates of United Nations missions including references to women and peace and security, this is not enough: all mandates should be based on a gender- sensitive conflict analysis so as to be tailored for the needs of women and girls. Gender issues should be part of reporting requirements and all United Nations missions should have a gender advisor at the strategic level. Before I conclude, I would also like to underline the importance of the new post-2015 development agenda. The Nordic countries are actively promoting a separate goal on freedom from violence and peaceful societies as well as a stand-alone gender equality goal. The targets should include the reduction of all kinds of violence, especially against women and children. We believe that the post-2015 agenda represents a unique opportunity to address violence against women, including sexual and gender-based violence, on a fundamental level. As I said at the beginning of my intervention, next year is an opportunity to accelerate our efforts. It is a chance to make real progress. Let us embrace it.

I now give the floor to the representative of Colombia.

At the outset, I express my thanks to the Secretary- General for his report (S/2014/693). I also thank the Assistant Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN-Women and the High Commissioner for Refugees. I also thank you, Madam President, for having convened this open debate on the occasion of the issuing of the report of the Secretary-General on such a sensitive matter at such a critical moment for international affairs. I have first-hand knowledge of your work and deep commitment to issues relating to women and peace and security, Madam President, stretching back many years. The Government of Colombia has always attached great importance to this topic, and never more than today as we are engaged in what we hope is an irreversible peace process resolving more than five decades of conflict in which women were lamentably the victims of a great deal of such violence. Colombia is aware that, as mentioned in the concept note (S/2014/693, annex), women’s socioeconomic, cultural and political autonomy are fundamental elements for living free from violence, enjoying democracy, international stability and lasting peace. This recognition, in our case, is based on our belief and the commitments made 15 years ago in resolution 1325 (2000), which are reflected in the public policy implemented in our country. The Secretary-General’s report of 24 September refers to the specific actions and steps taken by the State of Colombia. For the sake of brevity, I will leave it for members to read for themselves, but there are five mentions in the report to our satisfaction because they reflect significant steps and progress that other States could implement. I will refer to just one of them: women’s fully empowered participation in conflict resolution. There are two women in the five-person team participating in today’s peace talks in Havana. Women constitute an impressive group of mediators and special envoys, as well as members of civil society and victims, on the Government and insurgent sides alike. This recognition in the Secretary-General report is important to the State of Colombia, not least as it drives us to continue making progress to consolidate that differential focus based on the knowledge that peace processes cannot succeed without the active participation of women. When it comes to refugees and displacement, it is clear that women constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in the world. I would like to refer to four specific measures from the lessons learned in our country that could be useful to our discussion today. The law for victims and comprehensive and accessible reparations programmes were adopted in 2011. The single victims’ register for identifying and registering their needs has been a very interesting process: we have already managed to ascertain that 49 per cent of victims of violence in my country are women. The gender equality policy adopted in 2003 sought to guarantee women lives free of violence and has allowed us to develop and implement sustainable actions longer-term over the past decade. Finally, the law against sexual violence was enacted to provide preferential treatment whereby the burden of proof does not fall on the victim. All those measures are designed to have an impact on the whole of Colombian society and to put us on a path that will enable us to build a sustainable, consensus-based, lasting peace. Finally, despite everything, Colombia is aware that we have a long road ahead of us. We are therefore continuing to work on the main challenges facing the Government, and reintegrating with full rights the victims affected by internal conflict, especially women, is a priority. That is a difficult goal, but we will work to achieve it, adopting policies to promote participation in a post-conflict society and to create situations where our commitment can continue to translate to promoting a society living in peace, where women and especially girls enjoy full rights and guarantees. I would like to explain my country’s position on this and am prepared to share experiences and to exchange views with other countries if requested.

I now give the floor to the representative of Mexico.

Mexico would like to thank Argentina for its initiative in convening this debate, and would also like to say that we support the presidential statement issued by the Council this morning (S/PRST/2014/21). Our participation in today’s open debate is very important to us in the lead-up to preparations for the high-level review next year of the Security Council’s landmark resolution 1325 (2000). We commend the Council’s intention to mandate a focus on women and peace and security in its regular field visits, and welcome the new five-year gender strategy devised by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support, as well as the action plan involving commitments arising out of resolution 2122 (2013). We also acknowledge the trend towards greater representation of women in senior United Nations posts. To cite one example, the appointment of Major General Kristin Lund, the first woman to command a peacekeeping operation, is a milestone. Despite the undeniable progress, however, the reality does not yet live up to all the expectations raised by resolution 1325 (2000) 14 years ago. As the Secretary-General says in his latest report (S/2014/693), we have to ensure more consistent application of the agenda on women and peace and security. One of the most alarming consequences of armed conflicts today is the increase in the numbers of displaced persons and refugees. The situation of displaced people and refugees in conflict-affected environments makes women and girls more vulnerable to becoming victims of sexual abuse and other human rights violations. My delegation therefore emphasizes the importance of the comprehensive integration of the gender perspective into policies related to refugees and displaced persons, in accordance with international law, and of promoting comprehensive strategies for protecting women and girls on the ground that take their specific needs into account. Mexico believes firmly that we should continue to enhance the prevention of sexual violence in armed conflict. In the twenty-first century, it is unacceptable that sexual violence continues to be used as a weapon of war, and we are particularly concerned about the surge in such violence against girls registered by the United Nations in 2013. We consider it a positive development that sexual violence is now being more broadly considered by the Security Council as a criterion in determining the application of targeted sanctions in situations of conflict. We hope that the strategic review on sanctions and peacekeeping operations to be carried out in 2015 will take into account the commitments and priorities of the agenda on women and peace and security. Impunity in cases of sexual violence in armed conflict remains continues to be a major challenge for the international community. Those responsible for such crimes must be brought to justice, and we believe the Security Council should take stronger measures to deal with those involved, including by referring cases to the International Criminal Court. I would like to conclude by emphasizing how strongly my delegation feels that conflict prevention is a crucial tool for addressing the causes of emerging crises and preventing the reappearance of old conflicts and the emergence of new ones. We urge the Council, and the international community as a whole, to pay more attention to the role of women in early-warning mechanisms, mediation and prevention in communities, and we hope that the outcome of this debate will add to empowerment, peace and security for women and girls.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

During the past 15 years, the Security Council has laid the foundations for a normative framework for the agenda on women and peace and security, starting with the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). Egypt noted with interest the Secretary-General’s most recent report on women and peace and security (S/2014/693). Today’s debate’s focus on the situation of refugees, internally displaced persons and stateless women and girls is a good opportunity to follow up on specific commitments made across various normative frameworks relevant to this agenda. In that context, I would like to make the following points. First, Egypt recognizes that women’s economic, cultural, political and social empowerment is crucial to a life free of violence and a key element in sustainable development. Secondly, we are deeply concerned about the increasing rates and patterns of violence against women and girls, mass displacement flows and related humanitarian challenges that have occurred in many conflict and post-conflict settings in 2014, especially in countries bordering on Syria and in some parts of Iraq, Somalia and the Central African Republic. We agree with the Secretary-General’s description of such violations as deliberate campaigns against women’s rights. 1n that regard, we stress the indispensable role of justice and the rule of the law in protecting women’s rights. Thirdly, Egypt commends the serious investigations the United Nations has conducted in order to address violations and abuses of women’s human rights committed by some United Nations peacekeepers and personnel. However, the investigations are still slow and inconclusive, and in that regard we highlight the significance of references to zero tolerance in the mandates of new field missions. Fourthly, we see a gap between policies and standards and their implementation, with the biggest of these evident in the working methods of the Security Council. While we acknowledge that resolution 2122 (2013) on women and peace and security addressed some of those gaps, we believe that more systematic information-gathering, implementation and monitoring of implementation are still needed. Fifthly, Egypt believes that the agenda for women and peace and security needs more financial resources directed to projects related to sexual and gender-based violence in conflict situations. We also stress the importance of strengthening the ability of the United Nations system to effectively prevent and respond, through early warnings and early action, to serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The latest practices of the Israeli army in Gaza are clear violations of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Arab women and girls under foreign occupation. According to the Secretary-General’s report on Palestine contained in document S/2014/650, at least 2,104 Palestinians have reportedly been killed. That number includes at least 1,462 civilians, 495 of whom were children and 253 were women. In that context, Egypt expresses its regret that the Secretary General’s report on women and peace and security (S/2014/693) is without a single reference to the atrocities committed against Palestinian women in the Palestinian occupied territories. In that regard, we request the Secretary General and the field-based entities, particularly UN-Women and the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, to systematically include information on the situation of women and girls in the Arab occupied territories in their reports. We urge them to ensure that forcibly displaced populations are protected against any form of violence. Egypt reiterates its commitment to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), in line with its international obligations, as well as its conviction that women could play a critical and indispensable role in resolving armed conflicts and post-conflict situations. With regard to the reference made by the United States delegation to a rape incident in Cairo, although it is totally irrelevant to the theme of today’s debate, I wish to state that all such incidents are being fully investigated and that perpetrators are duly prosecuted before the judiciary. In conclusion, I also want to express my deep appreciation to the Argentine presidency for submitting an excellent concept paper (S/2014/731, annex) to the Council. It has already enriched the debate.

I now give the floor to the representative of Jamaica.

Madam President, I am delighted to see you in the Chair leading this very important debate. I am honoured to address the Security Council and to participate in this discussion on women and peace and security, in recognition of the historic adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) in 2000 and to mark the fourteenth anniversary since that action was taken. Resolution 1325 (2000) holds much significance for Jamaica, as it was adopted during our tenure on the Council from 2000 to 2001 and under the presidency of our sister African country, Namibia. We are pleased that you, Madam President, have continued that tradition. We commend Namibia for its initiative in placing that important issue on our agenda — an issue that since 2000 has garnered the attention of, and action by, the international community. Resolution 1325 (2000) sought to promote a gender perspective for peace and security issues by highlighting the special needs of women and girls, the significant role played by women in the prevention of armed conflicts and women’s contribution to the peace process, as well as the full involvement of women in the decision-making process for their development. As we meet on the fourteenth anniversary of its adoption to review the progress that has been made in realizing its objectives, it is indeed timely and fitting that we focus our attention on the situation of refugees, internally displaced and stateless women and girls. In the past year alone, we have witnessed an increase in violence, mass displacement flows and related humanitarian catastrophes. We note with grave concern that incidences of sexual violence, abhorrent crimes, human rights violations, and the forcible displacement of women and girls from their families and communities have escalated to unprecedented levels. We must come to grips with the dangerous emerging violence and conflicts associated with the proliferation of militias and armed groups and with the cases of violent extremism, where innocent civilians, particularly women and girls suffer the greatest harm. Against that background, it is important to highlight the responsibility of the international community, and, indeed, of each State, to develop and implement measures to protect women and to ensure access to justice and redress for victims of exploitation. Furthermore, women need to be included in decision-making processes that would incorporate a gender perspective and analysis in the broader political process, and in efforts to prevent, respond to and resolve conflict, displacement and the effects of violent extremism. My delegation welcomes the Secretary-General’s report on women and peace and security (S/2014/693), which identifies the areas of progress — limited in some instances, commendable in others — made over the reporting period, even as it underlines quite frankly the remaining challenges and, simultaneously, the opportunities for all of us to make good on our commitments. In keeping with that resolution on women and peace and security and the principle of gender equality, over the years Jamaica has deployed a total of 26 female officers who have served with distinction in United Nations peacekeeping operations, thereby enhancing their awareness and sensitivity to those situations. Jamaica believes that the empowerment of women and their increased participation in decision-making are effective strategies that complement other mechanisms in the maintenance of peace and security. We cannot but commend the resilience of many of the women who experience war and conflict. We salute those who have tackled their situations under difficult circumstances and have survived, and those who act on their behalf. In their name, we must move beyond the rhetoric of support and take actions to implement measures in areas where progress is possible and achievable. At national and international levels, it is particularly important that there be adequate funding for the sustainability of programmes to effectively enhance the full participation of women in peace and security initiatives. That can be greatly facilitated by the more deliberate involvement of the United Nations system, Member States and other actors. Looking ahead to a redoubling of our efforts, Jamaica welcomes the high-level review to assess the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) to be held in 2015, and the prospects for incorporating and integrating the commitments made under that and successor resolutions aimed at prioritizing and giving greater meaning to women’s issues on the peace and security agenda.

I now give the floor to the Head of the Delegation of the European Union. Mr. Mayr-Harting: I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. Fourteen years after the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), we note an extraordinary level of political commitment and activity in the field of women and peace and security. That would merit a longer statement than I am able to make here today, and therefore I ask members to refer to the full, written version that we are distributing. We have been witnessing a series of deeply troubling conflict-related developments leading to mass displacements, humanitarian catastrophes and serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, from which women suffer disproportionately. That challenge should strengthen our resolve to implement the commitments we have made in a systematic and sustainable way at the national, regional and global levels. Neglecting the rights and needs of women and girls threatens our goals with respect to peace and security, development and human rights. We welcome the focus of today’s debate on refugee and displaced women and girls, who often face multiple discrimination and multiplied risks to their lives, health, rights and livelihoods. Displacement frequently threatens to reverse gains that have been made in terms of gender equality and the empowerment of women in general. In addition, we have recently experienced the phenomenon of gender-specific displacement — women and girls fleeing their homes to avoid violent extremist groups that especially target and discriminate against women and girls. Women’s limited access to resources, services, financial independence and decision-making processes in situations of displacement can have consequences that last across generations. Nothing demonstrates this more clearly than the lack of access of displaced women and girls to education. The European Union continues to focus on ensuring access for all children to education and protection in crises as a cornerstone of its strategy, including through the European Union’s Children of Peace initiative, which has reached over 100,000 children in situations of conflict worldwide. We welcome the report of the Secretary- General (S/2014/693), which provides continuous and comparable information on the global implementation of the Council’s resolutions on women and peace and security. We think that the availability of that continuous and comparable information is an important step forward. We also emphasize the importance of regular briefings by UN-Women Executive Director Mlambo-Ngcuka and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bangura to the Security Council on specific country situations. We share the Secretary-General’s emphasis on the need for enhanced engagement with civil society, human rights defenders and women peacebuilders, as well as support for their capacity-building, which is a part of our action on women and peace and security. We also strongly condemn the continuing attacks and threats against women political leaders, media personnel and human rights defenders. In addition, the resilience of women and girls in situations of conflict and displacement must be acknowledged as well as their capacity to be active agents in conflict resolution and in building lasting peace harnessed. We note with serious concern the continued sexual violence — rape, forced marriage, forced prostitution, trafficking and sexual slavery — that characterizes an increasing number of conflicts and the continuing use of sexual violence as a method of war. We welcome the clear global, regional and national commitments taken to tackle that, including those made at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict and the framework for cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union. We must end impunity for crimes of sexual violence, which must be properly investigated and prosecuted. In that regard, we emphasize the significant advancement in international law provided by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as well as non-permanent international criminal tribunals, in combating sexual violence in conflict. We also welcome the increased use of the criteria related to human rights and sexual violence in the Security Council’s sanctions regimes. Attention to the protection of women and girls and their participation in conflict resolution and post- conflict peacebuilding must be transformed from an exception to a standard practice through systematic inclusion in policy guidelines, codes of conduct and training. It should also receive the attention of senior management in missions and other conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms. Gender advisers must be deployed in all United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions. We also call for the further deployment of United Nations women protection advisers. We continue to implement a EU systematic plan on women and peace and security. We have also defined the EU priority areas for the next reporting period, 2013 to 2015, which include transitional justice, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, women’s involvement in peace processes and preventing sexual violence in conflict. Seventeen of the 28 European Union member States have adopted national action plans on resolution 1325 (2000). To improve the situation of women and girls, we need to make better use of the international legal and policy instruments. General recommendation No. 30 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, on tackling challenges to gender equality in situations of conflict, is a landmark achievement and underlines the importance of reviewing our progress on women and peace and security in the context of the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. We further welcome the upcoming entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty on 24 December. We look forward to the global review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) next year. We hope that it provides an additional push to make all commitments on women and peace and security a reality — an overall effort, to which such a meeting as you, Madam President, have organized today is making a very important contribution.

I now give the floor to the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. Ms. Schuurman: I thank you, Madam President, for giving me the opportunity to address the Security Council in this open debate as the new NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. The creation of a dedicated position within our organization is in itself a clear sign of NATO’s strong commitment to deliver on the women and peace and security agenda. I enter that office as we enter the fifteenth year of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). It is a year of reflection. What did we achieve and how do we sustain our achievements? How can we ensure that it becomes simply inconceivable to work for lasting peace and security without engaging half of the population? The issue of full participation of women is particularly relevant for today’s central theme: displacement. The majority of displaced people are women and girls. The already existing gender inequalities make women particularly vulnerable in situations of displacement. But that vulnerability should not lead us to conclude that displaced women and girls are unable to take on leadership roles. On the contrary. time and again, it has been proven that women are key assets in preventing conflict, in better responding and in finding lasting solutions. Unfortunately, women and girls remain all too often an untapped resource. I therefore commend the presidency for highlighting the need for the meaningful inclusion of displaced women and girls in decision-making and for integrating a gender perspective in policies relating to refugees and displaced persons in all four pillars of the women and peace and security agenda. Increasing awareness is key. Within NATO, integrating a gender perspective in crisis management exercises ‑ for instance, through scenarios that include possible indicators that sexual violence is taking place ‑ has proved to be an important tool for increasing the understanding and preparedness of our staff. At the recent NATO summit in Wales, we published a progress report on the NATO implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Much has been accomplished in order to integrate the agenda into NATO’s everyday activities. We need to continue to show leadership and commitment in order to sustain and consolidate our achievements. To do that, this year we endorsed a revised policy and an action plan with clear and ambitious objectives. I would like to stress that we did not do that alone. Both policy and action plan were developed with the participation of all 28 allies and almost 30 partner nations from all over the globe. Well over 50 nations signed up for concrete action to further reduce barriers to meaningful participation, to broaden our partnership with civil society and to continue to mainstream a gender perspective in our everyday security business. One of the very concrete deliverables is to develop military guidelines to prevent and to respond to sexual violence in conflict. We will strive to deliver on that commitment within the months to come. The greater empowerment of women will benefit all our societies. It will also further our common cause of promoting lasting peace and security. NATO will continue to play its full part in the effort and translate its firm commitment into day-to-day practice.

I thank Ms. Schuurman for her statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Thailand.

Thailand welcomes this opportunity to discuss once again the issue of women and peace and security. We appreciate the comprehensive concept note (S/2014/731, annex) prepared by Argentina, outlining key issues for today’s discussion. We also thank the Secretary-General for his latest report (S/2014/693). Our sincere appreciation also goes to the speakers who provided informative briefings. Thailand associates itself with the statements of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and of the Human Security Network to be delivered this afternoon. Displaced women and girls often bear the brunt of any conflict. Their plight is often made even worse by the risk of gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. To address effectively the issue of displaced women and girls requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates security, humanitarian, development and gender perspectives. As a country that has hosted many hundreds of thousands of displaced persons from neighbouring countries in the past decades, Thailand would like to share with the Council our experience and views in that regard. First and foremost, we must ensure the rights, safety and well-being of displaced women and girls. Against that backdrop, Thailand supports the efforts of the United Nations to mainstream gender perspectives into peacekeeping operations, to increase the number of female peacekeepers and to provide training on gender sensitivity before deployment. Thai female military observers and police officers have served in various United Nations missions in Darfur, in Liberia and in Haiti. We hope that more Thai female officers can join other United Nations missions in other parts of the world. The increasing presence of female humanitarian staff also contributes to a more secure, safer environment for women and girls. Thailand supports the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse committed by United Nations personnel. It is tragic that protectors should turn into perpetrators themselves. In the case of such crimes, we call for a timely response, a transparent investigation and an end to impunity. The prevalence of gender-based violence in conflict and displacement settings continues to be of grave concern. Measures to protect displaced persons from sexual violence are therefore crucial and need to be put in place immediately. Thailand recently established a legal assistance centre as well as a sexual and gender- based violence committee in the temporary shelters with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assist those in distress and to educate them about their human and legal rights. Limited access to basic humanitarian services adds to women and girls’ vulnerability. Therefore, in prolonged periods of displacement, we must ensure that women and girls have access to education and health- care services that address their specific health needs. It is essential to provide economic opportunities for displaced women and girls to enable them to become more self-sufficient and less dependent. Thailand has done that by providing them with a wide range of vocational training and income-generating projects. Refugees and displaced persons must also be equipped with the necessary skills for their voluntary return with dignity. Capacity-building and development-oriented programmes are essential for their self-reliance during their reintegration or resettlement process. Through such programmes, displaced women and girls can contribute to the reconciliation and reconstruction of their communities, peacebuilding and long-term development. In that regard, Thailand would like to express its sincere appreciation to all development partners, local and international non-governmental organizations and civil societies that have cooperated with our Government in providing assistance to displaced women and girls and to promote their empowerment. My delegation joins previous speakers in welcoming the adoption earlier this morning of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21. Thailand is fully committed to implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and any subsequent resolutions on this important issue. Next year will be the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). To mark the occasion, Thailand and the International Peace Institute will undertake a joint project entitled “Women in mediation and peace processes”, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in translating the commitment of women and peace and security into practice. We also hope that the high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) next year will lend even more impetus to the comprehensive and universal implementation of that important resolution.

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

We are seeing unprecedented numbers of displaced persons; 55 million were reportedly displaced by the end of 2013, including 33 million due to violence in conflicts. Violent outbreaks in Gaza and Iraq have exacerbated the situation even further. Displacement is a peace-and-security issue that needs adequate attention by the Council, in addition to action by the other main organs. Liechtenstein therefore welcomes this debate and its very timely focus on internally displaced and refugee women. My delegation hosted a workshop and a policy forum on the topic in collaboration with the International Peace Institute a few weeks ago in preparation for today’s discussions. Women and children account for 80 per cent of displaced persons. Nevertheless, the way they experience displacement rarely shapes interventions and programmes. Displacement has been shown to exacerbate existing gender inequality. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees often lack identification documents. They are deprived of their livelihoods and struggle with poverty, which puts them in a particularly vulnerable position. As a consequence, women face a drastic increase in violence, particularly violence inside their homes and from intimate partners. They are more vulnerable to sexual harassment and exploitation as well as to child, early and forced marriages. We cannot limit our action to assist IDPs and refugees to what is required for bare survival. IDPs account for 63 per cent of the aforementioned 33 million people displaced due to violence and conflicts. Internal displacement is a long-term experience, lasting an average of 17 years. The assistance required must be complemented therefore by protection, which is currently lacking. Much more is necessary to ensure protection from further harm and trauma, in particular to women and children. States also need to invest in prevention, to work on preparedness and to have policies in place to deal with displacement before it even occurs. Displacement is not a short-term problem, and we therefore have to stop treating it as if it were. It is not solely a humanitarian issue, but also a development issue. Early investment in development will help 1DPs and refugees rebuild their livelihoods. Rapid provision of identity documents, fair and equal access to asylum as well as access to education are key. Education in particular is a crucial element for empowering women, making them less vulnerable and allowing them to make active contributions to recovery. Indeed, women have to be part of the solution, with full and equal participation. In that regard, I would like to highlight the World Food Programme’s excellent initiative in the Sudan, entitled Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Humanitarian Settings (SAFE). It provides fuel-efficient stoves that reduce firewood consumption and the clearing of community forests. The stoves have reduced expenses for cooking fuel, allowing women to buy other food items and improve the nutrition and diet diversity of their families. In addition, women no longer have to venture far from their homes to collect firewood. Such trips — as is well known — expose them to grave risks, including physical and sexual violence. In less than three years, beneficiaries are reporting that SAFE has not only changed their lives for the better, but that many also no longer need food assistance from the World Food Programme. It is simply unacceptable that the majority of humanitarian action still fails to take into account the vulnerabilities and special needs of women and girls or their potential to make active contributions. That is not due to a lack of guidance, since we have the relevant instruments at our disposal. It is up to us Member States, the United Nations system and all relevant actors in the field to ensure the implementation of the guiding documents. It is now time to hold ourselves accountable to our own standards. In tackling displacement, we need a holistic, inclusive approach based on close collaboration with civil society and women’s groups and aimed at prevention, protection, participation and development. We believe that this is the only way that will allow us to build long-lasting peace and achieve full recovery.

I now give the floor to the representative of Italy.

I thank you, Madam President, for organizing this open debate of the Security Council on women and peace and security. The perspective you have given to the issue, with a focus on displaced women and girls, is particularly timely and interesting to us. Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity. A11 over the world, women are disproportionately affected by armed conflict and conflict-related situations. Violence, harassment, sexual abuse, lack of access to education and the most basic health-care facilities, as well as water and food shortages, are only some of the many threats and challenges they face every single day. In terms of displacement, up to 80 per cent of the more than 50 million refugees and displaced persons are found to be women and children. Italy has been a strong advocate of the women and peace and security initiative since its inception. In 2010, we were the first country to call for the women and peace and security agenda to be integrated into the framework of the universal periodic review mechanism. Our national action plan has already been revised once this year to accelerate its implementation in the next three years. The latest version not only reports on progress, but also illustrates the efforts that have been made to adopt a more effective approach. Our new national action plan hinges on two main concepts: first, enhancing coordination and integration among the various administrations dealing with women and peace and security; and secondly, mainstreaming gender- related issues into all socioeconomic initiatives. While national plans are pivotal instruments, some 15 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) they are no longer enough. We need an international plan that connects all the national plans. In a globalized world, where international issues become domestic problems, or domestic problems become international, the question of displaced people, refugees and induced migration is a huge challenge for the countries under the most pressure. Italy is one of those. With its tradition of tolerance, understanding and inclusiveness, Italy will always stand by people who, against their will, find themselves in desperate situations caused by dreadful conflicts or human rights violations in their homeland. While entire populations have no other choice but to flee, too often without a destination, their migration can also create tensions in the new land, where people might be struggling to make a living. In that situation, it is no wonder that women and girls become the most vulnerable targets. Since conflicts and tensions migrate from one country to another, together with population movements, the response must be global. No country in the world can react effectively on its own and no country in the world should be left alone to respond to and address such problems. In that context, a new target of the women and peace and security agenda is needed to address, at the global level, the question of refugees and displaced women and girls, as well as their forced migration. Our aim must be to see women not only as victims but also as protagonists, with the opportunity and tools to play an important role as promoters of peace, security, understanding and integration.

I now give the floor to the representative of Malaysia.

Allow me the opportunity to commend you, Madam President, for convening this open debate on the issue of women and peace and security, which is the third open debate held under your presidency. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the representative of Viet Nam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The escalation of crises in the Middle East, Africa and Europe has thrown into sharp relief how much work remains to be done, particularly with regard to the protection of millions of women and children displaced by such conflicts. The focus of today’s open debate is therefore timely and critical. Our discussion casts a much-needed spotlight on the urgent plight of women and girls forced to flee their homes due to insecure political, economic and social conditions arising from war. The rampant incidence of sexual and gender-based violence in situations of conflict, especially affecting displaced women and girls, is deeply troubling. Displaced women and girls already suffer the trauma of leaving their homes and livelihood behind. For them to also fall victim to abhorrent acts of sexual violence in the places where they seek sanctuary is deplorable. Malaysia calls upon all parties to respect and uphold international law and ensure the physical security, safety and protection of the rights of women and girls. Ending the prevailing culture of impunity and replacing it with one that promotes the rule of law, justice and accountability is crucial in efforts to ensure the protection and prevention of violence against women. In that regard, Malaysia supports the continued efforts of the international community towards that end, including through the building of justice institutions, the deployment of mobile court systems, the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms, and the prioritizing of women’s access to justice. Malaysia places strong emphasis on the importance of women’s economic empowerment, as outlined in the declaration on women’s economic empowerment for peacebuilding, adopted by the Peacebuilding Commission in 2013. We also stress the importance of access to education and health care services for displaced women and girls, and call for increased support for initiatives put forward by Member States, the United Nations and civil society in that regard. The international community must remain vigilant against the forces of violent extremism that have led to much of the recent mass displacement. Malaysia condemns the violence wrought by militant extremism, resulting in untold suffering and gross violations of human rights, especially towards women and children. We believe that a key strategy in combating such extremist ideology is promoting moderation and inclusivity. That requires ensuring that all stakeholders in society, especially women, are empowered and given a voice. Malaysia reiterates its belief that the equal, full and active participation of women is key to conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In that regard we are encouraged by the increasing trend of women’s participation in United Nations-supported peace negotiations and the inclusion of content specific to the women and peace and security agenda in peace agreements. We echo calls for enhanced attention to the role of women in early warning, mediation and prevention initiatives at the community level as well as the engagement of women in efforts to address the root causes of conflicts. Malaysia is determined to ensure that the plight of women and girls in situations of armed conflict continues to receive the sustained attention of the Security Council. We support all efforts to continue mainstreaming the issue of women and peace and security in the work of the Council. In that regard, my delegation also wishes to express its appreciation for efforts to improve the implementation of arrangements for monitoring, analysis and reporting to the Council, including providing gender-sensitive conflict analysis throughout the reporting chain. The commitment of the international community to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent, related resolutions, including resolutions 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013), is today being tested in our response to the dire situation of displaced women and girls worldwide. For the sake of millions of innocent women and children, it is a test that we cannot afford to fail.

I now give the floor to the representative of Burundi.

At the outset, I would like thank you, Madam President, for convening this interesting open debate of Security Council on the theme “Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors”, under the agenda item entitled “Women and peace and security”. I would also like to thank the four speakers who took the floor this morning for their informative statements, which taught us a great deal about the theme that brings us together today. Since decolonization, it is estimated that Africa has experienced approximately 80 coups d’état, about as many armed conflicts and around 40 civil wars. Of the 19 countries around the world where armies intervened in the 1990s, 15 are located in sub-Saharan Africa, and my country, Burundi, is one of them. It is estimated that the number of civilian losses in the current conflicts is around 90 per cent of all casualties, mostly women and children. A century ago, 90 per cent of those who died in war were soldiers or were part of the military personnel. That dark portrait raises a very important question: why Africa? Answering that question requires points of reference. As serious and recurrent as they are, violent conflicts should not give rise to an analysis that locks Africa in a hawkish caricature or in a passive position. The Africa of peoples ‑ the Africa of men and of women, the Africa of girls ‑ does not only suffer conflicts; it also tries to prevent and resolve them, and in all that the role of women and girls is to be promoted. After having heard the speeches that preceded mine, I would say that the overall picture that emerges is that, 14 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), no conflict can be resolved, no transition can be envisaged without taking into account the participation of women, who constitute half of humankind. The consequences of conflict are devastating, including for the equality between men and women. Women often have fewer resources than men with which to protect themselves. With children, they generally constitute the majority of refugee and internally displaced populations. They are the recurrent targets of tactics of warfare such as sexual violence. They are often kept out of peace talks, even though they lead peace movements and are the source of community recovery after conflict. Women and girls are also particularly affected by the destruction of the socioeconomic infrastructure, such as hospitals, health centres, schools, water systems, roads and transportation routes. That situation radicalizes their inability to gain access to basic social services and aggravates problems related to primary and reproductive health. It also paves the way for an increase in the maternal and infant mortality rate, growth in and lack of protection from violence and sexual exploitation, and the spread of and lack of protection from risks related to HIV/AIDS. The abuses suffered by women and girls in situations of armed conflict are variable and take the form of rape, sexual slavery and forced prostitution. Women and girl refugees are very vulnerable to the violence and exploitation at the heart of conflicts, and rather than return home they prefer to seek asylum in other lands. We welcome the fact that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has issued guidelines for the protection of women refugees, including the prevention of sexual violence against them and measures to be taken if such acts have been committed, and that it seeks to ensure that international law provides adequate protection to women and girl refugees. Responding to challenges specific to men and and to women in conflict and post-conflict requires sensitivity and focused awareness of the human realities experienced specifically and differently by each sex. That in turn requires the appropriate training needed to make informed decisions. That ultimately requires appropriate tools, firm commitments, measures for action and evaluation, and accountability mechanisms. With regard to the maintenance of peace, Burundi, which is the leading French-speaking troop-contributing country, supports the deployment of women in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Deployment of female troops and police and the appointment of advisors on the protection of women have demonstrated that one could promote the empowerment of women and address sexual violence in armed conflict and thus play a major role in post-conflict reconstruction. With regard to women’s involvement in the peace negotiation and reconciliation processes, in Burundi women played a very important role in the various negotiations that led to a comprehensive peace agreement. At the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2000 — an agreement that enshrines political, ethnic, regional and gender inclusiveness — women participated actively, and their recommendations were taken into account. For example, in the context of the integration of women in the process of social, economic and political development, the Burundian Constitution grants a minimum quota of 30 per cent for women in the highest levels of decision-making. Thus, since 2005, women have been at the forefront of reforms in the country. Some 44 per cent of the members of Burundi’s Parliament are women, and 43 per cent of Government ministers are women occupying significant posts. Burundi’s good experience in that respect shows today that the contributions of women in reconstruction and peacebuilding processes are crucial in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in post- conflict reconstruction. We must therefore consider them as full partners in the formal and informal processes of conflict resolution and peace negotiations. We can refer to an example of mobilization very close to us, namely, the meeting of women’s organizations in the Great Lakes region, which was held in Bujumbura in July 2013, within the framework of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, whose headquarters are located in my country, Burundi. Finally, my country would once again emphasize the great importance it attaches to the role of women in prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding and reiterates at the same time its strong commitment to the full and effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. It will continue to attach particular importance to the situation of girls and women who are refugees and displaced. Of course, we eagerly await the results of the independent review commissioned by the Secretary- General on the state of implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), which was adopted almost 15 years ago.

I now give the floor to the representative from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Ms. Beham: I thank you, Madam President, for allowing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to participate in this important debate. I too would like to thank the briefers for their interesting and thought-provoking statements this morning. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe deals with early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. It has a uniquely broad concept of security that encompasses a wide set of areas that we believe influence the stability and security of a country. It is not just traditional security stemming from the security forces such as the police and the military that we address, but the politico-military dimension and aspects ranging from the economic and environmental to the human dimension, which includes the rule of law, legal reform and human rights. In fact, as the OSCE Heads of State and Government endorsed in 2010, it is the inherent dignity of the individual that is at the core of comprehensive security. Thus, gender equality as a concept for ensuring the dignity of women and men is one of the cornerstones of our comprehensive security approach. That approach recognizes, as I already indicated, that security analysis should go beyond the traditional understanding of security and include aspects of economic rights, environmental security and human rights, including women’s rights. In the OSCE, we therefore view gender equality as a basic concept for attaining security. That is where we believe the OSCE comprehensive security approach is largely congruent with resolution 1325 (2000), on the women and peace and security agenda. I am here today as a representative of the OSCE, the world’s largest regional security organization, with 57 participating States, stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok. As such, I would like to emphasize that we wholeheartedly support and try to proactively contribute to the ongoing process of strengthening the role of regional organizations under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. In an effort to strengthen the strategic partnership between the OSCE and the United Nations, we have developed, among many other things, together with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in close coordination with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons — whom we heard speak today — a handbook on a collaborative approach to addressing displacement and the protection of displaced populations and affected communities throughout the conflict cycle, from early warning and conflict prevention to crisis management, conflict resolution and post-conflict transition and rehabilitation. That so-called protection checklist has been fully gender mainstreamed and includes separate references to sexual and gender- based violence against displaced persons, in particular women and children. As its name says, the protection checklist offers very concrete operational instructions and recommendations for field staff on how to protect displaced populations and their rights, and it draws from the unfortunately rich experience of the OSCE and of course UNHCR in dealing with displacement. Among the many lessons that we have learned from tackling displacement is that there has to be a special focus on the different experiences women and girls have in the various phases of the conflict cycle and that the different protection needs of women and girls have to be taken into account when responding to displacement situations. Last week, the OSCE launched a study on national action plans for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in the OSCE region, which we undertook in cooperation with the Peace Research Institute Oslo. The study looks into the 27 national action plans that exist among the 57 OSCE participating States and identifies good practices, lessons learned and challenges that still hamper the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Although different protection issues feature high on the women and peace and security agenda, the national action plans that we studied focus mostly on the protection of women against sexual violence. Many of the national action plans in fact refer to protection against sexual violence as an important reason to create women and peace and security policies. However, such an approach, as important as it is, reduces women to mere victims and does not take into account the many other significant provisions of the women and peace and security agenda that call for the participation of women in decision-making, conflict prevention and resolution and peace processes. It does not take into account the political and economic empowerment of women and the crucial role of women in rebuilding societies. Our study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its follow-up resolutions indicates that States tend to disregard the empowerment aspect when designing their national action plans, in particular when it comes to the domestic security sector or the inclusion of women in conflict prevention measures such as early warning, confidence-building, dialogue facilitation, preventive diplomacy or mediation. On the basis of the study, we will work with OSCE participating States to improve that aspect. We have heard some of them today speak about their national action plans. In an effort to strengthen the empowerment and conflict prevention elements of the women and peace and security agenda, to strengthen the linkage of formal mediation and dialogue facilitation with informal peace initiatives, and to ensure that women, including displaced women, become active stakeholders in peace processes, we published our Guidance Note on Enhancing Gender-Responsive Mediation in 2013 and are now working on its implementation. In our most recent effort, the OSCE has again proven its commitment to the principles of the women and peace and security agenda in setting up its Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine as a response to the ongoing crisis there. The Mission includes a gender adviser in its core team at headquarters to assist with gender mainstreaming in conflict analysis, in addition to reaching out to women’s groups from all sides. We have created a gender focal-point network in the teams that are deployed throughout the country. We also strive to increase gender balance among the monitors. Currently approximately 27 per cent of them are women. Among other things, the Mission is monitoring the situation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), of whom the majority are women, in order to ascertain what their needs are. We are also looking at ways to include women and women’s organizations in the formal negotiations to put an end to the conflict. We have invited Ukrainian women to come to Vienna in November to meet with OSCE senior representatives to discuss the situation of women in the conflict, including as IDPs, and their suggestions for resolving the crisis. We feel that it is of utmost importance that women now become part of the peace process in Ukraine and of any dialogue to settle the conflict and rebuild trust. As we are approaching the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we need even more concerted efforts to further the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. There has been much progress since the adoption of that ground-breaking document, but much also remains to be done. The OSCE will be happy to feed the findings of our study on national action plans into the global review of resolution 1325 (2000) led by UN-Women for the upcoming anniversary, and we will be pleased to contribute to that review by offering the results of our work on the gender aspects of violent extremism that leads to terrorism. Over the years, we have gathered unique expertise in that area, and we are proud to share it in order to improve the global fight against terrorism. Regional organizations, such as the OSCE, working on the maintenance of international peace and security have a recognized role in promoting all aspects of resolution 1325 (2000) and its follow-up resolutions, which include the protection and empowerment of displaced women. But it is obvious that States have the primary responsibility for ensuring that the provisions of the women and peace and security agenda are translated into action. I strongly believe that an enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE will benefit our member States, as well as our Organization’s efforts to strengthen the commitment to global peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Qatar.

I would like to congratulate you, Madam, on your successful presidency of the Council. I would like to thank you also for providing us with an opportunity to participate in this important session. I would like to thank the Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and Ms. Suaad Allami from the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security for their valuable contributions and briefings. The attention focused on the women and peace and security agenda by the Security Council and the international community since the adoption of the historic resolution 1325 (2000) has contributed to shedding light on the impact of conflicts on women and girls and on women’s important role in resolving conflicts, building consensus and facilitating stability, democracy, prosperity, conciliation and post-conflict peacebuilding. Hence, we look forward to the high- level review on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) to be held in 2015. We believe that review will provide an opportunity to focus on best practices and deal with existing challenges and concerns, particularly that women and girls, including female refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), are still the ones most affected by armed conflicts. Since women and children represent the greatest proportion of IDPs and refugees due to the terrorism and conflicts that continue to prevail in the world, not only do they face enormous difficulties, but they also suffer from discrimination, violence and human rights violations. That would not happen if more attention were paid to the strict enforcement of international laws to protect women during armed conflicts, and which call upon all warring parties to take measures to protect women and girls from violence, including gender-based violence, in a cases of armed conflicts. Since sexual violence in armed conflict is an urgent humanitarian issue, we would like to commend the joint UN-Women/Justice Rapid Response training, roster management, and deployment mechanism on sexual and gender-based violence. That mechanism provides support to the international community in the achievement of justice and accountability for sexual and gender-based violence in cases of conflict. We share the Secretary-General’s concern over the emerging and continued patterns of violence against women and girls in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. We regret that in many parts of the world, particularly in our Arab region, the problem of displacement is a major problem due to conflict and terrorism. That is clear in the figures included in the relevant reports. There were 51.2 million victims of forced displacement at the end of 2013, representing an increase of 6 million over the figure reported in 2012. Qatar has provided humanitarian assistance commensurate with the immense humanitarian impact of that crisis, especially on women and children. In conclusion, we would like to highlight the need for humanitarian agencies to have access to those affected and for the provisions of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions on humanitarian issues to be implemented and to hold the perpetrators of serious violations accountable.

I now give the floor to the representative of Brazil.

I thank you, Madam, for presiding over this meeting and for your leadership on this topic. (spoke in English) I would also like to thank the briefers for their instructive presentations. Next year we will witness a convergence of global milestones on gender issues. Brazil looks forward to the Security Council high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000) and the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a major landmark in the advancement of women. In parallel, as supported by Brazil and recommended by the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, the post-2015 development agenda is expected to include a stand-alone goal for ensuring gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Yet major challenges remain, particularly when the threats of forced displacement and gender inequality overlap. Nearly two decades ago, the Beijing Platform for Action recognized that refugee and displaced women are especially vulnerable to violence and need specific measures of protection, assistance and training. At a time when the global population of forcibly displaced persons and asylum-seekers has reached record levels, it is especially important to intensify efforts to prevent women and girls from falling victim to sex and labour trafficking, gender-based violence, legal discrimination and other abuses. Prevention is always the best solution. Even after hostilities have begun, diplomatic measures should not be prematurely discarded. The temptation to employ forceful and military measures to resolve international crises constitutes, in many instances, an additional hazard to all civilians, including refugees, displaced or stateless women and girls. Women should be acknowledged and empowered as key actors in all activities that influence their future, from humanitarian assistance to decisions on displacement and repatriation; from the planning of economic recovery to the pursuit of accountability for serious crimes; and from peace processes to peacebuilding initiatives. We should also recognize the transformative potential of the greater participation and leadership of women in society, including in conflict settings. As Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Brazil convened in September an event, entitled “Women, Everyday Peacebuilders”, that stressed the crucial role played by women in reconciling former combatants and mending community divisions. Given appropriate tools, women can greatly contribute to the effectiveness of post-conflict activities and therefore enhance the prospects of reaching a sustainable peace. The Secretary-General’s seven-point action plan on gender- responsive peacebuilding (see S/2010/466) is a central reference in that regard. The long-term protection of displaced women and girls is also improved when their basic needs are properly addressed. Education, training and employment, legal assistance, land and property rights and health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, are vital areas to provide women subjected to forced displacement with a better perspective for their future. Although Brazil does not fall into the category of a conflict or post-conflict situation, our National Plan of Policies for Women integrates relevant recommendations contained in resolution 1325 (2000), including those aimed at fighting sexual violence. On the external front, Brazil has launched South-South cooperation projects to tackle sexual and gender- based violence in countries affected by violence or instability. We stand ready to share our experience of social inclusion with other countries, as they could be instrumental for women in areas emerging from conflict. Brazil has a long tradition of offering shelter and safety to victims of distant wars, regardless of their gender, religion, sexual orientation or ethnic group. Since last year, we have granted humanitarian visas to over 5,000 asylum seekers, including hundreds of women and girls who would otherwise be subject to a situation of extreme danger. Specific policies aimed at welcoming Syrian refugees have also been adopted by other countries in our region, which shows that, besides being a peaceful and stable region, Latin America and the Caribbean remain committed to the cause of those displaced by conflict and persecution. In keeping with this long-standing regional commitment, Brazil will host, in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on 2 and 3 December, a ministerial meeting in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees, a non-binding regional instrument that reflects Latin America and the Caribbean’s tradition of granting asylum to those in need. The declaration and action plan to be adopted in Brasilia shall represent a further step towards the improvement of our regional framework regarding the protection of refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. At the domestic level, renewed attention is presently being given to the issue of statelessness, a worldwide challenge affecting millions of persons, often due to unequal treatment of women and men by nationality laws. The Government will soon submit to the Congress a draft law on the protection of stateless persons. The Council has been playing an increasingly relevant role in emphasizing the particular needs of women and girls affected by conflict, including those who have been forcibly displaced. The far-reaching nature of this agenda, however, demands that we do not lose sight of the important work being done by other bodies. The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Population Fund and UN-Women also require and deserve our full support and attention in the enduring quest to promote, protect and empower all women around the world.

I now give the floor to the representative of Guatemala.

I would like to thank you, Madam President, for having organized this open debate on a topic of such relevance to the work of the Council. We also thank the main briefers for their participation and invaluable presentations. We note the report of the Secretary-General which is the basis for our discussions (S/2014/693) and express our special appreciation to the Republic of Argentina for the lucid concept note prepared for this annual meeting on women and peace and security (S/2014/693, annex). We also welcome the adoption of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21 this morning. Today’s debate gives us the opportunity to consider the comprehensive implementation of the important resolution 1325 (2000), given our firm belief in the essential role women have to play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts; promoting justice and reconciliation; supporting demobilization, disarmament and reintegration; and rebuilding national institutions, all of which are essential pillars for building a lasting peace. It is undeniable that women and girls suffer the most devastating effects that come with conflict, in particular the increasingly widespread use of gender- based violence, rape, sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, forced pregnancies resulting from these deplorable acts, and stigmatization in their communities. All of these aspects affect their mental and emotional stability and even threaten their lives. All assistance provided to such women and girls must take into account the trauma they have suffered and continue to suffer as displaced persons, through flashbacks, constant rejection and prolonged family separation. There is therefore a major need for counselling, but the road towards recovery also requires efforts to restore normalcy to their lives. This includes a job and the dignity won by earning one’s own money and the freedom to spend it, and education for one’s children, which in turn holds the promise of a better future. It should be underscored that a child’s ability to attend school, even in a bombed building or a refugee camp, symbolizes having a system, a routine and a path towards normalcy — recovering from and overcoming trauma. Women should be empowered from girlhood, with access to education, the certainty that their rights are protected and promoted, and the knowledge that they are part of any process affecting their welfare and future. We will not rest until we see the special needs of women and girls on the ground receiving the special and privileged attention they deserve, with the active collaboration of the relevant agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system and Member States, with the support of non-governmental organizations and civil society. In this context, my delegation would like to acknowledge the important work of UN-Women and the progress achieved to date in mainstreaming gender throughout all activities on the ground of United Nations missions. We urge them to continue their valuable contribution to the challenges at hand. In the light of the fact that human rights abuses and violations — including discrimination, sexual violence and gender-based violence — can occur at various stages of the displacement cycle, the primary challenge for Member States, the United Nations and humanitarian actors face is the need to ensure and improve a protective environment for displaced persons. We reiterate that it is the responsibility of Member States to protect their populations, in particular displaced women and girls, who are the most vulnerable. In order to protect and improve the rights of displaced women and integrate a rights-based approach into national governance structures, there is a need to step up the capacity-building of public institutions, which often lie broken or weakened following a conflict. This means ensuring that the practice of protection is more consistent and effective; training national security forces and raising their awareness; supporting local civil society groups working on human rights and the protection of displaced women; and advocating for the rights of displaced women with relevant stakeholders. We agree with the report of the Secretary-General that the process of strategic reviews of United Nations peacekeeping operations and sanctions and, in turn, the review the peacebuilding architecture should guarantee the inclusion of the commitments and priorities of the women and peace and security agenda. The use of gender- and age-disaggregated data remains indispensable to ensure adequate attention is given to protecting the human rights of women and girls, promoting their empowerment and effectively implementing activities that will lead to the full application of resolution 1325 (2000) and full respect for international humanitarian law and human rights. In conclusion, let me underscore how important it is that gender equality and the empowerment of women be placed at the centre of the post-2015 development agenda, and that that goal should put an emphasis on building peaceful societies and institutions, both of which are central for realizing the commitments undertaken on women and peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

I thank you, Madam President, for having convened this very important debate today. We also express our appreciation to this morning’s briefers for their thought-provoking presentations. We are touched by the courage and determination of refugee women leader Ms. Suaad Allami. Her story indeed demonstrates how women can rise to the challenge of armed conflicts by taking charge of their own lives and leading the struggle against violence to restore sustainable peace and security. I also add my voice to those of previous speakers in agreeing that, as a vulnerable group, women and young girls bear the brunt of armed conflict. The trauma of violence and the travails of camp life are felt the hardest by women and girls. Displacement from their homes exposes women and girls to sexual violence, rape and molestation  — often used as a deliberate instrument of war. Camp settings make women and children vulnerable to trafficking, with stateless and separated women being the most susceptible. But that is just one side of the story. Women and girls are not merely the victims who suffer the most; they are also the most potent agents of change in situations of armed conflict. The involvement of women in peacebuilding can make a real difference in efforts to contain a conflict and ensure a speedy return to peace and security. With a little support from the international community, women can play that crucial role at every stage of conflict resolution, including in peace negotiations, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, and in transitional justice systems. Let me say that over the past 14 years, the Security Council’s engagement with the agenda on women and peace and security has laid down a normative structure and yielded positive results. Despite that commendable achievement, however, more must be done to ensure its effective implementation on the ground. The sharp increase in the refugee population, coupled with the emergence of various types of extremism, has worsened the situation for women and girls in several parts of the world. The international community’s efforts should therefore focus on converting commitments into concrete and action-oriented measures through preventive strategies, robust responses and effective solutions, as part of an integrated global strategy for women’s empowerment and gender equality. We support the Security Council’s agenda on women and peace and security as outlined in its mandate  — a mandate aimed at preventing sexual violence in armed conflict and promoting women’s participation in post-conflict peace processes, with a view to maintaining international peace and security. The focus should therefore remain on resolving armed conflicts and preventing relapses into conflict. Multidimensional peacekeeping and its missions, with relevant mandates, play an important role in protecting women and combating sexual violence. As a leading participant in peacekeeping, Pakistan has contributed to that global effort. Pakistani women continue to serve as police officers, doctors and nurses in various missions in Asia, Africa and the Balkans. The agenda on women and peace and security should also include the crucial aspect of women’s participation in conflict resolution. An effective strategy should pay adequate attention to the four pillars of protection, relief and recovery, participation and conflict prevention. Women’s participation at all stages of a post-conflict recovery must be visible and meaningful, and women must be encouraged to take leadership roles in the drive towards ending conflict and restoring sustainable peace in their societies. Ultimately, we hope that those crucial aspects of the agenda on women and peace and security will be part of the debate at the 2015 high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

I thank you very much, Madam President, for organizing this debate and for your presence here today. (spoke in English) Equality between women and men, and the full and meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of the life of their communities and countries, is at the core of Canadian values. Canada is committed to protecting and promoting the human rights, empowerment and well-being of women and girls around the world. We are concerned about the dire situation in countries where the barriers to a life of dignity for women and girls undermine their safety and security, preventing them from reaching their potential. Not only does that affect the fate of those women and girls, it affects the fate of entire communities. Girls must be protected and educated if they are to grow and become full and contributing members of their society. Women must be empowered to become active members of their communities and to contribute to all decision-making, including in the political, economic and peace processes. It is only through women’s empowerment that countries can reach their full potential and prosperity. It is not enough to have issues affecting women and girls discussed in the halls of power; women must be in those halls, at the head of the table, talking about security and prosperity in terms of their own experience. (spoke in French) Canada is also committed to improving maternal, infant and child health around the world, and to bringing an end within one generation to the highly destructive practice of the early and forced marriage of children. Eliminating all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence, is an integral part of the future security and development of communities and countries. We commend countries that defend those causes with similar determination. We are constantly made aware of the ways in which armed conflict further jeopardizes women’s and children’s security, dignity, health and development. For example, in times of war it is often impossible to access basic maternal and neonatal health services. The most vulnerable are too often the biggest targets. (spoke in English) Women and girls are at an increased risk of violence in humanitarian crises and are often subject to abuse, including in exchange for assistance or protection. Refugee and displaced families are known to force marriage on their daughters in badly misplaced attempts to provide for their security or in response to their daughters’ rape. Rape is all too often used as a weapon of war, with devastating effects on the victims, their families and their communities that can endure long after the conflict ends. The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has taken sexual violence in conflict to a horrifying new level of depravity. Women and girls from ethnic and religious minorities are being raped, forced into marriage and openly sold as slaves. Canada is at the forefront of international efforts to address the situation in Iraq and will continue to collaborate with like-minded partners in responding to the crisis. We are contributing to humanitarian assistance for those in need, including refugees and displaced persons, and we have committed more than $62 million in humanitarian, stabilization and security programming. Most important, however, our commitment includes up to $10 million to support survivors of sexual violence in ISIL-held areas, including supplying funding for Justice Rapid Response and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to respond to and investigate sexual violence and other serious abuses. The perpetrators of those crimes must be held to account. (spoke in French) A disproportionate number of women and girls are suffering in conflict situations today and are unable to play a significant role as agents of resilience and positive change. Their full participation in the lives of their communities and countries is essential to sustainable prosperity, peace and development. The international community is addressing the problem through, for example, today’s debate, as well as at such events as the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, recently held in London. (spoke in English) In 2015 we will have further chances to address those important matters in several initiatives, including the planned global study of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), the Secretary-General’s high- level review of the agenda on women and peace and security. We will also have reviews of our peacebuilding architecture and of the post-2015 development agenda. The role of women and girls is essential to all of this work, and Canada looks forward to continuing its engagement with the United Nations and its agencies, and with like-minded Member States, to ensure follow- through.

I now give the floor to the representative of Spain.

I would like to thank Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women; Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; and Ms. Suaad Allami, Director of the Sadr City Women’s Centre and Legal Clinic, who gave us the perspective of civil society. We would also like to align ourselves with the statement made by the observer of the European Union. We would like to thank Argentina for organizing this debate. We commend you, Madam President, for focusing this year’s open debate on the special situation of displaced women and refugees. This year, which marks the highest number of refugees displaced since the Second World War, we believe it is more important than ever to recall that half of them are women and girls and that the extremism we are witnessing today in certain parts of the world will perhaps increase those numbers exponentially. That is reflected in today’s presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21), which Spain welcomes. Displacement is in and of itself an exacerbation of the vulnerability of, and discrimination against, women and girls who are deprived from a safe family environment. In the majority of cases, they have to assume the functions of the head of household, for which their social and cultural circumstances and education have not prepared them. Displacement also increases the vulnerability of women and girls in the face of threats emanating from trafficking networks, recruitment by armed groups, forced marriage, statelessness, prostitution and sexual violence. Forced disappearances also make it impossible to enjoy one’s basic rights, such as the right to education and the right to appropriate sanitation. Throughout recent years we have noted with satisfaction that the Security Council has been increasingly proactive and focused when it comes to women in armed conflict. However, it is important to bear in mind that the main responsibility for protecting displaced persons is on the shoulders of the States, which have an obligation to adopt whatever steps are needed to prevent the weakening of the basic rights of displaced persons, mitigate the negative effects of displacement on the enjoyment of those rights and investigate and punish the instigators and perpetrators of crimes, such as recruitment and sexual violence. In that regard, we once again reiterate the importance of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, held in London in June, and we underscore the need for implementing its outcome. We believe that it is vital that, in reviewing the mandates of peacekeeping operations, we bolster the gender perspective when it comes to protection, as well as the priorities of the women and peace and security agenda, as reflected in the Secretary-General’s most recent report (S/2014/693). We also believe that post-conflict situations require that we continue to step up vigilance and adopt the necessary measures so that women’s participation in repairing the country’s economic and social fabric can be guaranteed. The rebuilding stage is the source of many of the problems that affect women in the areas of accessing the labour market, education, health care and decision-making mechanisms. As the Secretary- General report’s notes, 2015 is a unique opportunity for all United Nations agencies to focus their attention on empowering women. That should be central to the post-2015 development agenda and be a key factor in promoting both bilateral and multilateral aid for development. With regard to the opportunity presented by the 2015 review of resolution 1325 (2000), we should reflect on the progress achieved in implementing the resolution and on the challenges that are still before us in the area of women and peace and security. As to the progress and achievements, women’s peace groups have gained in strenght, and in some contexts have succeed in having their concerns included on the agendas of peace talks. In addition, transitional justice mechanisms are becoming increasingly effective in responding to war crimes against women, increasingly including specific provisions to protect women who testify. We also note that planning strategies in post-conflict situations are increasingly recognizing the need for putting women in decision-making positions. We also think it is an achievement that increasingly countries now have national action plans to implement resolution 1325 (2000), based on their specific circumstances. We see that with Spain, for example. In addition, more and more civilian and military personnel destined for peacekeeping operations are being provided the necessary information to correctly incorporate the gender perspective in the context of their respective missions. Despite that progress, however, there are still many challenges. Since 1992 fewer than 10 per cent of those involved in peace negotiations have been women, and the responses to gender issues in peace agreements still fall short. Women’s participation is also lacking in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes. Sexual violence in conflicts continues to be carried out systematically and with impunity. There is no doubt we have made progress on the women and peace and security agenda, but a major challenge lies before us. We must ensure that women are definitively recognized as agents of peace, and protecting their rights needs to be an integral part of peace processes.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovakia.

Thank you very much, Madam President, for this excellent initiative of holding this debate on women and peace and security. (spoke in English) We commend the excellent work of the Under- Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, and all the participants in today’s debate. We welcome the key role that UN-Women has been playing in empowering women and eliminating violence against women and girls through various activities and instruments. While aligning ourselves with the statement made by the observer of the European Union, I wish to make few additional points in my national capacity. Resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, adopted almost 14 years ago, underlines the importance of the equal participation of women and their full involvement in efforts to maintain and promote peace and security. Despite many endeavours and achievements, not all commitments have been satisfactorily met or implemented. Armed conflict affects women harder than men. They are often deprived of their rights and are subject to violence. Violence against women constitutes not only human rights abuse, it is increasingly becoming a security issue. Targeting civilians, women and children is an extremely abhorrent act that must be punished accordingly. Women’s role in peace and security is indispensable. Yet peace processes mostly remain the domain of men. The number of women involved in peace and security, including in decision-making, remains very low. On the other hand, it is commonly recognized that the participation of women in security forces increases the effectiveness, credibility and the legitimacy of those institutions. One of the main obstacles to increased female participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions remains their underrepresentation in national armed forces and police services, in particular at senior levels and in operational roles. In that regard, we must all strengthen our efforts to increase the engagement and advancement of women in the security sector and its personnel. Efficient, professional and accountable security forces are indispensable for protecting the basic safety of citizens, including women and girls. In that respect, Slovakia considers security sector reform to be a crucial instrument in transforming a security apparatus into a professional, transparent and accountable institution that is able to prevent, eliminate, investigate and punish sexual violence in armed conflicts. That is why we call for the effective implementation of resolution 2151 (2014), on security sector reform. Among other things, the resolution underscores the importance of the equal and effective participation and full involvement of women in all stages of the security sector reform. It also underlines the vital role of women in prevention, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and in strengthening civilian protection measures in the security services during the reconstruction process. It also suggests including more women in training for security personnel, and calls for effective vetting processes in order to exclude perpetrators of sexual violence from the security sector. Slovakia supports the full implementation of the United Nations Security Sector Reform Integrated Technical Guidance Notes, officially launched in December 2012. The guidance notes are focused, inter alia, on the inclusion of women’s perspectives in security sector reform to ensure that United Nations- supported initiatives in that area respond to the different needs and capacities of women, girls, men and boys endangered by sexual violence. The situation of refugees and internally displaced persons is a persistent challenge. Today, we face too many cases in too many regions where, due to various reasons, the armed forces and police are simply not able to provide basic security for citizens, including women and girls. That results in many cases in their forced exodus and the inevitable loss of their families and homes. Women should be highly represented in the security units of refugee camps and in decision-making and security positions, including police boards, security sector institutions and oversight bodies. Ending impunity for crimes committed against displaced people, in particular women and girls, is a key priority. Greater support for justice reform initiatives is needed. That includes legislative development, specialized judicial training and building equal and timely access to justice. Initiating legal rights, awareness-raising and providing free or affordable legal services can improve access to justice for all who need it due to any kind of abuse, including gender- based abuse. We fully support the commitment of the Secretary- General to the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel. The numbers of substantiated allegations, despite the downward trend, still give us a cause for concern. Additional efforts are required to shorten the time needed to complete investigations and to ensure that investigations address allegations comprehensively. Last but not least, we should not forget about the role and protection of women-led society groups, which play an important role in combating violent extremism in many countries. It is therefore essential to involve women’s groups and female experts in decision-making in national, regional and international counter- terrorism initiatives. Ensuring the safety and protection of women human rights defenders, such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, needs to be prioritized by Member States and their security sector institutions. To sum up, in many documents we have addressed many elements in terms of how to improve the situation. Let me mention six of them. First, with regard to the protection of women’s rights, women and children are the main victims of rights violations in situations of violence and conflict. Secondly, on participation, we must encourage women to move into the public sphere and the security sector, to come forward and speak and to be active. Thirdly, with regard to inclusivity, resolution 1325 (2000) cannot be implemented without gender inclusivity in security sector reform, demobilization and reintegration. Fourthly, there must be transparency and accountability. Fifthly, justice and healing are critical issues for women. Impunity for crimes must not be allowed for anyone. The last element is financing gender equality. Resources and financing mechanisms should be considered for the increased participation of women in peace and security. No women, no peace is affirmed by many practical examples. Many conflicts could have been prevented if women had been involved at the early stage. The year 2015 will mark our common endeavours to advance the agenda of women and peace and security with the adoption of the post-2015 sustainable development goals, as well as the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) and the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Let us therefore work together to mark those important benchmarks with concrete actions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal.

I wish to thank Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women, Mr. Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and the representative of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, Ms. Allami, for their briefings. We also welcome the adoption of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21 earlier today. The role of women in peace and security and the specific impact of the lack of peace and security on women have only recently attracted consistent attention from the highest international decision-making bodies. Yet the progress made is very significant. Such progress has led to a better comprehension of the sources of conflict, as well as of the paths towards peace and reconstruction. It has also led to the orientation of resources towards a deeper knowledge of the consequences of conflicts and better institution- and capacity-building with regard to the role and the empowerment of women. Turning to the matter at hand, I would like to congratulate Argentina, and the Security Council at large, on the choice of the subject for today’s open debate. It is a subject of cruel pertinence. This year, we have reached the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons since the Second World War. Unfortunately, we must expect the situation to worsen before it improves. New reasons to expect further displacement are emerging at an alarming rate. State and non-State sponsored violence, often tinged with religious extremism, targets civilians, in particular women and girls. Disease generates panic and the disruption of economic and social networks and is itself fanned by further displacement, misinformation and fear. The short- and long- term impact of mass displacement requires no further description. Nonetheless, it requires mutual cooperation and concerted action by all stakeholders. However unprecedented and unconventional today’s conflicts may appear, they nevertheless have well- known, traditional and destructive effects on the civilian population, in particular those at the greatest risk: women and girls. Portugal is encouraged by several very positive developments as regards women and peace and security, such as the fact that this issue is a consistent feature in Security Council resolutions and peacekeeping mandates, as well as the fact that gender-sensitive reporting is now understood as a fundamental element for a thorough understanding of a given situation. We are proud to have worked towards such mainstreaming, together with many partners within the Security Council during our recent mandate on the Council, as well as with the wider membership of the United Nations, thereby fulfilling pledges assumed before our election to this body. A very special word of thanks and encouragement must also go to the non-governmental organizations and civil society community, which has been of invaluable support and generosity in its advocacy. At the multilateral, regional and national levels, we should also welcome the fact that organizations such as the African Union and NATO have named special envoys for women and peace and security and that an increasing number of countries have developed national action plans to implement resolution 1325 (2000) and its successors. It is now necessary to sustain and develop the progress already achieved. The Security Council, as well as the entire United Nations system, must maintain its commitment to that agenda. In that regard, Portugal welcomes the expanding focus on sexual violence in conflict. Sexual violence is a scourge that affects directly and indirectly generations of victims of conflict. Our work on this matter strengthens the broader women and peace and security agenda and underlines the need to further empower women politically and economically. The year 2015 will provide a unique political opportunity for the advancement of the women and peace and security agenda. The high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and the global study requested in resolution 2122 (2013), as well as the celebrations of Beijing+20 and the discussions of the post-2015 development agenda, will all take place. All of us will have a renewed chance to make our policies on that matter more tangible. Let me conclude with a specific call to action by drawing the Council’s attention to the goal that the High Commissioner for Refugees has set: to eliminate statelessness worldwide by 2024. Statelessness is widely recognized as a source of injustice, discrimination, marginalization and life-long stigma for millions of individuals. It perpetuates the tragic effects of conflict, forced displacement and migration. The discrimination against women in nationality laws is a widespread and grave source of statelessness. Women are particularly victimized in that instance not only because of gender- based discrimination but also because they can be perceived as the source of discrimination from which their children and extended families suffer, often with pervasive, devastating effects. It is high time that the matter be addressed at the highest level with a view to its complete eradication. I take this opportunity to call on all countries that have not yet done so to accede to or ratify the 1954 Convention relating to Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, the key legal instruments and fundamental elements for the prevention of international conflicts and for the mitigation of their effects.

I now give the floor to the representative of Japan.

I thank you very much, Madam President, for your initiative to convene this open debate on such a timely issue. At the outset, I should like to emphasize that the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, places great importance on the promotion and protection of women’s rights and women’s participation. We aim for a society in which women shine, not only domestically but also globally, including in conflict-affected and post-disaster situations. In order to effectively empower women, we must undertake holistic interventions, which include improving education, enhancing livelihoods, increasing access to reproductive health care and reducing gender-based violence. In September, Japan hosted the symposium of the World Assembly for Women (WAW! Tokyo 2014). I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, tExecutive Director of UN-Women, and Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, for their participation and contributions. The Chair of the conference drafted a summary of the opinions expressed during the symposium and issued a set of 12 concrete proposals. Turning to today’s agenda item, Japan, in cooperation with United Nations agencies such as UN-Women and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as various non-governmental organizations, has been supporting numerous projects around the globe related to the main theme of today’s discussion. I would like to showcase some of our efforts. First, I would like to highlight the story of Hamidah Hassan, who was introduced in our Prime Minister’s address to the General Assembly in September (see A/69/PV.9). She is a girl of 10 years living in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mogadishu. Japan provided the camps with solar lanterns made by a Japanese company, Panasonic, which banks electrical energy generated from sunlight during the day and converts it to lamplight at night. A lighted tent not only acts as a deterrent to sexual violence, but also under that light, she is now able to work and study later into the evening and dreams that one day that she will become a doctor. Secondly, economic independence is critically important to the advancement of the status of women and to decreasing violence against them, especially in displaced settings. Faced with the grave humanitarian crisis in and around Syria, Japan has supported UN-Women activities aimed at economic empowerment, such as vocational training and cash- for-work programmes for female Syrian refugees and IDPs. Japan has also supported the activities of the Government of Jordan to assist Palestinian female refugees in the country. That project has provided instruction for refugees in such skills as dressmaking, using donated kimonos, which is a traditional Japanese dress, as instructive materials. It has also provided marketing lectures to educate women in the tailoring business. Those two examples are just indicative, but represent two important aspects, protection and empowerment. In today’s discussion, I think those two aspects have been mentioned by many delegates. Protection and empowerment are the main pillars of human security, which Japan has been advocating for more than 10 years. I would now like to mention the follow-up to the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). In the World Assembly for Women symposium in September, we recognized that high-level political leadership and commitment are essential for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Japan and civil society have been earnestly developing a national action plan, which we expect to be able to launch before the end of the year. Japan also wishes to support the development and the implementation of the national action plans of developing countries. Finally, in July, our Permanent Mission to the United Nations held a panel discussion in collaboration with a civil society organization, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. We hope the summary of the discussion, together with the recommendations of the World Assembly symposium and, most importantly, the implementation of our national action plan, which includes more than 100 indicators, will serve as inputs to the global assessment of resolution 1325 (2000). Through such efforts, Japan commits itself to contributing to furthering the momentum towards the high-level review in October 2015.

I now give the floor to the representative of Kazakhstan.

We thank you, Madam President, for convening this meeting on the escalation of conflicts and violations of international law that result in unprecedented massive flows of refugees, stateless persons and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the vast majority of whom are women and children. Their situation is further aggravated by meaningless death, the outbreak of diseases, food, water and energy crises, poverty and heightened vulnerability due to the breakdown of entire societies. Hence, in accordance with the landmark resolution 1325 (2000), and resolutions that have followed, the role for women in conflict prevention, resolution and recovery is an important consideration for rehabilitation and recovery processes, ultimately leading to reconstruction and development. Women often tend to be marginalized and alienated from those processes, and therefore must be involved in shaping their own destinies. That is especially the case when it comes to the provision of basic survival needs, medical care, primary and secondary education and opportunities for economic self-reliance. Therefore, the elimination of gender-based discrimination, violence and impunity remains critical to promote the economic and social empowerment of women. We welcome its becoming a focus in many recently established comprehensive and multidimensional peacekeeping and hybrid operations. At present, at least 3 out of 10 United Nations peace agreements include provisions on women’s political participation and protection. Mechanisms and structures must be provided in every peacekeeping operation so that women can serve as equal partners in field missions and in all United Nations mediation support teams. The minimum of 15 per cent set by the Secretary-General’s seven-point action plan on gender- responsive peacebuilding is a target that we must strive for. We note that more women are being appointed as heads of missions, including as force commanders, special envoys and chiefs of police contingents. More than 90 per cent of the mandates calling for police components in peacekeeping operations address women’s security. The implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) stipulates gender-specific provisions in all mission mandates, placing gender experts in the substantive sections of United Nations peace operations, deploying women protection advisers to monitor and report on sexual violence and providing training accordingly. International commissions of inquiry currently and routinely include gender crime investigators. Women must therefore be engaged at every stage to reassert the rule of law and rebuild society through transitional justice. The Security Council must consider the full range of violations of women’s rights during conflict, and peacekeeping mandates should support national prosecution for serious international crimes against women. The Council should focus on its women and peace and security mandates during at least one of the periodic field visits in the coming years. Commissions of inquiry related to various war-torn zones and UN-Women must provide regular briefings to the Council. My country, Kazakhstan, is increasingly engaged in peacekeeping — starting in 2003 in Iraq and Nepal and currently in Western Sahara  — with further deployments planned to other missions in the future. The protection, special treatment and care of women and girls, together with women’s empowerment and gender-sensitive approaches, are always given due attention and encouraged by Kazakh peacekeepers. Over the last decade, my country has witnessed increased and complex flows of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and victims of trafficking, which also pose a considerable risk to the Governments of the region. Kazakhstan is both a transit and destination country and works closely with the relevant United Nations agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We have adopted a law on refugees based on the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. The UNHCR Regional Office, in close cooperation with my Government, contributes to strengthening regional and international efforts. Kazakhstan is committed to joining the global efforts to achieve international peace and security, including through promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls  — among whom the most vulnerable are refugees and IDPs. We wish further success to UN-Women and other relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Arab Emirates.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening this open debate on women and peace and security, with a focus on the important topic of displaced women and girls. I also congratulate you on your successful presidency of the Security Council this month. The United Arab Emirates welcomes the comprehensive presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) adopted by Council members by consensus this morning. We join others in thanking the Secretary- General for his recent report (S/2014/693), which provides important information on the progress made thus far and the considerable challenges that remain in the full implementation of the agenda. We would also like to thank Executive Director of UN-Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for her bold call to action. In addition, we would like to thank this morning’s briefers for their thoughtful and important presentations. Today’s open debate is focused on displaced women and girls, which is of the utmost importance as new crises and outbreaks of violence increase the levels of forced displacement. Today’s 51 million refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent the largest number of refugees, asylum-seekers and IDPs since the Second World War; three quarters of the displaced persons are women and children. Many here present have acknowledged today in their statements that as Member States we must work together to address this issue. We must ensure consistent leadership to strengthen the meaningful participation of and leadership opportunities for women, including in tackling the root causes and impacts of displacement. We need to ensure the consistent and effective implementation of the Security Council resolutions on women and peace and security. Within the United Nations system, we need to encourage further gender-sensitive conflict analysis and stand by our women and peace and security commitments so that we can best understand the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges that remain in implementation. Through those actions, we the Member States can do our part to ensure that the women and peace and security agenda remains central to efforts to achieve our shared goal of international peace and security. It has been 14 years since the historic adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), whereby the international community formally recognizes the vital role played by women in the prevention, mitigation and resolution of conflict, in addition to recognizing the differential burden borne by women and girls during conflict. Much progress has been made in the field of women and peace and security. Within the United Nations system, the women and peace and security agenda has been increasingly integrated. The data in the Secretary- General’s report shows important progress. In terms of prevention, there is more consistent attention to women and peace and security in Security Council deliberations; three quarters of United Nations resolutions adopted in 2013 contained women and peace and security related references. Under the protection pillar, there have been improvements in peacekeeping mission mandates and monitoring and training, with clear directives calling for the increased participation of women in the ranks of United Nations police and military. At the level of relief and recovery, there has also been an increased focus on women’s economic empowerment in peacebuilding, with a growing recognition of the importance of post-conflict economic stability in resolution 2122 (2013) and in the declaration adopted in 2013 by the Peacebuilding Commission on women’s economic empowerment. The resolutions recognize that women’s economic empowerment generates long- term social dividends, as evidence shows that women tend to reinvest up to 90 per cent of their income back into their families. The economic security of women in post-conflict situations is therefore fundamental to ensuring lasting peace and stability. Yet many challenges remain. Today’s statements recognize that unacceptable lags remain in the implementation of widely accepted norms, despite the clear presence of political will. For example, while there has been increased global attention towards sexual violence in conflict, much work remains to ensure that this attention is translated into action, including justice and assistance for the victims. Widespread violations of international humanitarian law continue worldwide, as do the challenges in ensuring the protection of civilians. The culture of impunity remains widespread. As many Member States have recognized, we are also navigating a shifting security context where the rise of violent extremism has led to increased and targeted violence against women and girls, which is unacceptable to the United Arab Emirates and all responsible Member States. Although this is a global reality, it is a particularly urgent problem in our region. In Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, four out of five refugees and displaced persons are women or children. Within Syria, there are 4.25 million internally displaced persons, with 6.8 million in need of humanitarian assistance. We note the important data brought to light by the September report of the International Rescue Committee on the plight of Syrian women and children. The collection of data must remain a priority for the international community to further bolster our arguments and ensure that justice prevails — without exception — for all. The numbers of the forcibly displaced continue to rise daily and require our urgent attention, with many fleeing today to neighbouring States. Displaced persons comprise one fifth of Lebanon’s population. In Jordan, the Zaatari refugee camp is Jordan’s third largest city, in terms of sheer numbers. The pressure on host communities is enormous, with ramifications in neighbouring countries as well. The United Arab Emirates has tried to play its part and has taken measures to address the needs of those forcibly displaced and to prevent and protect women from violence at international and regional levels. The United Arab Emirates has built the Mrajeeb Al-Fahood refugee camp at the Jordanian border, for Syrian refugees, exclusively for married couples, children and women. The family-focused nature of the camp has helped to protect women from harassment, extra-marital violence and exploitation and has served to reduce overall levels of violence towards women and children within the camp. The United Arab Emirates is also committed to advocacy within the United Nations. We have launched a panel series on women and peace and security in partnership with UN-Women and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security in support of the global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). The series aims to address the challenges associated with the implementation of the resolution and to identify emerging issues and generate opportunities to further the goals of the women and peace and security agenda. Yesterday our panel discussion explored the many roles that women play both in countering violent extremism and also, sometimes, as protagonists in its spread. The discussion was nuanced, but some clear recommendations and themes emerged. First, women must be included at the conceptual stage in the development of effective strategies to counter violent extremism. Secondly, we must acknowledge that women are not a homogenous group, and our approach should reflect that. Thirdly, we need to create the political spaces for the many voices of women to be heard. That is the space where we may find solutions in local and culturally specific contexts. Fourthly, we must recognize women as the agents of change that they are, and not solely as victims. Fifthly, we must always challenge the dominant narrative that views violent extremism through a strictly security-focused lens. By linking women’s roles in strategies to counter violent extremism with security issues, we run the risk of further marginalizing women and women’s organizations. We need to take a more holistic approach to forced displacement, where we look outside of conventional security approaches and focus on the development and everyday needs of the forcibly displaced. By addressing the everyday needs, we can help create an environment that allows for women, their families and communities to fully participate in the prevention of violent extremism in their own societies. Finally, we must continue to call for increasing funding for data collection and reporting to ensure that what is emerging as consensus in the conversation on the women-peace-security nexus is reinforced by hard facts. The United Nations remains the central forum for addressing the women and peace and security agenda. Much progress has been made through the continual, concerted efforts of UN-Women and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in addressing the gender-specific needs of internally displaced persons and refugees. The United Arab Emirates stands with our United Nations and international partners in that important endeavour and urges for 2015 to be the year where we move the dial forward in a significant way.

I now give the floor to the representative of Turkey.

I would like to thank Executive Director Mlambo-Ngucka, Assistant Secretary- General Mulet and Special Rapporteur Beyani for their insightful briefings. I also thank Ms. Suaad Allami from the Sadr City Women’s Centre and Legal Clinic for her remarks. As the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) draws closer, we welcome the continuing attention paid to the women and peace and security agenda in the Security Council and the Council’s spotlight on the issue of displacement and its effects on vulnerable groups. As the number of people who have been forcefully displaced now exceeds the number reached during the Second World War, which led us to establish this Organization, we are compelled to take urgent action to address the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially women and girls. Women and girls continue to be specifically targeted in conflicts. They are also vulnerable in post-conflict situations, mostly during contested political processes, ceasefires and the early days of the implementation of peace agreements. Moreover, conflict and displacement taking place in urban areas often increase the risk of sexual and gender-based violence. The informal urban setting has the potential to expose displaced people to evictions, discrimination in services and lack of access to housing. Therefore, displaced persons in urban areas require carefully crafted durable solutions that combine humanitarian and development approaches. We believe that there are three ways to tackle these challenges. First, eliminating the root causes of a conflict is the best way to prevent sexual violence. Yet that is not always easy. Therefore, in the short to medium term, ensuring the protection of IDP women and girls from sexual and other forms of gender-based violence is imperative. Prosecution of these acts is another necessity. During this period, multisectoral responses and continuing humanitarian assistance for displaced and stateless women have immediate lifesaving effects. Secondly, it is necessary to increase women’s meaningful participation and leadership in all aspects of decision-making and policy processes related to the displacement and protection of international peace and security. In this vein, there is a need to ensure women’s effective participation in peace processes, mediation efforts, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and recovery. Thirdly, in order to sustain their livelihoods, we need to empower displaced women and girls through a comprehensive approach to their education, health, psychosocial support and human rights. Empowered women and girls bring together empowered families and resilient communities that play a fundamental role in preventing violent extremism. In response to the forced displacement due to the tragedies in Syria and Iraq unfolding right across our border, Turkey has taken important steps to ensure assistance, protection and durable solutions for displaced women and girls. Let me take this opportunity to touch upon some measures and practices that Turkey has employed in the camps established for the Syrians fleeing the crisis, as they are, in our view, relevant to the women and peace and security agenda. Ensuring the gender balance in education is paramount. Therefore, the enrolment of girls in school and the continuation of their education are priority policies for Turkey. We also offer extensive vocational training for women and continue to provide additional subsistence assistance for women with no families for their empowerment in households and camps. Syrian families and women in the camps have an opportunity to attend lectures on issues such as maternal health, child mortality, psychosocial support, the human rights of women and girls and domestic violence. Measures to discourage early and family- forced marriages are also undertaken. Turkish personnel employed at the camps are regularly trained on the legal framework of international protection and gender-related issues, in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Within camps, public areas are constantly lit and put under closed circuit television surveillance in order to maintain public order. Outside the camps, Turkey has established violence monitoring and prevention centres in 14 provinces where significant Syrian populations live. We have more than 90 shelter houses at the disposal of Syrian women fleeing domestic or sexual violence. In order to complement primary health care services, we have given priority to reproductive health and psychosocial support services for victims who were targeted before and during their escape from violence. We continue to give priority to women’s participation in camps, with their inclusion in decision-making and camp administration, and we enable them to improve their awareness and skills through the support of various non-governmental organizations. In conclusion, I congratulate the Argentine presidency for today’s timely debate on the women and peace and security agenda. We thank the Member States and all the relevant United Nations bodies, in addition to all stakeholders at the local, national, regional and global levels, that are giving priority to the issue of the effects of displacement on women and girls.

I now give the floor to the representative of Viet Nam.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the 10 member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and my own country, Viet Nam. We commend your initiative, Madam President, to convene this annual open debate on women and peace and security. We are grateful for the detailed and comprehensive reports and briefings by the Secretary- General, the Assistant Secretary-General and the Executive Director of UN-Women. ASEAN is heartened by the progress made in the implementation of landmark resolution 1325 (2000) and the subsequent relevant resolutions, as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693). The role of women and issues related to women, including sexual and gender-based violence, gender equality and social exclusion, have been increasingly integrated in relevant mechanisms and regimes. Women’s participation in peace and security issues has been growing across the spectrum. The normative framework has been gradually strengthened and enforced on the ground. However, there is no room for complacency. More conflicts are raging. More women and girls are fleeing their homes. Basic services are badly needed, especially in health care and education. Sexual violence and organized crime targeting women and girls are still a source of serious concern in many regions. Gaps in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) remain to be addressed as we tackle new challenges. ASEAN is deeply concerned about the increasing number of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and stateless people. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 51.2 million people were forcibly displaced in 2013, a staggering 6 million more than the number only a year before. When basic institutions are in tatters, one cannot hope for better basic services for women and girls, let alone ways to address their specific health care needs. Of further concern is the fact that immediate security needs and chaos may force the normative framework and efforts for the protection of women and girls to be neglected and relegated to obscurity. ASEAN therefore welcome the initiative by Argentina to focus on the issue of women and girls as refugees and IDPs. As we are about to review 15 years of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), ASEAN finds it imperative that the international community, with the United Nations playing a central role, renew our commitment to promote the framework on women and peace and security. ASEAN believes those efforts should focus on the following areas. First, it goes without saying that, in addressing issues that women face in conflict settings, we must deal with the conditions that give rise to conflicts in the first place. Conflict prevention mechanisms, especially those under United Nations auspices, should be promoted. Political reconciliation, the rule of law, socioeconomic development and poverty eradication are the foundations for sustainable opportunities for women and girls. Institutions for gender equality and respect for human rights at the national and international levels should be continuously strengthened. Secondly, women’s participation in peace and security matters, especially at decision-making levels, must be enhanced. Their involvement has indeed been proven to be a vital factor in securing peace and promoting reconciliation in many instances. It is therefore essential to mainstream gender-sensitive approaches in promoting more inclusive and effective responses to conflicts, displacement and other humanitarian emergencies. With well-targeted actions to address their specific needs and ensure their full and meaningful participation at all levels, women and girls can thrive as both survivors and leaders. Thirdly, normative standards on women and peace and security should be further integrated into the relevant regional and national mechanisms. Efforts by ASEAN in the contex of the work of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and regional workshops on women and peace and security are cases in point. Fourthly, our understanding of many issues relating to women and peace and security and the way forward rely heavily on clear, current, accurate and verifiable data. It is important, therefore, that due care continue to be taken to ensure the integrity of data before reports emanating from the United Nations are released. Finally, ASEAN looks forward to the upcoming comprehensive review of the 15 years of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) by various United Nations entities, Member States and civil society. We welcome the global study announced by Ireland, the United Arab Emirates and UN-Women last month as a contribution to that process. ASEAN finds it most important that the review gather best practices, examine challenges and propose concrete measures for more effective implementation of the relevant resolutions and frameworks. Let me conclude by reiterating ASEAN’s commitment to working closely with Member States, the United Nations and regional organizations in our joint efforts to safeguard the rights and promote the role of women in conflict-related situations. That commitment stems from our collective understanding that, as women and girls are better off, so is all humankind.

I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.

Let me first of all thank today’s briefers for their insightful presentations, and Argentina for organizing this open debate. Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. We welcome the presidential statement adopted by the Council today (S/PRST/2014/21) and the detailed analysis of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693), which identifies many achievements on the women and peace and security agenda in the past years, but also the challenges remaining in order to ensure an effective and meaningful participation of women in all conflict- related settings. We share the view expressed by the Secretary-General that the review processes in 2015 should be used for greater synergies to strengthen the rights and participation of women. The plight of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is growing ever more alarming, and women and girls make up more than half of those displaced. The crises in Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic and the growing number of people fleeing from the terror of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant have given rise to those numbers. Over past years, we have witnessed targeted violence against women and girls, often committed in front of family members, being used as a tactic of warfare to terrorize local populations and break down community structures. That development has forced many people to leave their homes and their lives behind in order to protect their families and themselves. We need to ensure that women and girls — but also men and boys — who have suffered from violence receive adequate psychological counselling, especially all the necessary health-care services, to go from being a victim of violence to becoming a survivor. We also cannot forget those refugees who have spent decades away from their homes, as many Afghans, Somalis and Congolese have. Their experience shows us that we cannot just focus on the immediate needs of refugees, but need to consider the long-term task of enabling them to lead a life of dignity and determine their own fate. Education is a key factor for children who grow up in situations of displacement. Only quality education can lead to change, enabling future adults to have a self-determined life and to not simply be defined as a refugee. The dire situation of the Syrian refugees, especially women and children, has been the focus of many debates over the past years. In response to the request of Syria’s neighbours and urgent calls for action by the United Nations, German Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier invited 20 ministers and heads of United Nations agencies to a conference on the Syrian refugee situation, which took place today in Berlin and was co-chaired with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Participants agreed to strengthen medium-term humanitarian assistance and to mobilize additional development assistance in order to increase the resilience of communities and refugees in the face of what has already become a protracted situation. The conference has strengthened the bond between the international community and the host countries in the region in recognition of their hospitality towards millions of refugees. Participants agreed to pay particular attention to the situation of women and girls. In addition to taking political leadership, Germany has financed many concrete projects over the past years to support women in situations of displacement and their reintegration into society. To name but a few examples, we have funded projects for refugee camps in Jordan, Turkey and Iraq aimed at empowering women by supporting their common kitchen initiatives and creating child-friendly spaces. In Lebanon, Syrian women were trained in health care, hygiene and family planning in order to enable them to make informed decisions about their lives. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, repatriated women were supported in their reintegration into economic activities and trained in organization and management skills. In Germany itself, where we welcome increasing numbers of refugees, we have introduced a free nationwide multilingual helpline for women who are affected by violence. The specialized personnel giving initial counselling and guidance include experts on the issues of violence suffered in conflict settings. Women in displacement settings have great potential to be future leaders in their communities and countries. That potential cannot be wasted. We need to empower women in those situations and provide education and vocational training to them, especially in camps. They should be trained in order to take up positions in the management of refugee camps. While we focus today’s debate on displacement settings, we need to keep the full women and peace and security agenda in mind at all times for all conflict and post-conflict settings. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of effective, meaningful and real participation by women in conflict prevention, conflict management, peace negotiations, transitional justice and recovery efforts. It is not enough to merely let them be observers or beneficiaries of decision-making processes. The United Nations needs to ensure that women are involved in all United Nations-led peace and reconciliation processes. In that regard, we welcome the new gender forward-looking strategy for 2014-2018 of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support. The United Nations needs to set a good example and include women at all levels if we want others to follow. Civil society organizations can also play an important role. They can connect women’s organizations, train representatives and therefore empower women to take their rightful place in all decision-making. We believe that the Security Council can play a stronger role in this regard and implement the women and peace and security resolutions directly in this very Chamber. The Council should start to systematically mainstream women’s issues in all relevant spheres of its work. Whenever the Security Council is mandating or renewing mandates for United Nations missions or requesting briefings from envoys and special representatives, the issue of women and peace and security should be a central part of all considerations, as called for in the presidential statement adopted today. Germany will continue its support to UN-Women and all other relevant actors, including civil society organizations, to ensure that women’s roles and their important contribution in conflict resolution and peacebuilding are adequately taken into account.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Czech Republic.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening this important meeting. Last month, the Secretary-General reminded us in his opening speech (see A/69/PV.6) at the General Assembly that not since the end of the Second World War have there been so many refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers. It is a disturbing truth that makes it highly opportune to devote this Security Council meeting to the precarious situation of women and girls affected by displacement. In such situations, the increased vulnerability of women and girls is undisputable. We therefore greatly value the assistance that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is delivering to all in need, including women and girls, as well as the work of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons present in the Chamber today. But the very fact that women and girls are displaced or have to leave their country means that the State concerned, the region in question and our international community have already failed — failed in preventing crises that force people to flee in fear for their lives and physical integrity. Therefore, the increasing focus of the United Nations on prevention is encouraging. Resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security was a visionary document in that regard, one that perfectly recognized the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and post-conflict reconstruction. Now, 14 years after its adoption, we have the latest report (S/2014/693) of the Secretary-General in front of us, showing remarkable progress based on concrete indicators, but also gaps to be filled. The important appeal of the report is the stress on direct interaction with civil society and women peacebuilders, as well as the recognition of the important role of women political leaders, media personnel and human rights defenders, including the recognition of the high risks they are running when engaging publicly. More support and attention must be given to those courageous women, such as Ms. Allami, who spoke earlier at this meeting, as they are peacebuilders and peacekeepers at least to the same extent as the members of the United Nations missions. It is a sad reality that next to the well-known conflict and post-conflict situations that the Secretary- General examines in his report, we are faced with new situations where women are threatened with rape, torture and kidnapping, as well as forced displacement. That is happening in regions where, just a year ago, few would have expected such acts could possibly occur. We have recently heard disturbing accounts of the lawlessness, violence and brutality of paramilitary forces in Crimea and eastern Ukraine that affect severely both women human rights activists and ordinary women and girls of Ukraine, many of whom choose to flee their homes. According to the UNHCR figures of 2 September, there were over 260,000 displaced persons in Ukraine escaping the violence in eastern Ukraine. Obviously, a large number are women, girls and children. We are thankful for the concern voiced by High Commissioner Guterres in relation to Ukraine. At the same time, that deteriorating situation should not get notice only in relation to women internally displaced persons. Because of the high risk environment in which all women activists, media workers and social workers now operate in eastern Ukraine, we believe it deserves the continued attention of the United Nations and the Security Council, when debating issues such as women and peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Austria.

It is an honour for Austria to speak today in its capacity as current Chair of the Human Security Network and therefore on behalf of the following countries: Chile, Costa Rica, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, Norway, Panama, Switzerland, Thailand, Slovenia, South Africa as an observer, and my own country Austria. Let me first of all thank all speakers for their briefings and commend them for their important work. We also welcome the adoption of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21 earlier today. I would like to express our strong appreciation for the focus of today’s debate on refugee and displaced women and girls. The vast majority of displaced persons are women and girls who often face increased insecurity in their lives, health, rights and livelihoods and are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. While we note that significant progress has been made, especially at the normative level, we are deeply concerned that the progress has been hampered by a proliferation of new crises with outbreaks of violence and unprecedented levels of displacement, particularly affecting women and girls. Moreover, we are witnessing armed groups and violent extremist groups targeting women and girls in particular. Our group is deeply concerned about the use of systematic and widespread sexual violence as a tool of intimidation, retribution and social control, as well as the continued use of sexual violence as a means of displacing populations. We urge all parties to immediately cease such atrocities and to hold perpetrators to account. We also call upon the members of the Security Council to use all means at its disposal to address sexual violence in armed conflicts, including making referrals to the International Criminal Court and other relevant actions. We welcome the clear global, regional and national commitments taken to tackle that. We also welcome the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693), including those on steps that can be taken by the Security Council to reinforce and implement the prevention framework outlined in resolution 2106 (2013). We recognize especially the need to pay increased attention to improved protection and accountability for the full range of gender-related human rights violations. We support the efforts to strengthen early warning and early action ability to prevent and respond to serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. I wish to highlight in particular that women’s empowerment and participation are essential to any prevention and protection response. We need to strengthen our efforts to ensure that women in situations of displacement have access to resources, services, financial independence and decision-making processes. We need to develop tailor-made services for displaced women, foster gender-sensitive needs assessments and the collection of sex- and age-disaggregated data and to make progress in linking relief, rehabilitation and development. To improve the situation of women and girls, we also need to make better use of international legal and policy instruments. In that respect, we welcome the upcoming entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty, which mandates exporting States parties explicitly to take into account the risk of serious acts of gender- based violence or violence against women and children. Strengthening civil society, including grass-roots women’s organizations and networks that provide assistance to victims and survivors of sexual violence in conflict, can enable the restoration of dignity and respect and provide the necessary skills, treatment and care to empower individuals to protect themselves and defend their rights. The Human Security Network would like to reiterate the importance of women’s participation in all stages of conflict resolution processes. We strongly support the deployment of women protection advisers and the designation of gender focal points in the United Nations peacekeeping and political missions, and believe that their positions should be provided for within the missions’ budgets. To conclude, let me highlight the importance we place on reviewing our progress on women and peace and security next year in the context of the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In particular, on today’s anniversary, we are looking forward to the high-level review in 2015 to assess progress at the global, regional and national levels in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and especially to the renewed momentum we will gather to further strengthen and implement all our commitments on women and peace and security. The global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) is an important step in that direction and we look forward to the results of that important study. We must all strive to improve the protection of women and girls in situations of conflict or displacement, and the Human Security Network will continue to contribute to that shared goal. Finally, in my national capacity, I would like to add that as a contribution to UN-Women’s campaign in the lead-up to the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as to the global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), Austria will host an international symposium in Vienna early next month. The symposium’s results will be published in a policy paper intended to sum up real-life expertise in conflict prevention, analysis, resolution and peacebuilding, and to provide recommendations on how to address the most pressing issues.

I now give the floor to the representative of New Zealand.

I thank you for convening this important debate today, Madam President. I would also like to thank this morning’s briefers for their thought-provoking presentations. New Zealand welcomes the ongoing development and strengthening of the normative frameworks around the agenda on women and peace and security, made manifest through the various Security Council resolutions adopted over the past decade and a half. The challenge now is to put those concepts into practice, as is the case in other areas of the Council’s work. Focusing on the needs of particular groups can shine a light on the implementation gaps that should be addressed. That is why we particularly welcome your initiative, Madam President, in focusing today’s debate on displaced women and girls. As other speakers have noted today, the number of displaced people is higher now than at any time since the Second World War. The rise of violent extremism is also raising severe challenges to protection. In the turmoil of conflict and post-conflict situations, displaced women and girls are uniquely exposed to the erosion of protection standards. Traditional community-based frameworks of stability disappear, and the urgency and uncertainty of ongoing violence obscure its long-term consequences for vulnerable groups. The challenges to the protection of displaced women and girls remain acute. Sexual violence in conflict is still a particular vulnerability. There is a need for responses that can address all violations of rights in conflict. Incorporating gender indicators into early warning frameworks could be a useful practical step to help identify vulnerabilities as quickly as possible and to target responses. To have a real chance of finding solutions, we should combine that awareness of vulnerability with an equally strong recall of the premises of the agenda on women and peace and security, going back to resolution 1325 (2000) — that is, that women and girls have an important active role to play in preventing and resolving conflict. Sustainable solutions cannot work if women’s participation is not addressed with that perspective in mind. That is why we must ensure that women and girls are consulted and listened to at every stage of peacebuilding and programme design. That is the only way we will realize their potential as leaders. There are worthy examples of this in practice, but the challenge is to ensure that it happens far more regularly. It requires sustained and conscious effort, including the active recruitment, training and promotion of women leaders both in affected communities and at Headquarters, so that they are part of the most senior levels of decision-making. Regional organizations can also play an important role in facilitating the rise of women and girls as agents of change. As we have heard today, the cycle of displacement can often last many years, spanning initial displacement, resettlement and recovery — and, eventually, return. We acknowledge that the challenges that displaced women and girls face are not related merely to immediate protection, but also extend to the consequences for their livelihoods, health care and legal status and rights. We must ensure that the international community’s response addresses those challenges in an holistic way, so that displacement does not lead to a lifetime of disadvantage and vulnerability, and that their leadership potential and contribution to peace and security can be realized.

I now give the floor to the representative of India.

We thank you for organizing this debate on a matter of considerable importance, Madam President. We would also like to thank the Executive Director of UN-Women, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and the representatives of civil society for their briefings. It is a fact that women bear a disproportionately higher share of the burden of conflict, but have a marginal say on matters of war and peace. That is a function of the gender imbalance in our societies reflected in positions of power and influence. It is therefore important to underline that the equal participation of women in power structures and their full involvement in all efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts are essential to the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. To put it simply, women should occupy positions of influence. Looking at you, Madam President, we are pleased to see that there has been some progress in that direction. In its resolution 1325 (2000), the Security Council set out a visionary agenda for achieving gender equality as a prerequisite for peaceful, inclusive and just societies. As the Secretary-General has noted, considerable progress has been made at the normative level. The challenge lies in implementation and in sustaining progress. Of particular concern are extremism and the targeted violence and human-rights violations linked to terrorist acts against women and girls. It is important that the situation of displaced women and girls be directly addressed. As the concept note (S/2014/731, annex) circulated by the presidency indicates, on every single day in 2013, violent conflicts displaced some 32,000 people from their homes. Three quarters of the refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) were women and children. We support the recommendation that a gender perspective be integrated into policies concerning refugees and IDPs. We do not subscribe to the view that women should form part of the military component of peacekeeping missions. No useful purpose would be served by women becoming a part of military culture and glorifying it. That said, we do feel that women can play an important role in policing functions. Research has repeatedly shown that women perform certain specific police duties better than men. We are therefore happy to be contributing an all-female formed police unit to the United Nations Mission in Liberia. I should also take this opportunity to mention an Indian police inspector, Shakti Devi, who was deployed to the United Nations Assistamce Mission in Afghanistan and recently received the International Female Police Peacekeepers Award for exceptional achievements in establishing women police councils in several parts of Afghanistan. Her consistent engagement in improving services for victims of sexual and gender-based violence has led to the successful investigation and prosecution of a number of cases. We are proud that the work of a female Indian police officer in a United Nations peacekeeping mission is inspiring others to follow her example in the quest to redress the disproportionate burden that women bear in times of war and conflict. I turn now to a point that we have made previously before the Council: by definition, it is States that are parties to the treaty-based system of international law. By and large they respect it, and when they do not, penalties arise through the provisions in the treaties. When their actions gravely threaten peace and security, sanctions can be imposed against them through the action of the Council. The most egregious crimes against women, however, have been and are committed by irregular forces, often warring against Governments. They obey no laws and are, as experience has shown, much more immune to sanctions than Governments are. The Council needs to focus its attention on such forces, which are responsible for the bulk of the crimes committed against women. Conflict situations vary; each has its own causes and consequences. There can be no off-the-shelf remedy or panacea. We need to take practical and effective steps to mitigate the impact of conflict on women and to enhance their ability to restore and preserve peace. This will be our last statement before the Security Council under your presidency, Madam. We would therefore like to place on record our very warm appreciation for the work of your delegation in the Council and for the maturity and understanding that your country has brought to issues relating to the maintenance of international peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Belgium.

Belgium fully associates itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and would like add the following remarks in a national capacity. My delegation thanks the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Mr. Chaloka Beyani; and the founder and Director of Sadr City Women’s Centre and Legal Clinic, Ms. Suaad Allami, for their statements. My delegation also thanks the Argentinian presidency for having convened today’s open debate. Belgium welcomes the subject chosen for today’s debate, which remains of great relevance. As indicated in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693), the past year was marked by a series of troubling developments and heinous crimes related to violent conflicts, in many cases of a terrorist nature, resulting in new mass displacements of populations. My country is concerned about the persistence of sexual and gender- based violence against women in conflicts. The violent acts committed in Nigeria by Boko Haram and in Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant are further evidence of a determination to deliberately target women and girls, kidnap them, enslave them or even sell them as slaves. It is an abhorrent development to which we absolutely must find an appropriate response. We know that the vast majority of displaced persons are women and girls. Their specific needs must therefore be recognized and taken into account in situations of displacement and in refugee camps. In times of conflict, it is often important to respond quickly. It is all the more important, therefore, to anticipate and provide for the specific contexts and needs of women so as to ensure that those aspects are not overlooked during emergency interventions. To ensure the safety and protection of women and girls in the framework of humanitarian work, it is also important, first, to take into account the specific requirements for the protection of women and girls in the context not only of humanitarian assistance, but also of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes and security sector reform. Secondly, we must ask humanitarian organizations to make the security of women and girls a priority in the organization and management of refugee camps. In that regard, it is essential to improve the participation and leadership of women in decision-making committees and structures in refugee and displaced persons camps so as, inter alia, to ensure that they can express and highlight their concerns with regard to matters of organization, health and safety. Thirdly, we must accord the necessary priority to financial support for women heads of households in situations of displacement and in refugee camps, because without income, their precarious situation puts them at further risk.

I now give the floor to the representative of Uruguay.

My delegation would like to commend you, Madam President, for convening this debate. We express our appreciation to all those who work daily to promote peace and security, especially women. I also wish to thank the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and Mr. Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for their presentations. The focus of today’s debate, “Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors”, could not have be more timely, now when we are seeing the number of displaced persons rise to alarming proportions and mass violence and humanitarian disasters continue to get worse in various parts of the world. According to the Global Trends report prepared annually by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the number of displaced people had reached 51.2 million by late 2013. The Uruguayan Government has taken steps to provide a humanitarian response in the crisis being experienced by refugees from the conflict in Syria by undertaking to host 120 Syrian refugees. Five families, including 33 children, have already reached our country. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the women and peace and security agenda has noticeably advanced in both breadth and depth. It now occupies a recognized place among the set of legal instruments, policies and concrete actions of the Organization, championing the importance of the gender perspective in all conflict situations, especially in rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction. In that regard, the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693) lists a number of accomplishments in 2013, such as the adoption of two new Security Council resolutions, the declaration by the Peacebuilding Commission on women’s economic empowerment for peacebuilding, and the inclusion of a provision on gender-based violence in the Arms Trade Treaty, among others. We welcome that progress. Unfortunately, despite the legal and policy developments, we as a troop- contributing country can attest that in the areas of peacekeeping and peacebuilding, civilians, particularly women and girls, remain the main victims in armed conflicts and post-conflict situations. In particular, we note with deep concern the violence against certain groups of people and violations of the human rights of women and girls arising from terrorism, transnational organized crime and extremism. In that regard, we agree with the Secretary-General when he notes the challenge of implementing and sustaining progress in all measures and standards relating to women and peace and security. Prevention is a cornerstone of the women and peace and security agenda. In particular, the prevention of sexual violence in conflicts is a priority to which my country gives special attention. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Uruguay has deployed some 1,000 troops to fulfil many tasks in the protection of civilians, joint protection teams are used to monitor and address violations of human rights in remote areas. Our troops conduct patrols to prevent the rape of women and girls in remote places, such as when they go to fetch water, and have successfully prevented and deterred potential aggression. The vulnerability to sexual or gender-based violence experienced by refugees, asylum-seekers, returnees, stateless persons and the internally displaced during conflict, flight and displacement is alarming. The international community should give serious consideration to effective ways to prevent that. We also emphasize the need for greater attention to the rehabilitation of victims of grave violations and the reinstatement of their rights, particularly in cases of sexual abuse or exploitation. We believe activities to combat impunity are important, including the appointment of specialists to investigate sexual and gender-based crimes. Finally, we think it is important to ensure strict adherence to the code of conduct by all those participating in United Nations contingents deployed on ground, based on the zero-tolerance policy. The participation of women in all aspects of the peace and security agenda is also extremely important. It is clear that there is a link between the participation of women in decision-making and the enjoyment of their human rights. Therefore it is fundamental to increase their participation and leadership in the context of refugees and internally displaced persons. Although the Secretary-General notes in his report (S/2014/693) the trend, particularly from 2010, of increasing participation by women in all processes, including the appointment of women as mediators and envoys, we think that we are still far from achieving the desired goal. Moreover, we share the idea expressed in the report that improving the protection of women and girls will require more women police and military personnel. Uruguay has been in the vanguard when it comes to incorporating women into the armed forces, and that is reflected in the number of women deployed by the armed forces and the national police in the Uruguayan contingents in the peacekeeping missions. Women always participate on a volunteer basis and have acquitted themselves in an outstanding manner, with interesting repeat figures that demonstrate their commitment to the objectives of those missions. However, we note with concern the data published in the report that indicates that as of March 2014, 97 per cent of military personnel and 90 per cent of police in peacekeeping operations were men. That percentage has not changed since 2011. Uruguay believes that the women and peace and security agenda is a fundamental part of the broader agenda linked with children in armed conflicts and the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. It is therefore fundamental to make progress in a coordinated way, achieving synergies, avoiding duplication of efforts and making the most effective use possible of the instruments that this Organization has on the ground. We think that many of the limitations can be corrected with clear, predictable strategies, appropriate for each mission, and with better coordination among the different actors on ground — especially with the host country, which has primary responsibility for protection.

I now give the floor to the representative of Croatia.

Croatia thanks the Argentine presidency for convening this annual debate on women and peace and security, because it is an important issue that requires our full and constant attention. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the observer of the European Union. I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity. Croatia welcomes the focus of today’s debate on refugee and internally displaced women and girls, in particular the women’s role as leaders in displacement and refugee settings and, in the broader context, their role in addressing the root causes of the conflicts that resulted in the displacement. We also welcome the report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693), as well as the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) adopted earlier today. Today’s debate comes at a timely juncture, in light of the forthcoming 2015 high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), as well as a massive increase in global forced displacement. For the first time since the Second World War the number of refugees and internally displaced persons has exceeded 50 million people worldwide. Half of that population are women and girls. That is not only a reason for our deep concern; it is also an incentive for concrete actions. Croatia is particularly worried about the recent rise of radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism that leads to new mass displacements, increased incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, targeted attacks on women and girls and those defending their rights, and other atrocities and human rights violations. One of the reasons why my country pays so much attention to that matter is the fact that Croatia itself experienced war and a long and painful refugee crisis. In the 1990s we provided protection and assistance for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, as well as for refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, most of whom were women and children. We know from our own experience how war can affect women and girls. Women suffered violations of their human rights, including rape and maltreatment. Rape was used as a tactic of war and an instrument of ethnic cleansing. We have seen the impact of the violations on women’s human rights, on their lives and on their physical and mental health. Our own experience teaches us the importance of adequately addressing conflict-related violations of women’s rights, including sexual violence, and of providing necessary assistance, health care, psychological counselling and financial support for those women. Displaced women and girls are among the most vulnerable groups in the world. The reasons often lie in the entrenched gender-based stereotypes and discriminatory legal frameworks and practices, including gender-based discrimination in access to documents and resources, education and employment, poor reproductive health care and exclusion from decision-making processes. However, women should not be seen only as victims of conflict. They are also agents of peace and should be an integral part of decision-making in the process of restoring and maintaining peace and rebuilding their societies. Still, the sad fact is that women continue to face significant barriers to successfully participating and playing roles in those processes. To ensure their equal participation and to guarantee the protection of their rights remains one of the major challenges. Crises and conflicts increase the economic and social vulnerability of women and girls. Nevertheless, the post-conflict period also offers opportunities to transform societies in order to change the entrenched patriarchal norms, including by addressing long- standing inequalities, empowering women and ensuring their roles as leaders and agents of democratic changes in their respective communities. At the ministerial side event that Croatia organized on the margins of the General Assembly’s sixty-ninth session this autumn, as a sort of follow-up to the Peacebuilding Commission ministerial meeting held a year ago — a meeting chaired by the Croatian Foreign Minister — we had the privilege to hear inspirational stories of women from Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Africa and Croatia who help bring about peace, development and reconciliation in their communities. We believe that it is very important that the post- 2015 sustainable development framework contributes to achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s rights. We particularly stress the importance of providing women and girls with equal access to education — but also of educating boys and men. Resolution 1325 (2000) and the subsequent resolutions on women and peace and security set out a visionary agenda for achieving gender equality as a prerequisite for peaceful, inclusive and just societies. What we need now is to translate the existing commitments into concrete actions that will bring tangible benefits for the advancement of women and girls with regard to their political and economic empowerment, as well as the full realization of their human rights, both in times of conflict and in times of peace. Let me conclude by stressing once again that Croatia strongly supports any effort aimed at increasing the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, promoting women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and ending impunity for sexual violence in conflict, preventing and punishing acts of sexual violence, as well as bringing justice, services and reparations to victims. We wholeheartedly advocate the advancement of the women and peace and security agenda because we strongly believe that if peace and security are to be sustained, women must be empowered, their voices heard and their participation guaranteed.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Netherlands.

Let me first express our deepest appreciation to Argentina for organizing this important open debate on women and peace and security. We especially welcome the special focus on displaced women and girls. The urgency of this topic is evident. The world faces unprecedented numbers of refugees and displaced persons. Three-quarters of them are women and girls. We also thank the Secretary-General for his annual report (S/2014/693) on resolution 1325 (2000). The Netherlands fully endorses the report and its recommendations. We align ourselves with the statement delivered earlier on behalf of the European Union. In view of the time constraints, my full speech will be available via Twitter and on our website. Here, I will limit myself to the key points on the need for women’s leadership, the need for the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 2122 (2013), and the way ahead. The Kingdom of the Netherlands strongly believes in the power of women. They must be leaders; they must be key participants in political decision-making, in conflict prevention, in conflict resolution, and in conflict recovery. Women can and must play an important role in addressing the root causes of the conflicts that cause so many refugees. Women must participate in decision-making on humanitarian issues, such as the provision of emergency assistance. We admire the work of women’s human rights defenders, who fight for equality, also within conflict- affected areas. The international community should acknowledge the risks they face, support their efforts and ensure their safety. We support the call of the Secretary-General for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services in conflict- affected settings in all its aspects, including family- planning material and safe abortions for victims of rape. In the light of the current humanitarian needs around the world, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has substantially increased humanitarian funding, providing a total of €570 million for the period 2014- 2017. This includes €10 million for UNICEF in view of its focus on the vulnerability of girls in humanitarian emergency situations. The Kingdom of the Netherlands gives priority to the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 2122 (2013). We supported the women of Syria in coming together under the Syrian Women’s Initiative for Peace and Democracy. We made their voices heard, working closely together with the Department of Political Affairs and UN-Women. We invest in gender expertise at strategic positions to allow for a more effective and strategic implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. In addition, we believe in the added value of training people on the ground on issues related to women and peace and security. In our National Action Plan 1325 (2000), the Government, knowledge institutions and civil society work in partnership in the Netherlands. The purpose of the Plan is to empower women in six focus countries and in the Middle East and North Africa. It has an annual budget of €4 million. This cooperation is a powerful instrument for effective action for women’ s empowerment. We aim for the inclusion of women in peace negotiations and of women and peace and security dimensions in peace agreements. We welcome the sustained positive trend reflected in the report of the Secretary-General, and we are committed to working with the United Nations system and with other countries and relevant partners to further improve on this trend. With respect to the way ahead, we are horrified by today’s violent extremism and its despicable effects on women and girls. We should include the women and peace and security agenda while drafting responses to these terrible situations. We should support the role of women as mothers, wives and sisters in countering violent extremism, and we should strengthen women’s civil society and women’s political participation and leadership. Furthermore, we should use the opportunities which the coming year has to offer. The Netherlands supports the inclusion of a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 agenda, and we support the integration of these issues across the framework. In February, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will organize an international conference that will address the 1325 agenda and the review process for peace operations. The results of the conference will provide input for the United Nations high-level review of peace operations, the report of which should be ready by April 2015. Key issues, in our view, will be the participation and leadership of women in conflict and transitional situations. In conclusion, together we must maintain the women and peace and security agenda as a priority. Together, we must translate our words into concrete action on the ground, by empowering women, by promoting gender equality, by investing in training, by working together with civil society, by learning from each other, and by seeing women as leaders, and not just as victims. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has the ambition to be a partner for peace, justice and development, and women are crucial in all these three domains.

I now give the floor the representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I thank you, Madam President for organizing this important and timely debate. Our thanks also go to all of today’s speakers We take their remarks very seriously. Bosnia and Herzegovina aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier today by the observer of the European Union. At the outset, I will quote the Secretary-General’s statement of 1 October in Geneva to the Executive Committee of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: “Never before in United Nations history have we had so many refugees, displaced people and asylum-seekers. Never before has the United Nations been asked to reach so many with emergency food assistance and other life-saving support.” In the context of these alarming words, we want to express our deep concerns about heavy civilian casualties, massive displacements of population, serious human rights violations and worsening humanitarian situations in several parts of the world. We are distressed by the global trends report, which shows that 51.2 million people were forcibly displaced in 2013 alone. In the same year, 2.5 million people from one single country — Syria — became refugees and 6.5 million became internally displaced persons (IDPs). Furthermore, all statistics shows that women and children, who make up the majority of refugees and IDPs, are the most vulnerable part of the population. We had the same situation in the 1990s during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bearing all this in mind we strongly call upon the entire international community, the United Nations and major players and stakeholders to provide a more comprehensive response to the current crisis in order to protect civilians and human rights. We recognize the achievements made at the normative level through the adoption of resolutions 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013), and we especially welcome the commitments made in the areas of woman, peace and security regarding the situation of refugees, IDPs and stateless women and girls. We appreciate the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and all her activities to highlight the need for more sustainable protection of women and girls in that regard. A crucial element in women’s protection is the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and all international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. In that regard, we strongly support the work, activities and role of UN-Women and all its initiatives. My country is committed to the provisions of the declaration on preventing sexual violence in conflict adopted by the Foreign Ministers of the Group of Eight in London in 2013. We believe that the prosecution of sexual violence crimes, as well as national ownership and responsibility in addressing of the root causes of sexual violence in armed conflict, are central to preventing such acts. Sexual violence in conflict cannot be accepted as a cultural phenomenon. Bearing in mind that sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations affects women and girls, as well as men and boys, we see it as the most brutal manifestation of discrimination against the human being. The victims very often have to fight outside factors  — such as social stigma, where the victims are blamed and penalized — yet perpetrators are free to lead a normal life. Therefore, we advocate the importance of victims’ access to justice in conflict and post-conflict situations. My country has a track record of action to implement resolution 1325 (2000), and we were the first country in Central Eastern Europe to develop and comprehensively implement a national action plan. For example, our plan requires that a zero-tolerance approach be applied to any form of illicit sexual behaviour on the part of peacekeeping personnel. In this context, we would like to stress the importance of recent tangible changes in the mandates of peacekeeping and special political missions, which includes monitoring training for peacekeepers in the prevention of violence against women refugees and IDPs. Integrating a gender perspective into peacekeeping policies, the promotion of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations, and the deployment of women protection advisers to missions is fundamental to a more effective performance on the ground. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a police- and troop-contributing country. The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina have adopted a policy to ensure that one-third of the nominated candidates for peacekeeping missions are women. Accordingly, among the deployed police officers from my country in South Sudan, Liberia and Cyprus, 21 per cent are female. Women peacekeepers have an operational advantage by empowering local women, girls and society as a whole. Education should be one of the priorities, as refugees and displaced girls are often short-changed on education. We want to highlight this issue as an essential to ensuring the safety and empowerment of the individual. Finally, we would like to point out that the time has come to strongly convert our commitments and promises into real actions on the ground in order to prevent violence, protect individuals, punish perpetrators and provide redress to victims. My country stands ready to contribute to those efforts.

I give the floor to the representative of Ireland.

Ireland commends you, Madam, for organizing today’s debate and its particular focus on refugee and displaced women and girls. We align ourselves with the statement made on behalf of the European Union and with that delivered by the representative Austria on behalf of the Human Security Network. We welcome the adoption today of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21, which recognizes the heightened risks faced by refugee and internally displaced women and girls. This debate could not be more timely. Today, as many speakers have observed, the proliferation of crises and protracted conflicts has led to a situation in which we have the highest number of refugees, asylum- seekers and internally displaced persons since the end of the Second World War, with more than 51 million affected. If this number represented a country, it would be greater than the population of Argentina and would be approaching that of the Republic of Korea. It is a simple fact that the majority of this vast wave of dislocated humanity is comprised of women and girls. It is also a fact that they face multiple forms of discrimination and violations. In Syria, we have witnessed the largest one-year refugee exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago, with almost a third of the country on the move involuntarily. In South Sudan, where more than 1 million displaced people are surviving in dire conditions, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms Bangura, attested to the “unimaginable living conditions, acute day-to-day protection concerns and rampant sexual violence” (S/PV.7282, p. 4) in that country. The specific threats of conflict faced by women and girls present themselves in some very old ways and also in new and disturbing ones. I am glad, however, that today’s debate takes full account of resolution 2122 (2013) and moves away from a narrow view of women as victims of their circumstances, recognizing that they are often leaders within their communities who must be politically, socially and economically empowered. The emphasis in presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21, on the need to ensure the full and meaningful participation of women and girls through all stages of the displacement cycle, is welcomed. There is, however, quite evidently a significant gap in implementation, as the most recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693) outlines, and there is a need to link the women and peace and security agenda to other policy frameworks. The yardstick for change lies at the level of implementation; the challenge before us is to translate political commitments into real, positive improvements in the lives of women and girls affected by armed conflict. In addition to confronting sexual violence in conflict, there is a need to improve the protection afforded to women and girls in humanitarian emergencies. The protection of women and girls is one of the key criteria in Ireland’s decisions on humanitarian funding, including in programmes of support to displaced persons. Our national action plan on resolution 1325 (2000), which is currently being updated, also prioritizes empowerment and access to services for refugee and asylum-seeking women in Ireland. In April, on the occasion of the most recent open debate on women and peace and security (see S/PV.7160), Ireland supported a discussion involving Ms Bangura and a Myanmar representative of civil society and former refugee, Ms. Naw K’nyaw Paw. Fleeing persecution, Ms. K’nyaw Paw’s family joined 110,000 Karen people now living in refugee camps that run the length of the Thailand-Myanmar border. In line with resolution 2122 (2013), we must step up efforts to support the leadership of thousands like her. We must listen to, invest in and build the capacity of individual women and of women-led civil society organizations to ensure durable solutions. Across the women and peace and security agenda, the lack of a clear evidence base remains a challenge. Attaining greater access to data is the only way in which we can truly assess progress and identify barriers to implementation. Ireland supports the increased use of sex- and age-disaggregated data in the design and implementation of programmes. Evidence shows us that gender markers contribute to better planning and understanding of how the women and peace and security agenda is funded. Ireland welcomes the Secretary- General’s recent report (S/2014/693), which suggests that the Council request data and analysis on the situation of women and girls on a more frequent basis. We also welcome the call by this Council in today’s presidential statement for more systematic collection, analysis and utilization of sex- and age-disaggregated data. The Arms Trade Treaty is the first legally binding international agreement adopted by the General Assembly to regulate international transfers of conventional weapons and ammunition. It has been ratified by 80 per cent of the members of the Council and is also the first treaty to recognize the links between the international arms trade and gender-based violence. Both of these firsts signify meaningful advancement for international humanitarian law, human rights, and peace and security. As one of the Treaty’s strongest supporters, Ireland looks forward to its coming into force within a number of weeks. We need, however, to ensure gender criteria and related commitments are given full attention in its implementation. As we look towards the high-level review of resolution 1325 (2000) next year, we must fully grasp this opportunity to take stock of where we have had significant impact over the past 15 years, to fill in knowledge gaps, to critically examine persistent and emerging challenges, and to capture lessons learned and good practices across all regions. Last month, Ireland was delighted to co-host the launch of the global study to review resolution 1325 (2000), and we will continue to support the study over the coming months. In conclusion, we need to move beyond mere potential and opportunity and to effect real change in the lives of women and girls. We need more consistent and systematic application of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions on the issue. We need to be ambitious in driving local ownership and in addressing the root causes of why women and girls are so disproportionately affected by conflict. And we need to ensure that women are fully and effectively empowered as key stakeholders in the prevention and resolution of conflict.

I now give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan.

I wish to thank you, Madam President, for having convened this important debate to discuss ways to advance the women and peace and security agenda, with a focus on displaced women. I also thank the Secretary-General for his insightful report (S/2014/693), which updates us on the progress and challenges pertaining to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Our appreciation also goes to all briefers for their informative statements earlier today. Conflicts, with their security, socioeconomic and humanitarian implications, continue to expose affected countries on the whole, and women in particular, to the full range of human rights violations. Regrettably, abuse, gender-based violence and discrimination have become recognizable patterns in the conflict and post-conflict settings. It is a matter of great concern, as highlighted in the report, that these trends are deliberate campaigns against women’s rights. Based on our own tragic experiences of the aggression to which Azerbaijan was exposed in the early 1990s, acts of violence and the trauma they cause to victims are not easy to heal physically and psychologically, and have long-term impacts on societies that also have a bearing on the prospects of lasting peace and reconciliation. In situations of mass displacement, ensuring the physical security, well-being and protection of the rights of women should be seen not as an add-on element, but rather as an essential component of the protection agenda. Greater and timely support for efforts promote gender equality and facilitate women’s economic and political empowerment can be an important practical step towards mitigating the vulnerability of displaced women in conflict and post-conflict settings. Special attention should be paid to the situation of women and girls in protracted displacement. By the same token, more needs to be done to strengthen the capacities of Governments and to complement efforts of hosting societies to ensure the sustainable social reintegration and rehabilitation of displaced persons, in particular women and girls. The unresolved conflicts in many parts of the world — involving continued incidents of violence against women and girls, mass displacement flows and related humanitarian crisis — require renewed attention to the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda and leadership to deliver on the commitments set out in the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). We welcome the efforts that the United Nations system has put in place to mainstream the priorities and commitments under the women and peace and security agenda into policy and operational tools. These certainly have contributed to strengthening normative and institutional safeguards and accountability frameworks in support of implementation. Beyond doubt, much more needs to be done by States, the United Nations system, and human rights and humanitarian actors. Prevention should be our common goal, and we share the view that it is important to explore the broader prevention aspects of resolution 1325 (2000). In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the designation criteria relating to human rights and sexual violence within the current sanctions regime as an important step towards the operationalization of prevention and enforcement tools. Strengthening mechanisms for the control of small arms and lights weapons and enforcement can also serve as effective means of prevention. In the meantime, we should remained focused on strengthening the capacity and capability of peacekeeping missions to identify early risks and effectively respond to them, including through regular training for gender advisers and the promotion of the role of women protection advisers in peacekeeping missions. On the next steps, while appreciating that gains have been made in strengthening the political will and international legal framework to secure justice for conflict-related sexual violence crimes, we believe that more attention should be paid to addressing the full range of violations and crimes experienced by women, including gendered impacts of enforced disappearances, foreign occupation, mass forced diplacement, restrictions on humanitarian aid, conflict- related trafficking and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Combating impunity and strengthening both international and national justice responses to these crimes is equally crucial. It is critical to ensure respect for the rule of law, and that the rule of law in conflict and post-conflict situations comprehensively promotes justice and accountability in ways that further the equal rights of women and their right to equal participation in decision-making. Reparation programmes, a key justice priority for women, deserve greater attention and support as a tool for delivering justice and recovery for victims and long-term peace dividends within communities. The need to rebuild the justice and security sectors is critical, not only for the protection of women and combating impunity, but also for enabling women to participate in all aspects of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, which are key pillars of the women and peace and security agenda. Azerbaijan remains committed to implementation and is pleased to have made a contribution to the work of the Council during its presidency in October 2013, including the adoption of resolution 2122 (2013). We look forward to the high-level review of the implementation and cooperation with interested States, UN-Women and other relevant entities in the process of preparations of the global study.

I now give the floor to the representative of Syria.

I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

My delegation would like to warmly thank you, Madam President, for organizing this debate devoted to the topic of women refugees and victims of forced displacement. My delegation would also like to commend Argentina for promoting the issue of the rights of women in the Security Council as one of that country’s priorities. This year is the fourteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) by the Security Council. The resolution acknowledges the contribution of women to peace and security, both at the international and national levels, and promotes their participation in all aspects of conflict resolution as well as in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also urges all States and United Nations agencies to a wide range of measures to enhance the participation of women in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and promote the respect and protection of their fundamental rights. Since 2000, six other resolutions have been adopted by the Security Council aimed at strengthening the normative architecture for protecting the rights of women before, during and after conflicts. These resolutions mark a turning point in the international community’s commitment to promoting the participation of women in peace negotiations and send a clear message against the endemic and systematic use of sexual violence as a tactic of war. Fourteen years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), and in spite of the six other Council resolutions, we must nevertheless conclude that there is limited progress in their effective implementation. The report released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on 20 June notes that the number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons throughout the world has reached a record level for the first time since the end of Second World War — specifically, 51.2 million refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers. In 2013 there were 32,000 displaced people every day, three quarters of whom were women and children. In addition, the reports reveal that women and girls are increasingly exposed to a lack of basic services, humanitarian aid or even official documents. Those women and girls, in fleeing violence and fighting, find themselves once again exposed to sexual exploitation, rape, prostitution, forced marriage or pregnancy, or forced sterilization. Worse — in the twenty-first century — they are being auctioned off and sold at the slave markets. That is reprehensible. Morocco strongly condemns such barbaric, brutal and inhumane methods and practices, especially as they have serious consequences for the establishment of peace and lasting reconciliation. Such acts of violence, threats of such acts or incitement to commit them constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions. I would even say they are a crime against humanity, as women make up half of humanity. Helping those women and girls is a major challenge for the international community, as many of them are in conflict zones where aid is difficult to deliver and they do not have the international protection granted to refugees and internally displaced persons. Applicable international law holds that States have the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of all persons within their territory, and it is within their jurisdiction to prevent gender-based violence and respond effectively. At the same time, it is incumbent on the parties to armed conflict to take all possible measures to ensure the protection of civilians and to fulfil their basic needs. Non-State armed groups undoubtedly represent a major challenge, given their responsibility in most of the recent armed conflicts, their involvement in atrocities and massacres of civilians and their appropriation of humanitarian aid resources or commandeering of such resources for the purposes of war. The Kingdom of Morocco believes that the best protection is based on full respect for refugees’ basic rights, regardless of their status. That is a primary, noble and fundamental aspect of human rights, which should be the bedrock of international protection. Those fundamental rights include, on a priority basis, that of free return to the country of origin in safety and dignity and resettlement or integration. Similarly, registering refugees becomes particularly important in that it allows them to ensure the protection and enjoyment of their fundamental rights. Registration and identification programmes can also have a positive impact on the empowerment of refugee women. In conclusion, let me highlight the following elements. First, strong political will and total commitment by Member States to the provisions of resolution 1325 (2000) will allow for active participation by women in national, regional and international institutions for the prevention, protection and management of conflict situations. Secondly, the militarization of refugee camps is a gross violation of human rights that makes the distinction between combatants and non-combatants difficult and hinders the work of humanitarian actors. Thirdly, women refugees and internally displaced persons should be informed of the fundamental, legal, security and material rights offered by their country of origin. Fourthly, I would highlight the importance of ensuring broad participation by all refugee and internally displaced women in decision-making bodies in refugee or internally displaced communities. Fifthly, there is a need to increase the funding necessary to ensuring comprehensive multisectoral responses, such as the availability of medical and legal of services that are essential for the empowerment of women in conflict and post-conflict situations.

I now give the floor to the representative of Afghanistan.

I thank you, Madam President, for organizing such an important meeting, and congratulations on your leadership of the Council this month. I would also like to thank previous speakers for their statements and the Secretary-General for his recent report (S/2014/693) on women and peace and security. I look forward to his global study of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and the upcoming high-level review of the resolution. This debate could not have come at a more timely moment. War and conflict affect more lives today — all over the world, but particularly in Afghanistan and the wider region — than at any time in recent history. Millions of families have been forced to flee their homes, and millions of women and children have been left vulnerable, bearing the brunt of the burden of those tragic circumstances. The people of Afghanistan, particularly women and girls, have suffered immensely as a result of almost 40 years of war and conflict. The violence in my country has shattered their lives, interrupted their educations, threatened their livelihoods, destroyed their communities and pushed them from their homes to other countries or to unfamiliar cities and slums. Afghanistan’s refugee situation remains the largest protracted such situation in the world, and this year the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has increased due to a resurgence of insecurity in parts of the country. Women suffer disproportionately in situations of displacement. They often lack access to the most basic services and resources and are at a higher risk of discrimination and human rights abuses. In the past year, there has been a rise in the violent activities of the Taliban, terrorists groups and other anti-Government armed opposition and the greatest increase in civilian deaths of the past 13 years, including many of women and girls. The Taliban and other anti-Government elements continue to launch targeted attacks and intimidation campaigns against women from all spectrums of society, from schoolgirls to female leaders, including women police officers, human rights defenders, media personnel and politicians. Insecurity has also hampered the Government’s ability to prosecute human rights abusers and uphold the rule of law, thereby exacerbating women’s vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence, domestic abuse, harassment, forced marriage and other crimes. Despite those challenges, Afghanistan has arrived at an important turning point that offers tremendous opportunity for strengthened progress on the women and peace and security agenda. Last month, the new President was inaugurated, representing the first democratic transition from one elected president to the next in the country’s history. In this year’s presidential and provincial council elections, millions of women participated as voters, and hundreds played a significant role as candidates and as campaigners, despite facing threats and intimidation. Their involvement set the tone for an Afghanistan in which women participate and contribute equally to the country’s future. President Ghani Ahmadzai and the national unity Government are committed to women’s full and equal participation at all levels of governance and decision-making. The President made that clear in his inaugural address, in which he pledged to promote women’s advancement in Afghanistan and praised his wife, Rula Ghani, for the role she would play as an active public figure dedicated to promoting women’s rights. This gesture is a first for our young democracy. Just a few days ago, Afghanistan signed the women and peace and security national action plan, which aims to make progress on the four main areas of participation, protection, conflict prevention and relief and recovery. We appreciate the Government of Finland’s support for the development of the plan and remain committed to implementing the women and peace and security agenda through key institutions and the national action plan for the women of Afghanistan. We are also dedicated to promoting the participation of women in the security sector and aim to increase the number of women police officers from the current 2,230 to 10,000 by 2017. As Afghanistan prepares for the full transfer of security responsibility from international to Afghan forces at the end of 2014, the President and new leadership of the country are committed to a comprehensive reform agenda. Over the next two years, Afghanistan will hold district and parliamentary elections, reform electoral laws, convene a loya jirga to consider amendments to the Constitution and conduct a reinvigorated outreach and reconciliation process with the armed opposition. Throughout, the active role of all segments of the Afghan population, particularly Afghan women, will be essential. The Government of Afghanistan believes adamantly that their participation is critical to preserving and enhancing the gains of the past 12 years and to the future stability, democracy, prosperity and peace of the country. In that regard, the international community’s continued support for Afghanistan’s efforts to advance women’s rights and status remains crucial. Afghan women have suffered immensely as a result of Taliban rule, extremism and decades of war. Only when they are free from violence, want and fear will we be able to secure stability and lasting peace in Afghanistan. For those reasons, we welcome the opportunities provided to us by the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women, the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) and the adoption of the sustainable development goals to make further progress on the issue of women and peace and security, and the agenda for women in Afghanistan and for women around the world.

I now give the floor to the representative of Iraq.

Madam President, allow me to congratulate you on having assumed the presidency for this month; we thank you for the efforts made in order to fulfil your mandate. We also welcome the presidential statement adopted this morning by the Council (S/PRST/2014/21). We would like also to thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the support he is providing to the work of the United Nations aimed at promoting the rights of women. Let me stress the political will of the Iraqi Government to continue to support the rights of women. This approach began in 2003, with a view to strengthening the role played by women in Iraqi society. Allow me to refer here to a few of the successful measures taken by the Iraqi Government to support women and resolve various problems in this area. First, the Iraqi Council of Ministers set out two national strategies on the promotion of women. The first relates to the struggle against violence against women, and the second promotes the role of women in general. Also, the Commission on the Rights of Women, under the authority of the Iraqi Ministry on Women, created a joint working group among ministries aimed at implementing the two national strategies effectively. Secondly, the Iraqi Government set up a national action plan to implement resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security, from 2014 to 2018. The plan of action was launched in February. Iraq is one of the countries most advanced in the field of women’s rights in the Middle East. The plan of action stresses the importance of enabling women to participate in decision-making and in conflict resolution while providing them with protection and care. It also calls for the carrying out of a study on legislation in Iraq so as to identify those provisions that pose an obstacle to ending discrimination against women and violate the rights of women as set out in the Constitution, and to review current related legislation so as to either end or amend it, to ensure that it is in compliance with international instruments on the rights of women. In addition, gender divisions have been created within all Iraqi ministries to respond to the request made by the secretariat of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, so as to respect human rights and the principle of justice and equality of opportunities between the different genders in Government, giving prime importance to all women’s issues. That division is also responsible for preparing statistics on the number of women in State ministries and the percentage of women in those ministries, so as ensure a better distribution of women across the various departments of different ministries. Thirdly, the Iraqi Constitution, in its article 49, paragraph IV, states that women must occupy 25 per cent of seats in the Iraqi Parliament. Currently 81 of the 325 seats in the Iraqi Parliament are occupied by women. The Government of Iraq has always worked, and will continue to work, to promote the status of women in Iraqi society despite the considerable challenges we are facing as a people and a Government as a result of the barbaric terrorist attacks against us, which have undermined social cohesion within the country. Iraqi women have been the prime target of such attacks, and particularly following the events of 10 July, women were subjected to serious violations carried out by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in various parts of Iraq controlled by that criminal entity. ISIL has carried out measures including killings, kidnapping, rape, forced marriage and other kinds of practices that have traumatized the victims thereof and their families. Furthermore, the fate of Iraqi women kidnapped by ISIL remains unknown, which further traumatizes the families of the victims and is of deep concern to all Iraqis. ISIL attacks and intimidation have led people to flee their homes to try to find safe haven far from the terrorists. This has exacerbated the suffering of Iraqi families and Iraqi women in particular, especially with the arrival of winter in Iraq. There is also an urgent need to support medical care, including vaccinations for pregnant and lactating women. The Iraqi Government has used all of its available resources and has collaborated with the international community and Iraqi and foreign non-governmental organizations to try to alleviate the suffering of those women by providing urgent aid for displaced persons and to protect and liberate the regions controlled by that criminal entity. Furthermore, we will continue to work to determine the fate of the kidnapped women and to free them. Once again we call upon the international community, including States and organizations, to continue to help the Government of Iraq in its war against terrorism to try to liberate the regions from those criminal groups and prosecute the perpetrators and instigators of such attacks. We call on the international community to help the victims of terrorism by providing psychological assistance, especially women. We know that women have a vital role to play in rebuilding Iraqi society.

I now give the floor to the representative of Poland.

I would like first to thank you, Madam President, and your team for chosing the important issue of displaced women and girls for the subject of today’s debate. Let me also commend all the briefers, who contributed so significantly to our debate today. Poland aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. I would like to present a few remarks from our national perspective. We remain deeply concerned about the spread of conflicts, which has made refugee and forced displacement figures soar to levels not recorded since the Second World War. It is worrisome that, according to estimates of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 86 per cent of refugees are from the developing world. We fully agree with the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/693) that effective responses to the threats affecting women and girls in conflict settings must include mobilizing attention and resources on prevention, mitigation and the strengthening of national infrastructure for peace. Building on good practices that have delivered results, often in cooperation with civil society, helps to tackle risks and obstacles. Consistent with the Peacebuilding Commission’s declaration on women’s economic empowerment for peacebuilding, we also reaffirm the significance of concerted efforts in carrying out peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. It is important to recognize that women’s economic empowerment creates conditions for their political and social leadership and for counteracting inequalities and discrimination. For the last two years Poland has been an active partner in implementing programmes and projects supporting women’s and girls’ economic needs in Nigeria, the Sudan, Zambia and Kenya, as well as in Palestine, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Bolivia and Cuba. Since 2012 we have continued our assistance to the Syrian people by channelling resources via the UNHCR field office that takes care of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and by the implementation of non-governmental organization projects for Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. In Poland we have introduced improved asylum procedures. Polish national authorities exercise the UNHCR’s recommendations on the suspension of return regarding foreigners coming from countries affected by conflicts. Specific health services are being provided in the process of granting protection to female asylum- seekers. If a medical or psychological examination confirms that a woman has been subjected to violence, her hearing is held in the presence of a psychologist or doctor. We have welcomed the recent launch of a global study to review the progress achieved and challenges remaining since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). By mid-2015 we hope to receive guidance not only on how to translate good practices into standard practices, but also how to utilize synergies between the commitments and priorities set by the United Nations within agendas dealing with issues of women and peace and security. Such advice would be extremely useful in the context of current global security challenges, including the escalation of terrorist and extremist threats. Finally, mindful of the dramatic situation of female survivors from conflict-affected areas and the rising demand on humanitarian assistance, we call on the Security Council to use its mandate to pursue accountability for any substantiated case of misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse.

I now give the floor to the representative of Zimbabwe.

Let me begin by thanking you, Madam President, for convening this open debate on such an important matter. On behalf of the 15 member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), I wish to express appreciation to you, Madam, for providing us with an insightful concept note (S/2014/731, annex) to guide today’s discussion. I also would like to thank the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Edmond Mulet, for their comprehensive and informative briefings. In recent years, the world has witnessed a multiplicity of conflicts leading to an unprecedented increase in the scale of refugees and displaced persons. The increase in violence, mass displacement and humanitarian catastrophes has had a disproportionate impact on women and children. There is growing recognition that newly emerging unconventional threats to peace and security associated with the proliferation of militias, armed groups, jihadists and terrorists linked to violent extremism affect women and girls more than their male counterparts. It is estimated that three quarters of the refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) population are women and children. Displacement and statelessness exacerbate existing gender inequalities, amplifying the discrimination and hardships borne by both women and girls. In that regard, women refugees and IDPs constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in armed conflict, as well as post-conflict situations. Displacement causes women’s heightened risk of poverty, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and child, early and forced marriages and the lack of access to basic resources, such as education and health services. The majority of the world’s refugees originate from Africa, with new displacements from intensifying conflicts in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Mali and Somalia. In the year 2000, the Security Council laid the foundation for the women and peace and security agenda in the landmark resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions calling for the special protection and full participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution, as well as in post-conflict and peacebuilding processes. In the 14 years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), significant steps have been taken to address the plight of women and girls and to improve international, regional and national responses to the protection of women and girls. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, complemented by regional instruments, have gone a long way in addressing the challenges both prior and during the process of displacement. Today the narrative on conflict prevention and resolution reflects our collective commitment to prevent sexual violence in conflict and address its disastrous and far-reaching consequences. As we continue intensifying our engagement on the matter, SADC believes that States have the primary responsibility to protect their women and girls from all forms of gender-based discrimination and abuse, including in conflict situations where those are often aggravated. While international cooperation and assistance are important, they should not replace the central role of the State in the protection of women and girls. We also believe that women’s economic empowerment and full participation are essential to any prevention and protection response. The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, signed in August 2008, seeks to harmonize the various commitments made by SADC member States in regional, global and continental instruments to achieving gender equality. Articles 20 to 25 of the Protocol provide for the implementation of a variety of strategies, including enacting, reviewing, reforming and enforcing laws aimed at eliminating all forms of gender-based violence and trafficking. Article 28 provides for women’s equal representation and participation in key decision-making positions in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes, as well as for the integration of a gender perspective into the resolution of conflicts in the region, in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. Constitutional and legal rights, education, health, productive resources and economic empowerment are some of the other areas the Protocol covers. And it promotes women’s empowerment through the development and implementation of gender-responsive legislation, policies, programmes and projects. SADC fully subscribes to continental-level programmes such as the five-year Gender, Peace and Security Programme of the African Union (AU), launched on 2 June in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and designed to serve as a framework for developing effective strategies and mechanisms for increasing women’s participation in promoting peace and security. It is also designed to enhance the protection of women in conflict and post-conflict situations in Africa. The AU Commission Chairperson’s appointment on 30 January of Ms. Bineta Diop as its Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security attests to Africa’s commitment to firmly addressing issues affecting women and children in conflict. While considerable progress has been made since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), gaps still remain in our efforts to achieve sustained change and overall peace and security. There is a growing consensus that a peace process that does not include women is flawed. It is our firm belief that women’s economic, cultural, political and social rights underpin democracy, stability and lasting peace. It is unacceptable that in spite of the existence of legal and normative frameworks, displaced women and girls continue to suffer. SADC is concerned about the continuing gross abuses, sexual exploitation and abduction of women in areas of conflict. Other gaps exist in, for example, the exclusion of female refugees and IDPs from decision-making at all levels, and their restricted access to basic services. Women and girls who are the heads of households, young mothers, and girls with disabilities are the most likely to encounter major barriers to accessing services and participating in community life and decision-making. SADC urges the entire international community to unite in responding effectively to the problems women IDPs and refugees face, taking a holistic approach that combines proactive strategies, responses and solutions. That entails addressing the root causes of conflict and strengthening national infrastructures for peace and reconciliation. We need to do more work on deterring new crimes by holding perpetrators accountable. More attention should be given to women’s role as leaders and their participation in decision-making, which must be meaningful if we are to realize opportunities for positive change. Women should be viewed not merely as victims and survivors but also as a great resource for their communities and countries, capable of contributing significantly to peace and security. We know that women’s participation is essential to building sustainable peace, and it is therefore important to ensure that the agenda on women and peace and security is duly reflected in all engagements relating to international peace and security. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm SADC’s continued strong support for the agenda on women and peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Cyprus.

I am honoured to address the Security Council on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus on today’s important topic, and we wish to warmly congratulate you, Madam President, on taking that initiative. Cyprus would also like to align itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. Cyprus has direct experience of the subject under discussion through the role of women in the context of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and through women’s role in our country’s struggle for liberation and reunification. Resolution 1325 (2000) mandates that women should participate in making and keeping peace. The adoption at the highest level of such a resolution is testament to the Council’s recognition of the gender inequities in that regard. It arises from an understanding of armed conflict’s disproportionate impact on women and girls, and the importance of enhancing their contributions to conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Unfortunately, 14 years after the resolution’s adoption, we are still seeing a gap between the aspirations of the global and regional commitments and the realities of peace processes. My Government remains committed to implementing resolution 1325 (2000) within the Cyprus peace process, where there is admittedly plenty of room for progress. My delegation welcomes the emphasis of today’s discussion on displaced women and girls as leaders and survivors. We deplore the fact that in current conflicts civilians and women are increasingly purposely targeted and that sexual and gender-based violence is deliberately employed as a war strategy. Numerous international and regional human rights and international humanitarian law instruments are aimed at protecting women during armed conflict, and yet today women and children make up three quarters of the refugee and internally displaced population. The role of women as leaders is essential in enabling their protection needs to be identified and responded to. Cyprus would like to take this opportunity to underline the important role of women in preventing and resolving conflicts. It is vital that peacekeeping operations work to improve the gender balance in peacekeeping mission staff, including at senior management levels. The presence of women in peacekeeping operations empowers women in the host community to serve as role models; enables women to train female cadets at police and military academies; gives women and children a greater sense of security; improves access and support for local women and focuses attention on the specific needs of female ex- combatants during the process of their demobilization and reintegration into civilian life. We note with pleasure that five women are currently leading peace operations, including Lisa Buttenheim of the United States in my own country. We are also pleased to note the appointment of Major General Kristin Lund as Force Commander of UNFICYP, the first woman ever to serve as Force Commander of a United Nations peacekeeping operation. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus is the first in the world to have a dual female leadership. As Major General Lund has mentioned, in order to face a challenge, it is important that the other 50 per cent of the population be represented in the peacekeeping forces. Being under foreign occupation for the past 40 years, my country has had direct experience of the disproportionate effects of conflict on women. One third of our population consists of internally displaced persons, deprived of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. During all those years, the country’s struggle for reunification has borne the mark of the women’s movement, as women have provided shelter and relief to victims in the aftermath of war, struggled to learn the fate of missing persons, participated in the international legal and political effort to restore the rights of the displaced, worked to raise international awareness and promoted a message of peace, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. Our recent history makes us sensitive to similar experiences worldwide. For that reason, Cypriot women have been particularly active throughout the years in international humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross and have made important contributions in solidarity and humanitarian aid campaigns. In conclusion, I would like to mention the words of Hester Paneras of South-Africa, the Police Commissioner of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the first woman to hold the top police position in a peacebuilding mission of such magnitude: “Opening up to alternative approaches is very important, but the most important thing is to show that it does not have to be like that. You can get out of it.”

I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

I thank you, Madam President, for holding today’s open debate on the highly important issue of displaced women and girls. We would also like to thank the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Women and the other invitees for their substantive briefings. Ukraine welcomes the adoption of the presidential statement S/PRST/2014/21 earlier today. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made earlier by the observer of the European Union. However, we wish share some observations in our national capacity. The year of 2014 marks 14 years since the adoption of the landmark resolution 1325 (2000), which established the basis for the women and peace and security agenda and called for special protection for and the full and equal participation of women in all conflict prevention, resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding efforts. Ukraine remains fully committed to the implementation of the the resolution, as well as to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the outcome documents of the Beijing Conference and of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. A national action plan in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000) to promote women’s equal and full participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as well as to incorporate the gender perspective in all areas of peacebuilding, is being developed by the Government of Ukraine, in close consultation with United Nations agencies and civil society. The plan will provide for a number of practical steps aimed at promoting women’s greater participation in political, economic and social life, as well as addressing the current challenges faced by women and girls, first and foremost those caused by the ongoing foreign aggression against our country. Despite certain setbacks affecting women in Ukraine, including the budget cuts caused by more than six months of foreign aggression, Ukraine, in close cooperation with its international partners, is making efforts to address imbalances based on gender and to review its gender policies with the view to promoting the effective participation of women in public and political life and to empower them. Ukrainian society is united. Our country is fully committed to build on the momentum inspired by our European choice and to ensure access to crucial services for those women and girls who are currently internally displaced and, ultimately, to make women in Ukraine equal and active members of society who are able to lead and coordinate in promoting their rights. In its recent report, the United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine finds that in the Donetsk region women comprise 15 per cent of those killed and 15 per cent of those wounded as a result of the conflict. Women who have remained in the area are forced to clean, cook and wash clothes for the members of illegal armed groups supported by Russia. Groups of volunteers helping to evacuate people received first- hand reports of rape or detention of women at check- points. There have also been incidents of abductions of women by illegal armed groups whose whereabouts remain unknown. We are particularly alarmed by reports of the abduction of people in the territory of Ukraine and their subsequent illegal transfer to the Russian Federation for interrogation. Ukrainian servicewoman Nadiya Savchenko, captured in the Luhansk region in July without any legal grounds, remains in a detention facility in the Russian Federation, where she is subjected to inhuman practices that constitute a flagrant violation of international law and obligations under bilateral treaties. We demand the immediate release of Ms. Savchenko and will do everything possible to ensure that those involved in her abduction and illegal detention are brought to justice. This morning Russian delegation stated that currently there are 830,000 Ukrainian refugees on Russian territory. That number cannot be trusted, as it has not been independently verified and comes from a single source, Russian Federation itself.Yet, what Russian delegation failed to mention in the first place is that the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine is of Russia’s own making. It is a direct consequence of its aggression against Ukraine, which started with invasion and occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, an integral part of Ukraine, and continued with the creating and now fuelling of conflict in the east of my country. The Russian delegation also did not mention that, according to the Secretary-General, his Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and other authoritative sources, at this stage the humanitarian situation is being managed properly by the Government of Ukraine, in coordination with our international partners. It is exactly in that context that we provided every assistance to one of today’s briefers, Mr. Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, during his visit to Ukraine. According to the latest official statistics, the number of IDPs in Ukraine stands 275,489 people. Two thirds of adult IDPs are women. The Government fully realizes their specific needs, as most IDP families include elderly and unaccompanied women with children. A national law on IDPs was adopted on 20 October this year. It aims at ensuring the rights and freedoms of IDPs, including women, and at addressing key issues in this area, including by facilitating humanitarian assistance. Measures to strengthen the capacity of our communities to absorb IDPs are being undertaken by the Government. The issue of IDP women will be of particular concern in the course of elaborating, adopting and implementing the national action plan in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000). The Russian delegation also forgot to mention its so-called humanitarian convoys sent to Ukraine in clear violation of the international and national law, in a unilateral and shadowy manner without involvement by the International Committee of the Red Cross, let alone Ukrainian Government consent. Should Moscow proceed with the fourth such convoy as it has announced today, it will be yet another violation of the Charter of the United Nations. Time and again we have stressed that the only way that Russia can contribute to the alleviation of the humanitarian situation it has created in the east of Ukraine is to stop waging a hybrid war against my country, to halt sponsoring and arming terrorists, to fully withdraw its troops and mercenaries and to establish effective and verifiable border contributionrol.

I now give the floor to the representative of Algeria.

I wish to thank you, Madam President, for organizing this crucial debate, which affords the broader United Nations membership an opportunity to contribute to the women and peace and security agenda. I am also grateful for the concept note that you have circulated (S/2014/731, annex), which we believe will guide our deliberations to a successful conclusion. And I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his personal and steadfast commitment to this issue, as well as the briefers for their insightful presentations. We underline and insist that all forms of violence against women are unacceptable and should in no way be tolerated. Unfortunately, statistics show that this phenomenon continues to be pervasive in all countries. It is therefore necessary to intensify efforts at all levels, particularly in terms of prevention and awareness. We urge all Member States to strengthen their support to women victims of violence and ensure their access to the justice system in accordance with human rights standards and regardless of their status. The number of internally displaced persons and refugees continues to rise worldwide to unprecedented levels, and with it the increased risks faced by displaced women and girls. Due to their vulnerability, women in many conflict situations around the world continue to face intolerable hardship, as they become targets of all forms of violence. We underline the particular vulnerability of women and children refugees and displaced persons, including exposure to discrimination and sexual and physical abuse, violence and exploitation. In that regard, we acknowledge the importance of preventing, responding to and addressing sexual and gender-based issues. Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the United Nations has adopted specific policy directives to achieve gender equality in peacekeeping operations. To further contriubute to that end, there is a need to consider having the United Nations step up the deployment of women protection advisers and gender advisers in both peacekeeping and political missions, as well as in humanitarian operations. At the regional level, the African Union has made the protection of women’s right across the continent a priority. It is committed to promoting and working to achieve gender equality in line with the gender policy adopted by the African Union in 2009. In that regard, we emphasize that States have the primary responsibility to provide protection and assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons within their jurisdiction, as well as to address the root causes of the displacement problem, in appropriate cooperation with the international community. Since the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1996, Algeria has made great efforts to place the protection and promotion women’s rights at the centre of its national policies, strategic objectives and programmes. The situation of women in Algeria has experienced a very positive trend through combined efforts by the Government and civil society. While we reiterate Algeria’s support for the implementation of the relevant provisions of the resolution 1325 (2000), we would like to underline that firm political will and full commitment by Member States on the relevant measures set out in the resolution, which marks this year its fourteenth anniversary, will guarantee the active participation of women in national, regional and international institutions for the prevention, protection and management of conflict situations. I am happy and proud, Madam President, that your actions eloquently attest to your sober handling of the work of the Security Council this month, including by placing this issue on the Council’s agenda. For me, in our troubled world, “women”, “peace” and “security” are synonimous.

I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Indonesia associates itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Viet Nam on behalf of the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian nations. Allow me to convey our highest appreciation to you, Madam President, for convening this open debate on an issue that is of high importance to Indonesia. Allow me also to thank today’s briefers for their informative briefings made this morning. As I speak before the Council today, Indonesia continues to encourage the implementation on the ground of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. Indonesia takes positive note of the Secretary- General’s latest report on women and peace and security (S/2014/693), which provides valuable insights on how we can further improve the United Nations presence and performance in armed conflicts, including in peacekeeping operations, to the benefit of women and girls, particularly the survivors of the horrors of conflict and those displaced by armed conflict. Indonesia has supported various initiatives that are complementary to Security Council resolutions that protect and empower women and girls in armed conflict situations, including by being one of the countries to champion the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has stated that women and girls make up half of the refugees and internally displaced persons in the world. They face certain risks and vulnerabilities, particularly a heightened risk of discrimination and violence. Therefore, the theme of today’s discussion — the situation of displaced women and girls — should be guided by the principles set out in international humanitarian law. There is ample evidence that conflict may serve as an opportunity for women to assume leadership in the community when men are either in combat or are recruited into war. Nonetheless, when peace gradually emerges, so does the return of the gender status quo. Hence, it is imperative to ensure that women and girls can continue to enjoy full and effective participation and leadership at all levels, including during humanitarian emergencies. Allow us to share our view on how United Nations missions can deliver on their mandates in armed conflict situations, specifically with regard to internally displaced women and girls in times of war and during the post conflict period. Allow me draw the Council’s attention to three aspects: prevention, specific assistance and protection, and women’s empowerment. First, with regard to prevention, integrating the gender perspective for a more effective and equitable humanitarian and development assistance response to displacement and early recovery is important. We should also continue to promote gender mainstreaming among peacekeping contingents. In that regard, sensitization about gender, humanitarian law and human rights should form a coherent part of predeployment training. Secondly, recognizing that women and girls have distinct needs, specific assistance and protection should be arranged. That includes ensuring that women and girls have equal access to all forms of humanitarian assistance, providing specific basic services such as reproductive health and protection from gender-based violence, and ensuring women’s participation in the administration of shelter and in the formulation and implementation of assistance programmes. Thirdly, to effectively ensure that women and girls can thrive as survivors and leaders in time of emergency situations, we have to empower them. In that regard, we need to ensure their access to educational service, in particular for children and girls in particular. We need to help improve their effective livelihoods. We also need to increase strategic educational programmes that can support women’s capacities and skills so as to benefit them in the post-conflict phase. Despite the myriad challenges, displacement can enable women to take on new roles and bring about positive change in the family and community, provided they obtain the right and adequate support. We therefore need to continue building women’s resilience and strength to support their empowerment, strengthen their protection and promote their meaningful participation in all decisions affecting their lives. With your able leadership, Madam President, I am certain and hopeful that this debate will generate further significant momentum on the issue of women and peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Sudan.

At the outset, my delegation would like to express its gratitude to you, Madam President, for convening this debate on women and peace and security as we mark the fourteenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). We also welcome the presence of the Executive Director of UN-Women and the various other briefers at this meeting. My country’s Government attaches particular importance to the issue of women, as evidenced by various steps it has taken that have led to the adoption of several strategies and plans, including a strategy on promoting women’s participation covering the period 2013 to 2027. Furthermore, my Government has established a unit to combat violence against women and an independent commission for human rights. We have also appointed two women to head those two bodies pursuant to the principle of parity. My Government also attaches special importance to combating violence against women, in particular in refugee camps in the states of Darfur, the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, in cooperation with the United Nations peacekeeping mission and the country team in the Sudan. The report submitted for this meeting notes the participation of women in elections and decision-making around the world, and that it is not satisfied with the low level of that participation of women. On that point, it is a pleasure and honour for me to declare that the right to vote and to run for elections are rights that have been guaranteed to Sudanese women since the 1950s. The current rate of participation of women in Parliament is 28 per cent. Women fill the positions of Vice Speaker and Chairs of a number of the most important parliamentary comissions. As for participation in politics, which is also mentioned in the report, women in the Sudan have been able to run for the office of President of the Republic and have filled key positions, such as the Adviser to the President and ministers, as well as at the local level. They have played key roles not only in ministries in charge of women’s issues but also in other ministries. The Sudan has enacted national legislation to combat the threat of human trafficking, in particular the trafficking of women and children, given that the Sudan is a transit country owing to its immense stretch of desert. Khartoum hosted a regional conference only two weeks ago, on 13 October, on the topic of combating human trafficking in the Horn of Africa. That conference included the participation of high- level representatives from various international organizations and countries of the region and from around the world. My country has signed agreements to guarantee the security of borders with its neighbours. With regard to economic measures, my country is implementing a development project for women in rural areas and in displaced persons camps. We are also implementing projects for the economic rehabilitation for women and to ensure microfinancing for women and funds for the informal sector. Women’s inheritance rights are guaranteed. With regard to basic services and schooling, there are more young girls and boys at school and in higher education. The infant and maternal mortality rates have dropped significantly. Furthermore, my country provides significant assistance to displaced persons in the states that I mentioned: Darfur, Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan. I will not go into details owing to the lack of time. Such efforts have produced very positive results that are in line with various humanitarian indicators. However, rebels moving through the area hinder those efforts. The Government has also undertaken efforts to ensure the voluntary return of refugees to the neighbouring country of Chad, assisting people in returning to their villages through development projects once stability and security are restored. Given that this meeting is aimed at underscoring challenges to implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and in pursuant to your letter, Madam President, my delegation would like to express its support for the objectives set out in the concept note (see S/2014/731, annex). We call for a global approach in dealing with those issues as an urgent step in order to resolve conflicts, assist displaced persons to return to their homes and help countries to overcome conflicts and deal with such problems. We also call for the removal of all obstacles that hinder national efforts, such as the excessive debt burden and the unilateral sanctions imposed on certain conflict affected countries. Finally, I would like to inform this body that my country is currently engaged in a significant national dialogue process launched by the President of the Republic, who has invited all sectors of Sudanese society to discuss matters of great priority to the country in order to achieve political stability in the entire country. We hope that all the people, in particular women and children, will benefit.

I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.

This debate marks the fourteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) and provides an important opportunity to address the persistent and emerging gaps to the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Last week, I read a story about Amsha, a Yazidi woman from northern Iraq who was captured by Daesh in August. Amsha watched in horror as jihadi fighters separated the men. Her husband was ordered to lie face down on the ground. One by one the jihadists passed over the men and shot them in the head. The women were taken to Mosul and held prisoner with hundreds of other women and girls. Every day, men entered the room to pick out a girl. They sold Amsha for $12. The man who bought her viciously raped and beat her. Stories such as that of Amsha are emerging every day. Their testimonies — forced conversions, forced marriage, sexual assault, displacement and slavery — are what we would expect to read about in the Dark Ages, not in the twenty-first century. Daesh is just one of the radical extremist groups that seek to subjugate women. There is Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Qaida in Yemen, like-minded militias in Libya, Al-Shabaab in the East Africa, and Hamas in Gaza. They seek to control every area of a woman’s life — how she dresses, where she goes, how she spends her money, who she marries and how many children she has. The Holy Bible tells us that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. It is therefore a great disappointment that where we see those vast injustices and atrocities towards women around the globe, as well as great opportunities for the advancement of women, a leading Arab country decided to use this forum to advance narrow political goals by aattacking my country. The issue is far too important for all of us and there should be no politicization of the matter. Around the world, women continue to be marginalized and minimized. Today, the majority of the world’s poor are women. They earn only three-quarters as much as men and are frequently locked out of leadership and decision-making positions. The tragedy is that when women face barriers to achieving their potential, entire societies suffer. The truth of the matter is that women’s economic empowerment lies at the heart of sustainable development. We know that, when a woman generates her own income, she reinvests 90 per cent of it in her family and community, and we know that eliminating gender gaps in labour force participation can lead to big jumps in income per capita. To put it more simply, when we boost the participation of women, we boost the growth potential of an entire nation. Supporting women’s economic empowerment requires meaningful policy intervention, beginning with the inclusion of women in the decision-making process. Women bring unique ideas, priorities and expertise to bear on challenging political problems. Creating opportunities for women and girls advances security and prosperity for everyone. Take Rwanda, for example. Rwanda’s legal system guarantees equal rights in terms of land ownership and inheritance, and its Constitution enshrines gender equality. Thanks to that strategy, Rwanda tops the world for women in Parliament with 53 per cent in 2013, and the nation has made impressive progress towards reducing poverty and inequality. Israel understands the tremendous benefits of investing in every member of society. We celebrate different ways of life, we value diversity, and we believe that every person should choose how to live his or her life. From the prophets Deborah to Miriam and Queen Esther, Jewish history is rich with female leaders. More recently, courageous women from Hannah Senesh to Dorit Beinisch have left their mark on the Jewish people and the Jewish State. In fact, our Declaration of Independence was signed by two women, Golda Meir and Rachel Cohen-Kagan, and Israel had a female Prime Minister before many other countries granted women the right to vote. In Israel, we understand that women’s participation is a game changer. That is why two of the past three chief justices of our Supreme Court have been women, and the current Israeli Parliament has more women than ever before. In recent years, Israel has welcomed its first female Major General, elected a female Governor to our central bank, and three women were appointed to head our leading banks. Israeli women are agents of change, drivers of progress and makers of peace. Given the chance, that could be true for all the world’s women, but we have work to do. We must persist in our efforts to advance gender equality until all women can dress as they like, be educated as they choose, work where they wish, marry the person they love, raise their families as they see fit and make the choices that will determine the course of their lives. It is up to us to uphold those freedoms. So I urge everyone — all women and men who wish to see a more peaceful planet — to bet on women, invest in women, ensure that they have opportunities, support their right to be a part of the decision-making process. I promise that we will not be disappointed.

I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

Switzerland wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2014/693) and shares his concerns regarding the situation of displaced populations, the majority of whom are women and girls. In Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, women and girls have limited access to the assistance and protection they need, which contributes to making them all the more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and sexual violence. In that connection, Switzerland would like to make three points. First, it is important to develop sound, context- specific policies to prevent the exploitation and abuse of refugees and displaced women and girls. Restrictive migration policies that limit opportunities for women and girls fleeing conflict zones augment their vulnerability. Through strengthened dialogue and cooperation, we must find ways to adapt those policies to ensure that women and girls from conflict-affected areas are not subjected to human trafficking or sexual exploitation and abuse. National troops, peacekeeping forces, border police, immigration service officials and humanitarian actors — all have a role to play in fighting and preventing those crimes. Ultimately, we must ensure that those responsible for such crimes are prosecuted and brought to justice. Secondly, Switzerland believes that more must be done to prevent sexual violence committed against displaced persons. We need to respond with a coordinated and integrated approach and strive for gender sensitivity throughout the system. That is why Switzerland will host in Geneva the next donor conference for United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict on 12 November 2014. In addition, Switzerland is committed to contributing to the fight against impunity. To that end, Switzerland supports a mechanism for the rapid administration of justice, an intergovernmental structure that can be rapidly mobilized and provide expertise to the international community. The rapid deployment of specialists in sexual and gender- based violence helps support international or national inquiries and contributes to the development of national capacities. Thirdly, we must do more to ensure access by refugees and displaced women to political decision-making, including peace processes. Their concerns must be taken into account in all transitional arrangements. In that regard, we should like to highlight the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons on 18 March 2013 (A/HRC/23/44) and encourage all Member States to put them into practice. Furthermore, women’s participation in decision-making in refugee camps must be enhanced. Those are the findings of a study conducted by the Women’s Refugee Commission in refugee camps in Jordan. That study, funded by Switzerland, analyses the existing links between women’s participation in decision-making and their enjoyment of human rights. Finally, allow me to remind the Council that equal participation in political life and access to services and justice as well as the protection of rights are ways of adding to women’s emancipation and avoiding sexist practices.

I think we are nearing the end of the debate. I would like to welcome and give the floor to the Ambassador of Fiji.

Thank you for the welcome, Madam President; it is an honour to share the graveyard shift with you this evening. I believe I am the last speaker. I join with others in thanking you for convening this debate. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), adopted 14 years ago, along with subsequent resolutions affirm that women’s participation in conflict prevention, mitigation and recovery is imperative for the maintenance of international peace and security. Resolution 1325 (2000) also highlights the focus of our discussions today, notably that women and girls in displaced groups are subject to violence, sexual exploitation and abuse. The Fiji delegation welcomes the adoption of resolution 2122 (2013) by the Council last October. That important step builds on the previous momentum by incorporating essential accountability checks that aim to change the business-as-usual approach. We urge the Council to continue such a progressive approach so that women’s peace and security issues remain at the forefront. The exponential increase in the global number of displaced people is a matter of great concern. Tragically, over 50 million people are currently displaced, the highest number since the Second World War. The record shows that women and girls in such situations are the most vulnerable groups, often becoming victims of violence, sexual exploitation and abuse. In the context of prolonged and repeated displacement, effective mechanisms to prevent abuse and violence are often absent or limited. Therefore, guaranteed access to legal and justice systems for displaced women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings is crucial in order to ensure that their vital needs are addressed. We must redouble our efforts to implement the relevant legislation, reinforce the rule of law and ensure the protection of victims, witnesses and justice officials so as to safeguard displaced victims, particularly the most vulnerable women and girls. Often, displaced women and girl survivors who have experienced violence, sexual exploitation and abuse suffer from stigmatization, social shunning and reprisals from within their communities. Therefore, the provision of critical support services, such as psychological support, mental health support and the provision of health care services, is essential for their social rehabilitation. In tandem with current efforts by the United Nations to mainstream gender within the United Nations system, Fiji is endeavouring to make its contribution to that global effort. Fiji is committed to the alignment of policies so as to provide its best gender-sensitized peacekeepers in helping to rebuild post conflict communities. We recognize that national implementation will be crucial in meeting the objectives of resolution 1325 (2000). The involvement of women in peace and security requires a multidimensional approach, and Fiji is guided by the regional action plan on women and peace and security, which supports our national efforts to ensure that women are active participants at all stages of national life, including conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding. In that respect, the Fiji Constitution of 2013 encompasses a comprehensive range of human rights, including the right to freedom from unfair discrimination based on sex or gender. On the eve of International Women’s Day this year, Fiji launched its national gender policy, which has become the guiding document for mainstreaming gender issues across all sectors and within all spheres of national life. Fiji is committed to increasing women’s participation in decision-making in political, social and economic processes at all levels. In the context of the Pacific Islands, the issue of climate change and the associated calamities of sea- level rise and the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, has resulted in disproportionately high financial, political and social costs for our developing island States. It is widely accepted that the first to bear the negative impacts of climate change are vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls. Climate change not only affects our land and food resources, but the resulting sea-level rise also forces the displacement of our coastal communities. We urge the Security Council to accept that climate change is a security issue and that vigilance must be applied to ensure that vulnerable women and girls are safeguarded. In conclusion, we acknowledge that progress has been made by countries in the implementation of the resolution; however, it is undeniable there is still so much more to be achieved so as to ensure that the dignity, peace and security of women is realized globally. The Fiji delegation calls on the United Nations system and its agencies, in partnership with Member States and regional organizations, to support the development and implementation of national action plans so that greater progress can be achieved.

The representative of the Russian Federation has asked to make a further statement.

We have been compelled to take the floor again in connection with the statement made by the representative of Ukraine. Once again, colleagues are attempting to turn things around in order to put the blame on Russia for the consequences resulting from the unwillingness or incapacity of the Kyiv authorities to resolve their problems in a civilized manner through national dialogue. It is not some kind of mythical Russian aggression that has led to the hundreds of victims among the civilian population, including women, and a large number of refugees and internally displaced persons, but rather a large-scale punitive operation that has been launched by the authorities in the eastern part of the country and is characterized by an arbitrary and excessive use of force. In its statements, the Ukrainian delegation likes to quote various passages from the reports of the United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine. In that connection, it may be recalled that the latest report contained references to enforced disappearances, murders, vandalism, arbitrary detentions and atrocities carried out by both the Kyiv security forces and the battalions under their command — the Aydar, Azov, Dnipro-1, Kyiv-1 and Kyiv-2 battalions — and the terrible number of victims among civilians resulting from the indiscriminate artillery shelling of densely populated civilian areas and the use of heavy artillery and banned munitions. I could continue with that list. With regard to Nadiya Savchenko, who was mentioned by the Ukrainian colleague, in that connection I would like to recall another topic that has often been discussed by the Council, namely, the protection of journalists. In fact, Savchenko is being accused of abetting the killing of two Russian journalists. As all are aware, in the various meetings, including those of the Security Council, it has been noted that a lack of accountability for such crimes is unacceptable.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I would like to thank everyone present for having participated in this debate on women and peace and security. I would like to mention that this issue does not always attract great numbers. However, it is excellent that the debate this year has seen the greatest number of participants among Member States. Indeed, 72 speakers have come together in what has proved a respectful and diverse debate in promoting the protection of the rights of women. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.