Security Council meeting 5294-Resu.1

The President

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Israel, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

The President

In accordance with the understanding reached among Council members, I wish to remind to all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes so as 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 would also like to reiterate that in order to optimize the use of our time I will not individually invite speakers to take seats at the Council table. When a speaker takes the floor the Conference Officer will seat the next speaker on the list at the table. I thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Mr. Rogachev (Russia)

In the five years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we have managed to accomplish a great deal. We note with satisfaction that the range of issues under discussion today are being given greater attention not only in the Security Council, but also within the framework of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and its functional commissions, particularly the Commission on the Status of Women. The process of gender mainstreaming is being pursued in all aspects of United Nations activities. Useful recommendations in this area were made by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change (A/59/565)and in the report of the Secretary-General entitled "In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all" (A/59/2005).

Nevertheless, there is still much to be done. A particularly difficult situation continues to prevail on the African continent, where the status of women has become dramatic in some cases. That shows that we need to make even greater efforts to achieve the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We have scarcely exhausted the resolution's potential as an important guide in defining the roles of women in conflict prevention and settlement and in post-conflict reconstruction. That is made particularly clear by States' commitment to the full and effective implementation of the resolution, as reaffirmed in the outcome document (resolution 60/1) of the 2005 summit.

In a so-called era of fulfilling commitments, we need to make practical use of the resolution's provisions by establishing equal opportunity for active participation by women in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security and by enhancing women's role in decision-making. We believe that, in the near future, gender perspectives must be given their appropriate place in the activities of the Peacebuilding Commission, whose mandate should be elaborated with a view to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). On the whole, the centre of activities in this area should be shifted from the Security Council to specific everyday situations in international life. Of course, reliable results will be achieved only in the context of naturally developing processes.

A good basis for mobilizing the efforts of United Nations agencies is being established through the system-wide action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), set out in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/636). We welcome the plan's detailed identification of concrete activities that will enable us to focus the Organization's activities on implementing a system-wide strategy for dealing with problems in the area of women and peace and security.

We note the opportunities that the plan provides for strengthening inter-agency coordination and structural accountability. In that connection, it is important that gender mainstreaming in the field not be merely a declared intention, but rather that it produce concrete results that protect and enhance the situation of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations. We also welcome the intention of the Secretary-General, as reflected in his report on the implementation of the summit outcome, to ensure policies of zero tolerance with regard to sexual exploitation by United Nations personnel.

Bearing in mind that women are able to play and are already playing a greater role in all aspects of conflict prevention and settlement, we support the elaboration of a strategy to ensure full participation by women in peace negotiations and in elections. In the context of post-conflict reconstruction, we must make greater use of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women as an essential document.

Moreover, we should devote greater attention to gender mainstreaming in the work of United Nations programmes and funds aimed at overcoming poverty in post-conflict situations. We are thinking in particular of strategies for enhancing women's participation in decision-making on social and economic issues and in the establishment of national frameworks for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

In conclusion, I should like to reaffirm our conviction that the issue of women's participation in peace processes will receive comprehensive and priority consideration in the bodies of the United Nations system.

Ms. Banzon (Philippines)

First, permit me to join previous speakers in thanking the Government of Romania for convening this important open debate. Through you, Mr. President, I should also to thank our speakers today for their comprehensive presentations.

The short video presentation showed us the multiplier effect that results from the protection and empowerment of women as active agents of peace and as effective peacebuilders. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) is not merely a resolution; it is a movement wherein women's participation in securing peace has been acknowledged as a critical factor of success in conflict prevention and resolution.

There is still a huge gap when it comes to making women part of peacebuilding in the public and official sense. We need to make the flesh and spirit of resolution 1325 (2000) tangible on the ground.

In the Philippines, the gender dimension of conflict is being addressed, particularly in peace negotiations and in peace and development efforts. To ensure that the voices of women are heard, the Government's peace panels included two women in the core negotiating team. In the southern part of the country, the Mindanao Commission on Women has formulated a Mindanao women's position paper on the peace agreement between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Recently, women leaders in Mindanao have been pursuing projects to empower the women of southern Philippines to be channels for respect for cultural diversity and for the building of a more inclusive Mindanao society.

The Philippines framework for dealing with the issue of women and conflict covers three areas: first, ensuring the protection of women's human rights by addressing violence against women, by providing health services and by promoting human rights education; secondly, promoting economic empowerment by urgently addressing the lack of access to water, electricity and other basic needs, as well as by stimulating economic opportunities for women; and thirdly, fostering effective governance by promoting awareness of gender and peace concerns among local Government units and by improving women's participation in decision-making processes.

In short, our fundamental strategy for implementing resolution 1325 (2000) lies in enabling more women to systematically participate in conflict prevention, management and resolution and in post-conflict peacebuilding, while at the same time rehabilitating their communities and ensuring basic services and livelihoods. The Philippines ensures the full participation of women in local peace processes by building capacities and mobilizing peace constituencies. For example, women in indigenous communities are serving as intermediaries in local peace dialogues and as mediators in the restoration of broken peace pacts. They are also engaged in mobilizing community participation in the formulation of ancestral-domain development plans and reconciliation processes.

We would also like to add that the Philippines is particularly encouraged to note the findings of a recent national survey on the Filipino people's perception of women as peacemakers. A principal finding of the survey is that a majority of Filipinos agree with the statement "A successful peace process in Mindanao needs the participation of women along with men". The same statistical study also shows that both Filipino men and women nationwide share the same strong advocacy of women's representation in Government peace panels. Also interesting is the conclusion that over half of the nationwide sample agrees that a woman has more talent than a man for finding a way to settle a conflict without resorting to violence.

The Philippines welcomes the establishment of a United Nations system-wide action plan to implement resolution 1325 (2000), which has been explained comprehensively by Ms. Mayanja. We note that many of the components of that action plan are not entirely new and have already been operational for some time. What is new about the plan, however, is the orchestration of all the actions towards realizing 1325 (2000). The action plan is valuable not only in providing a coherent picture of our efforts to achieve the resolution's goals, but also in pinpointing areas that we might have missed and functions that could be overlapping. The system-wide action plan would therefore contribute much to the efficiency and accountability of the United Nations system on gender mainstreaming in the field of peace and conflict resolution.

The Philippines believes that the system-wide action plan is but a means to an end. Member States, led by Security Council members, must be conscious of the critical transition from the gains of gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping missions to the achievement of sustainable capacities at the local level. The action plan must therefore function as a vehicle to transplant investments in gender mainstreaming long after the peace missions have dissolved. It would therefore be important for the United Nations field presence to be in close contact with national and local authorities, as well as with local non-governmental organizations, to ensure that gender mainstreaming successes filter through to the most basic governance and civil structures. In that regard, we were happy to hear Mr. Guéhenno report that gender units in peacekeeping operations have been supporting the capacity development of national counterparts in Government and non-governmental sectors.

As developments on the ground continue to be fluid, the Philippines would like to see the action plan used also as a tool for gathering accurate information on the status of women in conflict areas, including the scope and gravity of gender-based violence and progress on the empowerment of women in the area of peace and security. Certainly, that information would serve to guide the Council on the way forward in implementation and monitoring. The action plan should also remain responsive to changes in the environment and should be updated, as necessary.

In conclusion, the Philippines looks forward to the establishment of the proposed peacebuilding commission; resolution 1325 (2000) should be among the basic pillars of its work. Essential to the work of the peacebuilding commission would be its coordination with civil society, including women's organizations, both at the Headquarters level and at the country level.

The current state of the restructuring and rationalizing of the organization and work of the United Nations presents a rare opportunity to boost the work of mainstreaming gender in peace efforts. The Philippines will continue to contribute to the work of strengthening the gender perspective in all stages of the peacebuilding process.

The President

I should now like to make a statement in my national capacity.

I should indicate from the outset that Romania fully aligns itself with the statement that was made this morning by the British Ambassador on behalf of the European Union.

Within the United Nations system and elsewhere, there is growing international consensus that women's participation in conflict prevention and peace processes is a matter of having a solid understanding of and healthy perspective on the issue. We are told and we say that the role of women in decision-making is important and legitimate, serves the cause of peace, and fosters reconstruction and reconciliation. It is generally argued that women's empowerment would ensure that those who are frequently the most vulnerable play a role in the transformation and rebuilding of their societies.

That is an assumption that needs challenging. Women should be acknowledged as having a valuable contribution to make to their societies and to international relations not because of their high potential as victims, but because they are recognized as valuable and skilful resources, able to make a difference and bring added value to peace processes in all parts of the world.

Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) marked, in our view, our acceptance and endorsement of a different mindset about women in peace and security. We often predetermine policies and decisions, categorizing women as vulnerable beings and identifying them primarily as likely victims. Resolution 1325 (2000), however, recognizes the true dimension of women's capabilities to contribute to and to be equal partners with men in peace processes and to contribute substantially to the development of their societies.

We have vivid illustrations of those facts. Women fight wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, contribute to post-conflict reconstruction in Kosovo and Bosnia, are excellent peacekeepers in Africa, act as devoted parliamentarians, and make decisions in governmental structures in Rwanda, Uganda and Eritrea.

From the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) onwards, this Council -- and the entire United Nations system, we should like to believe -- have acted towards and given support to a wider and more balanced presence of women in peace and security. The participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution is no longer narrowly defined as a matter of gender equality and no longer confined to a perspective of human rights, democratic practices or social justice. It is a matter of a whole new mentality acknowledging that women embody political representation at all levels and in all societies and have the necessary knowledge, expertise and resources to participate in the advancement of their societies through their active contributions to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes.

At this point, we wish to stress our view that the role of women as agents of development and peace should transcend boundaries and cultures. Engaging women in national and international affairs does not mean changing one's particular system of values. It is within the richness of each particular system that gender perspectives should be sought, put in the spotlight and mainstreamed into politics and policies. States, the United Nations, regional organizations and non-governmental organizations must work together in order to close the gap that still exists between discourse and the diplomatic perspective, on the one hand, and the reality on the ground, on the other.

A starting point in that direction is the recent report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security, particularly the system-wide action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). We express our appreciation to the Secretariat for such a unique and complex work, which we believe is a useful tool and framework of action for gender mainstreaming in all activities being carried out by the United Nations system.

The continued implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) calls for ongoing scrutiny at the national and international levels of all forms of violence against and abuse of women in conflict or post-conflict situations by combatants or United Nations peacekeeping personnel, as well as of trafficking in human beings, women refugees and internally displaced persons.

In Romania, with the valuable help and support of the United Nations Population Fund, this October organized an international conference on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). The conference in Bucharest brought together participants from Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Zambia, Palestine, Timor-Leste, Thailand, the Sudan and Kosovo. They discussed the value of the resolution and how to move forward, share experiences and methodologies for its implementation and, most important, how to narrow the gap between the text's provisions and reality on the ground.

It is indeed true that, even when women are guaranteed their civil and political rights by a network of institutions and norms, legal stipulations, even when just and unambiguous, cannot by themselves ensure gender equity in the diversity of social and political life. Empowering women is about overcoming prejudice and marginalization and marshalling political will to recognize them as resourceful contributors to decision-making. It is Romania's position that we should all shift our approach to women and peace and security to one that views their participation as the rule rather than the exception. We should also move from words to action and, last but not least, treat women as full partners rather than as a special category.

I now resume my functions as President of the Council.

I now give the floor to Ms. Elsie-Bernadette Onubogu, Gender Adviser of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Ms. Onubogu

I would like to congratulate the delegation of Romania on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. I should also like to express our gratitude for the holding of this meeting and for the opportunity to address the Council. I would also like to extend to the Council the greetings of to The Right Honourable Don McKinnon, Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Since 2000, the Commonwealth has been working with member countries to implement the historic resolution 1235 (2000), particularly by strengthening its programme of work on gender, democracy, peace and conflict through the Commonwealth's new Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015.

The Commonwealth's 53 member States straddle nearly every continent in seeking to promote peace, strong democracies, good governance, gender equality and sustainable development. Within those fundamental values, the Commonwealth's comparative advantage lies in upholding democracy and developing and encouraging a stronger democratic culture within member countries, as evidence has shown that countries with strong democracies are less likely to experience conflict. In that connection, Mr. McKinnon has noted that

"when women and men are enabled to play their full part in the future of their country, when there is real debate about issues of collective concern -- about education, health care, employment, governance, social justice -- extremist and violent ideologies are less likely to hold sway".

Broadly speaking, the Commonwealth has a five-pronged approach to conflict prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding. It includes the following elements.

The first relates to strengthening democracies. The Commonwealth works with member States to build the necessary capacity for democratic elections and governance systems and to ensure that member countries seek to achieve representative democracies that include women, men, young persons and politically marginalized groups. The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth appoints election observers and monitors to support elections in member States. They report on the conduct of elections in countries such as Cameroon, Papua New Guinea, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and a number of others. In the Commonwealth we reaffirm our conviction that gender equality is a fundamental premise in achieving representative democracy.

The second element is increased participation and representation of women at all levels. Commonwealth ministers for women and gender affairs have adopted a new Plan of Action for Gender Equality. In the Plan of Action the ministers recalled the 1991 Harare Declaration, which was adopted by Commonwealth heads of Government and urged member States to promote gender equality as a fundamental principle of democracy, good governance and peace both within the Commonwealth and throughout the world. In furtherance of those objectives, efforts are under way to establish a regional leadership training institute for Caribbean women in politics, an undertaking that was the result of a workshop organized by the Commonwealth secretariat and other partners.

It is envisaged that such initiatives will promote women's increased participation and representation in decision-making at all levels. Women's representation and participation is critical because, for women to be able to influence policies and decisions that affect their lives and those of their societies, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations, their political, social, cultural and economic empowerment through access to decision-making must form part of the democratic ideal.

To further promote women's representation, the Commonwealth Secretary-General regularly appoints special envoys to countries to monitor developments in member States that are likely to result in conflict. Such envoys work with member countries to carry out dialogue and prevent conflicts before they occur. Some women envoys have been appointed in that regard, to countries such as Cameroon. However, there is room for more participation by women.

The third element relates to developing a culture of peace through peace education. Along with other partners, the Commonwealth is actively engaged in the development of peace education curriculums especially aimed at young persons, in countries such as Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

The fourth is documentation and information-sharing and good practices. As part of our continuing effort to provide information and document good practices, the Commonwealth has published a new book entitled Gender Mainstreaming in Conflict Transformation: Building Sustainable Peace. The book is a body of advocacy, capacity-building and policy tools that is intended to contribute to the why and how of implementing resolution 1325 (2000) and to peacebuilding throughout the world.

The fifth element concerns partnerships. In recognition of the need for collective action, the outcome document of the Millennium Summit (General Assembly resolution 55/2) outlined the responsibility to protect. It thus called on Member States and the international community to ensure the protection of civilians, in particular women and children, in conflict and post-conflict environments.

Along with our strong constituents at the country level, we are working in collaboration with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and member Governments to address some of the challenges highlighted in resolution 1325 (2000) related to enhancing gender awareness on the part of troops.

In conclusion, the Commonwealth recognizes that sustainable peace, gender equality and development are mutually reinforcing and can only be achieved when women and men adhere to the principles of representative democracy, which allow for dialogue and collective action from all citizens and address their concerns.

Five years on, our collective responsibility to protect, as highlighted by the outcome document, must not be ignored. We must take all necessary steps to effectively address the challenges of resolution 1325 (2000), in particular as regards the protection of the rights of women and children and their participation and representation in all phases of conflict, including prevention, resolution, peacekeeping, reconstruction and peacebuilding. Only when women's concerns and contributions are integrated into those processes will we truly give meaning to that landmark resolution.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden.

Mr. Lidén

The United Nations system has undertaken commendable efforts in developing a comprehensive action plan to implement Security Council 1325 (2000). But Member States also have a responsibility. That was stressed in the statement made this morning by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union (EU). Sweden fully aligns itself with that statement. Let me just touch upon three additional aspects of that responsibility.

First and foremost, we have a responsibility as Members of the United Nations. As such, we need to deliver on our commitments and promises. We must both contribute more women to peace operations and reinforce the preparedness and awareness of our contingents, staff and experts. We have to demonstrate in the strongest possible ways that sexual exploitation and abuse are completely unacceptable. And when faced with a report without a gender equality perspective, we should ask for additional information. To meet some of those challenges, the Swedish partnership project Genderforce has been initiated. Bringing together relevant Government agencies and organizations, that multi-annual project focuses on integrating resolution 1325 (2000) into all phases of a peace operation.

Secondly, we have a responsibility as members of regional organizations. As their role in peace operations increases, so should their responsibilities. The representative of the United Kingdom has told us what the EU and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are doing to live up to their responsibilities. We are pleased to have contributed to that. But more action is needed, including more sharing of experiences and good practices among regional organizations.

Thirdly, we have a responsibility ourselves to provide ideas and good practices, not only to ask for reports and proposals from others. A number of gaps are identified in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/636). I would like to share a few ideas on how some of them could potentially be addressed.

First, threats to women's security prevent women from being actors. In August this year, the Swedish Government, together with the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the International Law Association consortium hosted a gender justice partners meeting. The report of that meeting has been circulated as a United Nations document. It contains practical recommendations on how to integrate a gender equality perspective in post-conflict societies and thus to enhance the security and participation of women. We are committed to following up that process, in cooperation with the Republic of South Africa.

Secondly, both the participation and protection of women would benefit from a Peacebuilding Commission with a clear and integrated gender perspective. The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, together with 14 colleagues, has presented the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly with specific ideas on how to integrate a gender-equality perspective in the design and work of the Commission and its support offices. That continues to be a priority for Sweden and for the European Union.

Thirdly, based on its own experience in the field, and in order to meet the changing demands of multifunctional peace operations, Sweden has put forward the idea of civilian observers. In the transitional phase of a mission -- when, for instance, expertise in areas such as elections and human rights is needed -- civilian personnel could be phased into military observer teams. Additional competences could be incorporated, and the mission would thus be genuinely multifunctional at the field level as well. Such a new category of seconded civilian personnel could significantly increase the number of female mission members at the field level, where military observer teams very often constitute the only presence of a peace mission.

Fourthly, special representatives, special envoys and other emissaries involved in peace negotiations should have firm guidelines from the Secretary-General to enhance women's participation in peace processes and transitional structures. Any reason for failure to succeed should be reported on. Such benchmarks could really make a difference. We need only compare the impressive level of female participation in the parliament of Afghanistan with the much poorer results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That does not reflect local conditions. Rather, it is the result of a determined policy on the part of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan.

In order to shoulder our responsibilities at the national level, an inter-ministerial working group is now finalizing a Swedish action plan in order to intensify our implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Work is being -- and will continue to be -- carried out in cooperation with Government agencies, as well as with civil society. We look forward to sharing good practices with States and organizations in the process of developing or implementing their plans, methods and tools. Only by cooperating will we be able to ensure that decisions and ambitions will improve the daily lives of women and men, girls and boys. We cannot afford to settle for less.

Mrs. Asmady (Indonesia)

Let me begin by expressing my delegation's appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts to establish a system-wide action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), as set out in his report on women and peace and security (S/2005/636). Not only will the report ensure better coordination and the provision of more efficient support to Member States and other actors in implementing the resolution at the national and regional levels, but it will also strengthen the commitment and accountability of the United Nations at the highest level.

Indonesia agrees that it is important -- as underlined in the 2005 World Summit Outcome -- to integrate a gender perspective into all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security and to ensure equal opportunities for women to be fully involved in peace processes, as well as to increase their role in decision-making at all levels. In Indonesia, the entry into force of Law No. 12 of 2003 on general elections provides a solid foundation for women's participation in the decision-making process. The law seeks to guarantee that women make up at least 30 per cent of those individuals contesting national and regional parliamentary elections. In doing so, it creates an awareness of gender equality in power and decision-making.

As a major contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions, Indonesia is of the view that training, gender-sensitization and capacity-building for uniformed personnel and civilian police are essential for effective United Nations peacemaking, peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions. Law No. 3 of 2002 reaffirmed the need for a new peace paradigm which will inculcate in the Indonesian army a deep commitment to democracy, human rights and the protection of the environment. Those principles have become an integral part of the basic curriculums of military schools and other military training activities.

My delegation strongly believes that, together with the 12 areas of action, gender mainstreaming must have an impact, at all levels, on those responsible for the implementation of the action plan. Indonesia therefore fully agrees that there is a need to strengthen the commitment of senior and top managers to institutionalize gender mainstreaming by means of developing effective monitoring, reporting and accountability mechanisms. In this connection, Indonesia welcomes the efforts of the United Nations specialized agencies that have put in place improved accountability systems to ensure that senior management and staff at all levels undertake efforts to achieve gender mainstreaming in their work.

In order to facilitate implementation, there should be increased efforts to address serious persistent challenges, including overlapping activities; underdeveloped monitoring, reporting and accountability mechanisms; the inadequate utilization of gender specialists; and insufficient capacity for gender analysis. It is my delegation's fervent hope that the action plan will be used as a tool for better coordination and the enhancing of synergies within the United Nations system, so that such challenges can be properly addressed as soon as possible.

Indonesia also agrees with the Secretary-General's recommendation to enhance inter-agency cooperation in the field, including through United Nations country teams, gender theme groups and gender advisers and units and to improve cooperation with national Governments, national machineries for the advancement of women and the promotion of gender equality, and civil society. However, such efforts should focus on the capacity-building of national machinery, particularly in the area of raising awareness for gender mainstreaming and equality through training, advocacy and socialization, targeting various executive and legislative authorities.

In conclusion, Indonesia is of the view that establishing time lines for the action plan will improve the accuracy of and coordination among concerned United Nations agencies, as well as leading to the enhancement of accountability. It is Indonesia's keen hope that significant progress towards the effective implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) will be achieved beyond 2007 and that women will be able to live more secure and productive lives and fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The President

I give the floor to Mr. Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Mr. Johnsson

I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having given the Inter-Parliamentary Union the opportunity to address the Security Council on this very important issue.

Before making my statement, I would like to convey to the Council the greetings of Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini, Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, who has just been elected President of our organization for a three-year term and who will be coming to New York early next week for the annual parliamentary hearing at the United Nations.

Women and children suffer the most severe consequences of conflicts that they themselves do not instigate. All of us, therefore, have a responsibility to work in support of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). At a recent IPU Assembly, members of parliament reviewed the situation and drew up an impressive list of actions that they can and do promote in parliaments and elsewhere in support of that resolution.

Fittingly, the IPU -- as the world organization of parliaments -- addresses the issue of women's participation in peace processes from a parliamentary perspective. Parliaments have a fundamental role to play in peace and reconciliation processes and in the implementation of peace agreements. The very existence of a strong and effective parliament is itself an essential component of any solution to conflict and in the building of peace.

Women must be full and equal participants in political processes. This is not only a question of rights -- of equality in society -- but also an issue of substance. Surveys we have undertaken clearly demonstrate the fact that many women have a keen awareness of social issues that many men lack. They have a better understanding of specific gender issues, particularly violations of the rights of women during conflict, which need to be addressed in peace processes.

Hence, these peace processes can be truly effective and efficient only to the extent that both women and men participate in them. Yet this is certainly not the case today. In parliaments, for example, women make up only, on average, 16 per cent of the membership.

It is therefore encouraging that the presence of women members in parliament in many post-conflict countries has shown a tendency to increase markedly after the conflict, invariably resulting in figures for women members of parliament that are well above the world average. The majority of those countries rank among the top 30 in the world.

Rwanda's proportion has climbed from 17 per cent before the conflict to 49 per cent today. It has the highest relative score of any country. Burundi surged from 9 percent to 30 per cent today and went on to elect a woman as Speaker of Parliament. Mozambique more than doubled, from 16 per cent to 35 per cent. Sierra Leone was at 1 per cent before the conflict started; today, 14 per cent of parliamentarians are women.

What sets these countries apart? We believe it is the fact that they have approached the peace process as an opportunity to instigate real change.

Countries like Rwanda and Burundi have given gender equality issues special attention and consideration from the very beginning of the peace process. They have actually written these issues into their constitutions. They have established transitional national assemblies with greater participation by women and have introduced quotas at the institutional level. They have made sure that women receive leadership training to run for election. The results speak volumes as to what countries should do when experiencing similar situations.

The IPU is present in many post-conflict countries. Our efforts include working with women, helping them to develop their leadership skills and facilitating their work, both as candidates and subsequently as members of parliament.

We also seek to ensure that the institution of parliament is able to address gender issues, and we do so by raising awareness of these issues among women and men both.

Ensuring effective oversight is one key function of parliament, and it includes oversight of the security forces. There are many ways in which parliament can and should exercise its oversight function in the field of security, and we are now working with many parliaments to assist them in introducing a gender perspective on security policy.

We are also assisting parliaments in analysing the national budget from a gender perspective. This is particularly valuable when consolidating peace and making sure that the national budget is allocated in a manner that allows for the implementation of peace agreements, including those components that may be of particular importance to women.

The lessons we have learned from our fieldwork, from parliamentary diplomacy and from our political debates is that we must treat these peace processes as a continuum extending far beyond the final conclusion of an agreement.

We must take a long-term approach to ensure that peace is consolidated and not subjected to renewed threats. We must also ensure that gender issues are addressed from the very beginning of the peace process and that women are included among those who negotiate peace agreements. We have seen the value of transitional assemblies as a vehicle for improvement and, of course, an elected parliament is essential. It is important that the gender composition of such assemblies be discussed early on as well.

There is a need to focus on these institutions, to give them the means they require to become effective, to sensitize men to gender issues, and to sustain this effort over a long period of time.

Let me conclude these remarks by reminding members of the Security Council of the declaration that 150 speakers of parliament adopted here at the United Nations last month. In that declaration, they pledge their support to the United Nations and United Nations reform. They called for a strategic partnership between the organization that I represent here today, the IPU, and the United Nations, with more substantive interaction and coordination between the two organizations.

Specifically, they encourage the United Nations to avail itself more frequently of the political and technical expertise that the IPU, together with its member parliaments, can provide, particularly in areas relating to post-conflict institution-building. The creation of a new Peacebuilding Commission at the United Nations offers an important opportunity to do so. We look forward to working closely with the United Nations in turning this vision into reality.

The President

The next speaker is the representative of Namibia, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Andjaba (Namibia)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member States Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and my own country, Namibia.

Let me thank the panellists for their informative and illuminating introductory presentations this morning. We welcome the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/636) on women and peace and security.

I am delighted that it was during Namibia's presidency of the Security Council in October 2000 that an open debate and discussions were initiated which culminated in the adoption of this landmark resolution -- resolution 1325 (2000) -- which we have the honour of reviewing today. This five-year review presents us with an opportunity to pause and evaluate the progress we have made thus far in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). It is our fervent belief that this event will add the desired impetus to our commitment to fully realize all the goals and objectives of resolution 1325 (2000). We are thus gratified by the efforts undertaken within the United Nations to develop a system-wide action plan to implement this resolution.

The action plan has provided us with a framework within which progress on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) can be coordinated, monitored and evaluated. It is important that the action plan not reinvent the wheel but rather build on the achievements already made. In that regard, we welcome the recommendation to review the adequacy of existing operational tools, guidelines and manuals for gender mainstreaming.

We further note with appreciation the fact that the action plan has taken into account the capacity of women in the areas of peacemaking and peacebuilding. Women's groups, especially those in the vicinity of conflict areas, have an important role to play, especially during the reconciliation, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes. Local expertise needs to be fully utilized in all phases of conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

However, we note with concern that, although there has been some progress in the reporting of gender issues in the Secretary-General's reports as well as in the work of the Security Council, gaps in reporting on gender and women's issues continues to exist. Thus, there is a need to critically examine the reasons behind the underreporting of gender and women's issues and to take the necessary steps to remedy the situation. We know that in many cases the non-inclusion of gender aspects is a result of inadequate capacity rather than reluctance. We would therefore like to stress that continuous capacity-building on gender analysis skills both for staff and for stakeholders is crucial for successful implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

We call for closer collaboration between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations such as the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States, to mention but a few. However, that will require capacity-building in terms of technical, human and financial resources. We therefore call upon the United Nations system to assist in building the capacities of those organizations.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome document of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly called for women's participation to be equal to that of men and for their full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

An area of concern to us is the continued low representation of women in all phases of the peacebuilding process. Despite the disproportionate impact of conflict on women, they continue to hold their families and communities together and often undertake initiatives across warring factions under extremely difficult conditions. When involved, they bring their experiences into formal peace processes. Thus, it is imperative that they be included in peacebuilding processes at all levels. It is unfortunate that, more often than not, the efforts of women are insufficiently recognized and supported, both politically and financially. As a result, women's rights are rarely integrated into peace agreements or in the structures supporting post-conflict reconstruction.

We therefore urge that the role of women in those processes be built into the peace agreements from the very beginning. The challenge before us is how to increase the number of women in all phases and at all levels of peace processes. Men need to be sensitized on the positive contributions that women can bring to the negotiating table. Both the United Nations system and Member States must make deliberate efforts to identify and support women's participation in peace processes. The inadequate representation of women in decision-making is not a phenomenon unique to peacebuilding processes. Rather, it extends to all other areas. In that regard, we urge Member States and the organizations of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates, to address the barriers women face in moving into decision-making positions.

The establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission has presented us with an opportunity to ensure that gender is integrated into the design and work of the Commission. We must formulate concrete strategies, actions and programmes in a consistent and effective manner to advance the role of women in the area of peace and security. We should ensure the effective participation of women in the Commission.

SADC condemns the use of sexual and gender-based violence against women and children as a weapon of war and also condemns widespread violations of their human rights. We call upon all parties involved in conflicts to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of women and children.

Furthermore, the continuing sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated against women and girls by some United Nations peacekeepers and other personnel is of great concern to us. We urge the accelerated implementation of the Secretary-General's recommendations on sexual exploitation and abuse. Further, we urge troop- and police-contributing countries to take punitive actions against those involved in acts of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Finally, let me reaffirm SADC's commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Iceland.

Mr. Hannesson (Iceland)

Allow me, first, to express the satisfaction of my delegation, as a non-member of the Council, at being able to discuss the issue of women and peace and security in an open meeting on the fifth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. We wish, in particular, to thank the special panellists who spoke to the Council earlier and added valuable points of view to our deliberations.

At the outset, my Government would like to express its gratitude to the Secretary-General for his report on women and peace and security, contained in document S/2005/636.

Resolution 1325 (2000) was a groundbreaking step forward in reaffirming the importance of the equal participation and the direct involvement of women in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, as many have said before me. By its adoption, it was finally recognized that women have an important role to play in peace processes and in achieving sustainable peace in conflict regions. That landmark resolution is a challenge to us all, for it requires a fundamental change in procedure, delivery, attitudes and habits.

Since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), considerable attention has been paid to its implementation within the United Nations. That has been appropriate as we focus on ensuring the mainstreaming of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Organization. We believe that in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals, it is important that a gender perspective be integrated into all strategies and programmes.

In that context, Iceland warmly welcomes the United Nations action plan for implementing resolution 1325 (2000) across the United Nations system, which has been presented to the Security Council in the report of the Secretary-General. The system-wide action plan is an important tool for better coordination and for building on the synergies of the United Nations system. With the adoption of the action plan, the United Nations is creating a good precedent which should encourage Member States to mainstream the gender perspective in their own policies. We also hope that the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office which our leaders decided to establish will demonstrate a strong commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

Women in war and women who have survived war must enjoy protection and justice, and women must be full agents in the shaping and rebuilding of their communities in the aftermath of war. Therefore, we must ensure that the provisions of resolution 1325 (2000) are realized and that women can fully and equally participate at all levels of decision-making with regard to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. It is our duty to continue our work towards the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) at the national, regional and international levels.

The Icelandic authorities have put emphasis on supporting the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Indeed, an important part of Iceland's development cooperation is directed towards facilitating a smooth transition from conflict situations, with special emphasis on women and their role in peacebuilding. Here, Iceland's support to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is especially worth highlighting. Iceland's contribution to UNIFEM has more than doubled this year. And for the past few years, the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit has seconded a gender expert to UNIFEM in Kosovo.

Finally, I would like to underline that Iceland strongly condemns the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse committed by United Nations peacekeeping personnel, and we fully support the Secretary-General in his determination to uproot such behaviour. Such abuse undermines our peace efforts and the credibility of the United Nations. Efforts must be redoubled, and preventive education in this field must be a continuous feature of the training of the United Nations peacekeepers.

The President

I call next on the representative of Egypt.

Mr. Abdelaziz (Egypt)

It is my pleasure to address you today on behalf of the Arab Group and to express the Group's appreciation for the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General on the fifth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security.

I thank those who preceded me for reflecting on the United Nations system-wide efforts to strengthen commitment, accountability and transparency and to evaluate, monitor and report the progress realized.

The Arab countries work in close cooperation with the United Nations system to strengthen the means of protecting women during times of conflict, and to consolidate the role of women and their participation in post-conflict stages. That is in concert with our belief in the major role that women play, especially under the exceptional circumstances represented by foreign occupation with the ensuing deterioration of the humanitarian and economic situation and negative effects on economic and social development.

However, an evaluation of the international situation, five years after resolution 1325 (2000) shows that we have not realized many of the objectives we had hoped for. Palestinian women are still suffering under the pressures of occupation, aggravated by the construction of settlements and the separation wall. They are subjected to the worst and harshest treatment at crossings and checkpoints. As a result of the deaths of many of the husbands and sons of Palestinian women, they have assumed more demanding family obligations beyond their capacity.

Consequently, the Arab Group calls upon the Security Council to take into consideration the situation of Palestinian women under foreign occupation, in addition to that of Syrian and Lebanese women in other occupied Arab territories. The Council must work towards the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Arab territories occupied since 1967, within the context of a comprehensive and just peace agreement, based on the implementation of United Nations resolutions, international legitimacy and the principle of land for peace.

It is difficult to speak of women without referring to a number of the initiatives taken by the Arab countries to enhance the status of women, not only in times of conflict but also in peacebuilding. The first is the establishment of the Arab Women's Organization, which has become an effective Arab institution to safeguard and defend the rights of Arab women, leading towards the realization of the objectives of broader freedom and participation and overall advancement. The organization also seeks coordination and cooperation among Arab countries in enhancing the position of Arab women, as they are the cornerstone for the solidarity of Arab societies. The organization seeks to coordinate the Arab positions in international forums that deal with women's issues, regionally and internationally.

The second initiative is the first international movement for women, security and peace, which began in Egypt at a conference hosted in 2002 at Sharm el-Sheikh, a conference attended by governmental and non-governmental representatives and regional and international organizations and civil society and the United Nations. The movement was registered as a non-profit organization in Geneva in 2003 and has acquired legitimacy as the first international movement that seeks to coordinate responses to calls for putting an end to violence against women in times of conflict and other times, and to enhance the role of women in peacemaking.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that we should make the best possible use of all the main organs of the United Nations, each with its original mandate, and without prejudice to the role of the General Assembly regarding humanitarian, economic, social and human rights conditions, including issues relating to women. The Arab Group would like to state that international humanitarian activities should be carried out in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the agreements relative to women -- notably the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, and its two additional protocols, and the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Conference and its Plan of Action and the twenty-third special session of the United Nations General Assembly, entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century".

The President

I give the floor to the representative of Norway.

Mr. Løvald (Norway)

Norway welcomes the Secretary-General's report including the system-wide action plan. The document serves as a welcome follow-up of the outcome of the 2005 world summit.

With the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), the Council affirmed its commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Much has been achieved with regard to gender mainstreaming. However, when it comes to peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation, much remains to be done to honour the commitments made. There has not been a great increase in women's participation in conflict resolution, and the protection of women living in situations of armed conflict is still a great challenge.

Despite the substantial efforts made by the United Nations following the reports of sexual abuse and exploitation by personnel in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) last year, that continues to be a problem. Sexual abuse and exploitation of civilians by peacekeepers is unacceptable. It undermines the credibility of the United Nations and erodes the moral stature of the Organization. The troop-contributing countries have a clear responsibility for the behaviour of their troops and must ensure that codes of conduct are enforced. Impunity for serious acts of violence must end. Member States should make every effort to contribute to systematic pre-deployment gender training for military and police. We must help to empower local women and assist women's networks and organizations to conduct public information campaigns to combat the culture of abuse and silence.

We cannot put the entire responsibility on the troop-contributing countries. The full backing of the United Nations Organization, including the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), is needed to reverse the negative trend. Norway has offered to finance a study for the DPKO on lessons learned and best practices regarding how effective implementation of a gender perspective can contribute to the success of a peace mission.

More importance should be attached to the gender advisers. Only 10 missions have a full-time gender advisory position, while what is needed is teams of gender specialists to support the gender advisers in dealing with the huge requirements and scope of programmes undertaken as part of the mission. Gender awareness must be recognised as the basis for the successful design and implementation of all post-conflict work. Only ten missions have a full-time gender advisory position, while what is needed are teams of gender specialists to support the gender advisers in dealing with the huge requirements and the scope of programmes undertaken as part of the mission. Gender awareness must be recognized as the basis for the successful design and implementation of all post-conflict work.

To ensure that a gender perspective is systematically integrated in policies and recommendations to the Peacebuilding Commission, Norway would support the inclusion of a senior gender adviser in the proposed Peacebuilding Support Office.

It is particularly important to improve the gender balance in peace missions. Norway supports the Swedish proposal that the observer categories participating in United Nations peace missions should be expanded to include civilian observers. This would broaden the recruitment base and make a better gender balance in United Nations peace missions more achievable. The experience from mixed military and civilian Provincial Reconstruction Teams in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) can provide valuable input to the discussion on the inclusion of civilian observers in United Nations peace missions.

Norway welcomes the action plans on gender mainstreaming and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) from each of the peacekeeping missions. It is crucial that the United Nations itself be a model for securing fair and balanced representation between the sexes at all levels. The under-representation of women in the United Nations Secretariat, in particular at the senior level, is, therefore, a serious cause for concern. Also important is the notion that incorporating a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations means ensuring that sex-disaggregated data are included in the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council. This is necessary in order to understand the reality experienced in the field by women, men, girls and boys.

Empowering women locally is an important part of building lasting peace and laying the foundations for development. Women are seriously under-represented in negotiations, in constitutional commissions and in political forums. Obviously, this is an important challenge for the Peacebuilding Commission.

Enhancing political participation should be of highest priority. The United Nations must be at the forefront in promoting women's participation in electoral processes. While there are no international standards on quotas or targets for gender representation, there is clear evidence that where quotas are applied, either voluntarily or by law, they are an effective way of securing women's representation. The trend seems to be that many countries receiving electoral assistance decide on their own to apply quotas for the representation of women. Norway is confident that the United Nations has the necessary competence to assist countries in this respect.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Samoa.

Mr. Elisaia (Samoa)

I am honoured to address the Security Council on the question of women, peace and security. In doing so, I speak on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum member States with Permanent Missions in New York - namely, Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and my own country, Samoa.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. It is now a matter of international consensus that the role of women is fundamental to the maintenance of international peace and security. At the 2005 world summit, our leaders reaffirmed this understanding. Today, we would like to express our full and continuing support for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which remains the most important and comprehensive framework for action at the international level.

We welcome the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security. We urge the Security Council to continue to intensify its efforts to mainstream issues on women, peace and security into its work. We wish briefly to highlight the most important steps that now need to be taken on the basis of the Secretary-General's report.

First, there is a clear need for increased representation of women at all levels of decision-making in conflict prevention, management and resolution. We hope to see more women appointed to senior positions in peace operations in the future, and to see Security Council support for such progress.

Secondly, the Security Council must act to protect the most vulnerable. Special attention must be paid to the specific protection needs of women and girls to prevent gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.

Thirdly, the Security Council must call for the prosecution of those who commit crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes, including crimes involving sexual and other violence against women and girls. There can be no impunity for such crimes.

Lastly, United Nations peace operations must lead by example. We wish to see greater participation by women in peacekeeping missions and increased accountability for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the United Nations as a whole.

The Pacific Islands Forum leaders welcomed the agreement reached at the world summit to establish a Peacebuilding Commission. It is a matter of highest priority to us that this new body should support and promote the protection and promotion of the rights of women and build on international work relating to women, peace and security. We urge Security Council members to ensure that a gender perspective is mainstreamed throughout the operations of the Commission.

The experience of Pacific Islands Forum countries in peacebuilding efforts in our own region makes this an issue of particular resonance for us. The return of peace, following recent conflicts in Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, owes much to the role of women in the affected areas. We acknowledge the efforts of those incredible women today, and we urge the Security Council to respect them by taking further action on this issue in the United Nations.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Australia.

Mr. Dauth (Australia)

Mr. President, let me begin by associating myself fully with the statement just delivered on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum. At this stage of the day, I understand, of course, that just about everything has already been said, and Permanent Representatives -- not including yourself, Sir -- have fled the Chamber and, if they are lucky, they are pouring their first drink of the day. So, I am sorry to add to the endless flow of statements, but it really is, of course, a very important issue.

If I may, let me associate myself with the remarks I just heard made by my Norwegian colleague about the need to accelerate our focus on the disgraceful record of sexual exploitation in too many United Nations missions. This is a tangential issue in some ways today, but I do think it is very important indeed, and I am glad that it has been aired by our colleague, and I want to associate Australia with it.

We warmly welcome the reaffirmation by leaders at the summit of their commitment to the full and effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). Their reaffirmation of the landmark resolution adopted, as you know, five years ago demonstrates an increased international awareness of the gender dimensions of armed conflict and a recognition of the importance of women's full involvement -- full involvement -- in all efforts to promote peace and security.

Women are often at the forefront of community-led conflict resolution and peacebuilding but are all too often excluded from higher-level peace processes. We have recently seen the significant contribution that women can make to effective peacebuilding -- as Ambassador Feturi Elisaia of Samoa just pointed out -- in both Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. We strongly encourage the participation of women in efforts at all levels to bring about and maintain peace and security. Australia strongly supports continued efforts to implement the resolution, and we are pleased to have contributed financially to the Secretary-General's study on this issue.

We attach importance to providing continued training on resolution 1325 (2000) to Australian Defence Forces personnel. In that regard, we welcome the Secretary-General's new, comprehensive plan for reinforcing and integrating women's issues into the world body's peacekeeping and post-conflict operations. Greater sensitivity to the interests of women will also make a vital contribution to the challenge we face in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers -- which is not being done urgently enough. That is an appalling situation and a blight on a key area of United Nations activity.

Through our aid programme we are continuing to focus attention on implementing resolution 1325 (2000). We have developed a training module on conflict analysis and peace, as well as on conflict impact assessments, which include gender components for use in our development assistance programmes, and we are continuing to incorporate the concepts of resolution 1325 (2000) into those programmes. Following the violence in the Solomon Islands in 2000, for example, the Community Peace and Restoration Fund, whose goal was to contribute to the overall process of the restoration of peace and development, provided a critical peace dividend for the entire population. It enabled the delivery of immediate, direct and practical assistance to communities throughout the country and included 95 projects specifically for women. Under our Solomon Islands programme, we are also supporting a range of non-governmental organization activities to support community resilience and promote inter-community peace. We have also supported a peacebuilding and women's empowerment programme, which seeks to promote community-based trauma counselling initiatives, peacebuilding and reconciliation between communities. In Sri Lanka we are funding a number of activities specifically designed to reduce the scope of conflicts among communities. Those include a programme to address the impact of armed conflicts on women. The programme works with women affected by conflicts in the northern and eastern districts, as well as displaced Muslims and women in central Sri Lanka.

We recognize that progress has been made on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and certainly we welcome the work done to date in that regard. However, we must continue to ensure the increased participation of women at all levels and all stages of peace operations and to work towards the greater involvement of women in peacebuilding efforts. Australia reaffirms its commitment to playing its role in achieving those objectives.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of El Salvador.

Mr. Martínez Flores (El Salvador)

El Salvador welcomes the convening of this open debate by the Security Council in observance of the fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. That is an innovative mechanism, in which efforts to advance and promote women cut across every area of conflict prevention -- from the peace negotiation process to post-conflict reconstruction. In that regard, my country is grateful to the Secretary-General for his report on peace, women and security (S/2005/636), which outlines a United Nations system plan of action to implement resolution 1325 (2000).

Five years have elapsed since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), and we would point out that positive and concrete results have been made through incorporating a gender perspective in this area -- both in terms of measuring the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, as well as in the role of women in peacebuilding.

Our heads of State and Government lent their political support to the world summit outcome document (General Assembly resolution 60/1), which undertakes to transform the commitments made in resolution 1325 (2000) into concrete action. The threats faced by civilians during armed conflicts, in particular women and children, underscore the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective as a fundamental part of early warning activities as well as conflict prevention measures. Therefore, we welcome the initiatives designed to establish early warning indicators with a gender perspective. That would contribute substantially to a better understanding of the ties that exist between gender and security. We are convinced that that linkage should be examined more thoroughly, both within the framework of the Security Council, as well as within the Commission on the Status of Women.

We support the decision of the Security Council to include gender issues targeted by resolution 1325 (2000) in the mandates of the various peace assessment and peacekeeping missions. Thus far, we have seen that that policy has been welcomed in the field and that it has helped improve the image of members of United Nations peacekeeping missions. In that context, we should point out that the Government of El Salvador has made a similar commitment along those lines, and we are pleased to recall that, at the request of the United Nations a few months ago, we have been participating with women police officers in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. This is a recognition of the successful establishment of the civilian national police of El Salvador as an institution -- established after the peace agreements. It is also a pleasure to be able to return to the international community today the assistance that was given to us under the auspices of the United Nations during our own peace process.

In that regard, we hope that countries such as ours, which have made the transition from violent conflict to peace, will obtain the opportunity we deserve to share our experiences with other countries in the future Peacebuilding Commission.

In resolution 1325 (2000) the Security Council recommends that Member States and all the parties to a conflict should include women in the decision-making processes of peace negotiations, as well as in the implementation of political peace agreements. El Salvador shares that point of view. Given our own experience, we suggest that we should also consider the active participation of women in initiatives to educate for peace through the transmission of values that foster reconciliation and coexistence based on a culture of peace.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has made a fundamental contribution to El Salvador by promoting a series of initiatives, including, in particular, for the training of women to instil dialogue, tolerance and respect for difference in the rest of society. Restoring public confidence after an internal conflict involves civic participation, where the role of women is essential. We know that women contribute, through their complementary vision of reality, to identifying both short- and long-term priorities. That is why their presence is necessary in consolidating democratic institutions, in strengthening gender justice and in legislative debate. All of those reasons indicate that a gender balance should be maintained in decisions that affect public life.

When possibilities are open to them, women assume responsibility in the transition process, becoming the backbone of the fight against poverty. In El Salvador we have learned that the transformation of society requires structures that foster equal participation in the new national project. However, it is important to train a society so that it can enter the transition process, where a new coexistence based on peace, development and respect for human rights can be realized. In that vein, it is up to the political parties to stimulate an extensive debate on equal participation and also to bring national policy decisions in line with the spirit of resolution 1325 (2000).

In conclusion, I would like to stress the Government of El Salvador's desire to always include the participation of women and the defence of their rights in our ongoing effort to preserve a lasting peace. The spirit of the resolution will show us the way. We have confidence in the coordinated work of the organs of the United Nations system.

The President

I now call on the representative of Fiji.

Mr. Savua (Fiji)

We align ourselves with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Samoa on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum. We thank the Secretary-General for the action plan on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security across the United Nations system, contained in document S/2005/636 of 10 October 2005. The report is very comprehensive and written with a view to strengthening commitment and accountability at the highest levels and to allowing for improved accountability, monitoring and reporting on progress of implementation of the United Nations system.

Over the years, we in Fiji have always been mindful of the role of women in our society. We do not question their importance or the critical role they play in the development of our nation. The Secretary-General's action plan is most welcome, as it has opened new avenues for the consideration of issues that may have been bypassed or regarded as too difficult.

Women in Fiji have served alongside their men in peacekeeping operations. They have moved away from their traditional roles of working only in the logistics supporting areas to front-line operations. These women are volunteers and like to serve in the promotion of international peace and security.

Most senior posts in United Nations peacekeeping operations are occupied by men. We would like to see some women become the holders of senior posts that would reflect their contributions. It is high time that we extend our gratitude for their contributions to peacekeeping and other areas.

One such area should be a commitment to develop a national action plan for the coordinated implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Such an action plan should be public and be drawn up in consultation with civil society. It should also contain specific and time-bound activities, targets and monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Fiji and some of its neighbours will implement the action plan with the assistance of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), which over the years has been supportive of the launching of national policies and strategies to promote implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We expect little change as a result of the efforts of UNIFEM and civil society this time around. However, as has been stated, there must be some form of monitoring mechanism to ensure that national action plans are updated and that a review of the implementation of the action plan is conducted annually, starting in October 2006.

For five years, the Security Council has been seized of the issue of women and peace and security. Now that we have an action plan, we ought to move forward and establish a focal point and an expert-level working group to ensure the integration of resolution 1325 (2000) into the Council's work. The plan is another milestone with regard to the issue of women and peace and security, and the journey continues. There will be other milestones. For example, we would support a request that the Secretary-General make recommendations to the Security Council by October 2006 on various means by which the Council could be more systematically informed of the use of gender-based violence by parties to armed conflict, paying special attention to the machinery already developed to monitor and report to the Council on violations against children in armed conflict. We would also wish to hear about various means by which the Council could do more to hold parties to armed conflict accountable for those violations by considering, for example, the imposition of targeted sanctions against such parties.

Women and peace and security is an issue that should be of interest to all of us, regardless of where we come from. Indeed, all issues concerning women should receive appropriate and equitable responses. The action plan is, in our view, appropriate to the issue in question. It is now incumbent upon all of us to ensure that it is implemented fully in all its aspects.

The President

I now call on the representative of Myanmar.

Mr. Swe (Myanmar)

First of all, I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for the initiative you have taken in convening today's open debate on women and peace and security.

It has now been five years since the Security Council adopted the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). By means of that resolution the international community chose to see women not merely as victims in conflict situations, but as active participants in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1) gives an added impetus to that notion by recognizing the importance of providing women with the opportunity for equal participation and full involvement in efforts to maintain and promote peace and security.

Women and girls are among those who suffer most in armed conflicts. Therefore, they have a strong desire for peace and security and yearn to take an active part in the peace process.

The underlying causes of conflicts are many and varied. In most cases, poverty, socio-economic and gender inequalities and underdevelopment are its root causes. In the case of my country, a union made up of more than 100 national races, the weakness of the constitution that was imposed upon us at the time of independence was the main cause of conflict. Because of that weakness, Myanmar had to face armed insurgencies barely a few months after we had regained our sovereignty in 1948. It was only recently that we were able to achieve national reconciliation, and 17 insurgent groups came back to the legal fold. Their representatives have now joined other delegates in the national convention that is laying down the principles of our new constitution -- a constitution that will be acceptable to all nationalities of the Union. I am happy to say that the women of Myanmar are taking active part in the national convention.

Resolution 1325 (2000) also contains the important component of ensuring the protection of and respect for the human rights of women and girls. In Myanmar, the Government was instrumental in establishing the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation and has been actively implementing policies to promote and protect the rights of women and girls.

I wish to commend the Secretary-General for submitting an action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security throughout the United Nation system. I have noted that the action plan contains strategic programmes as well as quick-impact strategies. We are happy to see that the plan is structured around 12 important areas of action. We are particularly pleased that preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations staff, related personnel and United Nations partners is included as one of those action areas.

Myanmar's values, tradition and culture abhor the sexual exploitation of women. We therefore strongly support the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy. We are also happy to see that the action plan includes accountability machinery.

I am confident that the action plan and the recommendations contained in the report, as well as the Peacebuilding Commission established by the 2005 world summit, will contribute meaningfully to the promotion of the role of women as envisioned in resolution 1325 (2000).

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. Chowdhury (Bangladesh)

It has been five years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), a resolution with which Bangladesh, then sitting in the Council, was very closely associated. I wish to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for giving us the opportunity to take stock of the progress made in implementing the resolution since then. I also wish to praise Romania for the excellent conduct of the Council's presidency during the current month.

In the past, conflicts were largely inter-State or inter-empire. More recently, they have been intra-State, with subregional and regional ramifications. In many ways -- more than in the past -- civilians form the bulk of the victims. Two millennia ago, the Greek sage Aristotle wisely observed that all wars were waged for the sake of getting money. Not much has changed since then. But our power of analysis has grown over time, and we now observe -- perhaps more keenly -- that poverty, the struggle for scarce resources and socio-economic injustices lie at the heart of conflicts. And all of them, sadly, entail grave violations of human rights.

It does not take much scrutiny to come to the conclusion that the most vulnerable segment of the civilian population comprises women and children. That is evident everywhere. Women and girls are often viewed as bearers of cultural identities. Thus, they become prime targets. When women suffer, so do children. In addition, children are used as instruments for the perpetration of violence, as that can be done easily and cheaply. The current hotspots of the world are replete with such examples.

Women know the price that they and their children have to pay in conflict situations. It is natural, therefore, that they are keen and often better equipped to prevent and resolve such situations. They have sought to do so over generations as peace educators, both in their families and in their wider societies, fostering a culture of peace within and across communities. They often, therefore, aptly serve as bridge-builders of understanding across rivers of strife.

It is in that perspective that Bangladesh, as a member of the Security Council, worked closely in the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). The resolution was primarily based on a simple thesis. It was that women's equal access to and full participation in all layers of the power structure, as well as their full participation in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, are essential elements for making and sustaining peace. The Bangladesh presidency issued a statement to that effect on International Women's Day in March 2000. Eventually, the process culminated in the resolution. Needless to say, Bangladesh remains committed to its full implementation.

Drawing from our domestic experience, we believe that gender mainstreaming and empowerment are critical factors for development. Access to education and health care, coupled with the provision of microcredit facilities, can unleash the entrepreneurial skills of individuals. We know that such empowerment of women helps stave off extremist thought and action. That includes the scourge of terrorism. Today, by adhering to those very values, Bangladesh itself is undergoing a quiet but significant societal transformation. Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her Government have an unflinching commitment to those goals.

The United Nations should work as a conduit for disseminating homegrown ideas and best practices, such as microcredit and non-formal education, that have proven to work in my country and many others societies of comparable milieu. Those ideas can be applied in post-conflict societies with the major involvement of women. They will form the bulwark of peacebuilding.

Success in implementing the resolution, in our view, has been mixed. While we have integrated gender perspectives in some aspects of United Nations peacekeeping operations and also in some post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, much work remains to be done. We encourage the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to continue its efforts in that direction. The excellent presentation this morning by Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guéhenno, as well as his leadership qualities, give us the confidence that the desired results will come to fruition. Bangladesh, as one of the consistently top contributors of troops to United Nations peacekeeping operations, remains conscious of its responsibilities to incorporate essential elements of resolution 1325 (2000) into the pre-deployment training of its peacekeepers.

The non-participation or insignificant participation of women in peace agreement negotiations is still a problem. Those peace agreements inevitably fail to address the special needs of women. Although women suffer most as victims of conflict, they are excluded from peace dividends. Our endeavours to resolve those conflicts and address their root causes will fail if we do not empower women. The formal participation of women in peace negotiations and decision-making processes is key to the effectiveness of conflict prevention.

The 2005 world summit outlined several policy frameworks important to millions of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations. The operationalization of the peacebuilding commission by the year's end would be a giant step in that direction. Increased focus on conflict prevention; responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity; the effective promotion and protection of human rights; and enhanced rule of law are some of the achievements of the summit that would go a long way towards empowering women in the longer term and towards enhancing their role in conflict prevention and resolution.

We welcome the proposed system-wide action plan on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). It is our hope that it will be instrumental in integrating gender perspectives across the entire United Nations system. Such gender mainstreaming, of course, must take into account geographical, ethnic and cultural factors. To be successful, the action plan will require the necessary resources -- financial, material and human. That would have to be at all levels. The active participation of civil society is a sine qua non.

Every generation must seek to bequeath to the next a better world. Ours must do the same. For that purpose, we must identify some ideals and seek to achieve them. It is such pursuits that lend vigour to our societies and create the positive ferment that is the primum movens of civilizations. Also, they help us to achieve greater heights across a broader spectrum of human endeavour.

The President

I now call on the representative of Peru.

Ms. Tincopa (Peru)

My delegation congratulates you, Sir, on convening this open debate on resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, five years after its adoption. We believe that it will highlight the need to continue deepening the debate on a document that reflects a change in our way of thinking about the impact of armed conflict on women and girls and about women's participation in preventing conflicts, promoting peace and assistance to post-conflict reconstruction.

The world is acquiring a paradoxical reality in the twenty-first century. It is globally integrated in the productive processes, trade, financial flows and the communications revolution, yet it is fragmented by the proliferation of conflicts, internal wars, transnational terrorism and ethnic and cultural violence. Since the cold war, more than 33 civil conflicts have erupted or been revived in the developing world, causing more than 5 million deaths and creating almost 17 million refugees and displaced persons, among whom women and girls have been particularly affected because of their status in society and their gender.

Five years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), and despite the efforts made to implement it , we are far from achieving the goals that we committed ourselves to therein. In that regard, we feel that the international community must continue using all available international instruments to end human rights violations against women and girls, as well as the impunity of those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, including acts of violence against women. We are aware that the international courts have an important role to play in that regard, but we believe that it is equally important that States first assume their responsibility for enacting justice and punishing the perpetrators.

As to my country, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in June 2002 to determine accountability for the violence and terrorism that occurred in Peru between 1980 and 2000, including gross violations of human rights. In August 2003, after two years of investigation, the Commission presented its final report, containing a comprehensive reparations plan that the Peruvian Government has begun to carry out through a collective peace and development programme. I cite that example in order to acknowledge the work and leadership of the women's organizations that, with the support of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, participated in the post-conflict process and contributed to the recognition that persons who were sexually violated during the conflict and the children born as a result of such violations are entitled to compensation. With that recognition of their suffering and material support, women are now better placed to resume their role in society.

We believe that the time has come to close the gap between words and reality. In that regard, we welcome the system-wide action plan that the Secretary-General has annexed to his report, focusing on strategies and activities that seek to improve the contribution of the United Nations system to the empowerment of women in conflict areas, and highlighting as a main goal the urgent need to strengthen coordination and accountability. We believe that the action plan must be updated as necessary and that we must continue to seek and develop effective monitoring mechanisms that will ensure its ongoing implementation. We also feel it important that the first review of the plan take place in October 2006.

I wish to reiterate that States must take the requisite firm steps to remove the obstacles that prevent women from being effectively involved in decision-making processes and from having access to the highest levels of the hierarchies of power. In that regard, we reaffirm the commitments we entered into in the outcome document of the 2005 world summit (General Assembly resolution 60/1), in which we reaffirmed our responsibility to fully and effectively implement resolution 1325 (2000).

The inclusion of a gender perspective in developing and carrying out the work of the Peacebuilding Commission is of crucial importance, given that the Commission's main goal will be to bring together all relevant actors to marshal resources and promote comprehensive peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery strategies. The future Human Rights Council too will be of relevance to promoting and protecting the rights of women.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr. Guéhenno, Ms. Mayanja, Ms. Heyzer and the other participants for their work on behalf of women. The task is still to be completed. It should be carried out jointly by States, the United Nations system and civil society, especially women's organizations and groups.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein)

Six weeks ago, the world's leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). The fact that this resolution is one of only two Security Council resolutions that found explicit reference in the summit's outcome document (General Assembly resolution 60/1) is a clear sign that its adoption five years ago was a landmark decision. The resolution has the potential to profoundly change the way the Organization deals with conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. However, that potential has yet to be fully used.

The fifth anniversary of the resolution's adoption provides a welcome opportunity to assess the impact the resolution has had on the ground and to identify ways and means to accelerate its implementation at the local, national and international levels. We commend the remarkable work undertaken by the 37 United Nations entities that have contributed to the elaboration of the system-wide action plan. That plan provides a wealth of information on activities being carried out for women in conflict and post-conflict situations. It should facilitate the review of the impact of resolution 1325 (2000). In order to make that possible, it will be necessary to provide for interaction and consultations with civil society, in particular women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

At the national level, such interaction could form the basis for the establishment of action plans for the implementation of the resolution. That would help to raise awareness of the need to promote the active participation of women in decision-making regarding all aspects of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Without such active involvement, decision-making will continue to be ineffective. For that reason, we are also of the view that the mandate of the Peacebuilding Commission should include an explicit commitment to partnering with civil society, including women's organizations, through formal mechanisms at Headquarters as well as at the country level. That would go a long way towards ensuring that women's needs, priorities and roles in peace processes are duly taken into account in the work of the Peacebuilding Commission. To that end, 14 women Foreign Ministers, including the Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein, have signed a letter on the issue of the Peacebuilding Commission.

In order for women to be heard and for their concerns to be taken into account, they must be involved in peace negotiations. There is ample evidence that women are very active in informal peace processes. However, that is not the case in formal processes. All too often that is due to the fact that women are hardly represented in the official groups that are common players in conflicts and their settlement, such as Governments, political parties, armed groups and militias. In addition, a lack of knowledge of the manner in which formal processes are conducted or of international legal and other standards is often presented as an excuse for not including women in such formal processes.

Strengthening women's capacity as peacemakers must be pursued in parallel with increasing women's participation. At the same time, women need to be encouraged and empowered to hold decision-making positions. Creating awareness of peace negotiations as a tool for achieving gender equality is essential.

Against that background, we have constantly advocated the appointment of women as special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General. Such appointments could play a major catalytic role in more strongly involving women in peace processes, especially when they reach more formal stages. They would also strengthen the awareness of the need to mainstream gender issues not only into peace processes but also into other political processes. We are of the view that the number and consistency of such appointments should become an essential element for the review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and part of an overall assessment with regard to the nomination of women at the higher levels of peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. At the same time, we are aware of the need to provide the Secretary-General with names of well-qualified potential candidates for such posts. We therefore invite all interested States and NGOs to join forces in gathering the necessary information to make the appointment of women to such posts not only a priority but a reality.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Croatia.

Mrs. Mladineo (Croatia)

Croatia has aligned itself with the statement made by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union, but I would like to add a few points based on Croatia's specific experience and achievements on the matter.

At the outset, allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to commend the Romanian presidency for organizing this open debate to mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security.

Since 2000, the international community has increasingly come to recognize not only how much conflict particularly affects women and girls, but also how often women hold the key to its peaceful resolution. It will be important to examine ways in which the provisions of this important cross-cutting resolution can be better implemented at the regional and national levels.

Croatia welcomes the United Nations system-wide action plan produced by the Secretary-General (see S/2005/636), which aims at highlighting the importance of gender perspectives in conflict prevention and peacekeeping activities. In order to achieve success in the post-war confidence-building process it is essential to include women as active participants in post-conflict reintegration and reconstruction. That has also been borne out by Croatia's experience.

The protection of women in armed conflict and women's fundamental role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding cannot be evaluated without taking into account that women are among those most affected by violence and the economic instability resulting from armed conflict. Yet, when it comes to negotiating peace, post-war reconstruction and reconciliation, women are grossly underrepresented. We should continue to press the main bodies of the United Nations, particularly its funds and programmes, to strengthen the participation of women in their work and to streamline gender issues. Post-conflict transition, recovery and reconstruction cannot be achieved if gender equality and the promotion of women's rights are absent.

Croatia welcomes the increased involvement of women in peacekeeping operations, especially among human rights and humanitarian personnel, military observers and civilian police. In that connection, we strongly encourage the practice of mainstreaming the gender perspective into peacekeeping operations. At the same time, we must increase our efforts to improve the protection of women in armed conflict, parallel to acknowledging and enhancing their contribution to peace processes and to rebuilding their communities.

The Commission for Gender Equality of the Republic of Croatia -- an intergovernmental commission entrusted with creating policies and coordinating all activities for the promotion of gender equality -- incorporated a chapter on women and armed conflict in the national policy for the promotion of gender equality for the period 2001-2005 and in its implementation programme. Both documents were adopted by the Croatian parliament in December 2001.

Some tangible results have already been achieved in pursuing the goals set out in the national policy. One such result was the inclusion of the study of international humanitarian law and human rights in the curriculum of the Croatian military academy as an integral part of the military education of the armed forces. Special emphasis is placed on the promotion and protection of women's human rights and the introduction of measures aimed at combating violence against women in war, in armed conflict and during post-conflict transition.

We seek to apply a gender perspective in Croatia's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations. During 2005, two Croatian women officers have been serving in the peacekeeping missions in India and Pakistan and in Cyprus. Currently, five women officers from the Croatian armed forces are serving within the German contingent of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Preparations are taking place for a female officer to serve as a military psychologist in the peacekeeping mission in Haiti. In addition, a captain of the Croatian armed forces was the first female officer to take part in the Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan.

Of course, the success of the application of the principles and underlying themes of resolution 1325 (2000) rests with Member States. In that regard, there is more that we all can do to ensure that women can fully and equally participate at all levels of decision-making with regard to conflict-prevention and peacebuilding.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

Mr. Laurin (Canada)

I am pleased to take the floor today on behalf of the Human Security Network, a cross-regional group of 14 countries -- Austria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand and, as an observer, South Africa. On behalf of those countries, I would like to express our appreciation to Romania for having convened this open debate on women, peace and security -- a priority issue for the Network -- and to thank the panellists today, who have spoken with such conviction.

At the 2005 world summit, the leaders reaffirmed their determination to fully and effectively implement resolution 1325 (2000). As we mark the fifth anniversary of that resolution and look to other important commitments, such as the protection of civilians and children in armed conflict, as well as to important milestones such as the 10-year review of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, it is clear that we have the necessary tools for strong and concerted action in all situations of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction.

The creation of the Peacebuilding Commission is essential if we are to preserve and build on international peace and security. In this year's report to the Security Council on women, peace and security, the Secretary-General urged Member States to take concerted action to integrate a gender perspective into the Commission's mandate and work. We have a golden opportunity to ensure that, from the outset, the Commission's work