Reconstruction and Peacebuilding

Uganda recognizes the progress that has been made by the United Nations and the wider international community towards enhancing the participation of women in conflict resolution, peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction. However, there are still situations in which conflicts continue to have a devastating impact on women and girls.

We believe that urgent action is needed to protect and empower women. Likewise, equally strong measures are needed to increase the participation of women in the work of peace, including post-conflict recovery efforts, as that will increase the effectiveness of such efforts. Indeed, we should not forget that women in post-conflict countries are not merely victims of war.

We believe that the Security Council has a special responsibility to support women's participation in peace processes by ensuring a gender balance in United Nations peacekeeping missions. We welcome the fact that the Council has already recognized the important role of women in conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

My delegation is pleased to state in this regard that Tunisia is about to finalize and adopt its national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). This plan will, among other things, encourage women's training in peacekeeping and peacebuilding so as to provide qualified personnel who could be deployed in field-based United Nations operations.

Trinidad and Tobago recognizes the competence of the Council under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security and wishes to support the efforts made by the Council to integrate a gender perspective into that traditionally male-focused thematic area.

As Member States, we are also called upon to systematically apply a gender perspective in our political processes. Switzerland adopted a national action plan early on, which has proved to be a useful instrument. Our second and revised national action plan will come into force within the next few days. When participants leave the building today, I encourage them to take another look at the exhibit in the entrance hall.

When considering the status of women, we are able to say proudly that the Sudan has deep-rooted pioneering experience in this field, as Sudanese women have always been genuine partners in the political and decision-making structures of our country since their participation in the election of the first Sudanese parliament in 1954 on the eve of our declaration of independence.

With regard to former adult LTTE cadres, the Government has placed a high priority on their social and economic reintegration. In recognition of this priority, a vocational/technical/language training programme under the “Accelerated Skills Acquisition Programme,” (IT, heavy machinery operation, electrical, mechanical, the specific apparel sector, etc.) has been developed.

We are mindful of the challenges before us on the larger subject of women, peace and security. At the policy level, programmes have already been identified to address the critical issues facing women and girls in the post-conflict phase. We are especially focused on the special needs of thousand of widows and orphans.

Sri Lanka would be conducting a national population census in 2011 for the entire country. This is the first time that such a countrywide census will take place since 1981. The census would pave the way, to adopt gender disaggregated methods to address data gaps in areas such as women and girls with disabilities and their access to educational and health services.