United Nations S/PRST/2002/32

Statement by the President of the Security Council
31 October 2002

At the 4641st meeting of the Security Council, held on 31 October 2002 in
connection with the 2nd anniversary of the Security Council’s adoption of its
resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 on the item entitled "Women, Peace and
Security", the President of the Security Council made the following statement on
behalf of the Council:

"The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the continuing and
full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and welcomes the increasing
focus over the last two years on the situation of women and girls in armed
conflict, and recalls the Statement by its President of 31 October 2001
(S/PRST/2001/31) and the meetings held on 25 July 2002 and 28 October 2002
as expressions of that commitment.

"The Security Council welcomes the Report of the Secretary-General on
women, peace and security (S/2002/1154) and expresses its intention to study
the recommendations contained therein. The Council also welcomes the efforts
of the United Nations system, Member States, civil society and other relevant
actors, to promote equal participation of women in peace and security.

"The Security Council remains concerned about the slow progress in the
appointment of women as special representatives and envoys of the Secretary-General,
and urges the Secretary-General to increase the number of women
serving as high-level representatives to achieve the overall goal of gender
balance. The Council also urges Member States to continue to provide
candidates to the Secretary-General for inclusion in a database.

"The Security Council, reaffirming the importance of gender
mainstreaming in peacekeeping operations and post-conflict reconstruction,
undertakes to integrate gender perspectives into the mandates of all
peacekeeping missions, and reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to
ensure that all reports submitted to the Security Council in accordance with
such mandates systematically address gender perspectives. The Council also
requests the Secretary-General to provide systematic training of all staff in
peacekeeping operations on gender perspectives, and to integrate gender
perspectives into all standard operating procedures, manuals and other
guidance materials for peacekeeping operations.

"The Security Council considers that the appointment of gender advisers
at sufficiently senior levels at Headquarters is necessary. The Council notes
that some progress has been made in gender mainstreaming at mission level,
specifically through the establishment of gender units and gender advisers, but
that more remains to be done in order to ensure that gender mainstreaming in
peacekeeping operations and post-conflict reconstruction is thorough and
effective, and applied systematically.

"The Security Council undertakes to integrate gender perspectives into
the terms of reference of its visits and Missions to countries and regions in
conflict. To that end, the Council requests the Secretary-General to establish a
database of gender specialists as well as women’s groups and networks in
countries and regions in conflict, and to include gender specialists in the teams
where relevant.

"The Security Council recognizes the vital role of women in promoting
peace, particularly in preserving social order and educating for peace. The
Council encourages its Member States and the Secretary-General to establish
regular contacts with local women’s group and networks in order to utilize
their knowledge of both the impact of armed conflict on women and girls,
including as victims and ex-combatants, and of peacekeeping operations, to
ensure that those groups are actively involved in reconstruction processes,
particularly at decision-making levels.

"The Security Council, recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296
(2000), 1324 (2000) and 1379 (2001), encourages Member States, the entities
of the United Nations system, civil society and other relevant actors, to
develop clear strategies and action plans with goals and timetables, on the
integration of gender perspectives in humanitarian operations, rehabilitation
and reconstruction programmes, including monitoring mechanisms, and also to
develop targeted activities, focused on the specific constraints facing women
and girls in post-conflict situations, such as their lack of land and property
rights and access to and control over economic resources.

"The Security Council deplores the continuing occurrence of sexual
exploitation, including trafficking, of women and girls in the context of
peacekeeping operations and humanitarian activities, and calls for the further
development and full implementation of codes of conduct and of disciplinary
procedures to prevent such exploitation. The Council encourages all actors, in
particular troop-contributing countries, to enhance monitoring mechanisms,
and to investigate and prosecute effectively cases of alleged misconduct.

"The Security Council condemns all violations of the human rights of
women and girls in situations of armed conflict, and the use of sexual
violence, including as a strategic and tactical weapon of war, which, inter alia,
places women and girls at increased risk of contracting sexually-transmitted
infections and HIV/AIDS.

"The Security Council decides to remain actively seized of this matter
and requests the Secretary-General to prepare a follow-up report on the full
implementation of resolution 1325 to be presented to the Security Council in
October 2004."