Statement by Argentina

Sustaining peace will be achieved only if we increase the participation of women as actors in all stages of the peace process, including in particular in peacekeeping operations. We wish to underscore that 15 per cent of Argentine personnel participating in peacekeeping operations or in special political missions are women, according to the latest data. That is higher than the general average of 4.22 per cent. We will continue to work on deepening that commitment.

Argentina fully agrees with the importance that the United Nations attaches to the role of women in preventive diplomacy, at the negotiating table and in post-conflict reconstruction. That perspective is naturally linked with the new concept of sustaining peace, which recognizes the important role to be performed by women

Argentina is committed to the meaningful participation of women in decision-making and in all peace processes. That is why we adopted our national plan of action for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions as an instrument that integrates all national agencies working in the area of women and peace and security. One of the goals of the national action plan is to increase the participation of women from various spheres — political, social, economic and security — to contribute to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and peacemaking.

My country strongly believes that more equitable and egalitarian societies that respect the rights of women are more peaceful societies. With that in mind, strengthening the meaningful role of women in all the phases of peace processes and mainstreaming a gender perspective in peace agreements and in public policies are priorities of our foreign policy in that area. Argentina also encourages the incorporation of a gender perspective into all peace processes involving the United Nations. We consider it fundamental to work with civil society organizations, which should continue to participate in designing and implementing policies related to the topic.