IMplementation

It is encouraging to witness the growing awareness around the world of the indispensable role of women and their perspectives in the areas of peace and security. Nevertheless, as rightly pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report, the subject of women and peace and security is not being sufficiently utilized to prevent conflict, and much remains to be done at all levels. In that regard, ASEAN would like to update Security Council members on the progress made in our region as a result of resolution 1325 (2000), confirming its validity.

As ASEAN implements the early stages of its post-2015 Community, it continues to underscore the increasing role and participation of women in all three ASEAN pillars: the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Women-related issues and the gender perspective are addressed through several key ASEAN mechanisms and frameworks. Among others, allow me to mention the ASEAN Committee on Women and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children. The ASEAN Declaration on the Advancement of Women was adopted to promote the equitable and effective participation of women, wherever possible, in all fields, as well as to integrate the specific concerns of women and their roles as active agents in peace, security and development into member States’ national plans. The adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children provides another concrete example that reaffirms ASEAN’s commitment to tackle violence against women in all forms. During the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane in September, ASEAN leaders tasked the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children to continue its efforts in implementing the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on that issue.

At the second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Women, held in Manila on 23 October 2015, all ASEAN sectoral bodies and member States were encouraged to promote gender responsiveness and integrate gender mainstreaming into their respective activities and initiatives. The Meeting also adopted the 2016-2020 Work Plan of the ASEAN Committee on Women, which focuses on six key priority areas: the promotion of women in leadership, non-gender stereotyping and social norm change, gender mainstreaming across the three pillars, the elimination of violence against women, the economic empowerment of women and the protection and empowerment of women in vulnerable situations. Those priorities are comprehensive and very much in line with the key aspects of resolution 1325 (2000).