In that regard, we note the Declaration facilitated by Mexico and Denmark and adopted at the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels in September 2012. The text enshrines “the importance of ensuring that women...fully enjoy the benefits of the rule of law” (General Assembly resolution 67/1, para.
The Pacific region is working to achieve better participation in formal conflict prevention and management and post-conflict recovery efforts, as well as oversight and accountability mechanisms for the security sector. The region recognizes the value of having women at the negotiating table in leadership roles and the need to provide sufficient recognition and resources to ensure that they are able to do their work.
The action plan provides a detailed regional framework to enhance women's and young women's leadership in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, mainstream gender and ensure the protection of women's and girls' human rights in humanitarian crises and in transitioning from conflict, disaster or post-conflict situations — all with a mechanism to accelerate the implementation of existing international, regional and national commitments on w
The action plan assists in addressing gaps and advancing solutions. A range of further means may be considered, including the United Nations regional gender architecture, United Nations in-country assistance — which is highly lacking — and resource allocation decisions. The Biketawa Declaration sets out the framework for regional conflict prevention and management of political crises.
In many violent situations in the Pacific region, women have demonstrated their capacity to contribute to solutions as mediators, providers of safe havens, or in working to improve local communities. Women and young women have also played an important part in conflict prevention, management and recovery in the region. Women have generally been first to actively work across ethnic divides, despite considerable risks.
In December 2010, as part of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), a Pacific regional working group on women, peace and security was established. In June 2011, the Forum Regional Security Committee gave the group the policy task of developing a regional action plan, which has been formally recognized by our leaders.
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum States represented at the United Nations: Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and my small atoll nation, the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Despite some positive steps, including the number of women serving in important and very senior Government positions, women's parliamentary representation in the Pacific is the lowest of any region in the world. The region has recently witnessed and continues to be affected by armed conflict, civil unrest and local-level conflicts over resources, as well as increasingly violent crimes and political crises.
In that regard, there is a need to increase the number of women in high-level decision-making positions in peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations. Malaysia is also supportive of appointing more women protection advisers to monitor and report on sexual violence in all relevant situations.
