At the national level, Indonesia's national action plan on human rights serves as a strong platform for our commitment to eliminate and prevent violence against women. The process of drafting a presidential decree is ongoing, as a legal basis to formulate a national action plan on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

Women bear a disproportionate brunt of armed conflict, even though in most cases they are not directly engaged in combat. Resolution 1325 (2000) provides the framework for women to play an important role in the resolution of armed conflicts through participation in peacebuilding processes and post- conflict reconstruction efforts. Allow me to make a few comments on that important issue.

While United Nations peacekeeping missions have provided critical support for gender-related issues in countries emerging from armed conflict, we agree with the report's assertion that it is equally important to pay adequate attention to security-sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, so as to avoid the risk of relapse.

We support the United Nations efforts to deploy greater numbers of women's protection advisers and gender advisers to its missions. The mandate provided by the Security Council on women and peace and security also necessarily requires more resources for effective, sustained results.

The promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls in armed conflict continue to pose a pressing challenge. There should be zero tolerance for gender-based violence and sexual violence. All cases of gender-based violence must be promptly investigated and its perpetrators prosecuted.

In conclusion, let me reaffirm India's commitment to contribute in a positive manner to United Nations efforts in the area of women and peace and security.

However, we would urge caution in drawing generalized linkages between sexual violence and issues such as the exploitation of mineral resources and internal displacement, for example, based, as they are, on specific country experiences, as the recent report of the Secretary General (S/2013/149) suggests.

First of all, the need for greater coherence between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and UN-Women can hardly be overemphasized. That is necessary not only for operational effectiveness but also for the optimal utilization of scarce resources.

With regard to prevention, it seems not unfitting to recall how one of the first forms of prevention used in connection with crimes of sexual violence was our own intense and timely intervention in crises using various peaceful means for which the international community is well equipped, such as mediation, international measures and a commitment to tackling the underlying social and economic causes of conflicts.

The third issue — assisting victims — seems to receive less emphasis in the report. Indeed, in order to ensure that reprisals or retribution undertaken in the pursuit of justice do not become an end in themselves, it is necessary to keep the focus on reparation for victims.