In an effort to create greater awareness of the important role of women in matters relating to peace and security in general and those relating to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control in particular, Trinidad and Tobago successfully hosted, at the margins of the high-level segment of the sixty- seventh session of the General Assembly this year, a ministerial panel discussion on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

As a State that subscribes to the rule of law in the promotion and maintenance of peace and security, as well as in the empowerment and advancement of women, Trinidad and Tobago has implemented in its domestic legal system its obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the 1977 additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, in addition to other fundamental instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Disc

Additionally, efforts have been undertaken during this session of the General Assembly to strengthen draft resolution A/C.1/67/L.35/Rev.1 on the subject of women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, which was first piloted by Trinidad and Tobago in the First Committee in 2010. The draft resolution was again adopted by consensus during this session of the First Committee, with a notable increase in sponsorship.

Women cannot play this positive role unless they are given responsibilities within the support structures for rebuilding the country. We are therefore welcome the participation of women in the facilitation and mediation processes for conflicts in countries such as the Central African Republic, Cyprus and Malawi.

To conclude, I wish to assure the Council of the support of my Government in the full and complete implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We welcome the fact that on 31 October the Council adopted a presidential statement on this subject (S/PRST/2012/23), under the Guatemalan presidency.

The report of the Secretary-General before us (S/2012/732) indicates that women and girls continue to suffer violations of their rights, in particular through sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement and obstructions to humanitarian access, which are serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian and refugee law.

The gaps in the implementation of peace agreements — which are undoubtedly complex — have led the United Nations and international human rights organizations to require the effective participation of civil society, in particular women's organizations. These organizations have, of course, an important role to play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

It is therefore important that national legislation incorporate international criminal law, which provides for such acts and punishes their perpetrators. The Council must ensure that impunity is not the rule, but the exception. My country welcomes the fact that measures adopted by the United Nations to protect women and girls include guidelines that have been drawn up by the heads of military and police units in peacekeeping operations.

In translating this strategy into reality, Togo promoted the participation of women's civil society organizations in the signing of the comprehensive political agreement of 2006, which allowed the country to emerge from the socio-political crisis that began in 1990. They also played an active role in the work of the truth, justice and reconciliation commission, the results of which were accepted by almost all of the population.

In 2011, women were represented in 12 — or 86 per cent — of the 14 United Nations mediation support teams. However, only four of fourteen delegations to peace negotiations had a woman among their ranks.