We echo the call of the Secretary-General to exercise special vigilance to protect women human rights defenders. Last month brought another reminder about what is at stake, when the Taliban attacked 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai, because she dared to promote education for girls.

The Secretary-General's annual report (S/2012/732) on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) noted progress in investigating accusations of sexual misconduct committed by United Nations personnel in peacekeeping operations. That progress is encouraging. Let me emphasize that the United Nations should investigate all accusations swiftly, fully and transparently.

It is important that we do more to ensure women's participation in decision-making on mission drawdowns and transitions. The United Nations must take the lead in the involvement of women and set an example for the international community. Israel supports the work of UN-Women in that regard.

Israel welcomes the United Nations call to move from a culture of reaction to one of prevention. The Kampala Declaration of December 2011 represents a unique and historic opportunity to take meaningful action to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. We hope that the Declaration will end the impunity of the perpetrators of such violence and ensure that its victims receive the necessary and appropriate support.

Israel continues to strongly support the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its subsequent resolutions. The Israeli Knesset, our Parliament, recognizes the importance of gender equality in peacemaking and conflict resolution. It recently enacted legislation requiring that Israeli women be included on all Government investigative committees and all Israeli peace negotiating teams.

In 2003, the Golda Meir Mount Carmel Training Center hosted an international conference for women leaders entitled “Women's Role in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding”. As a result of the conference, the Center initiated a series of seminars entitled “Women Building a New Reality”. Those seminars promote dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian women.

Gender equality is enshrined in our 1948 Declaration of Independence and in the 1951 Equal Rights for Women Law. Israel was the third country in the world to elect a female Prime Minister, Golda Meir, and women in Israel today hold senior leadership positions in Government, business, law and academia. Women take an active, vibrant and visible role throughout Israeli civil society.

Finally, I have the pleasure today to announce the launch of another important publication supported by Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the Handbook on Women, Peace and Security, by the NGO Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

To make just a quick point in relation to civil society, the Secretary-General's report makes specific mention of one model for civil society engagement, namely, the election “situation room”. It was my privilege recently to co-host at the Irish Mission a panel discussion on the contribution made by the women's situation room to ensuring peace and stability during the Senegalese presidential elections held earlier this year. Ms.

The first point relates to transitions. The Secretary General's report of 2 October bluntly states that “considerable obstacles persist to women's participation and representation in public decision-making in relation to peace and transition processes” (S/2012/732, para. 65). Times of transition are absolutely critical; as a society is being reshaped, opportunities can be either seized or squandered.