We agree with the Secretary-General that women are decisive players in the context of the three pillars required for lasting peace: economic recovery, social cohesion and political legitimacy.
The fight against impunity for all forms of gender violence is essential to peace building processes. It is S/PV.6722 (Resumption 1) 12-23937 25 therefore necessary that States strengthen their judicial systems so that such cases can be duly and promptly brought to trial, including, whenever possible, women in those systems.
Resolution 1325 (2000) was a fundamental milestone in international law. Since it was adopted, the issue of women's role with regard to peace and security has had an important place on the Council's agenda, and therefore has a significant and crucial role in achieving the Council's goals.
We must in no way allow violence against women and sexual violence to be seen as an inevitable part of armed conflicts. In that regard, we are pleased that the Secretary-General has implemented a zero-tolerance policy in peacekeeping operations for all forms of violence against women, gender violence and in particular violence and sexual abuse.
My country also supports the work of UN-Women, and we encourage it to continue to contribute decisively to the implementation of resolutions relating to peace and security.
We are supportive of the work that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General is doing, and would like to encourage her to continue to focus on the core of her mandate, that is, situations of armed conflict or occupation. Having carefully read the report of the Secretary-General (S/2012/33), we have some questions and comments on its specifics.
The report also mentions the development of a framework for early warning indicators specific to conflict-related sexual violence, with the aim of integrating the analyses yielded by the framework into existing and emerging early warning and prevention systems to facilitate a rapid response. It should be ensured that such a mechanism works strictly within the mandate and under the guidance of the Security Council to obviate politicization.
Spawned by misanthropism, sexual or gender-based violence in any form and in any society is reprehensible. Such crimes assume a more sinister dimension when employed as tactics of war and tools of humiliation during armed conflicts. All parties to a conflict have the moral and legal responsibility to ensure due protection of all vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly and the disabled.
Pakistan's commitment to the United Nations agenda of peace and security needs no elaboration. For more than half a century, Pakistanis have served in United Nations peacekeeping operations in challenging circumstances.
