Finally, let me note our appreciation of the work of Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN-Women, whose leadership in that role is of crucial importance to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We also expect that UN-Women will play an active role in helping to turn the principles of resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security from words on paper into reality.
The National Action Plan also includes Estonia's commitments regarding resolution 1325 (2000) that stem from our role as a contributor to international peace and security through our active participation in international civilian and military operations, as a donor country and a member of the European Union, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations.
In October of last year Estonia adopted its first National Action Plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its follow-up resolutions, which sets out our priorities for the future. We are now in the process of reviewing the implementation of the Action Plan over the past year.
Those of us from the continent, which has suffered so many conflicts, know and understand the terrible impact of war. We also know that women and girls suffer disproportionately — indirectly and directly — as victims of violent conflict.
The Security Council's consideration of the subject of women, peace and security 11 years ago, which resulted in the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), was a landmark event in the recognition of importance of women's equal participation and full involvement in the maintenance of peace and security, including in conflict management, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding.
The members of the Economic and Social Council also commit to providing the requisite guidance to the agencies, funds and programmes on implementing the actions required to implement resolution 1325 (2000), particularly those linked to the coordination of humanitarian action, the transition from relief to development and the promotion of the active role and participation of women in sustainable development
The Economic and Social Council devoted its 2010 annual ministerial review last year to the internationally agreed development goals and commitments in regard to gender equality and the empowerment of women. The ministerial declaration adopted by the Council broke new ground in that, for the first time, an intergovernmental body highlighted a number of crosscutting issues where action was expected to positively enhance gender-related goals.
Fifthly, promoting the full integration of women into the formal economy is also particularly relevant in post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding contexts, where new opportunities should be offered to women as part of the dividends of peace and as a way to consolidate social peace. The development and security pillars of the Organization are strongly interconnected in this respect.
By highlighting these cross-cutting issues, I have tried to propose a method for action through which the United Nations can act more coherently and our work can have increased impact.
As my predecessor suggested last year at the tenth-anniversary celebration of the adoption of that important resolution, the Economic and Social Council could do its part by ensuring follow-up and monitoring of the indicators developed by its Statistical Commission on violence against women.
