Last but not least, we wish to underline the importance of mainstreaming women's participation in peacebuilding efforts, as well as increasing opportunities for women to engage in decision-making and economic recovery.

Thailand firmly participation in all peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development will contribute significantly to long-term and sustainable peace and security in post-conflict societies. Since it is believes that women's aspects of peacemaking, mostly men who participate in conflict, it is important to encourage the role of women in order to help stabilize post-conflict environments and restore the fabric of society.

On this occasion, Thailand would like to emphasize a few aspects of peacebuilding that we believe to be crucial to its success and conducive to women's participation in the process.

My delegation has noted the report of the Secretary-General on Women's participation in Peacebuilding. Women can play an important role as agents of change and South Africa has always viewed the participation of women in post-conflict situations as critical to the attainment of peace.

But that will not happen without dedicated funding for women's needs. Conflicts leave states severely weakened and social structures decimated. In such situations, women are vital to ensuring that the basic survival needs of families and communities are met.

Advancing the cause of women, peace and security enhances the legitimacy of peace processes and governance structures. It must be an integral part of our peacebuilding efforts, not an afterthought.

We continue to study the Secretary-General's report on women and peacebuilding (S/2010/466). A number of its ideas and proposals are of clear interest and can be put into practice. Excessive haste, however, is not a good idea here. As the report indicates, the implementation of its proposals will require a review of a whole range of procedures as well as changes to programme planning.

I also wish to make a reference to the importance of women's contribution to this process, which was clearly underlined in the Secretary-General's report on women's participation in peacebuilding.

At the outset, I would like to welcome the progress report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict (S/2010/386), as well as the report of the Secretary- General on women's participation in peacebuilding (S/2010/466). The substantive contribution of the co-facilitators of the 2010 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture (S/2010/393, annex) deserves to be commended.

The empowerment of women and the gender perspective are a key element in generating capacity and in the peacebuilding process, as the report of the Secretary-General notes. It is no coincidence that, as the Secretary-General points out, women's post- conflict needs resemble the five recurring priorities that we have just mentioned.