Participation

On the other hand, armed conflict and instability often disproportionately affect women. In times of instability, violence against women, including sexual violence, increases. It is therefore important to include women in conflict prevention and resolution efforts as well as post-conflict recovery and reconciliation.

Turning to the subject of women, research has shown that women have an advantage in negotiating because of two skills more often related to them. One is listening, which enables interest and awareness of the importance of truly listening to another person's point of view and processing it in the context of one's own point of view, instead of always thinking that one's point of view is the only one that is correct.

It is a well-respected fact that women, who comprise more than half of the world's population, help to keep and protect peace and security through their strong family ties and work in the home, as well as through their influence on the work place and policy in their professional and diplomatic lives.

Women are still underrepresented at the several levels of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, just as they are inadequately represented in formal peace negotiations

What is essential is to guarantee that women are included in peace processes and to ensure that their perspectives, direct knowledge of the concrete situation and concerns are taken into account as important contributions to the reshaping of torn societies in post-conflict situations and in peacebuilding efforts.

And we need to work with UN-Women and the United Nations country team partners to help countries to develop national action plans to coordinate the implementation of all women and peace and security resolutions.

Sixthly, women should participate in larger numbers in the decision-making processes on ceasefires, peace agreements and post-conflict peacebuilding.

Fourthly, United Nations personnel operating in areas of armed conflict should be properly trained and equipped to provide services on the ground for victims of sexual violence. The inter-agency network Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict is a useful platform. The inclusion of women protection advisers in peacekeeping operations is making a difference on the ground.

Fifthly, multidimensional peacekeeping missions with relevant mandates play a key role in combating sexual violence. As a leading participant in peacekeeping, Pakistan has contributed to that effort. Gender sensitization has been a mandatory part of our training for peacekeepers and is a core cultural value. Pakistani women have also served as police officers, doctors and nurses in various missions in Asia, Africa and the Balkans.

Women must be sent to the field as peacekeepers and peacemakers in greater numbers. There must be more women in the United Nations system, also at the policy level. They must be the agents of positive change