Participation

Next Monday, 10 March, Thailand will organize a side event on increasing women's contribution to peace and security at the Japan Society here in New York. Participants from Australia, Rwanda and Indonesia will share their views and perspectives on the role of female peacekeepers. In addition, two Thai female peacekeepers will share their experiences from peacekeeping missions in Haiti and Darfur.

At the Geneva peace talks in February 2006, the LTTE publicly conceded that it was holding thousands of children as combatants. With the end of the conflict, 594 child combatants — 231 girls and 363 boys between the ages of 12 and 18 years — were taken into custody by the security forces.

Efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence in conflict must be strengthened. The Nordic countries welcome UN Security Council Resolution 2122 and its much-needed focus on women's participation and empowerment and look forward to it being translated into action.

Civilian protection is complex and requires multidimensional provisions and different competencies and skills for each vulnerable group: women and children subject to horrific atrocities; child soldiers; survivors displaced by force or, for lack of choice, taking refuge in camps where they are often defenceless against armed attacks and harassment; victims maimed by mines and other indiscriminate munitions; and those dying of the indirect effe

Furthermore, as peacekeeping has grown to encompass the broader humanitarian approach, it is worth underlining the importance of strengthening our efforts to increase the number of female peacekeepers in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Their role and presence in United Nations peacekeeping missions have been critical, including in supporting peacebuilding and protecting civilians.

While the increased use of sexual and gender-based violence as a war tactic has already been addressed in the Security Council, most notably through its resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), it is undeniable that this kind of violence continues to occur at an alarming rate.

Another important element is understanding the context. A fundamental challenge for a peace mediator is to motivate the warring parties to meet at the negotiating table. Extensive knowledge of the root causes to conflict is an absolute requirement. Women must be involved in all phases and levels of negotiating processes.

The role of women in conflict prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding is of great importance. Therefore, Namibia fully supports the inclusion of women in security systems such as the armed forces, the police and peacekeeping operations and special political missions in support of various United Nations resolutions that recognize that important role.

At the international level, the United Nations is promoting similar objectives through a wide range of instruments available to it in dealing with the aftermath of conflict. Those include support for transitional justice and the rule of law, for political dialogue and mediation, for truth-telling processes, for reparations, for institutional reform, and for the role of women in the renewal and rebuilding of societies emerging from conflict.

Furthermore, the role of civil society organizations in identifying early signs of violence and the capacity of such organizations to provide warning of dangerous situations to national and international authorities are crucial. We emphasize in particular the contribution and role that women must play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding.