Participation

Rwanda recommends that the problem of sexual violence be addressed directly as part of any post- conflict or peacebuilding process. That should include United Nations-sponsored peace negotiations and security sector reform processes or be part of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.

With respect to enhancing the role of women, the State of Qatar has taken a special interest in the participation of women in the political field through many initiatives aimed at enabling women to play their full role in various areas, including the political and economic fields. Women have been appointed to important positions, including as ministers.

The State of Qatar understands that, as highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2013/149), there are still obstacles to women's participation and representation in decision-making, peace and transitional processes and that all regional and international bodies should support international standards to enhance women's participation in the protection of women's and girls' human rights, as well as in efforts at establishing peace.

In conclusion, the continued attention by the international community to the role of women in peace and security and the enhancement of the role of women in decision-making processes will have positive effects on international peace and security and will mitigate the catastrophic results of conflicts all over the world.

Women's and girls' protection and empowerment, particularly in fragile, conflict and post-conflict situations — and even in so-called stable societies — remain a major concern and an overriding challenge for all of us.

We also agree with the Secretary-General's conclusions in his 2010 report on women's participation in peacebuilding (S/2010/466) that their participation is not only a matter of women's and girls' rights but of their status as core partners in strengthening the three pillars of durable peace, namely, economic recovery, social cohesion and political legitimacy.

The focus of this debate is to address the obstacles to women's participation in conflict mediation, peace talks, national dialogue and donor conferences.

Insofar as civil society efforts to promote issues relating to women, peace and security in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands region are concerned, they are increasing as a result of the groundswell of advocacy work on fostering women's and girls' development issues, including the important role they play in fostering peace and security in our communities and country.

In that regard, we acknowledge the leadership of Ms. Bachelet and the work of UN-Women in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, as reflected in her attendance at our Pacific Leaders' Summit — to represent the Secretary-General — held in the Cooks Islands last year.

Importantly, it is worth recalling that the efforts of the women of Bougainville in pushing for peace during the conflict, which culminated in the Bougainville Peace Agreement, attest to and confirm the notion that women are agents of change, including in peace and security. Fortunately, there is growing recognition of that fact, but, as always, more needs to be done to maintain the momentum.