Participation

The Council must continue to include gender perspectives in its resolutions relating to peacekeeping operations as well as in the appointment of well trained gender and women protection advisors. The United Nations and its agencies should develop ways to address the special needs of women and girls affected by armed conflict, especially in regard to health and psychological care.

As one of the biggest troop contributors, Pakistan supports efforts to mainstream a gender perspective in peacekeeping operations. Appointment of gender advisors in the field has served a useful purpose. This practice must be strengthened. Conscious of the importance of gender sensitization of peacekeeping troops, Pakistan has incorporated two UN Standard Gender Training Modules.

We remain committed to improving the status of women in all parts of Nigeria and to enhancing their vital and meaningful participation in conflict resolution. Nigeria has over the years proved its consistent commitment to the achievement of women's empowerment and gender equality. Gender equity and equality have gained a high degree of prominence in Nigeria's national development agenda.

We believe that more needs to be done to create an enabling environment for the participation of women in all stages of the peace process. Such efforts to create the right conditions for ensuring women's full participation should include increasing their participation and representation in preventive diplomacy and in conflict resolution and peacebuilding initiatives.

The Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000), which was a milestone achievement towards the recognition of the importance of women's equal participation and full involvement in the maintenance of peace and security, including conflict management, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding. It is particularly significant that this debate is breaking new ground by focusing on the specific role layed

In compliance with those principles and the provisions of the various gender frameworks, and as a means to confront the challenges of meeting gender equality and women's empowerment, Nigeria, under the leadership of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has for the first time attained 33 per cent representation for women in the decision-making process, appointing, for instance, 13 women ministers in the federal Cabinet.

Secondly, we must continue to push for an enhanced role for women in political-level peace discussions, both as mediators — again as highlighted by the representative of Sweden — and as principal political actors. That can be best achieved through the increased political representation of women in both elected and appointed posts, a point that was highlighted by Croatia among others.

In that regard, we particularly commend the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago in bringing to the United Nations the issues of women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, and we are very pleased that this year's First Committee draft resolution (A/C.1/67/L.35/Rev.1) was adopted by consensus.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Netherlands will support the national women's fund in promoting Congolese women's participation in the coming elections. We will also support women in the eastern part of the country who can play a mediation role in the conflict that is still raging in the Kivus.

In conclusion, the potential role of women's organizations in any social or political transformation is huge. Women can and should play a pivotal role in their societies, and they deserve our support in helping them to take the lead more effectively. Transition processes like the ones in the North Africa region are an opportunity for women to translate their influence into formal roles.