Participation

While States have the primary responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the resolutions on women and peace and security, NATO, as a political-military organization, is playing its part within NATO-led operations and within our partnerships. We have a policy, we have an action plan and, together with partners, we are turning words into deeds. On the political level, NATO is actively

Since my appointment as the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, I have had the great pleasure of engaging in dialogue with women's associations in the security sector, womens' rights activists, female parliamentarians and other representatives of civil society. I intend to deepen this dialogue.

Experience to date has shown that having gender expertise, as well as having more female soldiers in theatre, improves our ability to conduct operations more effectively. For example, we have learned that female soldiers in Afghanistan are at times able to better connect with members of the population otherwise closed off from their male colleagues.

At the operational level, NATO and its operational partners in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Kosovo Force have demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting the important role that women can play, and have engaged with women leaders and activists to understand their views and perspectives.

The establishment of specific post-conflict strategies is imperative and must go hand in hand with the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). In that respect, particular attention must be focused on the participation of African women in peace negotiations, mediation efforts, electoral processes, constitutional commissions and truth and reconciliation entities.

The Council adopted resolution 1889 (2009) in the context of the initiative to strengthen the existing legal arsenal in promoting and protecting women's rights and participation in efforts to prevent and resolve conflict and in post-conflict reconstruction.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this open debate. You could not have chosen a better topic to close the successful presidency of your friendly country, India, of the Council this month. I would also like to thank Deputy Secretary-General Mr. Eliasson for his clear and concise presentation of the report of the Secretary- General (S/2012/732), as well as Ms.

To conclude, the Secretary-General's report notes that we are not seeing results at the pace that we expected or that women rightfully expect of us. For this, we need to ensure that women have opportunities to play their full role in peace and security. We know there is no shortage of women's leadership.

Second, when it comes to women's participation and representation, determination is needed to provide more opportunities, eliminate obstacles, and build capacity for influence. The report cites the need for more women mediators, advisers, negotiators and observers in peace processes, and more women in senior management of international and regional organizations, and calls for measures to address obstacles to their participation.

We have immense challenges ahead when it comes to fully including women in processes to promote peace and security. The inclusion of women in conflict resolution and in post-conflict situations is without a doubt essential. It is the only way that we will achieve the full inclusion of women on an equal footing for the building of societies that have better prospects for development and peace.