Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

Chile thanks Azerbaijani the presidency for convening this open debate on women and peace and security, and for the opportunity to reaffirm the role of women in transitional justice.

We agree with the recommendations in the report about the need to promote sustainable budgets for the work, so as to strengthen women's organizations working at the national levels and to train women leaders of peace movements.

Canada firmly believes that the participation of women in all decision-making processes, particularly those related to the prevention and resolution of conflict and the transition to democracy, is a necessary precondition to securing sustainable peace, as is their access to justice and their inclusion in the economic and social lives of their countries and communities.

The rule of law makes available to vulnerable groups, such as women, normative tools that promote their empowerment and emancipation. It is essential to uphold the equal rights of women by ensuring their full participation in governing institutions and the judicial system. We must reaffirm the need to establish a legislative framework that secures their full access to justice.

In post-conflict situations, transitional justice can be an important tool to shape a better future for women. In many circumstances, knowing the truth about the violations committed against women is central to achieving national reconciliation. Transitional justice also plays a significant role in ensuring that the permanent justice structure to be established will take the interests of women into account in its foundations.

Brazil embraces a comprehensive notion of the rule of law that embodies a number of principles and experiences. We are convinced that the rule of law and development are strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing. The rule of law is intimately connected to the realization of social and economic rights.

While greater attention continues to be paid to the prosecution of perpetrators of these crimes, we are also of the view that more must be done to ensure that transitional justice addresses the full range of conflict- related violation of women's rights.

Recognizing that peace is inextricably linked with equality between women and men, one of the most important issues to be addressed remains women's participation in conflict resolution, including the negotiation of peace agreements at the national and international levels.

In that connection, impunity for sexual violence by armed groups is unacceptable and can never be tolerated. My delegation wishes to stress the responsibility of States to protect their own populations and the importance of demonstrating commitment and political will to prevent sexual violence.

As the report of the Secretary-General (S/2013/525) indicates, we welcome the progress that has been made since 2012 in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and the operationalization of the accountability framework provided by the Council's resolutions on women and peace and security. In that regard, we take note of the efforts and measures undertaken by Member States, United Nations entities and regional organizations.