Implementation

Human rights officers have also advised on UN military preventive deployments; contingency plans; and sheltering and escorting civilians. They have also provided a critical bridge with local communities, human rights defenders and women's groups, for alerts on risks of gross human rights violations. The Human Rights Due Diligence Policy has also contributed to preventing and addressing violations.

Ukraine has always been an active supporter of United Nations efforts aimed at protecting women and girls in armed conflicts. Our Government strongly supports all Security Council resolutions on women.

Furthermore, the United Nations, its missions and its agencies could play a valuable coordinating role among the many actors involved, which could contribute towards realizing protection-of-civilians mandates. For United Nations missions and peacekeeping operations to achieve those goals, it is essential that they be provided with necessary support, equipment and resources.

The Group of Friends welcomes the latest report of the Secretary-General under review today (S/2013/689). In the past couple of months, crises have emerged, re-emerged or have been amplified in many different places, and it is with great concern that we observe that the number of civilians affected by armed conflict has significantly increased over the period covered by the report in almost all of the countries reviewed.

The Nordic countries also strongly encourage the incorporation of a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations. As part of the Nordic Defence Cooperation we have established the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations in Stockholm, and note with satisfaction that the demand for its services is increasing.

Specialised capacity and focus are needed to prevent conflict-related sexual violence in UN operations. We welcome the deployment of Women's Protection Advisers in five on-going missions. We urge the Secretariat to undertake an early evaluation of their work to assess their contribution in the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence.

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.

A new generation of peacekeeping mandates has emerged. Peacekeeping operations are increasingly given a robust mandate, and are being deployed to places with high levels of violence. Efforts to protect civilians and minimize civilian harm should begin at the very early planning stages of a mission.

Appropriate training for armed forces is another fundamental aspect in the protection of civilians in armed conflict. In that context, I would highlight that Spain warmly welcomed the adoption of resolution 2106 (2013), which underscores the importance of training regarding gender-based violence and the deployment of protection advisers.

Peacekeeping missions must be better prepared and outfitted for that part of their mandate, and we must all chip in. The Netherlands is sending a peacekeeping unit to Mali, and we deploy experts in the protection of civilians and sexual and gender-based violence in various United Nations missions