Implementation

The rule of law should address justice, equality and equity with a strong focus on the empowerment of women and girls, gender equality, and preventing and combating violence against women as essential preconditions for equitable and inclusive sustainable development.

We should ask ourselves what more Member States and the United Nations itself could do to ensure an implementation of the full agenda as laid out in resolution 1325 (2000).

Secondly, 43 countries have adopted national action plans on women, peace and security. That is an important first step. However, any progress on the ground depends on the political will to abide by those commitments. The German national action plan, which was adopted last year, covers the four focus areas set out in resolution 1325 (2000) and additionally includes the areas of preparation for peace missions and the prosecution of crimes.

Germany will continue its support to UN Women and all other relevant actors, including civil society organizations, to ensure that women's roles and their important contribution in conflict resolution and peacebuilding are adequately taken into account.

Fourthly, women protection advisers play a central role in monitoring and reporting to the Council, training mission personnel on preventing and responding to sexual violence, and engaging in dialogue with conflict parties.

Germany welcomes the detailed analysis of the Secretary-General's report (S/2013/525), which identifies many achievements in the women, peace and security agenda in the past years. We also share the concerns addressed in the report, such as an increasing focus of the international community on women as victims of armed conflict, instead of on their role as actors in peace processes and agents of change in all spheres of society.

While discussing the successful developments in advancing women's rights and freedoms, I would like to emphasize the fruitful cooperation that the Government enjoys with UN Women. We appreciate its support in facilitating consultations and information-sharing meetings among representatives of Georgian women's non- governmental organizations and women participants of the Geneva international discussions.

Regular training programmes are conducted to enhance the skills and capacities of women police officers. After the adoption of the national action plan, female police officers from various regions of Georgia participated in training programmes to enhance the skills and role of female officers, with the aim of becoming leaders and mentors in Georgian law enforcement.

In June 2013, the Georgia Parliament adopted amendments to the labour code to introduce regulations that are more liberal with respect to women's employment.

In conclusion, I would like to, once again, reiterate the firm commitment of my Government to strengthening cooperation with the relevant United Nations agencies in order to defend the interests of women who are suffering from gender bias, violence and other inhuman or degrading treatment.