Implementation

In the area of relief and recovery, the report finds that post-conflict financial allocations to women's empowerment and gender equality are low but increasing. The percentage of project spending targeting gender specific needs rose from an estimated 5.7 per cent as of 2010 to 7.1 per cent this year.

In the area of protection, the report finds that mechanisms such as community patrols, access to legal aid, rapid response and surge teams have multiplied in the past year. There have been initiatives to establish integrated services, address fuel and lighting needs, and train security personnel. And women's protection is now part of standard operating procedures for security sector personnel in some contexts.

In the area of elections, the report shows the value of temporary special measures to increase numbers of women candidates. Yet out of nine post-conflict elections last year, only one, Uganda, employed an electoral gender quota, producing a 35 per cent female parliament. In the other eight elections, women won between four and 13 per cent of seats.

First, consistent implementation of international norms and standards on the human rights of women and girls is needed across all efforts to prevent and resolve conflict and build peace. The report calls for systematic attention to women and peace and security commitments across the Security Council's actions. It notes in particular the need to sustain implementation of these commitments in situations of mission drawdown and transition.

Finally, there is a need for continued improvement of tracking and accountability systems for the implementation of women and peace and security commitments, including at regional and national levels. It is recommended that challenges in national and regional implementation of women and peace and security commitments be assessed, including in upcoming reviews of National Action Plans.

The very origin of Security Council resolution 1325 is the courage, leadership and the accomplishments of women's civil society organizations that promote peace under what are often unimaginably difficult circumstances.

I join the Deputy Secretary-General in thanking the Presidency of India and the previous Council President, Guatemala, for encouraging us to address the role of women's civil society organizations in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict and peacebuilding. We are grateful that this Open Debate was rescheduled after last month's hurricane.

Regarding the transition of United Nations presences, including the drawdown of peacekeeping operations, we must ensure that these transition processes do not entail a reduction in the attention given to this topic, or put at risk the protection and security of women.

It is evident, in reading the concept paper circulated by Guatemala (S/2012/774, annex), that the work of women's organizations is truly admirable, especially since they are often intentionally excluded from official processes and political dialogue and yet are able to move forward. We recognize the importance of the work of such non-governmental organizations from the very onset of these processes.

There is a self-evident interconnection. There can be no prevention of conflict without the participation of women, and no participation without effective protection of the rights and the physical and moral integrity of women. It is therefore necessary to make progress simultaneously on all these issues. It is also encouraging that a growing number of regional cooperation mechanisms and national action plans have been launched.