Implementation

Austria has developed an interdisciplinary training course on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The training course is tailored to the requirements of command personnel active in international crisis management. It will be held for the first time in December at the Austrian Peace Center in Stadtschlaining, with participants from 20 Member States and international organizations.

We join other States in condemning the ongoing high incidence of sexual violence in conflicts, and support all efforts to prevent such crimes and to put an end to impunity for perpetrators of such crimes. That must be a priority for the Security Council and other parts of the United Nations system.

The importance of the United Nations leading by example in the area of gender equality is essential. Australia is concerned at the significant decrease over the past 12 months in the share of women holding senior positions in United Nations peacekeeping, political and peacebuilding missions. We support the Secretary-General's call for a review of this situation, in consultation with UN-Women.

In our region, Australia was pleased to announce in August our partnership with members of the Pacific Islands Forum on a new 10-year Pacific women's initiative. It aims at redressing the dramatic under- representation of women in decision-making settings, by bringing Governments and civil society groups together to develop policy and to help change perceptions about women's and men's roles in communities.

In March, Australia launched its National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Women's organizations played a pivotal role in shaping the Plan, and we consider their ongoing role in monitoring compliance to be central to the Plan's success. We encourage all States who have not implemented such plans to do so, and to engage women's organizations in developing, implementing and evaluating these plans.

Australia supports the United Nations efforts to facilitate the sharing of best practices between States and women's organizations. We also recognize the leadership of UN-Women in coordinating global efforts to promote and implement resolution 1325 (2000).

Australia commends the increasing inclusion of references in United Nations mission mandates to the promotion of the rights, protection and empowerment of women.

As the Secretary-General's report (S/2012/732) makes clear, women's organization play an indispensable role in enabling women to prevent conflict and to promote and build peace. But women's organizations can only operate effectively in safety and with support.

This open debate serves as an opportunity to address the importance of women's political participation, especially in regions and countries affected by conflict.

In its presidential statement of last month (S/PRST/2012/23), the Council underlined the primary role of Governments in enhancing women's participation in the prevention and resolution of conflict in areas affected by armed conflict. As noted by the Secretary- General, many peace processes now regularly include consultations with women's peace groups, and in many post-conflict countries, the number of women in Government has increased.