Implementation

The vulnerability of women and girls in situations of armed conflict and, in our specific circumstances, armed violence, continue to engage our attention. Consequently, we have implemented and continue to implement measures to eliminate and mitigate the effects of armed violence, particularly against women and girls in our society.

Our support for the resolution is based not only on our legal obligations under the Charter, but also on our own national laws, which have entrenched the inalienable rights of women into our domestic legal framework. We note with satisfaction that resolution 1325 (2000) highlights the cross-cutting nature of gender considerations in all areas related to peace and security.

Notwithstanding the importance of the implementation of agreements on peace and security, Trinidad and Tobago is of the view that the prosecution of those accused of committing grave crimes against women and girls during armed conflict is a key factor in the attainment of lasting peace.

In the spirit of advancing the dual agenda of the attainment of international peace and security and the empowerment of women, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago announced during the general debate of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly (20th plenary meeting) our intention to introduce in the First Committee at the present session a draft resolution on women, disarmament, nonproliferation and arms control.

In conclusion, Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to working with other Member States as well as its partners at the regional and hemispheric levels in order to provide an environment which promotes the involvement of women in matter relating to peace and security.

You are perhaps surprised, Sir, that I am wearing a scarf today. As chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, I travelled to Bujumbura a few weeks ago, and I had the opportunity to meet with women's organizations there. During the elections, they had decided to wear a white shawl like this in public to show their desire for peace.

When entering the building this morning, participants passed by our exhibit “No Women — No Peace” in the entrance hall. You saw the curtain with the portraits of the 1,000 women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, looking down at the rickety peace table on the opposite side of the hall.

We welcome the establishment, in that regard, of a set of global indicators, which the Council will endorse today. This represents important progress in ensuring follow-up to resolution 1325 (2000). However, the application of these indicators calls for political leadership by the Council.

We hope that Margot Wallström, who was appointed under resolution 1888 (2009), will play a significant role as an interlocutor for conversations between the United Nations system and the Security Council. We also hope that she will provide the Council with detailed information on instances of sexual violence.

The representative of Liechtenstein just mentioned the monthly action points of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, which we support together with them. In addition, we are offering the Council a handbook, prepared by PeaceWomen, highlighting the various obligations that derive from the resolution, with many best practice examples as guidance. Here is the handbook, it is available, and I urge participants to use it.