Implementation

The Protocol also calls upon SADC Member States to take necessary steps to prevent and eliminate incidences of human rights abuses against women and children during times of armed and other forms of conflict.

The Framework for Cooperation is aimed to strengthen and draw upon both organizations' experiences, allowing the United Nations Department of Political Affairs to utilize SADC's knowledge and understanding of the region and the mediation, peacemaking and peacebuilding capacities.

Since we believe that effective peace building starts from the national and subregional, to the international level, it is of vital importance that the UN works closely together with regional groups, such as SADC, as we believe. To that end, the United Nations and SADC signed an agreement on 21 September 2010, to work together on issues vital to peace and security such as conflict prevention, mediation and elections.

SADC welcomes the creation of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the appointment of Mrs. Michelle Bachalet as its Executive Director. We are confident that UN Women, in addition to devoting its attention to the economic empowerment of women at country level, the entity will greatly enhance coordination and coherence on women, peace and security.

SADC remains fully committed to the full and effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 and to ensure that the rights of women and children are promoted and protected.

Gender equality and the empowerment of women is one of the founding principles of SADC as enshrined in the SADC Treaty. The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development of 2008, puts measures in place to ensure that women get equal representation and participation in all key decision-making positions by 2015.

Our debate today provides us with the opportunity to take stock of the commitments that have been honoured and the goals that have been met, as well as the further efforts that remain to be carried out to implement resolution 1325 (2000).

My delegation would like to commend the efforts undertaken by the Security Council to ensure regular reviews of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), in particular through the inclusion of the gender perspective in the resolution of conflicts and peacekeeping within the various organs and institutions of the United Nations, and the importance of the role of women in general in matters concerning peace and security.

It is clear that the Secretariat has undertaken substantial efforts to promote the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We therefore believe that the creation of UN Women will contribute to improving coordination between the various United Nations entities involved. This will have a positive impact on United Nations system support to the various national and regional stakeholders involved in implementing resolution 1325 (2000).

In terms of establishing quantifiable indicators in the follow-up to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), as requested by the Security Council, we should note, as was indeed highlighted by the Secretary-General, that these indicators must be further enhanced.