Implementation

The AU Gender Policy also calls for the mobilization of women leaders to participate in peace mediation and related processes and in post-conflict processes. It also calls for the AU to work jointly with relevant United Nations bodies on measures to track violations against women and girls during conflict and to find lasting solutions to abuses.

I commend the role of the Secretary-General, who despite being far away was resolved to address us this morning. I especially commend the United Nations commitment to Africa. This month, we launched the African Women's Decade in Nairobi, Kenya. The United Nations was represented by Deputy Secretary- General Asha-Rose Migiro, another African sister serving the Organization. We also commend the leadership of Ms. Bachelet.

Other important measures taken by the AU include the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the AU Gender Policy and the launching of the African Women's Development Fund. The AU has also taken measures in the context of the Regional Economic Communities in order to give further impetus to the efforts for overall gender equality in Africa.

In conclusion, I would like to join my voice to those who have called for the adoption of the indicators to help monitor implementation, address the issue of fragmentation in global progress in implementation and provide a basis for monitoring the success of national action plans in implementation.

During the African Union's Year of Peace and Security in Africa, 2010, the Gender Directorate of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa also worked closely with the AU Peace and Security Department and the Peace and Security Council to ensure that gender issues were well addressed in this framework.

Key areas of success for the improvement of the lives of women have been in the spheres of political participation, education, and health. As we finalize results for our second parliamentary election, we recall that last month, millions of Afghans went to the polls to make their voices heard. In these recent elections, 406 out of 2,556 candidates were women.

We are appreciative of the crucial role of the international community and thank UNAMA for their support of all national efforts toward improving the situation of women in Afghanistan. We extend our gratitude to UNIFEM for engaging women's groups in supporting authorities to improve investigation of sexual violence, thus strengthening community capacity for the prevention of such horrendous acts.

The Commitment of the government of Afghanistan and support of the international community have been the crucial factors for the achievements ofwomen in the last decade. During the London and Kabul Conferences, in January and July of this year, we

Thank you for convening this important and historic debate on "women, peace and security." On behalf of my delegation, I commend you on your able leadership of the Council this month. We welcome not only the Secretary General's extensive report, but the Security Council's first "Cross-Cutting Report on Women, Peace, and Security."

Since 2001 Afghanistan has made considerable progress in the advancement of women. The government of Afghanistan has committed its energy and resources to strengthening the rights of women, improving their roles in all aspects of political, social, cultural and economic life as shown through our National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA).