Executive Secretary/ESCAP and UNIFEM to Launch Regional Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security in Asia-Pacific

In order to mark the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will launch the Asia-Pacific Regional Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security at a special function to be held on 6 October 2010 at the UN Conference Centre, from 10.30 am to 12.00.

The Group—the first regional of its kind—will advise and support Governments, civil society and other relevant players on the effective implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the Asia-Pacific region. The Group is composed of women and men leaders having recognized expertise in advancing the role and interests of women in peace and security processes in the region, such as Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, who will act as an honourable advisor to the Group, Ms. Sima Samar, Head of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and Ms. Teresita Quinto-Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process in the Philippines.

Advocating for women's increased participation in formal peace processes, peacekeeping and peace-building, as well as in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, the Group will also contribute to international analysis and discourse on women, peace and security.

The event is being organized by the UN Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.

The programme will include a keynote address by Dr. Heyzer and a roundtable discussion on Women, Peace and Security involving members of the Regional Advisory Group and resource persons. Topics likely to be discussed at the roundtable include national and regional situations of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict societies, implications of UNSCR 1325 and related implementation issues, good practices and lessons learned, as well as related challenges in the region.

The launch will be followed by a capacity development workshop for Governments on the application of indicators developed to monitor the implementation of UNSCR 1325. The workshop will be attended by Governments, civil society and UN agency representatives from 13 countries across the region.

Adopted in October 2000, the UNSCR 1325 is a landmark legal and political framework, the first to link women's experiences of conflict to the international peace and security agenda, focusing attention on the impact of conflict on women, and calling for women's engagement in conflict resolution and peace-building. The 10th anniversary commemoration provides an important opportunity to further the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the region.

Currently, the Philippines is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region to have already released a National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325. Several other countries are in the process of developing such plans, including Nepal and Indonesia.

For further information, please contact:
Wanphen SreshthaputraSocial Development Division United Nations ESCAP
Tel: +66 2 288 1586
Cell: + 66 8 1 824 38 25
Fax: +66 288 1018
E-mail: sreshthaputra-korotki@un.org

Alice Ruxton
UNIFEM (part of UN Women)
East and Southeast Asia Regional Office
Tel: + 66-2-288 22 16
Cell: + 66 8 0 610 28 34
Fax: + 66 2 280 6030
E-mail: alice.ruxton@unifem.org

Ms. Thawadi Pachariyangkun
UN ESCAP Information Services
Tel. 662 288 1861 and 081-634-3876
Email: pachariyangkun.unescap@un.org and unisbkk.unescap@un.org