Indonesia

The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) was hailed as a landmark and groundbreaking resolution. For the first time, the importance of women's full participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding at all levels was recognized. Since then, the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and its sister resolutions have paved the way for the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in United Nations peacekeeping operations and missions worldwide. In a similar vein, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which also addresses women and armed conflict, should continue to be implemented. Those various international frameworks on women are complementary and mutually reinforce our efforts to protect the rights of women in conflict situations.

In this context, our efforts in waging peace should nurture an environment that accommodates the contribution of women to conflict prevention. That would mean, among other things, enhancing women's participation in decision-making processes, building a culture of peace that respects life, and promoting a way of life that values non-violence and dialogue and is characterized by cooperation and social responsibility.

Women's potential as agents of change, skilfully reshaping and rebuilding communities affected by conflict, is an important resource to tap into. However, it is not always the case that they can be readily available for such a huge task. In post-conflict situations, the deficit in experience, skills, understanding and knowledge on women and peace issues is often a hindrance to enlisting a greater involvement of women. Overcoming the trauma they have had to endure can also be a factor working against women becoming active peacebuilding actors.

To conclude, let me reiterate that the responsibility to implement relevant Security Council resolutions on enhancing women's participation in peace processes, including the protection of women, rests primarily with individual Governments. Through this debate, we can once again reaffirm our readiness to promote the participation of women in peace processes, including within the framework of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

We are committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women. We are currently in the process of drafting a national action plan on resolution 1325 (2000). Efforts are already under way to promote that resolution and to raise awareness of gender-based violence, human rights and peacebuilding through the training of women's groups, survivors of violence, men and youth. Community mediators, 50 per cent of whom are women, have been trained to assist in situations involving local conflict. Involving women at the outset has had an exponentially beneficial effect in Timor- Leste and has laid the foundation for women's participation and inclusion, not only in Government, but also across all sectors. We are proud to note that women's representation in our Parliament is at 29 per cent, and we have set a goal to reach 35 per cent representation by 2015. The recently adopted electoral law requires that every third candidate on party lists be a woman, thereby ensuring that this target will be reached.