Thus, ceasefire and peace agreements, as well as disarmament, demobilization...

Thus, ceasefire and peace agreements, as well as disarmament, demobilization and reinsertion programmes, must fully incorporate the specific needs of women and girls. Who better than women themselves to plead this cause? We must therefore guarantee their effective participation in all stages of the peace process. To that end and to enable them, where appropriate, to have the necessary tools at hand, peacetime national policies must incorporate the training of women in negotiation and mediation techniques and the peaceful settlement of disputes. In the long term and given the reality of the growing feminization of poverty and social and economic inequality, there is a need to provide greater opportunities in the education of girls, livelihood training and job creation for women, including former combatants. Overall, States must take ownership of the concept of women and peace and security. The adoption of action plans towards the improved implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) at the national level is crucial in that respect.