Portugal
The adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) represented a landmar...
The adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) represented a landmark in the promotion and protection of human rights. It not only brought to the attention of this organ the pressing issues of gender equality and the empowerment of women, but it also made clear that women have a role to play in conflict situations, besides that of victims, as peacemakers and peacekeepers.
It is our belief that the equal participation of women and men in decision-ma...
It is our belief that the equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes has a positive impact on the international security system, thus favouring the implementation of the objectives of the Security Council - maintaining peace and security. At the same time, it is of fundamental importance that we develop policies that envisage the promotion of the political, economic and social roles of women in post- conflict situations.
It is undeniable that situations of conflict have a great impact on women. Th...
It is undeniable that situations of conflict have a great impact on women. They are too often victims of violence and of sexual violence used as a weapon of war. And at the same time, they very often become the main providers of economic security and survival to their families. There is thus the need to ensure that, in post-conflict situations, we also build on their experiences.
Portugal reaffirms its commitment to the full implementation of resolution 13...
Portugal reaffirms its commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We adopted last August our national plan of action to contribute to the implementation of that document at the national, regional and international policy levels. The drafting of this national plan of action involved a one-year long participatory process, which encompassed wide- ranging governmental contributions together with broad and public consultations with universities, non- governmental organizations, media and other relevant civil society sectors and international networks.
Our national plan recognizes the specific impacts of contemporary wars on the...
Our national plan recognizes the specific impacts of contemporary wars on the lives of women and addresses the efforts to prevent, combat and mitigate these impacts. Our plan, which will extend to 2013, is built around the objectives of strengthening women's participation and representation in all efforts to promote peace and security; promoting gender mainstreaming in the sectors of security, such as peacekeeping missions and security system reform; justice and development aid; and reinforcing the protection of women and girls in conflict and post- conflict areas.
Allow me briefly to highlight five main objectives of our plan. It seeks, fir...
Allow me briefly to highlight five main objectives of our plan. It seeks, first, to increase women's participation and mainstream gender equality in all phases of peacebuilding processes and at all levels of decision-making; secondly, to promote capacity-building on gender equality and gender-based violence, as well as other aspects covered by resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), for all those involved in peacebuilding and development aid efforts; thirdly, to promote and protect women's human rights in conflict areas and post-conflict scenarios, taking into account the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence and the promotion of the empowerment of women; fourthly, to invest in and disseminate knowledge on issues concerning women, peace and security, including awareness-raising among decision- makers and the broader public; and lastly, to ensure the participation of civil society in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and the national plan of action.
Our national plan thus embodies Portugal's concern over the vulnerability of ...
Our national plan thus embodies Portugal's concern over the vulnerability of women and girls in post-conflict situations, together with our national commitment to developing measures to answer the needs of women in these situations. In concrete terms, this is translated at the international level into the promotion of policies, strategies and legislation to prevent armed violence, including domestic armed violence, as well as in the systematic integration into development programmes of a gender dimension and training for development actors in this field.
Furthermore, our national action plan emphasizes that women and girls are rel...
Furthermore, our national action plan emphasizes that women and girls are relevant and capable actors of change and development, and is based on the conviction that, first, it is critical that we overcome the traditional perspective of women and girls as being exclusively vulnerable victims in need of protection, and that, secondly, it is thus essential to implement measures that guarantee that this perspective will be taken into consideration at all levels of peacebuilding processes by the international and local actors involved.
Finally, I wish to say that the Portuguese Government interprets this resolut...
Finally, I wish to say that the Portuguese Government interprets this resolution as extending beyond armed conflicts and humanitarian aid to include the promotion of policy coherence at the national level concerning issues such as disarmament and weapons control, public security and the elimination of gender-based violence.
Nearly 10 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), there has obvio...
Nearly 10 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), there has obviously been enormous progress, but we must recognize that its aims have not yet been fulfilled. I encourage the Council and its members to carry on the good work in that direction.