Belgium

Women's participation in peace processes increases the likelihood that women's needs will be met, that their status in society will be enhanced and that their well-being will improve. It is disconcerting, in that regard, that 10 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we are still excluding half of the world's population when we are discussing sustainable peace and trying to build democracy.

In the fight against impunity, Belgium further asks the members of the Security Council to use, and effectively impose, targeted and graduated measures against all parties to conflicts who violate women's rights, including perpetrators of sexual violence and commanders who commission or condone the use of sexual violence. We believe that the Council should include sexual violence in resolutions mandating its sanctions committees, and those resolutions should include sexual violence as a criterion for the designation of political and military leaders for targeted measures.

In the run-up to this debate, and in order to raise awareness and come to real and concrete commitments around the celebration of the tenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), Belgium, together with the European Union, organized three events at different
levels. We organized a high-level conference in Brussels on women's participation, an experts' seminar in Geneva on protection and a ministerial-level lunch here in New York last month.

Two years ago, Belgium also adopted a national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). Without a doubt, the plan has contributed to increased ownership at different levels of public administration and civil society. For example, our Ministry of Defence has assigned clear duties within its staff and adopted specific budgetary lines for the implementation of all activities relating to the implementation of the national plan of action that fall within its responsibilities.

Finally, let me add, as Chair of a country-specific configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, that that Commission is a very appropriate framework in which to include the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) among its activities.