But women are not just victims. They are often the key to preventing conflict and violence from emerging, to resolving conflict and to rebuilding societies once guns fall silent.

We would also like to take this opportunity to express the importance of women's political participation in times of peace and conflict alike, and at all stages of peaceful settlements. We have experienced this first-hand in our region. Representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani women's non-governmental organizations have discussed ways of finding peaceful solutions to the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

We also welcome the Secretary-General's report on women and peace and security (S/2011/598*), which includes guidance for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and for the use of the set of indicators for monitoring progress and implementing the framework, and we take note of the recommendations contained in the report.

Meaningful policy changes can also be achieved through such means as technical assistance, as well as support for civil society and the media in monitoring and evaluating national actions taken in these areas.

We also believe that the establishment of UN-Women was a key step in the consolidation of the women and peace and security agenda, embodied, inter alia, in technical assistance that the entity is providing to countries of all regions in the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions.

Our plan is the result of a participatory and comprehensive exercise led by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and involves other State and civil society agencies.

Our country welcomes the report of the Secretary- General (S/2011/598*), which comprehensively reflects the important role that women play in preventive diplomacy, peace negotiation processes, and post-conflict reconstruction. The merit of resolution 1325 (2000) is specifically that the Security Council recognizes therein the key role that women can play as protagonists in peace processes.

I cannot conclude without expressing my appreciation for the report's mention of Argentina's efforts to increase the number of Argentine women deployed in its armed and security forces, as well as to peacekeeping missions. The report also notes our initiatives to develop and improve training in the specific protection rights and needs of women and girls.

With regard to development, we have begun to implement our 10-year national action plan for the women of Afghanistan based upon the priorities of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. As part of the action plan, we have established gender units in 14 of the 25 Government ministries.

We meet today to recognize the crucial role of women in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, the tangible fruits of which have already been seen in Afghanistan in the decisive presence of women at the Consultative Peace Jirga in 2010 and in the continuing efforts to ensure women's participation in leadership positions within and outside of the Afghan Government.