Third, gender mainstreaming and the role of women in post-conflict peacebuilding cannot be overemphasized. The institution-building process and its outcome should ensure gender perspectives as appropriate.

International support in such dynamic and evolving situations is to be based on broad political willingness and adequate and predictable resources. Efforts skewed towards unduly benefiting one group at the expense of others are likely to exacerbate a situation, igniting the causes of conflict.

As a supporting partner, the international community must advance its capacities through institutional, technical, financial, human and other assistance in which it has the capacity to do so. The process must forge the effective participation of all stakeholders, including women, civil society and marginalized groups, so as to address the root causes of conflicts.

Assistance obviously should be extended beyond capitals to the subnational level, civil society and the private sector. We need to strengthen the fabric of stable and prosperous communities through political, security, service delivery and economic institutions.
We must recognize and promote the role of women, who must be empowered to contribute to decision-making and the implementation of institution-building.

In that context, effective institution-building during the different phases of the process requires coordination among the Peacebuilding Commission and all relevant actors, including international financial institutions, United Nations entities, regional organizations and civil society, including women, local experts and other stakeholders.

Given the magnitude of destruction, stabilization efforts in Afghanistan have produced impressive results. Despite its uphill climb since the time of Taliban rule, Afghanistan has experienced political transformation and development over the past decade, achieved through the support of the international community. The political process for the continued growth of the country is in place. Nearly 7 million refugees have returned.

We must also shine the international spotlight on the perpetrators and use this mechanism to inform targeted actions by the Council and by Member States. With improved information, the United Nations will be able to assist States in responding more robustly to these crimes.

We are gathered because we all agree on the importance of addressing an issue that cries out for the world's conscience, and that is sexual violence in conflict. We agree that the challenge is urgent and immense. The human cost is all too real. Armed conflicts continue to have a devastating impact, particularly on women and girls.

The United States commends the United Nations, especially United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, for its leadership in finding effective ways to address this problem. We have been encouraged by the United Nations response and followup to the appalling August attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the additional steps it has taken to build mission-wide strategies to better protect civilians.

Some still think that sexual violence is somehow a natural accompaniment of conflict. It is not. As the Secretary-General's report notes, “The myth that rape is an inevitable byproduct of war is persistent and dangerously selffulfilling” (S/2010/604, para. 7).