Clearly, peacekeeping operations are one of those tools, and a very relevant one. Over the past 11 years, such operations have gradually incorporated civilian protection mandates, giving special attention to women and children. Progress has been significant.

While visiting Goma last year, I pledged $17 million to help prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence. This money is now flowing to provide medical and legal services for survivors. In addition, the U.S. military's Africa Command has trained a battalion of Congolese soldiers to work to prevent sexual violence, help victims and prosecute perpetrators.

There is no starker reminder of the work still ahead of us than the horrific mass rapes in Democratic Republic of Congo last summer. Those rapes and our failure as an international community to bring that conflict to an end and to protect women and children in the process stands as a tragic rebuke to our efforts thus far. And we all must do more and we must think creatively.

The presidential statement that we hope will be adopted calls for another stock-taking in five years. But we better have more to report and we better have accomplished more between now and then, otherwise, there will be those who will lose faith in our international capacity to respond to such an overwhelming need – because, ultimately, we measure our progress by the improvements in the daily lives of people around the world.

Thank you very much, First Deputy Prime Minister, and I want to thank you and the Government of Uganda in its role as Council President for convening this important meeting on the occasion of the 10th anniversary.

So here we are at the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and we're here to reaffirm the goals set forth in this historic resolution, but more than that, to put forth specific actions, as my colleague, the foreign minister of Austria, just did in such a commendable set of proposals.

President Obama's National Security Strategy recognizes that “countries are more peaceful and prosperous when women are accorded full and equal rights and opportunity.

Our military has also begun to play an active role. In Namibia, for example, the U.S. military helped train nearly 600 peacekeepers on women's issues who were then deployed to Chad. This type of military-to-military engagement helps ensure that soldiers understand their obligation to protect women and girls in conflict areas and receive the training to know how to do that.

Now, the National Action Plan and the new funding I've announced are two important steps, and we will pursue them with total commitment. But as several have already said: Action plans and funding are only steps toward a larger goal.

Now, in defense, diplomacy, and development, which we consider the three pillars of our foreign policy, we are putting women front and center, not merely as beneficiaries of our efforts but as agents of peace, reconciliation, economic growth, and stability.