We have established under this Action Plan five main strategic objectives, translated into thirty specific objectives, for which implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are identified and developed. These are:To increase women's participation and mainstream gender equality in all phases of peace building processes and at all levels of decision-making;

To promote capacity building of those involved in peace building and development aid efforts on gender equality and gender-based violence, as well as other aspects covered by UNSCR 1325 and 1820;

To promote and protect women's human rights in conflict areas and post-conflict scenarios, having in consideration the need to: .
Prevent and eliminate all gender-based violence perpetrated against women and girls; Promote· the empowerment of women, both political and economic, and their participation in all post-conflict activities;

To invest in and disseminate knowledge on issues concerning women, peace and security, including training and awareness raising actions among decision makers and the broader public;

Portugal strongly believes that National Action Plans constitute an important mechanism to accelerate progress in implementing this resolution.
In this regard, we have adopted a National Action Plan in August 2009 which translates our commitment to the implementation of 1325 and corresponds to the consolidation of a gender equality perspective into national politics.

Portugal believes that important progress has been accomplished in the implementation of 1325 and the other important resolutions that have followed. However, we all recognize that significant challenges still remain. On the one hand, women are still underrepresented at all levels of peacekeeping and peace building efforts and they are poorly represented in formal peace negotiations.

It is our understanding that women are indispensable actors of change and ·development. Therefore, it is fundamental to overcome the traditional perspective of these actors as mere vulnerable victims in need of protection and to implement measures that guarantee that their perspective is taken into all stages of peace building processes by the international and local actors involved.

In this context, we should seize this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring
women's effective participation in peace and security and to translate this commitment into
enhanced action. This open debate of the Security Council and the many side- events that are taking
place this week are an excellent opportunity to review the progress achieved in the implementation

As so many before me have said today, Resolution 1325 is a landmark: recognizing the urgent need to mainstream a gender perspective in the prevention, management and resolution of armed conflicts and in all stages of the peace building processes.

And finally to promote the active participation of civil society in the implementation of 1325 resolution and the National Action Plan. As I have stressed before, Portugal remains available to engage with the UN and other international actors in sharing experiences and good practices that allow us to move forward in this decisive area.