As an additional tool, I wish to highlight the potential of the Justice Rapid Response mechanism, a multilateral stand-by facility to deploy rapidly criminal justice and related professionals, trained for international investigations and at the service of States and international institutions.

We are willing to share our lessons learnt and experiences with other countries engaged in the preparation and implementation of their own National Action Plans. At the moment Finland cooperates with Kenya in drafting its National Action Plan through a twinning-project. Should the experiences from this programme be successful, we remain open to consider twinning with another partner country in the future.

Ten years ago this Council recognized that conflicts have a differing impact on the lives of women and men, and that both women and men have a valuable contribution to offer in advancing peace. In short, the Council recognized gender-equality, and the promotion and protection of women's rights, as a central issue to its mandate of maintaining international peace and security.

Participation of both women and men in peacekeeping, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction is crucial for the sustainability of their ultimate objective: peace. Let me be clear: full and equal participation is important for the delivery of the mandates that this Council has provided. Recent study from Afghanistan showed that women's participation in Provincial Reconstruction Teams benefitted their operational effectiveness.

It can be done. Before initiating our Plan in (September) 2007, women formed 19% of our seconded experts deployed in civilian positions of peace operations. Through consistent efforts we have increased the proportion to a high of 34% last August.

Increasing the amount of women also in the highest positions can wait no longer. The United Nations regional organisations have a responsibility to set examples and promote gender-equality, while Member states have a responsibility to provide and support female candidates. Accordingly, Finland commits to increasingly
nominating female candidates.

Including the civil society in implementation of 1325 is vital. For its own part, Finland actively seeks advice and forms partnerships with NGOs in implementing its National Action Plan. For example in our National Anniversary Seminar, held in Helsinki last Friday, our President, Foreign Minister and myself were honoured to hear from Special Representative Margot Wallstrom and also from representatives of the civil society.

Finland believes that conflict prevention, mediation, and peaceful settlement of disputes should occupy a more central place in the peace and security agenda of the United Nations. Equal and effective participation of women at all stages and at all levels of peace processes is an integral part of our policies. For example, Finland supports the African Union in strengthening its mediation capacities.

Finland also gives financial support to several NGOs working in the area of Women, Peace and Security. As an example of this is Femmes Africa Soiidarite, which among other invaluable activities supports drafting of National Action Plans, including a Regional Action Plan for the Great Lakes Region in Africa.

Finland aligns itself with the statement of the European Union to be delivered later today. In addition, I wish to offer some insights into what Finland has done and learnt during the past decade, and commit ourselves to future action with regard to: Participation of Women at all stages and all levels of peace processes, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and