Belgium, which had the privilege of participating in the drafting and adoption of resolution 1820 (2008) while it held a seat on the Security Council, welcomes the cohesion and vision the Council has demonstrated in this field throughout this period. We hope for the swift appointment of the new special representative of the Secretary-General on sexual violence and establishment of the team of experts called for in resolution 1888 (2009).

Belgium also wishes to thank your delegation, Mr. President, for having taken the initiative to organize this very important debate. With regard to the fight against sexual violence, this past year will be a landmark in the annals of the United Nations.

As far as Belgium is concerned, the situation is very simple. A year from now, we will celebrate the passage of 10 years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). We therefore have one year left to fill the gap that exists between the programmes envisioned in New York or our capitals on the one hand, and, on the other, their financing and implementation on the ground.

Austria is committed to the objectives of resolution 1325 (2000). Our activities are firmly based on a national action plan adopted in August 2007. A working group made up of representatives of all ministries involved and the Austrian Development Agency reports annually to the Council of Ministers on measures undertaken under this action plan.

With the expansion of the monitoring and reporting mechanisms in resolution 1882 (2009) to situations where parties to armed conflict engage in rape and other sexual violence against children, a coherent and coordinated implementation of the mandates of both the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the special representative to address sexual violence in armed conflict will be crucial.

We welcome the considerable progress that has been made in strengthening the protection pillar of resolution 1325 (2000) with the adoption of resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009) on sexual violence, as well as resolution 1882 (2009) on children and armed conflict. Let me express our hope for a quick appointment of the special representative requested in resolution 1888 (2009).

Today's meeting will allow us to continue the review of the implementation of landmark resolution 1325 (2000). We would like to thank the delegation of Viet Nam for its efforts, which resulted in the adoption of resolution 1889 (2009) today. Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to Deputy Secretary- General Asha-Rose Migiro for her continued leadership and commitment to gender equality and women's participation.

Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). This opportunity should be used to define future priorities and to identify how to address the remaining and new challenges in fully implementing resolution 1325 (2000). A set of global indicators, as called for in the resolution adopted today, will complement this important work.

Austria is planning to continue its financial contributions to UNIFEM for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). We also plan to host an experts meeting in Vienna in the first half of 2010. We welcome the Secretary-General's positive reply to a letter sent in August 2008 by women leaders, including Austria's then-Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.

We further request the Secretary-General to take concrete steps to enhance the efficiency of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) to implement resolution 1325 (2000), in particular by creating the posts of full-time senior gender advisers in DPA and within DPA's Mediation Support Unit.