The Solomon Islands went through a conflict situation beginning late in 1998. I would like to use this occasion to speak on some lessons learned from it. We saw both the vulnerability of women and their strength. During the conflict, women organized themselves into various groups, identifying themselves as women for peace, acting as mediators, providing bridges and bringing communities together.

I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open date, which places in the proper context the issue of women and the rule of law and transitional justice in conflict-affected situations. We also thank Azerbaijan for the concept note (S/2013/587, annex), which has provided direction to our discussion.

More recently, the Forum leaders have recognized climate change as the greatest threat to the livelihood and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific. Climate impacts can lead to forced displacement, with clear implications for women, and raise security questions that have no simple solutions or easy precedents.

In conclusion, the countries of the Pacific Islands Forum are committed to work with like-minded countries to ensure that our necessary local efforts and our contributions to the United Nations will always encourage and support resolution 1325 (2000).

The recent decrease in women's share of senior positions in United Nations field operations should be reversed. Efforts by the United Nations to retain, attract and support women staff should be complemented by efforts by Member States to consistently nominate more female candidates.

Notably greater involvement of women — from mediation, restoring the rule of law and governance to participation in post-conflict electoral processes — continues to require commitment and attention. It also requires greater dedicated resourcing, particularly for civil society groups working on the ground.

Lithuania associates itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union. I will limit myself to a few points relating to the agenda on the rule of law and the participation of women.

It is difficult to imagine tackling impunity without monitoring and reporting mechanisms. We welcome the Council's decision today that United Nations entities should do more systematic reporting to the Council, including analysis.

Indonesia is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring women's participation at all levels of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and it has been undertaking various measures at home to that effect, in close partnership with civil society, including women's organizations.

To ensure genuine rule of law, beyond the formal establishment of institutions, judicial systems need to be fully accessible to all individuals and groups. A major obstacle to access is the cost involved in legal advice and legal representation services. We support the work of the United Nations to implement a wide variety of projects focused on providing legal aid to address that obstacle.