General Women, Peace and Security

I welcome the Secretary-General's most recent report on women and peace and security (S/2012/732). In the report, the Secretary-General calls for enhanced women's participation and a stronger commitment to addressing the challenges to women's engagement in the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts and in peacebuilding at all levels.

Twelve years ago, we adopted the landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security in the Council. As a member of the Council at the time and one of its core sponsors, Bangladesh was closely associated with the adoption of that historic document. That was our humble contribution to ensuring the rights and role of women in peace and security.

Azerbaijan reiterates its strong condemnation of all acts of violence committed against women and girls in situations of armed conflict and calls upon all parties to such conflicts to strictly abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. All the necessary measures must be taken to bring perpetrators of such acts to justice and to put an end to impunity.

The heightened vulnerability of civilians in wartime, in particular forcibly displaced persons, refugees, women and children requires urgency, dedication and strong commitment in all protection efforts at the regional and global levels that must be free of selectivity and politically motivated approaches and purposes.

Women and women's civil society organizations are all too often excluded from participating in peace efforts and negotiations.

Our actions to pursue the women, peace and security agenda do not occur in a vacuum. Work to promote the participation of women and girls in peace and security processes needs to take place within the broader context of work to promote gender equality and women's empowerment. The message is simple.

Australia welcomes the convening of this open debate on women and peace and security. We commend Guatemala and India for bringing the Council's focus to the particular role played by women's civil society organizations. We thank Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson, the Under- Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN- Women, Ms. Bachelet, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr.

Australia commends the increasing inclusion of references in United Nations mission mandates to the promotion of the rights, protection and empowerment of women.

In its presidential statement of last month (S/PRST/2012/23), the Council underlined the primary role of Governments in enhancing women's participation in the prevention and resolution of conflict in areas affected by armed conflict. As noted by the Secretary- General, many peace processes now regularly include consultations with women's peace groups, and in many post-conflict countries, the number of women in Government has increased.

In conclusion, let me mention that Armenia recognizes and welcomes the key role and critical efforts of the Security Council in preventing violence and combating impunity in conflict and post-conflict situations.