General Women, Peace and Security

Despite some achievements and the fact that the issue of women's rights and peace and security has been on the agenda of the Security Council and other relevant United Nations institutions for a decade, we all recognize that serious challenges remain in transforming those positive developments into tangible results.

In conclusion, our commitment to combating sexual violence is inseparable from the framework of follow-up to resolution 1325 (2000) in strengthening the role of women in conflict prevention and settlement and in peacebuilding.

At the outset, let me thank the United States for leading the Council's work in its efforts to address the scourge of sexual violence in conflict. Sexual violence is a grave violation of human rights and a threat to the health and lives of the victims and of their communities. And let me be clear: sexual violence is a serious impediment to peace, security and development.

The Security Council should also reaffirm its commitment to integrating the gender equality dimension and the protection of civilians from sexual and gender-based violence into the mandates of peacekeeping operations. The connections between violence against women and the ability of women to participate in conflict prevention and management, as well as in peacebuilding and development, must be better understood.

In October of this year, the European Union and the African Union organized a joint civil society seminar on women, peace and security in Addis Ababa.

I would now like to briefly elaborate on some recent European Union activities undertaken in response to resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009), and complementing individual actions by EU member States. Fighting all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, including in armed conflict but not excluding other situations of concern, is among the key objectives of the EU's human rights policy in external relations.

Less than two months ago, we celebrated the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). Unfortunately, progress towards the implementation of cross-cutting gender commitments, especially those aimed at curbing, punishing perpetrators of and protecting against sexual violence in situations of armed conflict, has not been satisfactory. In that respect, we welcome the progress made on Ms.

Colombia, in its capacity as one of the Friends of 1325, will continue to closely monitor developments in the area of women and peace and security and reiterates its commitment to the implementation of policies, plans and programmes that expand and strengthen the role of women in peacebuilding.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). It is highly significant for the Council to hold this open debate on sexual violence in armed conflict.

I conclude by thanking the presidency of the Council for this month, the United States, for having convened this debate, and by calling on the Council to engage decisively in the implementation of the resolutions, which Chile supported together with the mother resolution 1325 (2000), for which we already have a national plan.