Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

3.We will contribute experts on gender and gender-based violence to international peacekeeping operations. Last week we deployed such a team of experts from Norway's national police to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH.

With 373 female peacekeepers, Nigeria ranks first among troop-contributing countries in the number of women among its military and police personnel wearing the Blue Helmet in ongoing peacekeeping operations. We believe that female peacekeepers have a comparative advantage when liaising with local communities on matters such as sexual exploitation, abuse and violence.

It is a well-known fact that women rarely initiate violent conflicts, yet they suffer its worst consequences on multiple fronts: physically, psychologically, economically, socially and politically. Too often, women fall victim to predatory warlords, who systematically use rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Their suffering is compounded by their exclusion from key decision-making processes that might lead to peace and stability.

In spite of the hard work and oft-expressed commitments of the international community to the principles of resolution 1325 (2000), serious challenges remain. The Secretary-General observes in his report that “10 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), significant achievements are difficult to identify or quantify” (S/2010/498, para. 3).

The past 10 years have also demonstrated that much still needs to be done. Rape is still used as a tool of war, as was recently and horrifically demonstrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Women are still excluded from or not adequately represented in peace processes, their rights are curtailed and, all too often, they lack or are denied access to humanitarian and development assistance.

Secondly, while there have been excellent policy developments on resolution 1325 (2000), they have rarely been translated into action on the ground. To ensure more action, the Security Council could better incorporate 1325 issues into its daily work, for example, when it discusses country situations, peacekeeping mandates or sanctions, or when it holds Arria Formula meetings.

New Zealand's region is the Pacific, where women are playing critical roles in brokering and maintaining peace in places such as Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Timor-Leste. Despite their important role, however, women remain marginalized from formal negotiations, are seriously underrepresented in national decision-making processes and are still vulnerable to domestic violence.

The Netherlands is committed to strengthening partnerships with men through financial support of training efforts. An active role for women is essential in interventions aimed at ending conflicts and increase security, stability and human security globally. But is not enough. We need the partnership of men.

The Dutch government has summed up its efforts and results so far in a booklet that will be launched next month: "The Dutch Do's on Women, Peace and Security." Ten years after the adoption of 1325, we can say that more perpetrators of sexual violence are brought to justice in the DRC. That more women take part in decision making processes in Sudan. That more Afghan women demand support in exchange for their vote.

The Government of Nepal has adopted various measures to fight gender-related violence, establishing a toll-free hotline in the Office of the Prime Minister, a gender violence prevention fund, and gender violence control committees in every district in the country.