Peacekeeping

It is certain that those significant national and regional level initiatives are welcome. However, they will achieve the desired success only if linked with an international dynamic inspired by the Security Council and based on coordinated efforts on the part of UN-Women and all of the other relevant bodies.

Indeed, while acknowledging that important progress has been accomplished in the implementation of resolution 1325 and the subsequent resolutions on Women Peace and Security, we need to recognize that significant challenges still remain: women are still underrepresented at the several levels of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts as they are inadequately represented in formal peace negotiations.

Resolution 1325 (2000), adopted 11 years ago, represents a fundamental milestone, because ever since its adoption the issue of the role of women in peace and security has occupied an important place on the agenda of the Security Council. As a result, it has taken on an important and essential role in the achievement of international peace and security.

In that context, my delegation would like to point out that my country is a contributor of military observers. I am pleased to announce that, this November, Peru will deploy women on the ground in peacekeeping operations. We have already said repeatedly that we should never allow sexual violence to be seen as the inevitable consequence of armed conflict.

Through the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions, the United Nations has been able to develop, integrate and fine-tune the tools available to it to address a gender perspective in a multidimensional manner, by recognizing the importance of women's active participation in the various stages of conflict prevention and resolution, as well as in peacekeeping, reconstruction and peacebuilding.

The presence of additional female peacekeepers and female staff in peacebuilding operations, at both the military police and civilian levels, would have a clear positive effect. It is therefore necessary to increase the number of women who hold high-ranking posts in such operations.

My delegation is concerned about the identification of patterns of sexual violence in conflict and postconflict situations in many States and regions. Sexual violence as a tactic of war stokes crises, fuels the continuation of armed conflict, promotes the displacement of people, limits subsistence activities and reduces opportunities for development.

We welcome the Secretary-General's conclusions in his recent report (S/2011/598*) that the indicators proposed last year (S/2010/498), which were endorsed by the Council in its presidential statement of 26 October 2010 (S/PRST/2010/22), had made a major contribution to consistency and coherence in international efforts.

As outlined in the concept note (S/2011/654, annex) circulated for this debate, the participation of women in decision-making forums related to conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding and post conflict recovery is a central goal of the women, peace and security agenda. Research has shown that the exclusion of women and the lack of gender expertise in peace negotiations lead to irreversible setbacks for women's rights.