Peacekeeping

We are pleased to see that progress has been made in several areas and that the UN system continues to show a wide range of good practice. We encourage the strengthening of the coordination between UN agencies both at Headquarters and in the field, especially in monitoring and reporting on situations where parties to armed conflict engage in rape and other sexual violence as means of war.

The issue of violence against women in armed conflict is closely related to that of Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, which is a priority of the Human Security Network. Both the protection of civilians and the provisions of resolution 1325 have to be fully incorporated in the mandates for all peacekeeping operations.

However, despite the progress of the past ten years, many challenges remain. Abhorrent conditions that women and girls face in all conflict sltuations persist, effective and comprehensive methods for addressing those realities are still lacking.

Secondly, concerning the role of our defence institutions, these institutions participated actively through working groups in the drafting of the plan. Most of the commitments made in this area are now being fulfilled.

On the subject of regional challenges, we believe that, with over 6,000 men and women of the armed forces of Latin America and the Caribbean currently participating in peacekeeping operations around the world, the time has come to involve the majority of countries of the region in the challenge of implementing this resolution. In this scenario, we see new possibilities for South-South triangular cooperation.

Today's open debate is an opportunity to focus on what remains to be done to implement the women, peace and security agenda. In that spirit, Canada's Action Plan for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security was launched on October 5th, 2010.

I would like to share with you some activities that we will carry out in implementing Canada's Action Plan. We will:
• ensure that our non-governmental partners delivering Canadian humanitarian assistance have codes of conduct related to sexual exploitation and abuse;

Turning to peacekeeping, it is important to emphasize that, at this time, the idea of having women in the police and army is socially accepted, even if their numbers have not reached those of women in other institutions. In our policy with regard to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, women have been included and benefit equally from this policy.

Yet much remains to be done. Sexual violence continues to be used as a weapon of war, and peacekeeping missions still struggle to protect women. The participation by women and the representation of women still represent small fractions of what those rates should be. But, at least today we have a much better understanding of the challenges we face and the goals we must meet.

Since its adoption 10 years ago, resolution 1325 (2000) has sparked a revolution of ideas. It has placed the role of women as agents of peace at the forefront of the multilateral agenda. It has made the case for the appointment of women to positions of decision-making related to peace and security. It has galvanized civil society and transformed the way it interacts with the Council.