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Madam President,
We thank Argentina's Presidency for convening this very important open debate.
We appreciate the briefers for their though provoking presentations and
Madam President,
We are touched by the courage and determination of refugee women leader Ms. Suaad Allami. Her story demonstrates how women can rise to the challenge of armed conflicts - by taking charge of their own lives and leading the struggle against violence for restoration of sustainable peace and security.
Madam President,
As a vulnerable group, Women and young girls bear the brunt of armed conflict. The trauma of violence and the travails of camp life are felt the hardest by women and girls. Displacement from homes expose women and girls to sexual violence, rape, molestation - which is often used as a deliberate instrument of war. Camp settings make women and girls vulnerable to trafficking, with stateless and separated women being the most susceptible.
But this is just one side of the story, Madam Chair.
Women and girls are not just the worst victims but also the most potent agent of change in situations of armed conflict. The involvement of women in peace-building can make a real difference in the efforts for containment of conflict and ensuring speedy return to peace and security. With a little support of the international community, women can play this crucial role in all stages of conflict resolution, including peace negotiations, peace building and peace keeping, and transitional justice systems.
Over the last fourteen years, the Security Council's engagement with the agenda of women, peace and security has laid down the normative structure and yielded positive results. Yet despite this commendable achievement, more needs to be done to ensure effective implementation on the ground. The sharp increase in refugees population, coupled with the emergence of virulent molds of extremism, has worsened the situation for women and girls in several parts of the world. International community’s efforts should therefore focus on converting commitments into concrete and action-oriented measures through preventive strategies, robust responses and effective solutions as part of an integrated global strategy for women empowerment and gender equality.
Madam President,
Pakistan supports the women, peace and security agenda of the Security Council in accordance with its mandate. This mandate pertains to prevention of sexual violence in armed conflicts and promoting women participation in post-conflict peace processes with a view to maintaining international peace and security. Focus should therefore remain on resolving armed conflicts and preventing relapse to conflict.
Multidimensional peacekeeping missions with the relevant mandates an important role in protecting women and combating sexual violence. As a leading participant in peacekeeping, Pakistan has contributed to this global effort. Pakistani women have served as police officers, doctors and nurses in various missions in Asia, Africa and the Balkans.
Women, peace and security agenda should also include the crucial aspect of women participation in conflict resolution. An effective WPS strategy must focus adequate attention on the four pillars of protection, relief and recovery, participation, and conflict prevention. Women participation in all stages of post-conflict recovery must be visible and meaningful, and women must be encouraged to take leadership roles in the drive towards ending conflict and restoring sustainable peace in their societies.
We hope that these crucial aspects of women, peace and security agenda would be part of the debate at the 2015 High-level Review of the Implementation of the Security council resolution 1325.
Thank you.