The Security Council adopted the statement promoting the role of women in peace and security on 31 October 2012 in New York. The Council met in the Temporary North Lawn Building, on a day when most of the UN Secretariat complex was closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

On 31 October, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet took part in a special meeting of the UN Security Council in which the Guatemalan Presidency presented its statement for the annual review of progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security.

An Open Debate on the topic had been planned for Monday, 29 October, but was cancelled due to the widespread impact of Hurricane Sandy across the East Coast of the United States. The Security Council Debate on resolution 1325 has now been rescheduled for 30 November.

"The Security Council takes note of the important role that civil society, including women's organizations, can play in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, peacebuilding and post-conflict situations and encourages the international community, regional organizations and concerned Member States to promote their active engagement and effective participation in a variety of roles," Council Members said, through the statement read out by Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala, Council President for October.

Ms. Bachelet commended the leadership and political commitment of the Guatemalan Presidency, and welcomed the Security Council Presidential Statement which also highlights the Secretary-General's report and its call for enhanced involvement of women in peacebuilding, as well as a stronger commitment to address the challenges to women's full participation at all levels.

The UN Secretary-General's annual report to the Security Council on Women, Peace and Security (S/2012/732) released ahead of the debate, analyzes the progress on all aspects of resolution 1325 over the past year: prevention, participation, protection, and relief and recovery for women in conflict and post-conflict periods. It recommends the systematic attention to women and peace and security commitments across the Security Council's actions; stronger determination to advance women's and girls' participation and representation; more women mediators, and more women in senior management of international and regional organizations; and continued improvement of tracking and accountability systems, including at the regional and national levels.

The Security Council welcomed efforts of Member States to implement resolution 1325 at the national level. The Council stressed the importance of promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girls in the context of the implementation of resolution 1325 and the need for continued effort to address obstacles in women's access to justice in conflict and post-conflict settings.

The Security Council also welcomed the role of UN Women in contributing to the implementation of resolutions on women and peace and security and noted with satisfaction the increased coordination and coherence in policy and programming for women and girls within the United Nations system, welcoming efforts to avoid duplication and overlap since the creation of UN Women.

UNSC outcome statement: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/sc10803.doc.htm

UN Security Council calls on the international community to support the role of women’s civil society organizations in peacebuilding

The Security Council adopted the statement promoting the role of women in peace and security on 31 October 2012 in New York. The Council met in the Temporary North Lawn Building, on a day when most of the UN Secretariat complex was closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. 

On 31 October, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet took part in a special meeting of the UN Security Council in which the Guatemalan Presidency presented its statement for the annual review of progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security.

An Open Debate on the topic had been planned for Monday, 29 October, but was cancelled due to the widespread impact of Hurricane Sandy across the East Coast of the United States. The Security Council Debate on resolution 1325 has now been rescheduled for 30 November.

“The Security Council takes note of the important role that civil society, including women’s organizations, can play in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, peacebuilding and post-conflict situations and encourages the international community, regional organizations and concerned Member States to promote their active engagement and effective participation in a variety of roles,” Council Members said, through the statement read out by Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala, Council President for October.

Ms. Bachelet commended the leadership and political commitment of the Guatemalan Presidency, and welcomed the Security Council Presidential Statement which also highlights the Secretary-General’s report and its call for enhanced involvement of women in peacebuilding, as well as a stronger commitment to address the challenges to women’s full participation at all levels.

The UN Secretary-General’s annual report to the Security Council on Women, Peace and Security (S/2012/732) released ahead of the debate, analyzes the progress on all aspects of resolution 1325 over the past year: prevention, participation, protection, and relief and recovery for women in conflict and post-conflict periods. It recommends the systematic attention to women and peace and security commitments across the Security Council’s actions; stronger determination to advance women’s and girls’ participation and representation; more women mediators, and more women in senior management of international and regional organizations; and continued improvement of tracking and accountability systems, including at the regional and national levels.

The Security Council welcomed efforts of Member States to implement resolution 1325 at the national level. The Council stressed the importance of promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girls in the context of the implementation of resolution 1325 and the need for continued effort to address obstacles in women’s access to justice in conflict and post-conflict settings.

The Security Council also welcomed the role of UN Women in contributing to the implementation of resolutions on women and peace and security and noted with satisfaction the increased coordination and coherence in policy and programming for women and girls within the United Nations system, welcoming efforts to avoid duplication and overlap since the creation of UN Women.
UNSC outcome statement: 
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/sc10803.doc.htm