STATEMENT
BY
H.E. MR. MAKMUR WIDODO
AMBASSADOR AND CHARGE D’AFFAIRES OF
THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE
ON "WOMEN AND PEACE AND SECURITY"

NEW YORK, 24 OCTOBER 2000

Mr. President,

I have the honour to address the debate of the Security Council on the issue of" Women and peace and security".  Allow me first to express appreciation to you, Excellency, for your initiatives in this issue, as President of the Security Council for the month of October.  I would also like to welcome the statement delivered earlier by the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, by the Assistant-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Ms. Angela King, and by the Executive Director of UNIFEM, Ms. Noeleen Heyzer

Mr. President,

The issue of women, peace and security is among the paramount items on the global agenda and in fact has been addressed over several decades. And in the international conferences on women, the issue of women and peace was taken up as early as the Nairobi Conference on Women and has since been more than adequately considered in United Nations forums, such as in the annual meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Third Committee of the General Assembly, and also by various UN bodies, such as UNIFEM and UNESCO.

At the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, it was clearly recognized that the larger goals of equality, development and peace could not be achieved without the incorporation of the women’s perspective at all levels of decision-making.  One of the important steps taken at that occasion was to stress that women’s involvement in decision-making was not only a question of quotas for women, but a process that also entails increased gender sensitivity in general, requiring appropriate training and more research on gender issues.

My delegation would also like to draw attention to the efforts that have been made at the regional level to address this issue.  We commend the work that has been accomplished under the auspices of ESCAP, especially in convening the regional preparatory meeting for the follow-up of Beijing Conference on Women in June 2000 which, inter alia highlights peace processes with action to encourage the full participation of women in all levels of decision-making in conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacemaking and preventive diplomacy. We also welcome the initiative of ESCAP and UNESCO to convene a regional conference on Asian Women for a culture of Peace, to be held in Hanoi in December of this year. The plan of action to be adopted at that conference is expected to promote equal participation in peacekeeping, peacemaking and preventive diplomacy.  Moreover, it will outline the contribution of women to a culture of peace and sustainable development in Asia.  We are confident that this forum will provide a comprehensive assessment of Asian women’s political, social and economic empowerment, and the educational requirements needed to strengthen their capacities to transform societies towards a culture of peace.

Let me underscore our concern that violence against women should remain at the forefront of all agendas concerning the situation of women, and that it be regarded as a criminal offence.  In that regard, I would note that Indonesia has adopted a zero tolerance policy on violence against women and we are working with national women groups, with law enforcement and with legislators to comprehensively address this serious problem.  In fact, the State Minister for Women’s Empowerment officially announced a joint State and Community Proclamation to Eliminate Violence against Women including the vice-president, all cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, including representatives of national and regional groups.  The international community, regional and national groups should no longer accept the commitment of acts against women with impunity.  My delegation would underline the importance that such national efforts to address violence against women receive the full support of the international community.

Mr. President,

My delegation would underline that this issue not only be addressed from the perspective of treating women as victims of armed conflicts, but also as makers of peace. Although historically women have maintained the family structure under the most difficult of circumstances and very often assumed the role as head of household, there is still a lack of participation of women in the peace process. The burden is disproportionately borne by women when peace breaks down, and seldom are women given a visible role in the decision-making process for making and maintaining peace.

I would like to note that one of the strategic objectives of the Beijing Conference on Women is to increase the participation of women in conflict resolution at decision-making levels and to protect women living in situations of armed conflict and other conflicts or under foreign occupation.  And while this goal must be sought at the national level, it is important also to pursue it within the United Nations itself with the appointment of women to senior posts and to secure equal participation in peace processes and conflict resolution. Indonesia therefore joins all those who call for a concerted effort by the international community to increase the participation of women in negotiations on conflict resolution and in decision-making positions at both national and international levels.

The Security Council itself could consider the importance of injecting the gender dimension into its decisions on conflict resolution and that its resolutions provide for a clear mandate on gender mainstreaming. In fact-finding missions, the Security Council could include gender issues in its terms of reference. Likewise the Department of Peacekeeping Operations could provide gender sensitivity training for peacekeepers in the field and an awareness of the traumatic circumstances faced by women.

Mr. President,

In considering the issue of women and peace and armed conflict we must not lose sight of the need to also address the root causes of conflicts, and the link that exists between social and economic development and peace and stability.  Especially so, given the fact that women are disproportionately burdened by poverty.  There is a need to develop and strengthen strategies and initiatives to reduce women’s poverty levels and to protect women from the rapid changes inherent in globalization.

In addressing the overall issue of women, peace and security, Indonesia would agree that measures for that purpose could be achieved through close cooperation between the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council; noting that neither are equipped to exclusively and comprehensively deal with these issues.

In concluding, Mr. President, while we support the initiative of the United Nations to deliberate on any areas relating to peace and security, we do hope that its activities will not duplicate those of other intergovernmental bodies, but rather will serve to complement those efforts.

Thank you.