Mr. President,

I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his statement. China welcomes the presence at today’s debate of Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women; Ms. Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights; and the NGO representative, Ms. Balipou. We listened attentively to all of their briefings.

Respecting and protecting women’s rights and interests is not only the epitome of the civilization and progress of human society, but is also closely related to world peace and development. The international community should not only be concerned with protecting women’s safety and upholding their rights and interests in conflict and post-conflict situations; it should also devote attention to ensuring that women can play their unique roles in peace processes.

In order to promote women truly shouldering their peacekeeping roles and playing at important part in peacebuilding processes, the various United Nationsbodies and entities should work in accordance with their respective mandates, with a clear division of labour and as one. I wish to highlight the following four points.

First, it is national Governments that have the primary responsibility to protect women’s safety and their rights and interests. The international community should support the countries concerned in their efforts to that end by providing constructive assistance. External support should fully respect national sovereignty and, in keeping with specific national conditions and needs, focus on capacity-building and stepping up assistance, with a view to helping the countries concerned overcome financial and technical difficulties.

Secondly, the Security Council should play its unique role fully, while strengthening its coordination and cooperation with related organizations and agencies. As the primary institution for maintaining international peace and security, the Council should focus on conflict prevention, dispute mediation and post-conflict reconstruction so as to foster an enabling political, security and rule-of-law environment for safeguarding women’s security, rights and interests. The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council, UN Women and other United Nations agencies should discharge their respective responsibilities while working closely with one another with a view to generating synergies.

Thirdly, strengthening the rule of law represents both an important link in post-conflict peacebuilding efforts and an important foundation for safeguarding and upholding women’s rights and interests. To prevent women from once again falling prey to various atrocities, it is essential to ensure their equal participation in the process of reforming the security and justice sectors, while maintaining parallel progress on the tracks of the rule of law, political and economic development and national reconciliation, thus providing a comprehensive guarantee for the respect and protection of women’s rights and interests.

Fourthly, the effective participation of women is an important foundation for realizing sustainable peace and social stability. Women should become important participants in conflict prevention and mediation, and they should enjoy adequate rights when it comes to decision-making and participation in post-conflict peacebuilding and national development. That is in the interests of changing their vulnerable status, while maintaining their rights and interests in practical terms. Women’s development is the foundation for truly realizing their empowerment. The international community should promote socioeconomic development and thereby effectively enhance the status of women and promote their positive contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Thank you, Mr. President.