Vietnam advocates women's role in peace process

New York (VNA) - Vietnam attaches great importance to the UN Security
Council resolution 1325 on increasing women's role in peace and security,
affirmed Ambassador Le Luong Minh.

Ambassador Le Luong Minh, who is Permanent Representative of Viet Nam
made the affirmation at the Open Debate of the UN Security Council on Women,
Peace and Security in New York Oct. 29, 2008.

"My delegation is encouraged to see United Nations agencies and especially
peacekeeping missions playing a more active role in promoting, through
technical as well as financial assistance, women's participation in all
stages of the peace process in many countries," Minh said.

He however, expressed concerns at the fact that the world is still far from
able to ensure full and equal participation of women in conflict prevention,
peace negotiations, peacemaking and post-conflict building.

"In many societies, women are left inactive and with little chance to take
part in decision-making processes, and often excluded from peace and
security areas. Women's representation in security institutions, law
enforcement bodies as well as peace negotiation delegations has had little
improvement since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325," the
ambassador said.

He stressed that to enhance the participation of women in peace processes,
the most effective way, is to empower women, both politically and
economically.

"To this end, it is important to ensure their equal access to education and
information, since this helps raise their awareness of their own rights and
equip them with necessary knowledge and skills to actively participate in
governance and economic activities and in the peace processes. Gender
mainstreaming needs to be strengthened in peace and security areas with
gender incorporated into all legislations, strategies and policies on
conflict prevention and resolution, and reconstruction," he said.

Minh suggested that the UN assist the implementation of these through a wide
range of measures, from legal and technical assistance to negotiation and
leadership skills training programs.

The Vietnamese representative reiterated the country's gender equality
policies and highlighted the fact that with women having served in the war
time as generals and peace negotiators, Viet Nam now ranks 3rd in
Asia-Pacific in terms of the female ratio in the Parliament membership, and
has always had, for over two decades, a female Vice-President of State and
several female Ministers.

"We support and continue to implement resolution 1325, he concluded.-Enditem