Mr. Secretary-General,

Mr. President,

Distinguished Delegates,

It is an honour to address the Security Council and to present the Secretary-General’s report on Women, Peace and Security on his behalf.

I thank the presidency of Russia for chairing this debate today, and for proposing to review implementation of the commitments made last year by Member States, regional organizations and the United Nations.

Last year’s Open Debate had the highest number of participating speakers in the entire history of the Security Council.

More than 180 political, financial and institutional commitments were made in the course of the high-level review of 1325, and a new resolution of the Security Council was passed, resolution 2242.

These commitments are important and they can make a difference. They must not be simply plans on paper. We must turn them into actions.

Last year’s global study on women, peace and security was welcomed as a guide that can keep us moving forward with our work.

Today we can call on Member States, regional organizations, and the UN to do more to take forward the recommendations of the Study and to turn your own commitments into concrete action.

This Council is well positioned to ensure greater accountability to each other. Every year, and the time is now, you can match words with action.

UN Women is already responding to many of the findings and recommendations of the global study and the call of resolution 2242.

We are serving as the Secretariat of key new mechanisms, such as the Council’s new Informal Experts Group and the Global Acceleration Instrument.

We are pleased to announce that we will also perform the secretariat function to support the new network of national focal points.

We will respond to last year’s call for greater visibility and leadership in this area.

We will mobilize high-level champions who can amplify our voice, our message, and our presence, and ensure that the women, peace and security agenda has the broadest possible support.

We are contributing to the implementation of the peace operations review, in collaboration with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs.