UNITED NATIONS, Oct 29: Pakistan has proposed a series of measures to the Security Council and the UN to advance the process of protection and participation of women in conflict situations.

"Pakistan believes it is time to focus on strengthening the UN responses to gender-based violence in conflict and post conflict situation," Pakistan's permanent representative ambassador Munir Akram said. He was addressing the Security Council on Thursday during its open debate on 'Women, Peace and Security'.

Pakistan's envoy highlighted the sufferings of women and girls and said they suffered disproportionate violence and exploitation in conflict situation. He reminded that the Security Council had acted decisively in 2000 to close this window of vulnerability and elevated women from being hapless victims of conflict situations to equal stakeholders in prevention and resolution of conflicts.

He said: "Violence against women is often used as a weapon of war to punish and dehumanize them and persecute the community to which they belong." Munir Akram cited horrific levels of violence against women witnessed in the conflicts of Balkans and Africa.

He stressed the need for ending impunity with which women were subjected to violence and exploitation, demand all parties to conflicts to respect and comply with international humanitarian law. Similarly, he said, priority should also be given to build wherewithal of gender justice in post-conflict situations.

He said that Pakistan, as the largest troops contributing country for peace-keeping operation, recognized the important role of women in peacekeeping operations. -APP