Source: United Nations (video statements)
“Women are disappearing from peace and mediation processes. I am sure this is something we will all come to regret,” UN Women Executive Director told the Security Council.
Briefing the Council during an open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) titled “Peace is decided with women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation,” Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, said, “When we pursue peace without women’s voices—without women at the table, leading alongside men—our efforts become compromised, fragile, and ultimately not serious.”
She also noted that the UN led a ‘mere’ three peace processes last year, comparing to 14 peace processes 15 years ago. “The path to genuine gender equality in the pursuit of peace matters far less when the UN’s role is increasingly being sidelined, when this multilateral system is under immense pressure,” Bahous said.
Two women civil society representatives also briefed the Council. Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate said, “Women are not victims to be protected alone. They are leaders, mediators, negotiators and architects of peace.”
Kaavya Asoka, Executive Director of NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security presented findings of a survey carried by the coalition among women’s rights activists. According to the findings, the main barriers for women’s rights activists in their participation are unbridled militarization and conflict; flagrant violations of international law; deeply rooted patriarchal norms in their societies, laws and institutions; male-dominated political structures that exclude women from peacemaking; unprecedented attacks on women’s rights, including sexual and gender-based violence and retaliation against women for participating in public and political life; lack of funding; and little political will or accountability for those perpetuating their exclusion. “In other words, they reinforced what women civil society have been telling you for 25 years,” Asoka said.
Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio chaired the meeting, which is a signature event of Colombia’s June Council presidency. She said, “Colombia presides today drawing on the experience of a country that has learned a fundamental lesson: sustainable peace is not possible without the full, effective, meaningful and safe participation of women, young women, adolescents and girls.”
She added, “Colombia urges States to develop and implement national action plans and participatory peace processes. Because nothing about us, without us. Nothing without us when it concerns our peace, our security and our rights.”
Speaking to reporters before the Council’s debate she urged all States “to fully implement Resolution 1325 and subsequent Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security through concrete and verifiable actions.”