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Women must play greater role in conflict prevention, peacebuilding – Security Council

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SC/10426

Security Council
6642nd Meeting (AM & PM)

Calling for Change, Secretary-General Says Women’s Participation Remains Low in Official, Observer Roles; Pledges United Nations ‘Will Lead by Example’

The Security Council today stressed the importance of promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girls, as well as increasing women’s participation in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding, as it reviewed progress on implementation of its landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on Women and Peace and Security.

Approving a presidential statement (S/PRST/2011/20) submitted by its President U. Joy Ogwu of Nigeria, the Council took note of the analysis and recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report on women and peace and security (document S/2011/598) on progress in implementing commitments on women and peace and security, including on the representation and participation of women in decision-making forums, institutions and mechanisms related to the prevention and resolution of armed conflict and to peacebuilding.

At the same time, however, the Council voiced concern that there were “persistent gaps and challenges that seriously hinder the implementation of [the resolution],” including what it saw as continued low numbers of women in formal institutions of conflict prevention, especially in preventive diplomacy and mediation efforts. It therefore not only stressed the need to bolster the role of women in such institutions and fields, but also incorporating the gender perspective into United Nations field missions.

Welcoming the contributions and role of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women — known as UN-Women — in implementing resolution 1325 (2000), the Council noted with satisfaction the increased coordination and coherence in policy and programming for women and girls within the United Nations system since the creation of the gender entity.

Noting that the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern committed against women and girls had been strengthened through the work of the International Criminal Court, ad hoc and mixed tribunals, as well as specialized chambers in national tribunals, the Council reiterated its intention to enhance its efforts to fight impunity and uphold accountability for serious crimes against women and girls with appropriate means.

By its statement, the Council further reiterated its call to increase the equal participation, representation and full involvement of women in preventive diplomacy efforts, and recalled in that regard General Assembly resolution 65/283 on strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention and resolution. It also reiterated the need to support, as appropriate, local women’s peace initiatives, processes for conflict resolution and initiatives that involved women in implementation mechanisms of the peace agreements, including through the local-level presence of United Nations field missions.