Statement by Ambassador at the UN Security Council
meeting on Women and peace and security.
Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Secretary-General and
all of our briefers today. 23 years on from Security Council
Resolution 1325, the United Kingdom remains resolute in our
commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Yet our
collective gains are being reversed. Women and girls’ rights are
under attack and we need to take urgent and coordinated action.
President, in the spirit of today’s theme of bringing theory to
practice, I’d like to highlight three areas.
First, participation. We know that women’s participation
significantly boosts the chances of long-lasting peace. The UK’s
new National Action Plan focuses on putting women’s meaningful
participation into action. Most recently, my Foreign Secretary
met with Sudanese women peacebuilders to hear their insights into
enhancing women’s participation. The UK was also proud to support
Colombia in developing its WPS National Action Plan, and we
applaud its extensive consultation with women and civil society.
We will continue to advocate for women to take on leading roles
in resolving conflict, including in UN-led peace processes. As a
member of the WPS Shared Commitments, we are committed to
amplifying women’s voices and following up on the recommendations
of civil society. We hear clear calls-to-action from the women
who brief this Council – women from Afghanistan, from Ukraine,
the DRC, Syria, and beyond – and we should turn those calls into
action.
Second, empowerment. Women’s rights organisations are vital to
sustaining conflict prevention and resolution efforts. As part of
our International Women and Girls Strategy, we launched a $46
million programme to support grassroots women’s rights
organisations around the world. Through our Preventing Sexual
Violence in Conflict Initiative, we are putting survivors at the
centre of decision-making and promoting their leadership,
supported by a dedicated Survivor Advisory Group.
And in Ukraine, we are providing expertise on conflict-related
sexual violence and providing over $4 million of funding on
gender-based violence in Ukraine and across the region.
And third, protection. Women and girls are disproportionately
impacted by conflict. From South Sudan to Israel and Gaza, we see
the impact of conflict on women’s lives. And this is particularly
true for women’s rights defenders. The Secretary-General’s report
highlights that 172 women human rights defenders were subjected
to reprisals because they engaged with the United Nations.
President, we’ve heard today clear and specific recommendations
from the Secretary-General, and from the Executive Director of UN
Women and from many others. Let’s commit to moving from words to
action.
