Note: Following is a partial summary of today’s Security Council open debate on women and peace and security. A complete summary of today’s debate will be available later today following the conclusion of the afternoon meeting.
Briefings
SIMA BAHOUS, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity or Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), recalled the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire in 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was hope that in the face of a common enemy, a renewed international cooperation would divert money spent on weapons to investments in science, health and social protection. Instead, more military spending, coups and the seizure of power by force has the multilateral system “against the ropes”, she said, noting that the Security Council has spent the last 10 days in multiple emergency meetings on the situation in Ukraine. Instead, gains — especially on gender equality — that took decades to achieve were lost. With less than nine years away from 2030, the world is not on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, she said, adding that International Women’s Day is a day for reflection, hope and increased action.
Another model of leadership is clearly needed, she said. Investing in women’s economic empowerment yields great dividends for peace and prosperity, and economic recovery must include them. Exclusion, discrimination and antiquated gender norms still keep women away from so much, including land, jobs and technology. The consequences of women’s employment apartheid remain a threat, she said, pointing to the situation in Afghanistan. Land ownership remains low in many countries; for instance, in Mali it is 3 per cent. In Ukraine, humanitarian needs are multiplying by the hour; most of those fleeing are women and children. Many women activists the Council has invited to speak have noted the private sector has a critical role to play in facilitating inclusion. At the same time, the Security Council can say much more about women’s economic inclusion. Some Council resolutions that cover women, peace and security include gender and economic-related provisions, but members could use such drafts to call for women’s meaningful inclusion not only in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and recovery, but also in decision-making, gender analysis and spending trackers.
Welcoming today’s focus on the role of the private sector and private-public partnerships as an underexplored area for innovation, she highlighted two global initiatives as examples. One is the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, which has funded more than 500 women’s organizations in more than 26 countries since 2016, she said, noting that Sidibé Moussokoro Coulibaly will join the Council today from Mali to share her invaluable perspective as a partner. The second example is the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, a multi-stakeholder initiative with 158 signatories to date, including several members of this Council. More must be done, however, to reach out to multilateral development banks and the private sector, she said, adding that: “We have the blueprint and the business case to support women’s economic inclusion; what we need is political will to pursue it.”
KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaking via video teleconference, said that today is an opportune time to reflect on the strength and power of women in the face of war and destruction. “In too many places, this strength is being relentlessly tested,” she said. Many women are now embracing the horror of war, she said, adding that: “this is the fate of our sisters in Ukraine; we admire your courage, we share your pain”. Women disproportionately carry the burden of war and are the best hope for peace. They are also the first to form lines of alliance and collaboration across conflict divides. Conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises threaten to set back years of progress in gender equality and slow progress in development. During the pandemic, twice as many women as men have lost their jobs, often due to the burden of childcare or care for family members. Women are 20 per cent below men in labour market participation. In addition, 20 million girls in developing countries may never return to school and will be excluded from opportunities for the duration of their lifetimes.
Reducing gender inequality in fragile or conflict situations can have powerful economic consequences, she said. Gender equality is essential for socioeconomic stability. When women and girls can reach their full potential, they, their families and their countries all do better. Analysis shows that improving gender equality can raise economic growth, enhance financial stability and reduce income inequality. Societies with more gender equality are more resistant to violence and conflict. When women participate in peace negotiations and State-building processes, the chance for building enduring peace is significantly improved. Yet too often women remain underrepresented and excluded from decision-making processes.
The Fund is focusing on helping its members design and implement financial policies to ensure greater resilience and growth, she said. It is zeroing in on social spending as an efficient way to allow for better education for boys and girls, better health care, better social protection and stronger societies. “Women and girls are themselves powerful agents of change. They help societies transition from fragility to stability. They are a foundation for a better future for all,” she said. This has been seen in places from Northern Ireland to Colombia. “To all the women and girls: believe in yourself. Dare to reach your full potential,” she said.
SIDIBÉ MOUSSOKORO COULIBALY, President of the Network of Women Economic Operators of Segou in Mali, said that the network brings together 7,847 women and works with 120 local women’s organizations. Since 2012, Mali has been facing a security, institutional and economic crisis, which has been further aggravated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without economic development, there is no lasting peace. Investing in women’s economic empowerment generates short- and long-term social dividends and enhances women’s participation in decision-making and conflict resolution. The network works to facilitate linkages with financial partners, including banks and microfinance institutions, and to ensure dialogue between them and women, so that their services are better adapted to the needs.
The project on women’s funding through round tables with financial institutions in the Ségou region provides a concrete example, she said. From 2012 to 2019, these dialogue spaces between banks and microfinance institutions made possible the granting of loans to 200 women to execute their business plans in seven localities in the areas of agri-food processing, agriculture, marketing and crafts. This enabled many beneficiaries to move out of the informal sector to formalize their activities and join umbrella organizations in the private sector. “This shows that by giving women a voice, by trusting them, by facilitating dialogue with financial partners, we can have far-reaching results when mobilizing locally available resources,” she said.
Recommending actions, she urged the United Nations, the international community and private sector actors to facilitate women’s and women’s organizations’ access to sustainable and flexible funding that is sensitive to crisis-affected contexts, and to equipment in the economic sectors in which women are most active. Access to financing is essential and can be facilitated by setting up appropriate and guaranteed funding. These partners can also support Governments in the establishment and implementation of policies and programmes that promote women’s economic empowerment through developing businesses, and that provide them with tax facilities and access to public contracts. The partners can finance the construction of multifunctional women’s centres that will serve as production, training, and digitization sites, and address the barriers to women’s participation by offering social services such as schools and nurseries for children and reproductive health. Furthermore, they can fund advocacy activities by women’s organizations to strengthen women’s movements and their leadership and influence.
Statements
MARIAM AL MHEIRI, Minister for Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, Council President for March, spoke in her national capacity, citing an estimate by the McKinsey Global Institute that global gross domestic product (GDP) could increase by $28 trillion, or 26 per cent, by 2025 by reducing gender gaps in the workforce and by increasing presence in leadership positions. “Yet, women are still excluded despite this vital potential for growth,” she lamented. Women must not only benefit from sustainable post-conflict recovery; they must be in the driver’s seat, as planners, decision makers, and implementers in all sectors of society to ensure sustainable peacebuilding. Recommending actions by the Council, she said women and girls must be at the centre of post-conflict economic reform efforts to rebuild sustainable, inclusive and equitable societies. Member States, the United Nations, and local women’s organizations can play a critical role in connecting the private sector to local women in conflict-affected communities. The private sector benefits from stable and peaceful societies; so too must it contribute to the emergence of those societies, she said, stressing that it is imperative to ensure women have equal access to all services that enable them to participate in the economy. Together, the public and private sectors offer a wide array of resources that support women’s economic inclusion, such as access to digital technologies, capacity-building in financial literacy, and vocational education.
SIMON COVENEY, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence of Ireland, strongly condemned the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine and its flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the core principles of international law. “Today, on International Women’s Day, we want the women and girls of Ukraine to know that we salute their courage. This conflict will have a severe and disproportionate impact on them,” he said. Stressing the need to protect and strengthen the women, peace and security agenda, he emphasized that women’s rights are human rights, which are universal, interdependent and indivisible. Women’s economic empowerment is only truly achievable alongside their political and social empowerment, but it is not a panacea. Turning to the Taliban’s continued erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan, he noted that his country will use every opportunity to amplify the voices of Afghan women. Relief and recovery in the wake of conflict is essential to building sustainable peace. As such, he called for several measures including the provision of financial support, promoting public-private partnerships, financing women-owned microbusinesses and providing educational scholarships, as well as providing access to justice and health services including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and rights. “The tide can turn towards a more equal world if the political will is there,” he stressed.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States) said it was impossible to commemorate International Women’s Day without turning to the ongoing unjustified aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, where women are suffering and dying. Many women are bravely coming together to defend their homes, families and their country, as they are leading the response to the humanitarian crisis. If the Russian Federation decides to turn to dialogue and diplomacy, women must be involved. Indeed, involving women increases the likelihood of sustaining peace. At the same time, private sector partnerships are essential. She recalled her experience at the State Department in 1982, when there were two cases involving her — one regarding her being black and the other regarding being a woman. Today, women face barriers, and in conflict or recovery situations, they are blocked from access to capital alongside other discriminatory practices. Such obstacles deny women their rights and hobble efforts to build strong, peaceful and safe societies. Citing several examples of ongoing efforts, she said an approach that reaches women, as well as men, in initiatives aimed at tackling violent extremism. Taking such an approach is all the more pressing given the current situation in Ukraine, she said, also drawing attention to Afghanistan, where decades of hard-won progress in women’s rights were stamped out almost overnight. Exclusion is antithetical to peace, she said.
MARTHA DELGADO PERALTA, Vice-Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico, said lives have been devasted in Ukraine due to the Russian Federation’s invasion, with many women forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. All political dialogue must include Ukrainian women in decision-making processes. Mexico uses a comprehensive approach to implementing the women, peace and security agenda, in line with resolution 1325 (2000) and other relevant instruments. Women and girls are the key agents of change, contributing to stability in society. Economic inclusion, however, is a structural barrier at the global level, reflecting remnants of patriarchal systems and is seen in gaps that have widened during the pandemic. Unpaid care work is another issue. Yet, a comprehensive approach can reduce gaps and segregation in the labour market. The voices of women, including from marginalized communities, must be heard, she said. Turning to the situation in Afghanistan, she said Mexico provides support towards efforts addressing a range of issues, including efforts involving a group of Afghan women who have created and produce ventilators. Proposing several actions, she suggested investing in women’s organizations that work towards peace in their communities, supporting efforts targeting vulnerable groups and investing in narrowing the technology gap. Including women is also essential in recovery scenarios, she said, pointing to existing efforts in the Great Lakes region and in Colombia.
SHRI SANJAY VERMA, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs for India, said that on the question of socioeconomic empowerment, there is a need to devise an overall institutional framework, especially legal, to provide access for women to economic opportunities and partnerships as an essential prerequisite. Additionally, economic opportunities cannot be viewed in isolation of other socioeconomic factors, especially access to high-quality education. India has taken numerous citizen-centric initiatives to take good governance practices right to the grass-roots level. Digital initiatives have been a transformative enabler to minimize the gender divide, he said, highlighting that India has leveraged digital technologies to provide greater access for women to finance, credit, technology and employment. To open up these economic opportunities, equal access to education is fundamental. A large number of women in India are taking up educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
It is also pertinent to acknowledge that women have also suffered disproportionately in the face of violent extremism, conflict and terror attacks, he said. This calls for collective endorsement of a zero-tolerance approach by this Council against terrorism. Ensuring that women continue to have a stake in peace processes in conflict zones is essential to securing long-lasting solutions. Barriers to women’s optimum participation in political processes and decision making needs to be eliminated if their socioeconomic empowerment is to be addressed. To foster synergy between the two, democracy, pluralism and rule of law are essential prerequisites. In this context, he underlined the importance of inclusive and representative governance in Afghanistan with the meaningful participation of women, as well as the protection of women’s rights.
BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom) said today’s debate is timely as the world grapples with the COVID-19 recovery and its disproportionate impacts on women and girls. The United Kingdom works closely with partner Governments, multilateral organizations and the private sector to support women in fragile contexts, including as they seek to play an equal role in the economy, to access the benefits of trade globally and to establish economic partnerships as levers for equality. For example, in Jordan — where women face the compound effects of conflict, displacement and the impacts of COVID-19 — the United Kingdom supports cash transfers for refugees and at-risk Jordanian women. The country and its Group of Seven (G7) partners are also leading the way in mobilizing public and private investments to advance gender equality and address persistent gaps in women’s economic opportunities, such as access to digital and financial assets. She went on note that “economic inclusion is no protection against bullets and bombs”, as seen in recent days in Ukraine, and said women, men and children will continue to suffer until Moscow ends its brutal, unprovoked and illegal war.
MICHAEL K. KIBOINO (Kenya), pointing to the cultural and structural inequalities that limit women’s economic participation, called for enhanced strategic collaboration with local leaders, local women’s networks and policy formulators, particularly in transition settings, on including gender-responsive measures in the areas of asset distribution and access to socioeconomic opportunities, resources and markets. Emphasizing that Kenya continues to advocate for investment in female peacebuilders in fragile and conflict-affected settings, he affirmed the importance of the economic inclusion and reintegration of women, including ex-combatants, refugees and victims of conflict to ensure long-term stability, economic resilience and social cohesion. He went on to stress the importance of enhancing women’s access to digital platforms so as to ensure their financial and economic inclusion. Also calling for enhanced technical and vocational training through partnerships between local women entrepreneurs and peace and development agencies, he underlined the need for international and regional financial institutions to augment women’s financial literacy and economic empowerment.
LILLY STELLA NGYEMA NDONG (Gabon) said that her country places a high priority on advocacy for the situation of women in fragile States and conflict situations. Mobilizing the international community to acknowledge women as key actors in peace processes has reached a significant level of resonance, she said. Advocacy for women’s empowerment and their economic empowerment needs to be amplified at all levels. The crucial equation that needs to be resolved is that the lack of opportunities and economic resources for women undermines their leadership capacities and prevents them from fully participating in peacebuilding processes. In Gabon, there are many women in leadership positions, including the Prime Minister, as well as at the helm of key ministerial departments. In addition, women are fully involved in shaping the future of their societies and are a major asset to stability and lasting peace. Allowing women to take their rightful central place during times of peace provides an impetus to social and economic development, she said.
NATHALIE BROADHURST (France) reiterated her country’s condemnation of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, especially women and girls who are already bearing the brunt of the conflict. The COVID-19 pandemic has also taught the world that the rights of women and girls have never been fully achieved, as women were hardest hit in the sectors most affected. In Afghanistan, since taking power by force, the Taliban have increased their abuses against women activists, as well as their unacceptable violations of women’s rights. Describing the exclusion of Afghan women from the country’s political, social and economic life as an affront to the conscience, she said all those examples are reminders that a rights-based approach is critical. France supports the holistic implementation of the pillars of the women, peace and security agenda, linking rights and economic inclusion. For its part, France will continue to promote an ambitious and resolute feminist diplomacy and place women’s participation and inclusion at the heart of its cooperation projects.
MELINA ESPESCHIT MAIA (Brazil) said the Council must keep exploring new ways to move forward in the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda. Brazil has joined other non-permanent members in the shared commitments to make the item a top priority and to ensure its implementation in concrete and tangible ways. Describing women’s grass-root efforts as an example of a low-cost and local intervention that fulfils important roles, including conflict mediation, she said labour markets still remain divided along gender lines, with high gender wage gaps and women overrepresented in the informal sector. Many briefers have called on the Council to support more financing for women’s organizations on the ground. Brazil will continue to apply a gender-sensitive approach to international humanitarian assistance and supports the Council in drafting and revising peacekeeping mandates so that they are more explicit in their role to promote women’s economic inclusion and empowerment. She also urged the Council to discuss with partners — including IMF and the World Bank — how private partnerships can help bridge the gap in promoting women’s economic inclusion and participation in conflict-affected settings.
FERIT HOXHA (Albania), echoing expressions of solidarity with the women of Ukraine as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression, urged redoubled efforts to address gender inequality, women’s human rights violations, sexual and gender-based violence and exclusion from peace processes wherever they may occur. Citing troubling situations for women in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Myanmar, Belarus and Ethiopia’s Tigray region, he said women’s economic inclusion and participation in the context of conflict prevention and recovery from crises has been rarely explored by the Council. “We need to start looking at the [women, peace and security] agenda more broadly,” he said, spotlighting the crucial role of financing and urging all stakeholders to contribute. Stronger partnerships with international financial institutions and the private sector are needed, as is more support for non-governmental organizations, industry associations and companies advocating for solutions. He also outlined Albania’s significant strides in women’s empowerment and gender equality.
ZHANG JUN (China) described how his country supported women’s economic empowerment in Africa. In South Sudan, his country helped local women acquire traditional weaving skills. In Rwanda, a woman who trained in China created 30 jobs after returning home. He also described how a female driver for the railway system China built has become a celebrity. Stories of these women demonstrate the wisdom and potential of women. Similarly, women can contribute enormously to peace and security. However, due to the current challenges, including COVID-19, gains made in women’s economic empowerment are at risk of being reversed, he said, urging the international community to inject new impetus, including greater investment in the reconstruction of post-conflict areas. Stressing the importance of building partnerships, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, he said the private sector should play a bigger role. China’s global development initiative is a major boost to women’s empowerment. Turning to the situation in Ukraine, he said humanitarian corridors must be open and safe. He then passed the floor to a young female Chinese diplomat, GUI DAN, who declared: “You can count on Chinese women.” She said her country’s national soccer team won the Asian Cup in February, and more and more Chinese women are becoming champions in their chosen fields. The Beijing Winter Olympics were the most gender equal games in history, she said, expressing her determination to make her contribution at the United Nations.
GENNADY V. KUZMIN (Russian Federation) called for additional measures to enhance the role of women in the social and economic development of States. There is much demand for strengthening women’s economic potential, creating favourable conditions for the development of women’s entrepreneurship, and expanding women’s access to financial and material resources, markets, modern technologies and intellectual property. Coercive unilateral measures against States hit women hard socially and economically. These problems must be the focus of the activities of the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and other United Nations bodies. The International Women’s Day is celebrated against the backdrop of watershed events happening in the international arena. For eight years, the Western world has been indifferent to the killings — by the Kyiv junta — of women and children in Donetsk and Luhansk and their persecution by Ukrainian radicals and neo-Nazis in the east and south-east of Ukraine. The Kyiv regime got away with these, but this cannot continue indefinitely. “Peace in Ukraine will be restored for women, children and families,” he declared. The conceptual principles of resolution 1325 (2000) remain relevant. Gains on women’s issues should not be buried in political wrangling. His delegation remains ready to engage and cooperate.
MONA JUUL (Norway) said that ensuring women’s economic rights requires their participation in decision-making processes and access to and control over resources on equal terms with men. In crisis or conflict settings, where women face the most severe economic exclusion and where their participation is most critically needed, ensuring women’s economic rights can be a means to achieving development, stability and long-term peace, she noted, pointing to the situation in Afghanistan. Citing the Global Women, Peace, and Security Index (WPS Index), she noted that displaced women and girls face a higher risk to all forms of gender-based violence and economic marginalization. Expressing deep concern about the particular impacts of Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine on women and girls, including reports of increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking of those who have been displaced or fled to neighbouring countries, she encouraged broad consultations with women’s organizations, particularly those representing marginalized groups. Conflict and crises can disrupt traditional norms and create opportunities for women, she said, stressing the imperative to reflect such opportunities in the gender provisions in peace agreements, reforms and new legislation. She further highlighted the need for the Security Council and other United Nations organs to insist on women’s direct influence in decisions that affect their lives and future and the importance of partnerships with the private sector.
CAROLYN ABENA ANIMA OPPONG-NTIRI (Ghana) urged the Council to reinforce its support for platforms such as the Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. Such partnerships should be harnessed as a means of enhancing public- and private-sector participation in financing peace and post-conflict recovery. The Secretary-General’s 2021 report on women, peace, and security called for the urgent reduction in military spending and for increased investment in peacebuilding, education, health and other public programmes. Regrettably, the present global situation is likely to lead to countries increasing defence spending with adverse impact on this objective. It is therefore imperative to recommit to this objective. It is also incumbent on Governments to develop and implement policies that further enhance women’s economic empowerment and continue to provide a clear framework for addressing inequalities deeply rooted in their societies. Effective bilateral cooperation, as well as collaboration across regional organizations on this agenda, is crucial for accelerating the economic empowerment of women in peace and security.
AHMED KHALEEL, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Maldives, emphasized that the inclusion and participation of women is fundamental to building a durable, peaceful society. He recalled that during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, women were on the front lines, bearing the heaviest burden in the aftermath. Addressing climate change is fundamental to building a peaceful society, he noted. Turning to COVID—19 and other humanitarian crises that have exacerbated existing gender gaps, he said Maldives has provided an income support allowance to workers who lost their jobs, placing particular emphasis on women who worked in the informal sector and lacked formal contracts. He emphasized the need to strengthen partnerships with local stakeholders across all levels, especially women’s groups, in the period of recovery from the pandemic, to more quickly identify and better understand the challenges women face on the ground, and to better integrate international partners and public-private partners. Also calling for full, equal, and meaningful female participation in leadership roles, he pointed out that his country has always been committed to promoting women’s empowerment, including by passing legislation to allocate 33 per cent of council seats for women candidates in local elections.
OSAMA MAHMOUD ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt) highlighted the important role women play in peacebuilding and fostering sustainable development. Egypt has participated in several meetings on women, peace and security. For its part, Egypt acknowledges that women serve as peacebuilders at a time when the Government is implementing a related national plan, in line with resolution 1325 (2000). Resources, however, are required to ensure the plan’s full implementation. Recently, the Aswan Forum drafted a series of recommendations for African countries to, among other things, enhance women’s roles in building and maintaining peace. Egypt recognizes existing mandates within the United Nations with a view to enhancing a consensual approach to these issues, he said.
VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta), associating herself with the European Union and the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security, said International Women’s Day should not merely be symbolic, but “should be the way we live”. Including women in peace and security brings better outcomes, and having them at the peace table strengthens accountability for implementation. Women’s participation also makes peace more durable and is essential to address the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls in all their diversity. “As evident not just in Ukraine, but also in Afghanistan, Syria, Ethiopia and Myanmar, women are also often the most impacted by crises resulting from conflicts,” she said. While women today are playing a crucial role in the COVID-19 response, they have suffered more from the pandemic’s economic impacts. More emphasis is therefore needed on skill-building, and laws that do not yet allow women to inherit and own land should be amended. She also called for more efforts to enable women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all aspects of peace processes and their implementation.
OMAR HILALE (Morocco), recalling the crucial role women play in building peace and stability, said they remain at the core of society. Guaranteeing resilience hinges on including women at every step. Amid the pandemic, efforts must focus on advancing progress in implementing the women, peace and security agenda. Morocco has always supported women as the main architects of peace, he said, also encouraging the establishment of adequate financing at the global level and harnessing leadership and cooperation. Indeed, partnerships with civil society and youth can help to foster post-conflict recovery, particularly in Africa, he said, pointing to examples of young entrepreneurs and women business owners, which are playing a key role in this regard. Making several suggestions, he said an inventory of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), including the economic inclusion of women, to take stock of progress should include benchmarks to identify gaps that must be closed. In this vein, the Secretary-General could submit a report reflecting this process. Meanwhile, the current global context is ripe for a significant difference and meaningful change and for tapping into women’s full potential, he said, adding that pursuing such efforts can create the vital conditions needed for lasting peace.
PASCALE CHRISTINE BAERISWYL (Switzerland) said women are driving forces in their societies and indispensable peacebuilders. “They must not be confined to being potential victims of conflict,” he stressed, spotlighting poverty as one of the largest barriers to their full participation in peace processes around the globe. Indeed, economic empowerment is crucial and only through economic independence will women be able to fully realize their potential for creativity, efficiency and networking for peace. Switzerland’s National Action Plan emphasizes economic empowerment as an important factor for women’s effective participation in political and peace processes. Inviting all countries to develop similar plans, he said strengthening women’s socioeconomic positions is also a key issue for Swiss cooperation with international partners, such as through its support for women’s small and medium-sized businesses in Africa’s Great Lakes region. Switzerland also welcomes the priority given by the Peacebuilding Fund to initiatives that support women’s empowerment and is a signatory to the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact.
ISHIKANE KIMIHIRO (Japan) expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, including the dire impacts on women and girls in and around Ukraine, caused by the Russian aggression. Noting that surviving a crisis is but the tip of the iceberg on the vast women, peace and security agenda, he emphasized that women must be at the centre of all efforts to build peaceful and resilient societies. Highlighting his country’s recent support for a UN-Women-led project in the Lake Chad region intended to empower women affected by violent conflict prompted by Boko Haram, he said effective partnership requires effective complementarity. The first step to that end is to enhance the sharing of information and interactions among various stakeholders, he added.
ROBERT KEITH RAE (Canada), speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security, expressed solidarity with all women peacebuilders, advocates and human rights defenders, as well as women and girls suffering in Ukraine. Noting that women face persistent barriers to economic empowerment and security — particularly during times of crisis — he said women’s financial and digital inclusion is also systematically lower in conflict settings. Member States should boost their support for human rights-based initiatives that advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment and security, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations. He encouraged the Council to recognize, as it addresses conflict and post-conflict situations, the importance of women’s economic inclusion as an essential enabler of meaningful participation and recovery in post-conflict settings and for the overall well-being of their families and communities. The Council should also strengthen its cooperation with other bodies, such as regional organizations and the Peacebuilding Commission, and recognize the role that the private sector can play in increasing women’s economic participation in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
MARIA THEOFILI (Greece), associating herself with the European Union, said that the focus on the economic empowerment of women in post-conflict reconstruction not only prevents further conflict and violence, but also paves the way to economic stability, growth and long-lasting peace. The beneficial role of women in post-conflict economic relief and recovery is underestimated due to persisting gender stereotypes and discriminatory norms and practices, all of which hinder the equal protection of human rights and the equal distribution of resources and opportunities. Greece is focused on enhancing women’s economic inclusion and participation in order to foster their overall empowerment and accelerate substantive gender equality. Her Government affirms its support for an international coordinated response that addresses the links between gender, security, economic recovery and development and responds to social and economic injustices resulting from conflict.
MAHMOUD DAIFALLAH HMOUD (Jordan) said that women still face challenges that hinder their full participation in the economy. Increasing their economic empowerment leads to direct benefits to women and their communities. Women make up only 21 per cent of the labour force and comprise 18 per cent of the Middle East and North Africa region’s GDP. The employment rate of women has dropped due to the pandemic, he said, underscoring that Jordan’s five-year women’s economic action plan is aimed at increasing women’s participation in the labour force. Jordan has also introduced a series of amendments to its laws to enhance the participation of women in promoting policies on flexible work, among other areas related to economic empowerment. Jordan’s national women’s strategy for 2020-2025 affirms its commitment to increasing the economic participation of women and also encompasses women refugees, he said.
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