Security Council Presidential Statement Reaffirms Link between Women’s Involvement in Conflict Prevention Efforts, Calls for Increased Participation
Despite commitments of the international community, inconsistent levels of political will, resourcing, accountability and gender expertise had often hindered the full and meaningful inclusion of women in efforts to prevent conflict, the Security Council said in a statement issued this morning.
In the presidential statement (document S/PRST/2016/9), the Council welcomed the adoption of regional frameworks to implement resolution 1325 (2000), including the African Union’s Gender, Peace and Security Programme 2015-2020. It also welcomed the efforts of Member States in developing national action plans.
Through the statement, the 15-member body emphasized the importance of undertaking a comprehensive approach, and reaffirmed the substantial link between women’s meaningful involvement in efforts to prevent, resolve and rebuild from conflict and the effectiveness of those efforts. It also reiterated its call to increase the equal participation, representation and full involvement of women in preventive diplomacy and all related decision-making processes.
By the text, the Council acknowledged the positive impact that the economic empowerment of women could have on their full participation in political decision-making and peace and security efforts, and called upon Member States to provide better occupational skills training and greater funding for entrepreneurships for African women.
The Council emphasized the important role that women and civil society could play in exerting influence over parties to armed conflict. In that regard, it welcomed women-led prevention initiatives such as the Women’s Situation Rooms throughout Africa, which had helped to prevent and mitigate the escalation of violence by engaging in constructive dialogue and peace advocacy. Recognizing that mediation was an important means for the pacific settlement of disputes, it called upon regional and subregional organizations to facilitate women’s meaningful participation at all levels.
It encouraged Member States to increase their funding on women, peace and security, particularly for conflict and post-conflict situations, and to provide further support to civil society.
The meeting began at 10 a.m. and ended at 10:06 a.m.
Presidential Statement
The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2016/9 reads as follows:
“The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the full and effective implementation, in a mutually reinforcing manner, of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015) on women, peace and security, as part of the Council’s comprehensive approach to conflict prevention and mediation, and of all relevant statements of its President.
“The Security Council welcomes the adoption of regional frameworks to implement resolution 1325, including the African Union’s Gender, Peace and Security Programme 2015-2020, and expresses its support for the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Ms. Bineta Diop. The Security Council further welcomes the efforts of Member States in this regard, including the development of national action plans on women, peace and security, but notes that despite these commitments, inconsistent levels of political will, resourcing, accountability, dedicated gender expertise and attitudinal change have often prevented the full and meaningful inclusion of women in regional and international efforts to prevent and resolve conflict, and to build and sustain peace.
“The Security Council emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace, particularly through the prevention of conflict and addressing its root causes, and in this regard, reaffirms the substantial link between women’s meaningful involvement in efforts to prevent, resolve and rebuild from conflict and those efforts’ effectiveness and long-term sustainability. The Security Council reiterates its call to increase the equal participation, representation and full involvement of women in preventive diplomacy efforts and all related decision-making processes with regard to conflict resolution and peacebuilding, in line with resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015).
“The Security Council acknowledges the positive impact that the economic empowerment of women can have on their full participation in political decision-making and peace and security efforts, and in this regard calls on Member States to provide better occupational skills training and greater funding support for entrepreneurships for African women in order to comprehensively improve their incomes and livelihoods.
“The Security Council emphasizes the important role that women and civil society, including women’s organizations and formal and informal community leaders, as well as religious leaders, can play in exerting influence over parties to armed conflict. The Security Council welcomes women-led prevention initiatives such as the Women’s Situation Rooms throughout Africa, which have helped to prevent or mitigate the eruption and escalation of violence, inter alia through observing and monitoring, and by engaging stakeholders in constructive dialogue and peace advocacy. The Security Council reiterates the continuing need to increase success in preventing conflict by increasing the participation of women at all stages of mediation and post-conflict resolution and by increasing the consideration of gender-related issues in all discussions pertinent to conflict prevention.
“The Security Council recognizes the differential impact on the human rights of women and girls of terrorism and violent extremism, including in the context of their health, education, and participation in public life, and that they are often directly targeted by terrorist groups and in this regard notes the presentation by the Secretary-General of his Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, and his call to ensure that the protection and empowerment of women is a central consideration of strategies devised to counter terrorism and violent extremism, and that efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism do not impact adversely on women’s rights.
“The Security Council recognizes that mediation is an important means for the pacific settlement of disputes, calls upon regional and subregional organizations involved in peace processes to facilitate the meaningful participation of women at all levels of conflict prevention and resolution as well as implementation of peace agreements, and welcomes in this regard the initiative of the African Union to build a dedicated roster of women mediators on the continent for the use of both the African Union and United Nations. The Security Council calls upon the UN Mediation Support Unit as a provider of mediation support to the United Nations system, in accordance with agreed mandates, to work in collaboration with Member States, regional organizations including the AU and other relevant actors, to significantly increase the numbers of women mediators on their existing roster, as well as to ensure that mediators and their teams have training on designing inclusive mediation strategies.
“The Security Council welcomes and reaffirms its commitment to cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations and arrangements in matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, and consistent with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, which can improve collective security and requests greater consideration of the women, peace and security agenda into cooperation efforts.
“The Security Council encourages Member States to increase their funding on women, peace and security including through more aid in conflict and post-conflict situations for programmes that further gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as through support to civil society. The Council recognizes the launch of the Global Acceleration Instrument (GAI) on women’s engagement in peace and security and humanitarian affairs, in addition to existing complementary mechanisms, as one avenue to attract resources, coordinate responses and accelerate implementation, and encourages Member States to consider funding the GAI.
“The Security Council further welcomes the valuable work undertaken by the Peacebuilding Fund as a catalytic, rapid-response and flexible pre-positioned pooled fund providing financing to activities to sustain peace in conflict-affected countries, and in advancing strategic alignment within the United Nations system and between the United Nations and the international financial institutions.”