MESSAGE FOR “GLOBAL OPEN DAY FOR WOMEN AND PEACE” [week of 7 June 2010]
This October, we will mark the tenth anniversary of the Security Council’s groundbreaking resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, which called for higher levels of women’s involvement in peacemaking and peace-building. This anniversary is an opportunity to reaffirm the core message of that landmark text: sustainable peace is possible only with women’s full participation -- their perspectives, their leadership, their daily, equal presence wherever we seek to make and keep the peace.
Progress has indeed been achieved. Many peace processes now regularly include consultations with women’s peace groups. In many post-conflict countries, the number of women in government has increased dramatically, and they have used their public decision-making roles to advance women’s rights. Within the United Nations itself, there are now eight women Special Representatives and Deputy Special Representatives; Bangladesh and India have deployed all-female UN police units to peacekeeping operations; and UN Police have developed strategies and measures to better protect women from violence. But the gaps remain significant: too few women participate in peacemaking and peace-building, and we have seen a disturbing escalation in levels of sexual violence during and after conflict.
The “Global Open Day for Women and Peace” is meant to reinvigorate our efforts to realize the vision set out in resolution 1325. I count on all partners to support the United Nations in translating women’s priorities into real and meaningful action.
