STATEMENT OF SLOVAKIA ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY, OCTOBER, 2015
STATEMENT OF SLOVAKIA, October, 2015
Fifteen years ago, through its resolution 1325 (2000), the Security Council acknowledged the fact that women were not playing a large enough role in the peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. It is indeed symbolic that the fifteenth anniversary of the resolution’s adoption coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Goal 5 of our recently launched new development agenda, “Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (General Assembly resolution 70/1), explicitly addresses the need to achieve gender equality and to engage and empower all women and girls in our efforts to make our life and our planet sustainable for future generations. The targets under Goal 5 provide an appropriate balance of protection and support for women, with three aimed at protecting women and girls by ending harmful practices and the rest aimed at encouraging women’s ability to enter the public sphere in meaningful ways.
STATEMENT OF SLOVAKIA, October, 2015
I would like to emphasize three words here: role, ability and power. The role of women in peace and security is indispensable. The ability of women to inf luence negotiations increases the likelihood that peace agreements will be reached. The power of women has a positive effect on the durability of peace and influences other actors, including young people. Resolution 1325 (2000) has been followed by six others addressing the importance of women’s participation and leadership. Yet we must admit that women are still underrepresented in the area of security. The current share of female negotiators is 9 per cent. Only 4 per cent of the military components in United Nations missions are women, and only 54 countries have formulated national action plans on women and peace and security.
STATEMENT OF SLOVAKIA, October, 2015
Since 2000, we have made significant progress in many areas. But we still have much work to do. I would like to mention just a few areas that we should give more attention to. They include supporting women’s participation in all peace and security processes including, among other things, all justice and mediation components; strengthening our efforts to increase women’s engagement and advancement throughout the security sector, particularly in the areas of security sector reform and emphasizing conflict prevention; engaging women in key political and decision-making processes, upholding the rule of law and implementing non-discriminatory laws, policies and practices. We should also support new regional and national action plans on women and peace and security and review existing ones by, among other things, establishing inter-agency coordination systems. And we should make a dedicated effort to advance the inclusion of women in endeavours to counter violent extremism, including engagement in preventive and educational activities for youth.