Today, on the International Day of Peace, it is necessary to emphasize that women are powerful agents of peace and security. We must not treat women only as victims of conflict and violence. Women are powerful agents of change. Their increased contribution to preventing and resolving conflict, as well as to maintaining sustainable and inclusive peace, should be encouraged. More female peacekeepers could help us combat sexual violence, promote gender awareness among the host nations' populations, and improve relationships
with local citizens.
To contribute to this goal, Croatia is conducting a UN training course for women police officers from Asia, Africa and Europe. This course is organised back-to-back with predeployment military training in order to enhance the synergy between the military and civilian
sectors, by simultaneously integrating gender and multicultural aspects of peacekeeping.
Gender inequality is the most pervasive form of global inequality and a pressing human rights concern. Women and girls are still exposed to a range of obstacles to their complete and full inclusion in social, economic and political life. .
There will be no real progress without a gender-responsive implementation of the Agenda 2030. To succeed we need more women in politics and business, in diplomacy and on executive boards. But this will not happen without men. Their role in the empowerment of
women, their support and understanding, is as crucial as the will of women to succeed.
This year, Croatia is chairing the Equal Futures Partnership - an innovative multilateral initiative with a view to encourage Member States to empower women economically and politically. The high level meeting of its members and supporters will take place tomorrow. I invite all of you to find time to pay due attention to this endeavour.
Croatia considers participation in international missions and operations as a principal duty that will contribute to peace. In this regard, we are preparing to place an Engineering
Company for Horizontal Construction at the disposal of UN Peacekeeping Operations.