Statement of Bangladesh at the Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, October 2016
Statement by Bangladesh
Having played a catalytic role in the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) during Bangladesh’s membership in the Security Council in 2000-2001, it has been particularly encouraging for us to see the unprecedented level of interest generated in the global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) last year. In the aftermath of the adoption of resolution 2242 (2015), the issue of developing a national action plan has once again featured prominently in our policy discourse. Following preliminary discussions with UN-Women and other international partners, our Government is now exploring the opportunity to convene dialogues with a cross section of women and their representative organizations. We have agreed to join the Spanish initiative to establish the network of national focal points.
The inherent resilience of our women gives us the conviction that women themselves have the capacity to act as agents of change in the face of the humanitarian consequences from which they disproportionately suffer in different situations. We feel encouraged to see that notion gaining traction in the humanitarian discourse. The mandate of the Global Acceleration Instrument for Women and Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action has the potential to support a further demonstration to that effect in response to specific needs in conflict and post-conflict settings.
To conclude, Bangladesh underscores the importance of the increased, sustained and coordinated mobilization of finances, including through earmarking, for giving real effect to the women and peace and security agenda in its various dimensions.
Statement by Bangladesh
As part of our contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, we remain committed to enhancing the role and participation of women, including in our national contingents. So far, Bangladesh has had 1,047 women peacekeepers participating in various missions, including 774 police personnel. We are currently in the process of detailing two female military observers, and look forward to deploying women contingent commanders in the near future. We remain confident that we will be able to deploy a female military contingent by 2021.
Statement by Bangladesh
Our peacekeepers know that they must take decisive action to prevent and combat sexual and gender-based violence, as part of their broader mandate on the protection of civilians. We unequivocally condemn sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, and have demonstrated our resolve to cooperate in implementing the comprehensive measures outlined in the Secretary General’s enhanced programme of action to combat these scourges.
Statement by Bangladesh
Bangladesh welcomes the adoption of the gender strategy by the Peacebuilding Commission, and has been particularly supportive of further strengthening women’s participation and leadership in this year’s resolutions on peacebuilding architecture and mediation. We are relieved to learn about the mediated release and rescue of a number of women and girls held hostage by certain international and regional terrorist groups. We urge the Council to continue efforts to secure the freedom of the remaining women and girls, as their continued captivity and degrading treatment are an affront to us all.
We acknowledge the recent trend of increased women’s representation in various peace negotiations, and in increasing gender-specific provisions in peace agreements. In our national context, in the aftermath of a peace accord signed with a local insurgent group in 1997, we saw how women played a critical role in advancing the accord’s implementation, preventing relapse into conflict, and building awareness and resilience against gender-based violence.
Our Government has made it a priority to further mainstream women’s participation in our multidimensional efforts to combat terrorism and prevent violent extremism. Our
Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has made an appeal to mothers to work as sentinels within their families and has urged female teachers, elected representatives and women working at the grass-roots level to actively contribute towards a whole-of-society response against violent extremism and radicalization. We remain determined to forge ahead with our women’s development and empowerment efforts to defeat the violent extremists and terrorists in one of their fundamental pursuits.
Statement by Bangladesh
In recognition of the differential impact of armed conflicts and proliferation of small arms on women and girls, Bangladesh has decided this year to co-sponsor a draft resolution entitled “Women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control”.