Statement of Sudan at the 2016 WPS Debate
Participation
Sudanese women have always been essential partners in preparing and participating in parliamentary and presidential elections, including those held this past year. Today, 30 per cent of our parliamentarians are women. Women hold important positions in Government. They are and have always been essential partners within the framework of the national dialogue launched in 2014 by the President of the Republic, the results of which we celebrated on 10 October. Women make up 66 per cent of the civil servants of the Sudan. We can therefore rightly state that women in the Sudan serve as an example, as they have enjoyed all of their rights for almost 60 years.
As one example, Sudanese women enjoyed the right to vote and to run for office back in 1955, well before women in many other countries around the world, including those of the other continents. Women also participate in and are members of our security and police forces. They are legal practitioners and work in the diplomatic services. We consider their participation in civil society to be essential. Women’s associations have contributed to expanding women’s participation in many fields, thereby strengthening the implementation of international strategies and policies, including in the context of relevant Security Council resolutions.
Strengthening women’s participation in decision-making is necessary to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.
Implementation
The Sudan continues to abide by its commitments in that area. Indeed, we have adopted a strategy for women covering close to a quarter of a century, from 2003 to 2027. We have adopted a national strategy to combat violence against women, a national policy to empower women, a national demographic policy, a national plan for Sudanese women, and a national law against human trafficking, including of women and girls. In the framework of lessons learned, I refer to two provisions of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, which guarantees the rights of women in all executive, legislative and judicial bodies and incorporates all provisions of resolution 1325 (2000), concerning women and peace and security. The resolution calls for the strengthening of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations and all efforts aimed at establishing and building peace.
In keeping with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, we call for the adoption of a comprehensive approach that takes the women and peace and security agenda into account in the resolution and settlement of conflicts, the need for capacity- building and the strengthening of technical assistance and cooperation with countries, given the fact that gaps and inequalities in development efforts are among the main causes of conflict. We call for the lifting of constraints on national efforts, including unilateral sanctions, and of foreign debt and sanctions imposed on countries affected by conflict.
Protection
The protection of women also requires our attention, especially in the case of conflict or natural disaster. Anything that impacts women also impacts children. There can be no lasting military solution to an armed conflict. The use of force is always a temporary measure dictated by the need to defend oneself, civilians or territorial integrity and to maintain law and order, but in the end there is always a need to achieve a negotiated solution.
Peacekeeping SGBV
The earlier that is accomplished, the better. Early conflict settlement spares and saves a great many lives. When such an agreement is concluded, all parties, domestic and foreign, must refrain from undermining it. The United Nations must adopt that principle and tolerate no exceptions in that regard, in the context of peacekeeping operations. We condemn all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse carried out by United Nations peacekeepers, and support the Secretary- General’s zero-tolerance policy. We also condemn the intolerance and violent extremism that are a source of concern for the whole world today, especially given the increase in the number and power of extremist groups that are attacking the principles of peace, justice, human dignity, in complete contravention to the basic tenets of the United Nations, as well as development efforts and human rights principles. The United Nations must confront those threats and take all necessary measures to protect women and children. We are gratified to learn of the Secretary-General’s contribution in that field.