Empowerment cannot and will not happen without women's participation. Promoti...

Empowerment cannot and will not happen without women's participation. Promoting participation is a challenge that is shared right across the United Nations system, but the Security Council clearly has responsibilities within its remit. The detailed and independent Security Council Report to which I referred earlier gives cause for concern in that regard. While acknowledging progress on other aspects of the resolution 1325 (2000) agenda, it finds that: “There are worrying indications that the Council's focus is less sharp when it comes to the women's participation aspect”. That imbalance needs to be addressed. The Security Council should factor women's participation into all its deliberations and decisions in a systematic way. Such a focus is essential if we are to move beyond symptoms and to address root causes.