Women ought to be placed at the heart of ongoing political, social and econom...

Women ought to be placed at the heart of ongoing political, social and economic developments. Even though women are widely recognized as effective agents of peace, the number of women participating in decision- making in the area of peace and security remains unacceptably low. Ensuring their equal participation in decision-making is therefore essential for achieving sustainable peace and stability. In that context, we stress in particular the need to increase women's and girls' access to education. There can be no development and stability in any society, in particular war-affected and post-conflict ones, if girls and women have no access to education.