Statement of France

France has also set ambitious goals. At the national level, on 4 March 2015, we adopted a second national action plan for the period 2015-2018. That plan will be subject to a mid-term review by civil society over the next few weeks. In that regard, the French Government is determined to pursue those efforts on the basis on commitments made in 2015 within the framework of the high-level review. The French Government will concern to act with a view to gaining greater visibility for our national action plan and to enable a greater number of women to gain access to high ranking positions related to peace and stability, in particular, to cite just one example, with the goal of having 40 per cent of women at the helm of our diplomatic network by 2018. At the regional and international levels, we continue to actively promote the women and peace and security agenda.

Above and beyond the strict framework of international peace and security, France remains fully committed to the United Nations on the vital issue of violence against women and, in that regard, along with the Netherlands, we will present the biannual General Assembly draft resolution on violence against women.

Within the European Union, we implore other member States to systematically include in their common defence policies the protection of women in situations of conflict and the promotion of their role in crisis emergence. I have said that, at the United Nations, we work with a better understanding of the agenda within peacekeeping operations mandates. Within the Group of Seven, we encourage an ambitious implementation of the women and peace and security agenda with our country partners. Finally, no later than tomorrow, we are organizing in Paris a high-level conference on peacekeeping operations in French- speaking environments, which recalls the importance of that agenda.

The holding of today’s public debate and its success illustrates our common interest in promoting an agenda that is crucial to all of our work on peace and security. More than ever before, France would like to play a leading role in this area through its national public policies in the Security Council and in all international forums in which our country participates. The promotion of women at the United Nations is a daily struggle for us all.