Participation

The full and effective participation of women and girls in peace processes is a necessary condition for sustaining peace and for durable and equitable peace for all. We strongly support the call of Secretary-General-designate António Guterres for a surge in peace diplomacy and his manifest dedication to achieving gender equality. They go hand in hand. We are convinced that to succeed such a surge must put the participation of women and girls at centre stage. That will guide us as we prepare to assume our seat in the Council in January.

First, we must adopt a gender equality perspective from the very outset, with a focus on the objective of strengthening the situation of women and girls in conflict situations. Their needs, challenges and opportunities must be brought to the attention of the Council — by the Secretariat, the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UN-Women and others — and acted upon. A continued dialogue with women’s organizations and the relevant stakeholders in the field, through the various parts of the United Nations system, is therefore paramount. The Council should be actively engaging with them.

Conversely, we should critically review peace and security missions, operations, projects and programmes that do not meaningfully address gender equality or provide for the participation of women and girls. We should consider discontinuing funding to those that do not. Indeed, there is an acute need to gender-mainstream the United Nations regular and peacekeeping budgets. Sweden believes that the Secretary- General should be asked, in the outline draft resolution for the next biennium, to present proposals on how to address that shortcoming.