Participation

In countries in conflict and post-conflict that have no quotas, women occupied a mere 11 per cent of seats in parliament, and their political participation has not improved significantly over the past five years. In the 12 months since resolution 2242 (2015) urged that women in civil society be asked to present briefings during the Security Council’s country-specific deliberations, that commitment has not materialized.

Since the transition ended in the Central African Republic, women’s representation in national institutions has again dropped, to 8 per cent of members of parliament. In Afghanistan, the international community’s huge investment in the security sector could offer women much more. Women make up less than 1 per cent of the country’s armed forces and less than 2 per cent of its national police.

In many of those contexts the United Nations itself shows a similarly poor representation of women. In the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, women account for only 13 per cent of staff overall and 11 per cent of leadership positions. Such stark deficits in our own gender balance cannot continue. We need an intervention that can turn the tide. We pay a daily price for this issue in our reputation and effectiveness in the areas where we provide services. It is a challenge that the incoming Secretary-General will have to face in order to build on what has been started. We welcome his commitment to taking concrete measures to achieve gender parity within the United Nations. That would be a breakthrough that could result in a much more formidable United Nations by building on achievements so far.