Implementation

Do not get me wrong: of course there has been genuine progress since resolution 1325 (2000) was adopted, 16 long years ago, and some of that progress is apparent on paper. In 2015, 70 per cent of peace agreements signed had gender-specific provisions, as compared to just 22 per cent of agreements in 2010. That is a big leap in a short period. Over the past year alone, 11 new countries completed national action plans explaining how they are going to empower women to resolve conflict and promote development. As we have heard, that brings the total number to 64 countries. Some progress has been made in representation, if not on the Security Council, as there was at least one woman present in the delegations for 9 of 11 active negotiation processes in 2015, as compared to 4 of 14 in 2011. That is not nothing.

The United States continues to support that progress. President Obama released our second national action plan in June and, in addition to contributing $31 million to new initiatives launched over the past year, we are also looking through our plan at how to address new challenges. That includes how women can more effectively contribute to strategies on countering violent extremism.