Participation

First, the women and peace and security agenda requires still closer coordination among the appropriate Special Representatives of the Secretary-General who deal with violence and the United Nations system and agencies, notably the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and its operations on the ground, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, with UN-Women serving as the lead agency.

Significant developments have taken place over the past 15 years. The normative framework for women, peace and security has been strengthened by seven follow-up resolutions to resolution 1325, with the latest resolution 2242 (2015) adopted this morning, which Latvia proudly co-sponsored.

One of the key messages of the study is that women’s participation is the central to sustainable peace. We know that to be true from our own experience of sustaining peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. We will continue to share our own experience and to learn from the experiences of others.

Financing is of course key. We have heard proposals that at least 15 per cent of peacekeeping funding should be directed towards the objectives of resolution 1325 (2000). From our point of view, 15 per cent should be seen as an absolute floor, not the ceiling. As to Iceland, over 20 per cent of our contributions towards peacebuilding in 2014 had gender equality and women’s empowerment as their primary objective.

Hungary strongly supported the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, and the subsequent resolutions on that topic. We know that numerous initiatives and actions have been launched during the past 15 years aimed at enhancing the effective participation of women in peace processes, as well as their empowerment in peacemaking and post-conflict situations.

Against that backdrop, one finding of the recent report of the Secretary-General (S/ 2015/716) is especially significant: the prevention of conflicts and the women and peace and security agenda are directly linked. That is why Germany will continue to push for the political empowerment of women and provide adequate capacity-building and incentives.