Delivered By: HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
Madam President,
I congratulate the Russian Federation on assuming the Presidency of the Security Council for this month.
I thank Secretary-General Guterres for his remarks as well as the briefers.
I also wish to congratulate Executive Director Bahous on her reappointment at the helm of UN Women.
Madam President,
For decades, women’s potential as architects of peace was unrecognized by this Council.
That is, until Resolution 1325 fundamentally challenged the existing notions of women in peace and security.
The United Arab Emirates remains fully committed to advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and was in fact one of the first in its region to adopt a 1325 National Action Plan. This plan informs our domestic and foreign policies, as well as guides our gender-responsive laws and strategies.
On this milestone 25th anniversary, we should all reinforce our support for the implementation of each of the four pillars of the WPS agenda.
On the participation pillar, Member States must systematically increase women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation across all sectors and at all levels.
One way the UAE is advancing this is through the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak WPS Initiative, in partnership with UN Women. With its fifth cohort launching this week, the program continues to train female cadets from across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and in doing so, it strengthens their roles as agents for peace in their national security sectors.
However, women’s ability to participate in all aspects of life is fundamentally tied to their safety and nearly impossible without the second pillar: protection.
Given the persistent use of conflict-related sexual violence as a tactic of war, the international community must ensure that perpetrators of these heinous crimes are held accountable. This Council must use all tools at its disposal to this end.
On the relief and recovery pillar, we must respond with truly inclusive efforts, particularly those that support women’s economic empowerment and agency.
Indeed, while the UAE served on this Council, we convened, during our March 2022 presidency, an open debate that spotlighted the critical role of women’s economic inclusion in sustaining peace.
However, as reiterated in the Secretary-General’s most recent report, the relief and recovery pillar remains woefully underprioritized.
Finally, the prevention pillar must remain a top priority to extinguish the flames of conflict before they ignite.
This demands women’s participation across the peace continuum. They must be included at all stages, at all levels, and in all sectors – and not only during times of conflict.
Madam President,
If we want to achieve sustainable peace and security, we cannot just speak of it. We must build it, side-by-side with women and girls.
Thank you, Madam President.