At UN, Pakistan underscores women’s key role in peace efforts

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 26 (APP):Pakistan has called on the UN Security Council to address the root-causes of conflicts, especially on protracted disputes like Kashmir and Palestine, where women suffer disproportionately from the violence perpetrated by foreign occupation.
“In many conflict zones, women and particularly young girls, remain a soft target, often exploited by aggressors with impunity as a war tactic to humiliate and terrorize civilians,” Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told the 15-member Council on Thursday.
The Pakistani envoy said the international community must ensure equal attention to all the four pillars of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for promoting and safeguarding the interests of women in conflict situations.
National human rights institutions, which are a critical link in the chain of accountability for women’s rights violations, must also be strengthened, she said.
Noting the special skills of women in mediation, Ambassador Lodhi said the should head more UN missions, with gender perspectives fully integrated into the peace-building paradigm. “This would greatly enhance women’s role in peace accords, as well as in post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction phases.”
In her remarks during the annual high-level debate on Women, Peace and Security, the Pakistani envoy called Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) “a watershed moment that that rightfully brought women’s issues to the center of the global conflict prevention debate, and in the larger context, of international peace and security.”
“Women across the world have emerged as leaders and consensus builders, inspiring hopes of peace and prosperity amidst conflict and violence,” Ambassador Lodhi said.
While the Women, Peace and Security Agenda has become a powerful vehicle to ensure the feminization of peace in a post-conflict environment. she said, women remain largely invisible to, and excluded from, peace processes and negotiations.
“Patriarchal cultures, structural inequalities and discriminatory power structures continue to inhibit efforts for inclusive peace, women’s rights and effective conflict prevention.”
Pakistan own experience, she said, was that giving women a key role brings fresh perspectives and builds a solid foundation for a vibrant society.
“We remain determined to carry forward our ambitious domestic agenda for women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming,” Ambassador Lodhi said.
She went on to say that the new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has made women empowerment a top priority and will continue to engage constructively with the international community in this regard.
Opening the debate UN DSecretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined key action points, which he will prioritize over the coming months, beginning with a commitment to ensure gender parity as well as stamping out all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse within the Organization.
He said he will continue to push for greater and more meaningful participation of women in mediation efforts, as well as for a gendered approach to peace and security.
The UN chief said this meant “supporting peace building at the local level, even during conflict … We must consistently support the local women’s groupss that negotiate humanitarian access and
support community resilience; learn from them; and build peace from the ground up.”
Ensuring full financing for these and other measures is vital, added the Secretary-General, noting also that he has setup a task-force to review the UN’s funding for gender equality, including in the peace and security pillar.

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