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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>From WUNRN: <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134287?utm_source=UN+News+-+Newsletter&utm_campaign=be62002f71-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_07_09_24&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fdbf1af606-be62002f71-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D"><span style="color:blue">‘Radical
change of direction’ needed in women, peace and security agenda | UN News</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Merriweather;color:#4D4D4D">‘Radical Change of Direction’ Needed in the Women, Peace & Security Agenda – UN Women Director<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="795" height="360" style="width:8.2777in;height:3.75in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D96584.CA7A6E50" alt="Sima Sami Bahous (left at table), Executive Director of UN Women, briefs the Security Council meeting on Women and peace and security."><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">UN Photo/Manuel Elías - </span>
</b><span style="color:#666666">Sima Sami Bahous (left at table), Executive Director of UN Women, briefs the Security Council meeting on Women and peace and security.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333"> <a href="mailto:?subject=%E2%80%98Radical%20change%20of%20direction%E2%80%99%20needed%20in%20women,%20peace%20and%20security%20agenda%20&body=https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134287" title="Share this via Email"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;color:#666666;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">Email</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#4D4D4D">7 March 2023 -
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#4D4D4D">New goals and effective plans on women’s involvement in peacebuilding are needed before it is too late, the head of the UN agency leading global efforts to achieve gender equality
warned the Security Council.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:#F2F2F2"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#4D4D4D"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Sima Bahous, Executive Director of<a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en" target="_blank"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none"> UN
Women,</span></a> was speaking during a Council meeting to reaffirm the importance of <a href="https://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N00/720/18/PDF/N0072018.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none">Resolution
1325</span></a> on women, peace and security, adopted in October 2000, and to take stock of implementation since it turned 20 nearly three years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“As we meet today at the mid-point between the 20th and 25th anniversaries, on the eve of<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none"> International
Women’s Day</span></a>, it is obvious that<b> we need a radical change of direction</b>,” she<a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/speech/2023/03/speech-we-need-a-radical-change-of-direction" target="_blank"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none"> said</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">No significant change <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Ms. Bahous noted that although several historic firsts for gender equality occurred during the first two decades of the
resolution, “we have neither significantly changed the <b>composition of peace tables</b>, nor the impunity enjoyed by those who commit atrocities against women and girls.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">She said the 20th anniversary "was not a celebration, but a wake-up call," pointing to situations from across the globe
that have emerged since then.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">They include the regression of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover, sexual violence
committed in the war in the Tigray region in Ethiopia, and online abuse targeting women opposing military rule in Myanmar. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Women and children also comprise a staggering 90 per cent of the nearly eight million people forced to flee the conflict
in Ukraine, and nearly 70 per cent of those displaced within the country. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">Military spending increasing <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Furthermore, women peacebuilders had hoped that the <a href="https://www.un.org/coronavirus"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none">COVID-19</span></a> pandemic
would cause countries to <b>rethink military spending</b>, as the global crisis revealed the value of caregivers and the importance of investing in health, education, food security and social protection. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“Instead, that spending has<b> continued to grow, passing the two-trillion-dollar mark,</b> even without the significant
military expenditure of the last months,” she said. “Neither the pandemic nor supply-chain issues prevented another year of rising global arms sales.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">The way forward <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Ms. Bahous outlined two suggestions that show what a change of direction could look like for the international community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“First, we cannot expect 2025 to be any different if the bulk of our interventions continue to be trainings, sensitization,
guidance, capacity building, setting up networks, and holding one event after another to talk about women’s participation, <b>rather than mandating it </b>in every meeting and decision-making process in which we have authority,” she stipulated. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Her second point focused on the need to <b>get resources to women’s groups in conflict-affected countries</b>, particularly
through the <a href="https://wphfund.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none">Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">The UN-led partnership was established in 2015 and has so far supported more than 900 organizations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“We urgently need better ways to <b>support civil society and social movements</b> in these countries. That means being
much more intentional about funding or engaging with new groups, and especially with young women,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#666666"><img border="0" width="635" height="288" style="width:6.618in;height:3.0in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D96584.CA7A6E50" alt="Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique and President of the Security Council for the month of March, chairs the Security Council meeting on Women and peace and security."></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#666666"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#666666">UN Photo/Manuel Elías -
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#666666">Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique and President of the Security Council for the month of March, chairs the Security Council
meeting on Women and peace and security.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">Women’s involvement equals success <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">The meeting was chaired by Mozambique, which holds the rotating Security Council presidency this month. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">The country’s Foreign Minister, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, expressed hope that the debate will lead to action, such
as <b>stronger strategies on gender equality</b>, as well as women’s effective participation in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“There is no doubt that by involving women in the peacebuilding and peacekeeping agenda in our countries, we will achieve
success,” she said, speaking in Portuguese. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“Under no circumstances do we want that the people who bring life into the world are negatively impacted. We must protect
them. Use women's sensitivity to resolve conflicts and <b>maintain peace on our planet.</b>” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">Respect international law <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Currently, more than 100 armed conflicts are raging around the world, according to Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">The organization sees the daily brutal impacts of armed conflict on women and girls, she said, which include “shocking levels”
of sexual violence, displacement, and deaths during childbirth because they lack access to care. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Ms. Spoljaric upheld the importance of international humanitarian law during conflict and urged States to <b>apply a gender
perspective</b> in its application and interpretation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“Respect for international humanitarian law will <b>prevent the enormous harm resulting from violations of its rules</b>,
and it will <b>help to rebuild stability and reconcile societies</b>,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">States also must ensure that the clear prohibition of sexual violence under international humanitarian law is integrated
into national law, military doctrine and training. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“Engaging more boldly and directly weapon bearers on this issue - <b>with the ultimate goal that it does not occur in the
first place </b>- should become a <i>de facto </i>preventive approach, supported and facilitated in times of peace to prevent the worst in times of war,” she added. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">African women leaders network<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Bineta Diop of the African Union Commission also addressed the Council, highlighting its work in getting countries to accelerate
implementation of the resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">This is being done through a strategy focused on advocacy and accountability, and in building a network of women leaders
on the continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“We are ensuring that women’s leadership is mainstreamed in governance, peace and development processes so as to create
a critical mass of women leaders at all levels,” she said. “We need to make sure that <b>they are in all sectors of life.</b> not just in peace processes.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Roboto Condensed";color:#1B75BB">Partner with women activists <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee from Liberia called for amplifying the women, peace and security agenda. She recommended
steps such as <b>engaging and partnering with local women peace activists</b>, who she called “the custodians of their communities.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Women must also be negotiators and mediators in peace talks. “It is amazing to see how <b>only the men with guns are consistently
invited to the table</b> to find solutions, while women who bear the greatest brunt are often invited as observers,” she remarked. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">She also urged countries to “move beyond rhetoric” by ensuring funding and political will, because without them, <a href="https://undocs.org/en/S/RES/1325(2000)" target="_blank"><span style="color:#008FD5;text-decoration:none">Resolution
1325</span></a> <b>“remains a toothless bulldog”</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">Ms. Gbowee stressed that women, peace and security must be seen as a holistic part of the global peace and security agenda.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">“We will continue to search for peace in vain in our world<b> unless we bring women to the table</b>,” she warned. “I firmly believe that trying to
work for global peace and security minus women is trying to see the whole picture with your one eye covered.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#333333">_________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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