Women to promote building and sustaining the world peace
The conference, held at the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, is both a celebration for the birth of the important international document series on gender equality and the women's role such as the The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1979, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995.
Year 2020 is also the one marking the full two decades since the issue of "Women, peace and security" has become a global agenda, underpinned by the UN Security Council's Resolution 1325 passed in 2000.
Women join the United Nations peacekeeping force |
Mr.Jean-Pierre Lacroix - UN Secretary General in charge of Peacekeeping Operations highly appreciated Vietnam for the country's organization of this conference. He shared, exactly 20 years have gone by since the UN Security Council (UNSC) issued the Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. That was a great change in the UN's policy to attract more participation of women in peacekeeping missions around the world. The Resolution affirms the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution, in negotiation, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and post-conflict reconstruction. Thereby emphasizing the need to integrate gender into these issues, even in peacekeeping operations.
According to Lacroix, the UN aims to increase the number of women in peacekeeping and police forces, and to incorporate gender perspectives into peacekeeping operations. In their forthcoming plan, the UN Secretariat and member states have jointly pledged to increase the number of women participating in peacekeeping forces at all levels and positions. It is very important to mobilize women's participation at all levels of activities, decision-making and strategic peacekeeping.
President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga chaired the conference's discussions. |
In 13 peacekeeping missions, there are currently a total of 81,370 people, including 69,230 soldiers and 8,942 police officers. The female military ratio is by 4.7%, the female police officer is 10.8% and the UN has set a target for the two rates by 15% and 25% in 2028. Women hold 35% of the chief position and 48% of deputies positions in the UN peacekeeping and special political missions (in 2017 it was 26% and 35%).
India, as the country contributing the most to the UN peacekeeping force with 250,000 soldiers in the missions, has sent many women to take part in peacekeeping, helping to improve women and children's life standard in conflicted and conflict-free countries. India's Deputy Foreign Minister Vikas Swarup said that the country committed to eradicating sexual violence, promoting gender equality and working with other countries towards a common goal for world peace and security.
Ms. Jacqueline O'Neill - Canadian Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security shared her experience of breaking women's barriers to rise in the peacekeeping force. Canada has a five-year plan to promote both the quantity and quality of the female peacekeeping force. Canada has donated $ 21 million to projects involving women in the peacekeeping and police forces.
Delegates exchanged opinions and discussed on the conference's sidelines. |
According to Ms. O'Neil, female peacekeeping officers help prevent and reduce conflict and confrontation. They inspire, encourage, and create important models for women and girls to become a meaningful part of the peace and political processes. The more women participate in peacekeeping activities, the more inclusive and sustainable the peace will be.
The International Conference with the theme "Strengthening women's role in building and sustaining peace: From commitments to results" ended on Tuesday's evening, December 9 in Hanoi. The Conference, through 5 plenary and 4 thematic sessions, has focused on evaluating the implementation of the global agenda on Women, Peace and Security over the past 20 years. The meeting made many recommendations for coordination, policy direction and action to promote gender equality, and increase women's participation and contribution in the process of peace building and consolidation. |
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