Security Council: Putting young women at the center of peace and security efforts
Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, spoke in a debate about investing in the transformative power of intergenerational leadership across the agenda. on women, peace and security, where she called on ambassadors “open the door to the next generation”.
“Investing in women, peace and security agenda is not an option; they are essential to prevent conflict and achieve sustainable and inclusive peace,” she said.
‘Reversing the status quo’
Ms. DiCarlo listed Malala Yousafzai, a champion of girls’ education from Pakistan and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, climate activist Greta Thunberg from Sweden and Ilwad Elman to from Somalia, those working to rehabilitate child soldiers and combat violent extremism, are examples of young women who are envisioning and demanding a world of justice and peace.
“These outstanding leaders remind us that transformation requires changing the status quoshe said.
In this regard, she pointed to the United Nations Secretary-General’s policy brief on A new agenda for peace requires dismantling entrenched patriarchal systems that perpetuate inequality and exclusion.
Re-envisioning power structures
“It highlights the urgent need to reimagine global power structures and put women and girls – especially young women – at the heart of our efforts to address root causes of conflict and insecurity”.
“If we do not break free from patriarchal norms, true peace and comprehensive security will be out of reach,” she warned.
Furthermore, new regulations were recently passed Pact for the future emphasized the importance of ensuring that women’s leadership and participation are integrated into all aspects of conflict prevention and sustaining peace, she added.
Ms. DiCarlo highlighted three key areas in promoting intergenerational leadership: facilitating dialogue, promoting inclusive peace processes, and investing in young women’s leadership.
Promote dialogue and inclusion
She said intergenerational dialogues are an important opportunity to build trust and express common aspirations.
She cited an example from Chad, where United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Support local dialogue forums to link youth associations with traditional authorities. This ultimately strengthened social cohesion and reduced tensions and conflicts between communities in the Nya Pendé and Barh Sara areas.
Ms. DiCarlo also emphasized the need to promote comprehensive, multidimensional peace processes that prioritize diverse groups of women, including young women, and promote their leadership and rights in every level. At the same time, she also recognizes “today’s diverse and changing mediation landscape.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) organized a workshop on key peace and security issues for Yei women and youth.
Promote peace from the bottom up
She recalled that during the Council’s annual open debate on women, peace and security, the Secretary-General had taken the initiative to invite mediators from various sectors of society to join the United Nations. countries to take concrete actions to ensure women’s participation in peace processes.
Furthermore, she noted that the United Nations actively supports multi-pronged efforts to promote peace from the bottom up, emphasizing the leadership of young women.
She witnessed this recently in Colombia, where UN Delegation Verifies the 2016 peace agreement that supports women and men of all backgrounds and ages, addressing discrimination against ex-combatants in reintegration areas.
“Third, our investments must align with our priorities. Significant and sustained resources are needed to support young women peacebuilders and make sure their work thrives,” she said.
Build from scratch
For example, through the Somalia Peacebuilding Fund initiative, young men and women have worked together in managing and restoring inter-clan water channels, overcoming historical grievances and Minimize conflicts between clans due to resource scarcity.
Ms. DiCarlo said that when she was 25 years oldth anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security approaches, along with 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, “we must open the door to the next generation”.
“Together, we must Cultivate leadership abilities from the start, putting young women and women’s rights at the heart of our efforts,” she concluded.
Call from Sudan
The Council also heard from Tahani Abbas, a human rights defender, legal representative and peace advocate from Sudan, where rival military forces have been locked in a brutal war. effective from April 2023.
She said women have been on the front lines of responding to conflict, creating “resistance networks” such as Emergency Response Rooms that provide medical services, daycares, communal kitchens, etc.
She is adamant that supporting women peacebuilders before, during and after crises will benefit peace.
“When war broke out in Sudan, we saw that women who had been involved in dialogue and de-escalation processes at the local level before the war used their skills and capacities to mediate , negotiate and manage tensions and conflicts in their countries. community during wartime,” she said.
Ms. Abbas called for the Council’s continued support for women “who are fighting for peace and security every day,” saying that “although it may be logistically and politically difficult, But the decisions made within the United Nations will have a direct impact on the lives of the Sudanese people and women peacebuilders around the world.”
