HC Türk message to the 6th International Conference on Women, Peace and Security

Excellencies,

Thank you for inviting me to address this important conference.

Today is Human Rights Day.

But for the millions of people caught up in conflict around the world, it is just another day filled with horror. 

Another day of being displaced, detained, raped, humiliated, silenced, and dominated. Another day of human rights violated and denied.

The Women, Peace and Security Agenda offers solutions based on women’s leadership and meaningful participation, to benefit everyone.

We urgently need to take up those solutions.

Instead, gains for gender equality are being rolled back, while militarization is on the march.

Women and girls are denied their basic human rights, as millions of dollars in armaments are blown up before our eyes every day, with the most tragic consequences.

This cannot be the new normal. We can and must turn things around.

By ensuring women’s equal and meaningful participation in peace and security at all levels, and in political processes across the conflict spectrum.

Studies show that the participation of women increases the probability of a peace agreement lasting 15 years by 35 percent. Yet, on average, women constituted less than 15 percent of peace negotiators between 1992 and 2019.

My Office is working in Ukraine, South Sudan and beyond to improve women’s representation in building and maintaining peace.

More sustained funding and support to strengthen the capacities of women peacebuilders, women human rights defenders and women’s human rights organisations are critical.

Perpetrators of gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict must face accountability; and we must set up mechanisms to support survivors and protect those who face threats and attacks.

Across the board, we must do more to dismantle entrenched patriarchal and gender-based power dynamics, which harm us all. And secure places for women in decision-making on equal footing with men, across all spheres of life.

Finally, we must uphold and defend international human rights and international humanitarian law, which States designed to preserve and guarantee our common humanity.

You can count on my Office’s support in these crucial efforts.

Change is within our reach. We must, collectively, act – for women and girls everywhere.