Statement by H.E. Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, at the briefing on Women and peace and security

Thank you Madam President.

I would like to thank the United States for organizing this debate. We would also like to thank the briefers, USG DiCarlo and Mrs. Abbas for their very insightful information and as well inspirational messages.

We welcome every opportunity to discuss the situation of women and girls and we call on the Council to more systematically include Women, Peace and Security agenda in all our discussions on peace and security.

Intergenerational leadership can make a significant contribution to conceiving a future fit for all generations and to strengthening the implementation of existing peace and security commitments, including for the implementation of WPS agenda.

In this respect allow me to underline the following points.

First, inclusive processes are key to resolving conflicts.

This cannot be emphasized enough and it is supported by statistics and data.  

We continue to call for full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in peace and security processes and decision-making at all levels. Trust-building and meaningful cooperation across generations can be of great value to conflict resolution. Diversity of women’s voices must be recognized, including those of older women.

All this led Slovenia to endorse the Secretary-General’s Common Pledge to increase the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes.

Second, support local peace initiatives and efforts.

We must support engagement of women and grassroots organizations at local and regional levels. They have unique insights and solutions to the challenges of their communities. They are also best placed to detect and understand the trends and changes that might lead into conflict. Therefore, their voices must be amplified at all levels.

Experience of our membership in this Council has reaffirmed our conviction of their key contribution to our deliberations and decision-making. We will continue to support the efforts of local women-led organisations, including through our partnership with Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

At the same time, Slovenia continues to call for creating an environment that allows women to safely engage in all peace efforts, including through repealing discriminatory laws and ensuring zero tolerance for retaliation or reprisals for their work.

Third, address sexual and gender-based violence.

Women remain disproportionately affected by conflicts, they bear the heaviest burden, including because of sexual violence used as a method of war. Yet specific needs and vulnerabilities of different age groups remain largely invisible due to gender- and age-based discrimination.

We call for the inclusion of comprehensive gender analysis, including gender- and age-disaggregated data in all policy planning and implementation, as it is crucial for addressing this gap.

We also firmly believe that addressing sexual and gender-based violence calls for survivor-centred response, which must ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Empowering survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including older women by engaging them in designing the response and providing support should also be part of transformative leadership.

Madam President,

Almost 30 years ago in Beijing we recognized and I quote “Societies have much to gain from the knowledge and life experience of older women,” end of quote. We must recognize the significant contribution of all women to peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Women and girls are much more than victims and survivors of conflict. They are agents of change. They are pillars of peace within their families and local communities. And they are central for building sustainable peace in their countries.   

So let’s move from rhetoric to action and leverage our political capital to dismantle patriarchal power structures, advance gender equality and reject ageism, including through investing in intergenerational leadership. Only by working together, we will be able to reach this goal.

For young women activists in Ukraine, for older women peacebuilders in Colombia, for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Sudan and Haiti, for the many times displaced women in Gaza, for women and girls robbed of their education in Afghanistan, for detained women in Myanmar and Yemen, and for all other women. They count on us.

Thank you.

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