As conflicts multiply and women remain largely absent from peace negotiations, Pakistan Wednesday called for making women’s participation in peace processes “systematic, not symbolic”.
“Peace built without women is peace built on fragile ground,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, said during a UN Security Council ‘s debate on women, peace and security (WPS) titled “Peace is Decided with Women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation”. Sustainable peace requires the wisdom, leadership and lived experience of women — “not at the margins but at the table where decisions are made”, the Pakistani envoy said.
Over 70 speakers, including UN officials, member states and civil society representatives, took part in the day-long debate.
They warned the 15-member Council that more than two decades after the adoption of landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, women remain sidelined from peace processes despite decades of evidence that their participation makes peace more durable.
In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy highlighted that peace agreements which include women are often more responsive to the needs of communities and more durable over time. “Women’s participation brings attention to social cohesion, education, health, livelihoods, justice, reconciliation and the protection of civilians – issues without which peace cannot take root.”
Women’s participation in peace processes must be made systematic, with the UN and regional organizations ensuring that mediation teams, negotiation delegations and peace support mechanisms include women at senior levels, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said.
“Participation must be safe,” the Pakistani envoy emphasized.
The Security Council must call for early warning mechanisms, secure channels for UN engagement and accountability for attacks against women.
The Council, he added, must address the root causes that deny women peace and security, including prolonged conflicts, foreign occupation, poverty, discrimination and impunity, saying the WPS agenda cannot be separated from the obligation to uphold the UN Charter, international law and the right of peoples to self-determination. Women do not enter peace processes “merely to add a voice” but to bring the concerns of families, communities and future generations into rooms too often dominated by power politics, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said.
In Pakistan, he said, women have served with distinction in diplomacy, peacekeeping, politics, public service, law enforcement, civil society and humanitarian response. Also, Pakistani women peacekeepers continue to contribute to United Nations missions with professionalism and courage, reflecting Pakistan’s commitment to inclusive peace and security. “If we want peace to last, women must be there from the outset to help shape those decisions,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad emphasized.
Opening the debate, Sima Bahous, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), said gender equality and women’s empowerment is among the most powerful approaches to achieving peace.