After the United States assumed the presidency of the Security Council for December, its first signature event focused on the role of women in peace and security.
U.S. Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield underscored that societies benefit from “the full, equal, and meaningful participation of all women and girls in peacebuilding processes.” Yet, she noted, while women are disproportionately affected by conflict, they are “underrepresented in the halls of power: from local governments, all the way up to multilateral organizations.”
The first step in empowering women as peacebuilders requires that the most pressing needs of women impacted by conflict be addressed.
“The food insecurity faced by hundreds of millions around the globe ... The reality of sexual violence often weaponized against peacebuilders ... The educational inequality that keeps girls out of school, everywhere from Afghanistan to Sudan, impeding their ability to lead,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield
“The United States,” she said, “has sought to address these challenges head on and help women experiencing them heal.”
“For example, in Haiti, USAID’s community violence prevention program is helping organizations provide medical, psychosocial, and legal services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and pushing for concrete reforms in how these cases are handled by the justice system.”
In Ukraine, the State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues has sought to confront Russia’s heinous use of sexual violence as a weapon of war: supporting local civic organizations in improving referral pathways, psychosocial support services, and survivor outreach.
Secondly, the United States recognizes the transformative power of intergenerational dialogue between young and senior women peacebuilders and has supported an increase in opportunities for dialogue.
Finally, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, the international community must work to fully implement the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security, or WPS, agenda – not only in each country, but also in multilateral organizations like the UN.
“The UN must do more to empower women peacebuilders within our own institutions, including youth and senior women, whose unique and valuable perspectives move peace processes forward.”
What is required, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, is a three “I’s” approach: increased investment, initiative, and implementation of the WPS agenda. “Because if we do,” she declared, “if we increase funding, political will, and tangible action on Women, Peace and Security, we can create a more durable peace for women and girls, and a more durable peace for us all.”
