Peacebuilding Commission Ambassadorial-level Meeting on Women, Peace and Security

Good morning, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. The ambassadorial level meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission Women, Peace and Security is called to order. Good morning again and welcome to this ambassadorial meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission convened to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. I want to start with an information. I think you must have received the message from the PBSO and you may see it at the windows of the interpretation boxes. Unfortunately, due to financial and also scheduling constraints, the DGACM could not assign interpretation for us. This is due to the fact that there were other meetings that have been prioritized and once they finish these meetings, hopefully we will have interpretation during the next hours. This being said, I think I implore you to be patient and if possible present your statement in English. First again, nevertheless, thank you very much for your attendance today. And we are very honored to be joined by a range of important briefers on the podium with us. We have Her Excellency Ms. Emma Kantema, Minister of Gender and Child Welfare of Namibia. Her Excellency Ms. Libahata Mulamula, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. Her Excellency Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, right next to her. And on the other side, Miss Mpule Kgetse, African Union Youth Ambassador and representative of the African Women Leaders Network, AWLN. And last but not least, Miss Aba Dabo, Director and Deputy Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office. Aba, welcome. In addition, we are joined by our distinguished civil society representatives, Miss Luz Piedad Caicedo, Co-Director of the Cooperacion Humanas, Ms. Sofia Dian Garcia, program coordinator for Asia and the Pacific of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, GNWP, and Ms. Nia Abacich, student at the University of Sarajevo and former youth ambassador. They will bring an invaluable wealth of experience from across regions on advancing the women peace and security agenda. In order to ensure an active and miss the interactive discussion and to capture both policy and practical dimensions. The briefings will be held in two segments, beginning with the distinguished briefers on the podium, followed by a first round of interventions from member states. We will then hear from our civil society briefers, their thoughts, we're sharing their perspectives from the ground and continue then the dialogue with member states thereafter. This structure will allow us to bridge strategic policy perspectives on the state of WPS and peacebuilding and combine it with the lived realities and local experiences from our civil society briefers. As a reminder to delegations, please limit your interventions to three minutes or even less to allow as many participants as possible to take the floor. Again, thank you very much for your presence at today's important meeting. I will now proceed with the first item on our agenda, which is the opening remarks of the chair. Excellencies, dear colleagues, it is my honor as the chair of the Peacebuilding Commission to open this ambassadorial level meeting on women, peace and security. Today's discussion takes place at a crucial juncture as we commemorate 25 years of the women, peace and security agenda, 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and 20 years of the UN peacekeeping architecture. These milestones remind us of the global commitments made to ensure that women are not only protected in times of conflict, but fully recognize women as indispensable actors for peace. In line with the pact for the future, we acknowledge the pivotal role that women and girls play in peace building and conflict prevention. They are, in the words of the pact, agents of peace. not merely victims of conflict, but powerful drivers of change. Decades of research and practice have proven a simple truth. Without the inclusion of women in peace processes, there can be no lasting peace. Yet, despite progress achieved, we are witnessing troubling signs of regression. Around the world, women rights are under renewed threat. In 2023 alone, the proportion of women killed in armed conflict doubled, while cases of conflict-related sexual violence and grave violations, especially against girls, surged dramatically. These are not just statistics. They are, for all of us, a call to action. In this context, the tireless work of women peacebuilders is more vital than ever. Women continue to stand on the front lines, mediating disputes, rebuilding social cohesion, and addressing the root causes of violence. Their deep-rooted connections to local communities and their first-hand understanding of complex social dynamics make them essential partners in any effort to sustain peace. We are particularly grateful to our partners at UN Women for their continued leadership in advancing the VPS agenda, including through the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, which strengthens women's capacity to lead and to participate in peacebuilding efforts. We also acknowledge with appreciation the African Women Leaders Network for its critical work in empowering women's leadership across the African continent. However, as experience teaches us, providing technical, political and financial support is only one part of the solution. It is just as decisive to ensure that all stakeholders have a seat at the negotiations. Peace agreements achieved through inclusive dialogue where women are equally represented are far more likely to succeed and they're far more likely to endure. In that regard, let us commend the courage and perseverance of local women peace builders like the ones who are today joining us. Their participation and guidance must be at the heart of all our collective peace building efforts. This concludes the statement of the chair. I will revert to item two. I thank you for your attention and I now have the pleasure to invite her excellency Dr. Emma Kantema, Minister of Gender and Child Welfare of Namibia. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you warm greetings. Here it's cold, in Namibia we've started our summer. I bring you warm greetings from Namibia. It's such an honor for Namibia to participate in this commemorative meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Resolution 1325. This meeting reaffirms our collective resolve to place the lived realities of women and girls at the heart of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Namibia's history with this agenda is one of that of leadership, partnership, conviction. Reflecting in 2000, in the year 2000, our nation spearheaded the development and adoption of the United Security Council Resolution 1325, working hand in hand with like-minded countries and inspired by women at grassroot levels whose courage and persistence gave substance to our advocating. Today as we commemorate this landmark resolution Namibia remains steadfast in nurturing its growth together with all our partners and at local regional and also at international levels your excellencies Just over a week ago, I'm happy to see Ambassador Mulamula as she joined us in Windhoek in Namibia on the 17th of October. In collaboration with the African Union Commission and also together with our region, this SADC Secretariat, we proudly hosted the silver anniversary of UNSCR 1325 in Namibia. The event culminated in the adoption of the Windhoek Plus 25 Declaration. a document that celebrates progress while also renewing our collective purpose. The declaration acknowledges the leadership demonstrated at the highest political and intergovernmental levels as well as our steadfast commitment of civil society, grassroots organization and community peace builders It reminds us that women, peace and security agenda is only as strong as the systems that connect women at the grassroot level to the decision making tables where the realities are translated into policy. It further underscores our unwavering commitment to the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in all dimension of peace, security, and governance across Africa and beyond. And the chairperson has also just alluded to that, that this, that involvement of women in peace will only materialize when women are included. This vision is reflected in Namibia's ongoing efforts to advance women's leadership across all spheres of peace and security. In March 2010, that was 10 years after the adoption, Namibia deployed the first ever all-female contingent of police officers to UNAMID while the current head of police in the UN ISFA is also a female from Namibia. When the office of the AU special envoy was being set up, Namibia seconded a female defense officer to assist the process. It's in this spirit that our president her excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandy-Ndaitwa who was the Namibia's first female president has endorsed the candidacy of Major General Anne-Marie Nanda our deputy inspector general for administration in Namibia in the Namibian police force for the presidency of Interpol if there's anything that you should take away from my message it's this one She has been serving as an executive committee member of Interpol since 2022. Her nomination not only marks a proud moment for Namibia, but also it signifies the recognition of women's leadership in global security governance through which clear linkages can be drawn to the sustaining peace and prevention efforts of peacebuilding commission as it is envisaged in the path of the future that we successfully co-chair together with Germany. I was here last year when the path of the future was adopted. Ladies and gentlemen, the WENDU+25 declaration further called for a deeper institutionalization of women's leadership in peacebuilding process, Stronger linkages between women at community level and at policy platforms, which is a greater investment in skills development for mediation and negotiation, and the building of inclusive partnership amongst government, regional organizations, and civil society. It also calls for predictable and sustainable financing to drive implementation, ensuring that commitments move from only words but to measurable outcomes. To achieve this, the Peacebuilding Commission can play a catalytic role by ensuring that priorities of local women peacebuilders inform national and regional peace strategies. and by mobilizing sustained political and financial support for their leadership. The time for rhetoric has passed. What is needed now is action, funding, accountability so that the next 25 years of the WPS agenda are defined by results rather than reports. Your Excellencies, on 18th of October 2025, a powerful information sharing session was held in Vendo between women peace builders from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the participation of women peace builders from Ethiopia. As a side event to the silver anniversary, it was more than just a conversation, it was testament to the power of solidarity. This woman did not only gather to dwell on their divisions, but to highlight their commonalities, resilience, and a shared vision for peace in the Great Lakes region. They reminded us that diversity matters and that cohesion across cultures is not only possible, but is necessary. Many spoke of carrying multiple cultural identities. born in one part of the region and raised as refugees in another, illustrating that cross-border culture is a lived reality. They cautioned against misinformation, which continues to divide communities, and called for the strengthening of their networks to build trust and collective action across the borders. Their message was clear. Peace is sustained when we recognize our shared humanity and purpose rather than the lines that divide us. A key takeaway from this exchange, which I cannot emphasize enough, was that the location matters. Considering the proximity of women to conflict, it's essential to ensure the inclusion of voices of women who are most affected through dialogue, within the communities and also to ensure that these voices are channeled and heeded by decision makers. Bringing peace process closer to communities ensure ownership, strengthen trust and grounds decision in the lived realities of those who bears the brunt of conflict. Your Excellencies, the lessons from Vendu which echo the leadership and communities across Africa are clear. Women peace builders at the grassroot level are the heartbeat of women peace and security agenda.

They are the bridge

between communities and policies and between visions and our implementation as leaders and policy makers and influencers. It's our collective duty to ensure that their voices not only echo in our meetings, but guide our actions at national, regional, as well as international levels, embedding the priorities into peacebuilding structures that requires policy coherence, ensuring that local insights from national peace plans, regional frameworks, and the deliberation of peacebuilding commissions alike. Regional institutions, including development bank and regional organizations, must also ensure that financing mechanism reach women's network directly empowering them to drive solutions from the ground up. Chairperson, I'm delighted that through gathering such as this, our commitment to sustain the momentum of the women peace and security agenda is evident. As we continue to invest in women leadership at all levels, and to translate our shared commitments into a transformative piece for all once again, chairperson of the peace building commission. Thank you very much for inviting us to come and share. to come and champion what we have started back then in 25 years ago and we look forward as we together look at the vendor plus 25 for us to chart the way forward because after 25 when we reflect we want to see the action we don't just want to see the report I thank you very much for the privilege of your attention and once more we wish you all the best as you continue to encourage women to be actors and not just be women in peacebuilding. Thank you very much for the opportunity.

I thank Your Excellency, Dr. Emma Kantema, for her statement. And I want to add, I also want to thank you. I think you speak on behalf of all of us for your NABBS decade-long leadership on behalf of women, peace, and security. I think we're very happy to have you with us today. We will now hear from her excellency, Ms. Liberata Mulamula, African Union Special Envoy on Women and Peace and Security. Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you for coming.

Thank you, thank you, excellency chair. First of all, for welcoming us warmly in this cold New York. We thank you for organizing this meeting very timely. And let me also recognize the presence of my dear sister, the Honorable Minister of Gender and Child Welfare, Namibia. My sister, Dr. Emma, good to see you in New York. I also wanted to recognize my dear sister, Sima, how she's been quite a champion for why we are here. But I also wanted to say as a coincidence that Germany is chairing the PBC and Germany is a friend of the African Women Leadership Network and of course a champion of the WPS. So it's no surprise that you have convened this important meeting. Let me also bring you the warm greetings from the chairperson of the African Union Commission, His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Al-Yousuf, he brings his greetings, but also thanks you for having convened this important meeting in commemorating the 25th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325. Excellencies, it's a great honor to address this Peace Building Commission meeting. as we commemorate the 25 years of Security Council Resolution 1325 and two decades of the UN peacebuilding architecture. I'm happy that my dear sister, Dr. Emma, has brought the window spirit and vibe to New York and to this meeting. As they say, when you go to the bakery and you find the hottest bread, that's what you take, so she has brought this momentum to our meeting. And as she mentioned, our main takeaway was window declaration plus 25. The issue is how do we move from here? And after this celebration, what are we doing tomorrow? So excellencies, we have seen, we have witnessed in the last 25 years that there have been milestones and the milestones that remind us how far we have come. and how much more remains to be done to make peace truly inclusive and sustainable. The African Union firmly believes that women peace builders, especially those working in local communities, are the true guardians of peace. Through FEMRISE Africa, WISE Youth, and African Women Leaders Network, we have witnessed women mediators leading dialogues, negotiating humanitarian access and countering violent extremism often at great personal risk. Yet, Excellencies, you all realize that the leadership of these trailblazer women are still underfunded, underrecognized, and underprotected. Excuse me, I know we have only three minutes, but allow me to go through some of the issues that we'd like to put across to the Commission. Let me say once again, as the Minister said, and you have said it again, that it's time to move from words to action. We need stable, predictable, and flexible financing that reaches women peace builders directly through national peace funds. through the trust funds and within peace operations and recovery frameworks. Sustainable peace requires sustainable, sustained investment in those who make it possible. The African Union is working with partners, including the African Development Bank, to empower young women and climate advocates through innovative peace building approaches. But we must do more to ensure that all peacekeeping and political mission mandates protect civic space and include women and youth as full participants. Through my office, the Office of the Special Envoy, and through our continental results framework on women, peace, and security, we are tracking progress and accountability. I want to emphasize the accountability. Yet, we must ensure that grassroots women's voices shape our policies and that funding for women-led initiative is visible and targeted. Dialogue with women's organization should begin before peace talks start. And gender expertise must be part of every negotiation and mediation efforts. Excellencies, dear colleagues, the African Union therefore, calls on this commission, the Peace Building Commission, to first and foremost, we call on you to use your security council advisory role to prioritize African women peace builders in your peace processes. Secondly, to advocate for reliable funding for women's organizations within peace operations and post-conflict recovery. And three, to promote protection and participation requirements for women and youth in Security Council mandates. And finally, strengthen the African Union, the UN joint financing and monitoring mechanisms to make resources predictable, accessible, and impactful for women's networks. So dear colleagues, excellencies, As we mark 25 years of resolution 1325, let us honor the African women who have turned its commitments into reality, lived realities. Let me also assure you, Chair and Excellencies around the table, the African Union remains steadfast in ensuring that women peacebuilders are recognized, resourced, and protected. and that their leadership stands at the very heart of peace building and recovery on our continent. I thank you and as you say in Swahili, asante sana. Thank you.

Asante sana. Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for your statement. And again, many thanks that you took the time to join us today. It is now my honor to invite Her Excellency, Ms. Sima Bahous. Executive Director of UN Women to deliver her remarks.

Thank you, thank you, Chair.

Excellencies, civil society partners, feminists, youth leaders, friends. First, allow me to thank Germany for their continued leadership on women, peace and security and for convening us this morning. And my thanks to the Honorable Emma Kantema, Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare of Namibia, for joining us also this morning. Namibia was the pioneer of Security Council Resolution 1325, and we continue to be inspired by your efforts, Madam Minister. My thanks also to our partners, the African Union and AULIN, whom UN Women is very proud to support for advancing women's inclusion and being supportive of women participating in peace and security and mediation across Africa. So thank you very much. You are an example for us all. Thank you also to all civil society partners who are here and also to all youth leaders who are here. Ladies and gentlemen, again, Excellencies, inclusive peace has never mattered more than today. This week, we mark the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 and 20 years since the creation of the peacebuilding architecture. We mark also 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, where the world pledged to place women at the heart of our efforts for peace. UN Women's collaboration with the Peacebuilding Support Office exemplifies the spirit of UN coordination and, more importantly, collaborative impact. Together, we have instituted the 15% minimum funding target for gender equality in peacebuilding funds established 15 years ago, and now increasingly seen as a broader goal, including for official development assistance to conflict affected countries. Together, we have made the peacebuilding fund a model for effective gender mainstreaming from analysis to finance and more. This has set the standard for others such multi-partner trust funds. It is no coincidence that the Peacebuilding Commission launched the first gender strategy and action plan of a UN intergovernmental body, both of which it was UN Women's privilege to support. And it is gratifying that between 2020 and 2024, more than half of its meetings included the voices and perspectives of women and youth from civil society.

A backdrop

of soaring military expenditures must not obscure the incalculable payoffs of investing in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, especially women-led recovery and peace consolidation. Many countries have benefited from the attention of the peacebuilding architecture, placing gender equality at the center of peacebuilding, escaping cycles of violence, building stronger, more resilient societies. Excellencies, we know that peace is more likely enduring when women lead, when gender analysis informs how we understand conflict and how we rebuild trust. When women's economic security is treated as a peace dividend, not as an afterthought. When women and young people are not just consulted, but empowered to shape peace agreements, to shape reform and to shape recovery. That is why we must support women peacebuilders from community mediators to human rights defenders. We owe them protection, recognition and resources for their vital work yet. Unfortunately, we do the opposite most of the time. These brave, inspiring women face shrinking civic space, increased risk, and collapsed in funding. They are often first to step in when institutions falter. Why then should they be last to receive the support they need? Today, we will have the precious opportunity to hear directly from women peacebuilders across regions. We need not only to listen, but to act, to learn from their insights, to invest in their leadership, to let their calls to action guide us. Resolution 1325's ambition goes well beyond inclusion. It is about transformation. That transformation remains unattained, but it is attainable. the opportunity for peace remains unrealized but can become a reality. So let us continue to commit our unwavering support and resources. Let us line up behind the remarkable women who lead on the front lines of crisis and conflict. That ultimately is the path to transformation, to peace, to the 2030 agenda and sustainable development goals and to the vision of the UN charter. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank her Excellency Executive Director Bahous for her insightful remarks. And I now invite Ms. Mpule Kgetsie, African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace and representative of the African Women Leaders Network, AULN, to deliver her statement.

Thank you very much, Chair. Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates and colleagues, Allow me to start by acknowledging all the women that are here today doing amazing work in your regions on peace building. I'm happy to be before you today to be sharing this stage and this opportunity with you. My name is Mphule Kedzi. I'm the African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace, and I'm from Botswana. I appear before you today as a reflection of what is possible when the Women, Peace and Security agenda championed by movements such as the African Women Leaders Network, intersects with the youth peace and security agenda led by the African Union through its Youth for Peace Africa program. Before I begin, I'd like to tell you a brief story, an anecdote, if you may. In 2024, December 2024 to be precise, when a post-election conflict broke out in Mozambique, a crisis that deeply affected young people, I was one of the young people that was called upon to act, to respond on behalf of young people. Most of these young people were asking me, where are our institutions? Where is the African Union? Where is the UN? Where is SADC, the regional economic community for Mozambique? Therefore, alongside youth networks, we attempted to convene a dialogue, but political barriers and lack of resources stopped us. However, months later, I joined a solidarity mission to the women of Mozambique led by inspiring AULIN figures like Mama Gertrude Mongela, some of you may know her, Her Excellency Pumzile Mlambo-Nkuka, and Her Excellency Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. There, I was able to represent the concerns of young women directly to the president of Mozambique, His Excellency Daniel Chapo. Ladies and gentlemen, this anecdote demonstrates a few things that I would like to draw to your attention. Firstly, the challenges. The challenges of participation of women and young people still persist, perpetuated by political deterrents and resource limitations, and secondly, The solidarity mission that I attended, it was a symbolic one, and we gather here today to celebrate the legacy of 1325. As we do that, we must also confront a sobering truth that women's participation in peace and security still remains more symbolic than systemic in many contexts. But I will not dwell on the challenges. The second thing I would like to demonstrate with this anecdote is that these challenges will not stop it. They will not stop us, but they will present opportunities for us because every gap in implementation is an invitation for us to innovate. Now on the opportunities and the achievements that I would like to highlight. The instrumental work of networks such as AULIN in supporting young women peacebuilders like me through its hallmark intergenerational and multi-sectoral approach, this is something that we need to acknowledge. The annual intergenerational retreat ensures skills transfer for young women, and it creates bridges that connect women with former heads of states, parliamentarians, women mediators, entrepreneurs, community builders. The connection between these group of women and young women like me. Women networks such as ALIN are also critical in championing localization as their work is rooted in the local realities of women through their country chapter model. If we invest in the right ecosystems, the YPS and the WPS agendas can work together to advance lasting peace through intergenerational and intragenerational approaches as demonstrated by my presence here today. Women and youth representatives such as the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, present here today, the UN Youth ASG, Aulin Youth Caucus youth, and youth ambassadors like myself are critical because when youth cannot reach institutions such as you, they reach you through us. They can reach us and we can reach you on their behalf. My role as youth ambassador bridges the gap between young women and institutions such as the African Union, the Union and regional economic communities such as SADC, COMESA and COMESA. I've also served as the glue amongst these institutions in order to avoid fragmentation of efforts An example is a capacity building workshop that I led in Botswana for youth in Southern Africa in March of 2025. This capacity building workshop was meant to enhance the capacities of young people in the development of national action plans. This was uniquely collaborated upon by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the African Union, COMESA, SADC, and a local NGO, Women Lead Africa, based in Botswana. This demonstrates, once again, the glue that the Youth Ambassadors for Peace can be when it comes to making sure that we don't work in silos. I would like to conclude by making the following recommendations that will ensure continuity of the agenda for the next 25 years and beyond. Women are doing the invisible work of peace, yet their efforts often don't make it into our frameworks or budgets. Therefore, we must move resources closer to where peace is built and to do what we need And to do that, we need targeted, sustained, flexible investments that directly resource women's networks, youth-led peace initiatives, and other local structures at the community level. We need to support UN and AU policy coherence to ensure that the women, peace and security agendas and the youth peace and security frameworks from both ends are implemented in tandem rather than in silos to leverage their combined power for sustainable peace. Let's support the collaborative implementation of the continental framework on youth, peace and security by the African Union, as well as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 and its sister resolutions, alongside Resolution 1325, as well as the African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, amongst others. Lastly, the UN Peacebuilding Commission must support the robust documentation of work of women and of the work of women peacebuilders and peacemakers in various contexts so that we can also document the resulting best practices. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Ms. Ketzey, for your statement and for all the important work that you do and for laying it out this morning. This brings us to the first interactive segment of our meeting today. As mentioned at the outset, we will have a first round of statements from the floor by capital-based representatives as well as delegations, followed then by interventions from our civil society briefers. I would like to remind you all that for the sake of time, statements should not be longer than three minutes to allow for all member states and others participating to have the opportunity to make a statement. And I would also like to strongly encourage you to submit your statement to estatements@un.org because this would facilitate the conduct of the meeting. I would now first like to give the floor to the European Union and her Excellency Ambassador Aude Mayol-Colish, followed then by the permanent representative of Canada.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the EU today, and I would like to thank the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for organizing today's meeting, and also thank the briefers for the excellent interventions. Chair, last year, the Pact for the Future called for accelerated implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The EU will continue to advance WPS in partnership with the UN, member states and civil society, financially and politically. We acknowledge the role of UN Women in the implementation of the WPS agenda. Now, let me contribute to three aspects of the guiding questions that were provided. To better support women peacebuilders and member states, we must tackle the structural barriers that exist at societal level and too often translates also in institutional peacebuilding mechanisms. We would like to see accountability on the engagement of women on all mediation tracks from grassroot to roles at chief mediators in formal track one peace processes. Second, In terms of main barriers to implementing the WPS agenda in practice, the SG report on WPS in 2025 documented restrictive laws, disinformation and digital harassment silencing voices. For women peacebuilders addressing human rights related questions, the risks are acute. In response, the EU has scaled up its protectdefenders.eu mechanism, which supported more than 5,000 women human rights defenders in 2024. But we should address the root causes of digital harassment, in particular as it was not at the agenda 25 years ago. We are looking for innovative approaches. Well, the UN global principles for Information integrity is an innovative approach that could be taken on board by Member States and the Peacebuilding Commission as part of the WPS agenda. We can and should create safe space for women's networks and organizations, including safe digital spaces and strengthen efforts to counter disinformation, manipulation of information undermining the gender equality agenda. Thirdly, In order to translate the priorities of local women peacebuilders into political strategies, Member States and the Peacebuilding Commission can support spaces for regular dialogues. In March, the EU supported strategy meetings of the Global Alliances for Regional Women Mediators Network and exchange with high-level officials of the EU and EU Member States. The EU also supports national action plans on WPS, for example in Chad and Colombia. I will conclude with a call for stronger implementation of the 2020 UN SDG five priorities for the WPS agenda, putting women's human rights at the forefront. Thank you very much.

Ambassador, thank you very much for your statement on behalf of the European Union. I would now like to give the floor to Canada, followed by the representative of Japan. Ambassador, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and congratulations to you and to all of our briefers today. This is an important occasion, and I'm delighted to be here on behalf of my government. We took a dramatic step 25 years ago. There was a lot of controversy and argument about it, but it passed, and I think it reflected a need that is truly compelling. I think since that time, we've seen a lot of progress. The number of women ambassadors has doubled. The number of women peacekeepers has quadrupled. Women now hold over half of the senior roles at the UN. These gains are real and they're hard won, but we also have to recognize that the fight is far from over to establish true gender equality and true gender participation at every level of the work of peacekeeping and peacemaking. A decade ago, nearly half of the new peace agreements included gender provisions. Today, that number has dropped to just one in three. And everyone in this room knows that gender is no longer seen as an acceptable term in a great many resolutions that are being presented to the General Assembly in this term. So we have work to do and we have a fight on our hands to reassert the importance of equality. It means full participation of all women across generations, across all ethnicity, lived experiences, ability, and indigenous identity. Inclusion isn't just about who's at the table, it's also about having the support to be there, to be able to speak freely and to share outcomes, and for us to be able to protect people who have the courage to come forward and have the courage to provide leadership. We need to understand the threats. As my EU colleague pointed out, some of the threats, online threats were unknown 25 years ago, but now it's routine. People get harassed for saying something. People who come forward and present the realities on the ground are threatened and prevented from many cases, from even from returning home. So we need to make sure that we are drawing on gender expertise to ensure that peace processes are more inclusive of women in the future, and that we're doing everything we can to leverage the networks of women mediators and indigenous knowledge systems as key resources. Colleagues, as you already know, and we all know, peace is built in communities. This is where peace is made. It's not made in these fora necessarily. It's made in communities. It's made in conversation. And above all, I think I have to stress this again, is it's made with courage. It takes courage to come forward. It takes courage to lead. It takes courage to engage. We know that that courage works when it's allowed to work. And we know that as conflict spreads, These conflicts will never be resolved without the full and equal and active participation of women at every level of the discussion. So let's keep going. Let us show some courage to support what the women are doing and how they're expressing it and the forthrightness with which it's being expressed today and in other fora. And let's do everything we can to meet their courage with our own. Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador.

Ambassador, thank you very much for your statement. And as it is my understanding that this may be your last meeting and statement in the PBC, let me also thank you for all the contributions you have made to this body and this matter. Thank you. I would now like to give the floor to Japan, followed by Egypt. Ambassador, please.

Thank you, Chair Ambassador Boutin, for convening this meeting. Japan welcomes the insightful remarks by Dr. Kantima, Ms. Muramura, Ms. Bahous, and Ms. Ketsi. Over the past quarter century since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325, significant progress has been made in strengthening the role and the rights of women in peace and security. However, challenges remain. Reports of increasing violence against women in conflict settings underscore the urgent need for continued and enhanced efforts. In order to further advance the WPS agenda, Japan is honored to serve as co-chair of the WPS focal points network with Norway this year. During the 80th UN General Assembly high level week, the WPS focal points network held its annual event. Our foreign minister reaffirmed Japan's commitment to WPS as a key foreign policy pillar and to promoting the agenda globally. On this important occasion, I'd like to highlight two key points. First, it is essential to actively involve local women peacebuilders in advancing the WPS agenda. Japan, along with partners, supported the convening of the African Union's high-level workshop on WPS this June. This workshop identified the importance of improving the coordination between regional, national, and grassroots actors In line with this finding, the PBC's advisory, bridging and convening role should be further leveraged to amplify the voices of local women peacebuilders to key stakeholders, both inside and outside the UN system. Second, it is imperative to identify and address the unique challenges faced by diverse actors, including young women. How to further encourage young women's initiatives in the context of WPS is a challenge the international community must consider, as Ms. Ketsui just stated. In this regard, to foster leadership among young people working on WPS, Japan will host the Next Generation Forum for Gender Equality this December in Tokyo. To conclude, Japan remains firmly committed to continued advancement of the WPS agenda.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ambassador. I would now like to give the floor to Egypt, followed by South Africa.

Thank you very much, Chairperson Ambassador Rickleff. Thank you for convening us in this very important meeting. I wish to welcome all the distinguished beavers, my dear sister Sima, the honorable Minister from Namibia, my dear sister Mula Mula from the AU, and as one of the two co-facilitators of the PBAR this year, let me do few echoing and few acknowledgments here or there. First, we're very grateful for Namibia for the effort that has led to that landmark resolution. I believe everyone here in the room agrees we have the contracting commitment we have all consensually agreed to the objective and the target and so on what remains to be seen is how to operationalize that how to make it a reality and so on and this is where we feel most of the time I echo what my sister Dr Sima Bahous said about the shrinking Civic space and the you represent a spoke about the restrictive laws here or there this is where we can make a difference by as Mullah Mullah said, my dear sisters, interpret and translate words into action. This is what we want to, how to operationalize our agreements and so on. In the PBR we're doing our very best, myself and Ambassador Samuel of Slovenia to try to put some language there, suggesting lines of actions and so on. What lacks is more finance, more predictable lines of actions, the gender strategy of the PBC, the PBC the PR of Japan has just reminded all of us, has a wonderful convening role organically, locally to bring something from the ground and so on. We need to keep working with each other. Nationally, as Egyptians, we're doing well, not like as bright as Canada or those who are ahead of us, but the number of women participating in the public sphere is getting bigger and bigger. Dr. Seema knows about that, coming from our region or so, we're about to produce our first ever national plan for WPS. We're happy to keep working with others. We should, as I say, here in the UN, as Ambassador Bob Ray brilliantly reminded all of us, it's very painful to keep moving forward and so on. You need to stand for what you believe in, you need to make it a reality, invest in it, sponsor an activity here or there, encourage women, local women, brave women. We knew by heart, everyone knows, if you put women at the decision, the heart of decision-making processes, you have better societies, more capable societies of defeating hate, speech and so on, stopping the wars. Needless to remind everyone, we have had a tragedy in our region. Look how much the Palestinian women had suffered from the brutality of that war of aggression of Israel in Gaza or so, but we're working hand in hand again to invest in peace, in hope, and so on. Thank you very much. I submit this to the chairperson.

Thank you, Ambassador. I would now like to give the floor to the Ambassador of South Africa, followed by the representative from Bangladesh.

Thank you, Chair, for facilitating this meeting. And we are grateful for the perspectives that have been shared with us on this important agenda. warmest welcome to Minister Emma Gatema, to Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, to Ambassador Mpule Khesi, the youth ambassador, and appreciation always for the ED Sima Bahous. For 25 years, diplomats, members of Security Council, of the security sectors rather, peace building practitioners, and politicians have all contributed towards shaping and implementing this agenda. The road has not been smooth in developing the normative framework and in its implementation. However, these 25 years highlight progress despite ongoing acts of violence inflicted on women and girls in times and spaces of conflict. We all hold the responsibility to safeguard and preserve the gains made in this space. We believe all stakeholders including peacekeepers, peacebuilding and civilians alike depend on the implementation of this bold normative framework. This should be enough to convince us that this agenda is necessary and cannot be derailed or eroded by any political agenda coming from any part of the political spectrum. Allow me to repeat the core points South Africa suggested at the open debate of the Security Council that was facilitated by the presidency of the Russian Federation earlier this month. Firstly, targets and quotas remain important to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women across all peace and security related processes. Targets. And quotas are integral part of South Africa's affirmative, transformative, and restorative policies, including on gender equality. And these methods have succeeded in our context, and we believe that when implemented correctly, they can assist in this context. Secondly, we support a zero tolerance approach to targeted violence against all women and all sorts of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations. Perpetrators of these egregious crimes must be held accountable, including through sanctions, and victims and survivors of these crimes must be accorded unconditional support and necessary assistance without discrimination. Finally, we align ourselves with the call of the SG for an urgent need to invest in women's economic security in all phases of the peace continuum. This is a concrete way to drive women's empowerment, resilience, and gender equality in post-conflict societies. We propose that the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund consider prioritizing this area in its engagements with affected countries and region. By the same token, we urge the PBC to raise awareness about the common pledge for women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace processes to which we as South Africa are a signatory and which aims to accelerate this very agenda. I thank you.

Thank you very much. would now like to pass the floor to the representative of Bangladesh, followed by Brazil.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor. Mr. Chair, women and girls remain disproportionately affected by wars and conflicts. We are deeply worried about the plights of Palestinian women and girls. In our region, we have also witnessed the traumatic experience of Rohingya women and girls who were subject to systematic torture before being forcibly displaced from Myanmar. These realities are proofs that we are still lagging behind our commitments. As we mark the 25th anniversary of resolution 1325 this year, our promise must translate into practice for addressing these stark realities. Political discrimination and economic disparity are the root causes of conflicts. We can address these problems through empowerment of women, particularly through innovative financing and business models such as social business and microcredit. In the post-conflict reconstruction phase, we must ensure inclusive and equitable treatment and decent work for women. Women's equal access to digital technologies must be ensured. Cyber harassment, bullying, and tech-facilitated abuse must be addressed through law, policy, and practice. Finally, adequate, predictable, and sustained financing for implementation of the WPS agenda must be ensured. This is particularly important in the context of ongoing liquidity crisis and possible cost cuts across the UN system. Mr. Chair, our commitment to WPS is historic. The resolution 1325 was adopted during Bangladesh's term in the council. May I take the advantage to point out that today we have 505 Bangladeshi women peacekeepers wearing blue helmets. At the Berlin peacekeeping ministerial earlier this year, we had pledged deployment of more women in the future missions. However, sudden withdrawal of a full contingent of female police unit from Bangladesh seems quite contradictory to the concept of WPS in field missions. However, we remain committed to working together with all within the UN in enforcing women's protection and ensuring gender balanced participation in peace operations. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ambassador. I would like to remind everyone that at this point, I believe we do have full translation of the statements on the floor. Now I would like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Brazil, followed by the Netherlands.

Mr. President, I thank the chair for convening this timely meeting on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 and the briefers for their insightful remarks. Resolution 1325 is a landmark commitment that placed women's participation, protection and leadership at the heart of international peace and security and thus at the center of peace building and conflict prevention. Today, the WPS agenda is more relevant than ever. In a geopolitical context marked by growing militarization, disregard for international law and the erosion of women's rights, we must reaffirm that lasting peace cannot be achieved without gender equality and gender respect. Women, peace and security must be our core priority, guided by the gender strategy and action plan. The PBC's written advice to the Security Council's open debate on WPS is an important tool to promote coherence between the two bodies. We congratulate Germany for facilitating this year's advice. while regretting that it was finalized only after the first session of the debate, limiting the document's capacity to inform council discussions. Mr. Chair, women peacebuilders, particularly at the local level, are indispensable partners in preventing conflict and building peace. Because of their strong role in society, they are able to identify root causes of violence, build trust, and promote mediation and reconciliation. Yet they continue to face persistent barriers, lack of funding, insecurity, limited access to decision making, and too often threats and reprisals. Their contribution demands innovative responses, including flexible funding mechanisms, mentorship networks, and safe civic spaces. Regional organizations and international financial institutions have a crucial role to play in this endeavor. Practical measures include earmarking funding for women-led projects, gender-responsive early warning systems, and guaranteeing that women are represented in mediation platforms. To translate the priorities of women peacebuilders into political strategies, Member states and the PBC must ensure that their perspectives are embedded in national prevention strategies, peacebuilding frameworks, transitional justice processes, governance mechanisms, and institutional reforms, including security sector reform. This requires not only listening to women, but also sharing decision-making power with them. Mr. Chair, Conflicts such as the war in Gaza and the conflict in Sudan disproportionately affect women and girls. Besides protecting them, we must include women both in the peace processes and in the reconstruction efforts. Likewise, we cannot accept the exclusion of Afghan women and girls from public life in the name of an unfair notion of stability or traditional values. Conflict-related sexual violence is an intolerable violation of international law. Ending impunity and ensuring justice for victims must remain at the center of our collective efforts. As we celebrate this anniversary, let us recall that the WPS agenda is not about making war safer for women. It is about ending war altogether with women's irreplaceable contribution. Brazil remains steadfast in its commitment to the WPS agenda in the PBC, convinced that women in all their diversity are not only agents of change, but indispensable architects of lasting peace. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands, followed by Poland.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and let me start by thanking today's briefers for their insightful reflections on the women peace security agenda and of the role of the Peacebuilding Commission. This discussion is both timely and urgent, as we have much to commemorate and to build upon. the 25th anniversary of the Security Council Resolution 1325, the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, and 20 years of the UN peacebuilding architecture. We must recognize the progress achieved, but also confront the persistent and serious setbacks we face.

Allow me to highlight two points today.

First, the women participation is essential for peace.

Funding for women's peace work is under pressure. Today's exchange underscores a central truth.

Sustainable peace is impossible without the leadership of local women peace builders. Their work, often at great personal risk, anchors peace efforts in communities.

In Uganda, for example, women have long mediated local conflicts, drawing on cultural respect for their wisdom and experience.

By providing them flexible funding and political backing, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is proud to support women-led organizations in Uganda, South Sudan, Ukraine, and many other countries. And with our support, they design and drive crisis response and peacebuilding at the grassroots level. Yet global realities remain stark.

And.

The example given by the Canadian ambassador about the gender language in resolutions here is under pressure, and I think it's a reminder of where we are. But also, only a small share of peace and security.

Funding reaches women's organizations, and recent budget cuts threaten to reverse hard-won progress.

The consequences are immediate. Local offices shut, activities end, and community trust erodes.

And like the Egyptian ambassador and others have said, is that we must ensure that funding is not only.

Increased, but also flexible, accessible and responsive to the volatile context where women peacebuilders operate. And in this regard, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is committed, has committed new funding under our national action plan 1325, a unique partnership among government and more than 70 civil society organizations. to sustain local women peace and security initiatives.

Through our new national grant instrument.

As well as our support to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, we ensure that resources reach women peacebuilders directly.

Let me close by reaffirming that the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Remains steadfast in advancing the women peace security agenda and standing with all partners to strengthen women's essential role as agents for peace.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Poland, followed by Rwanda.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This year marks the convergence of the milestones, 25 years since the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 1325, 30 years since the Beijing Declaration, and 20 years of the UN peacebuilding architecture. These aren't just anniversaries to commemorate, they're actually the calls to action. They remind us that time to recommit to women's full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and security. We know this much when women are at the table, peace is more durable, more just and more reflective of real community needs. We commend convening this meeting and centering the voice of around the championing women peacebuilders. These women, some of them actually are sitting there at the podium. You are not just the participants. You are the leaders, connectors and change makers. Their grassroots knowledge, trust building skills and conflict insights are essential at every stage of peace, from prevention to the post conflict recovery. Dear colleagues, in a world increasingly defined by shrinking civic space, mounting insecurity and escalating impacts of climate change, championing women's leadership is not optional, it's critical. Poland is committed to promoting responsive peacebuilding policies that empower women from the local communities to international forums. Women are often the first to respond to crisis at the backbone of recovery, yet they remain underrepresented in decision making and underfunded in the peace efforts. That must change. It's time to close the gap. Member states and the Peacebuilding Commission must work hand in hand to build safe enabling environments where women's leadership isn't exception, that is a norm. We must also listen to what women peacebuilders are telling us, peace cannot be parachuted in. It must take root within the communities. The local priorities must shape national strategies and global policies alike, not the other way around. Distinguished colleagues, institutionalizing women's participation means going beyond rhetoric. It means embedding gender perspectives in policy, ensuring representation at every level, and fostering inclusive spaces for engagement, especially for young leaders, indigenous women, and those addressing climate-driven conflicts. And let us be clear, providing direct, flexible and sustained funding to women-led organizations isn't a charity. It's smart strategic investment in lasting peace. Many of these groups are doing extraordinary work in some of the world's toughest environments. They deserve our full support. Poland also underscores the importance of strong regional and multilateral cooperation. We need stronger partnership between the UN, regional organizations and financial institutions to create ecosystems where women's network flourish. And we must establish clear pathways to transform local women's priorities into political action. To the women peacebuilders here today, your courage, leadership, and resilience inspire us. As member states, our task is now clear, to listen, to support, and to act.

And I thank you. Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Rwanda, followed by Slovenia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, Madam Minister, and all the briefers, and welcome to New York, Madam Muramura. Happy to meet you again. Chair, allow me to start off by commending you for convening this meeting. This anniversary is more than a moment of reflection. It is a call to action. 25 years since the adoption of Resolution 1325, progress is undeniable, yet the goal remains unfinished. Women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in peacebuilding is still a promise, not a reality. For Rwanda, this is not a theory, it is a lived experience. After 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda learned that the peace without women is peace without foundation. Our construction proved that sustainable peace depends on women's empowerment. Today, women make up 63.75% of Rwanda's parliament. They serve in all branches of security institutions. They lead financial institutions. They lead and serve under the UN flag in peacekeeping missions around the world. Within the Peacebuilding Commission, the women, peace and security agenda must stay at the core. The PBC is uniquely placed to make peacebuilding strategies inclusive, nationally owned and truly representative. Women's perspectives must shape every dimension, from institution building and transitional justice to addressing climate-related security risks. Rwanda stresses that commitments alone are not enough. They require investment, adequate, predictable and gender-responsive financing. Without resources, The WPS agenda cannot move from words to action. We also call for stronger partnerships between the PBC, the Peacebuilding Fund, UN Women and regional organizations, including the African Union. Together, we must turn commitments into tangible progress in countries emerging from conflict. As we mark this milestone, Rwanda reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the to the women peace and security agenda at home across our region and globally. We'll continue to share our experience, support peer learning and champion women's leadership as the cornerstone of lasting peace. I thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Slovenia, followed by Australia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the outset, I would like to.

Thank you for organizing this debate today, this important meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on recognizing the crucial role of women peacebuilders and women-led civil society organizations throughout the conflict cycle.

From early warning, conflict prevention and mediation to post-conflict recovery and governance. At the end of this week, we mark 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, a landmark commitment to building an inclusive and peaceful world where gender equality is not an afterthought, but the foundation of lasting peace.

Slovenia stands firmly by this principle and would like to make two points in this respect.

First, women's full equal, meaningful and safe participation must be the norm at every stage of peace processes.

We therefore support all efforts to enhance women's participation, including temporary special measures like quotas. We call for women to represent at least one third of all participants in UN-led and co-led processes.

With the goal of reaching parity.

In this respect, we commend and support the Secretary-General's Common Pledge for women's full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes. In addition, the participation of women in the work of UN bodies Dealing with international peace and security must be also strengthened. Slovenia will continue to support their participation during its December Security Council presidency.

When women lead, peace follows. And not just UN Women's words. These are facts proven by experience.

Inclusive peace agreements are stronger, fairer and more sustainable. It is therefore essential that gender provisions are included in peace agreements. and that inclusion and protection remains central throughout the peacebuilding cycle.

We have also heard from past briefers in this commission.

How women's participation in decision-making improves transitional justice and economic recovery. This brings me to my second point, civil society and local women-led organizations built the Women, Peace and Security agenda, often operating in the most fragile contexts.

They are the backbone of peacebuilding. They mediate at community level, ensuring protection and rebuilding trust. Their voices must not only be heard, but also supported, funded and integrated into national decision-making processes.

Slovenia is committed to strengthening national ownership and localization of WPS agenda.

Sustainable peace must be locally owned and nationally led.

We are increasing our investments in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. We have expanded support to UN Women and the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, focusing particularly on grassroots and women-led initiatives.

Mr. Chair, peace may be negotiated in conference rooms, but it is built in communities. National ownership grounded in inclusive participation is key to ensuring that peace efforts reflect the realities and priorities of those most affected.

We must act now and invest in women's participation and women-led local organizations.

By working together with local actors, strengthening their capacity and drawing on their knowledge and.

Leadership, as well as through concrete commitments regarding women's participation, we can build peace that endures.

Thank you. Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Australia, after which we would then move to the second segment of our meeting with the briefings of the distinguished civil society representatives.

Thank you, Chair.

We thank all briefers for their valuable contributions and warmly welcome today's participation of local women peacebuilders and civil society representatives. Chair, I wish to make three points. First, while we recognize progress on the WPS agenda over the past 25 years.

We are now seeing those hard-won gains rapidly erode.

This is despite clear evidence that gender equality is a stronger predictor of peace than a nation's wealth or political system, that peace agreements are more durable when women are involved, that gender equality reduces poverty, strengthens social cohesion, boosts economic productivity, and builds a peaceful, stable future. Yet the indispensable role of women peacebuilders from prevention and mediation to recovery and governance remains overlooked.

Women peacebuilders deep understanding of local realities makes them vital to early warning systems, de-escalating conflict and creating pathways for sustainable peace. Their leadership is not optional, it is essential.

The international community must ensure women peacebuilders are systematically included at all stages of peacebuilding.

Second, as we've heard again today, we must address the intersecting challenges women peacebuilders face. Shrinking civic space, backlash against gender equality, underfunding of women-led initiatives, and limited access to decision-making.

Australia is doing our part to respond.

We've tripled our annual contribution to the Peacebuilding.

Fund to $15 million Australian dollars, reflecting our commitment to gender equality and inclusive locally-led conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Through our national WPS action plan, we promote gender equality, protect the human rights of women and girls, and embed their full, equal, meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes.

In our region, Australia is proud to support the leadership.

Of women peacebuilders in shaping key strategies, including the Boy Declaration and the recently adopted Ocean of Peace Declaration.

We also partner with Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators and the Pacific Women Mediators Network.

To strengthen women's influence in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. These networks play a crucial role in ensuring women's priorities shape peacebuilding agendas locally, regionally, and internationally. Third, as we negotiate the 2025 peacebuilding architecture, we call for stronger implementation of the WPS agenda. At the Peacebuilding Commission, we support elevating women peacebuilders' voices and ensuring their full, equal, meaningful participation in all peacebuilding processes. We urge member states and international financial institutions to invest in women-led organizations and embed women's leadership in peacebuilding frameworks and prevention strategies. Chair, Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to WPS as a prerequisite for inclusive locally led peace building. We look forward to working with the commission to ensure women's leadership.

Is not only recognized, but resourced, protected, and made central to lasting peace. Thank you.

Thank you very much. We would now move on to the second segment. of our meeting with three briefings from distinguished representatives of civil society. It is very important to listen to them because they bring valuable perspectives from their respective communities and regions on advancing the women, peace and security agenda. And I would like to, first of all, invite Ms. Luz Piedad Caicedo, co-director of Corporacion Humanas, to deliver her remarks. Ms. Caicedo, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And I would like to thank all delegations present here for giving me the opportunity to take the floor. We are facing unprecedented challenges, 55 armed conflicts, This is the highest level, the highest figure seen since the Second World War. Over 42,000 civilians dead, 44% of whom are women, 35% are girls and boys. 838 million people are experiencing extreme poverty and 1.1 billion people are in situations of moderate poverty. 304 million international migrants and approximately 44 million refugees. These are all figures which emanate from the United Nations. How is it possible that such figures have been recorded, but significant changes have not been undertaken. We too quickly forgot the genocide in Rwanda and the atrocities perpetrated in Bosnia. The Women, Peace, and Security agenda was established to protect civilian victims, particularly women, and recall the fact that the United Nations was established to prevent for a new genocide. And today, these institutions have been weakened. And states are calling for value to be placed on the United Nations for the Security Council and its resolutions on women, peace, and security to restore its authority. These texts are not merely words. They represent a desire on the part of humanity to recognize and to protect the lives of people who we see at times as being different. There is a significant gap between military expenditures and humanitarian assistance. This is grotesque. In 2024, the world spent $2.78 billion on militarization. The United Nations received barely $21.2 billion for humanitarian assistance, less than 1% than of that which is being allocated for raging war. There's an urgent need for states to act and for the women peace and security agenda to give rise to tangible results, real results. In Colombia, the women's movement has been working tirelessly for peaceful resolution of conflict and has been faced with a plethora of challenges. One of these challenges is combating drugs. drugs, which fuels armed conflict and which has transformed a public health problem into war and terrorism. The Red Cross believes that in Colombia, there are eight persistent active conflicts with 21,958 people involved and a constant increase in the number of civilian casualties. We signed a peace process with the FARC in 2016, but the signature was not enough. There's a need for there to be lasting, decisive implementation, and for the first time we have a national action plan under resolution 1325, and there is an urgent need to ensure full, meaningful implementation. Colombian women continue to focus on the women peace and security agenda because our participation is critical when it comes to conflict prevention and resolution. Why is that the case? Because women perceive things that men cannot perceive from their privileged position. Women live and experience the consequences of discrimination, of inequality, of war more directly. and those who have never wanted for anything find it difficult to understand how it is possible to want something.

Thank you very much for those important words.

Miss Sophia Diane Garcia, program coordinator for Asia and the Pacific, the global network of women peace builders to deliver her remarks.

Excellencies, I'm Sophia Dayanti Garcia, Program Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific at the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this significant gathering to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. 25 years since the adoption of this groundbreaking resolution, let us ask ourselves, what has been done and what can still be done. In 2019, I was in the same room, also sharing my reflections on working with GNWP to advance the WPS agenda. Six years later, I can say that there has been both progress and challenges that still remain in translating this agenda into tangible and impactful actions, particularly in the Asia Pacific region where I come from and where I coordinate GNWP projects. GNWP has been at the forefront of bridging the WPS agenda from global to local. Our pioneered localization strategy has been implemented in over 40 countries and empowered a diverse range of local stakeholders, including government officials, indigenous leaders, women's and youth group leaders, media practitioners, to develop and tailor gender and culture responsive and conflict sensitive policies unique to their community needs. For example, in Papua New Guinea, GNWP's localization strategy in partnership with Voice for Change resulted in the launch of 14 community bylaws to address peace and security issues in the provinces of Jiwaka and Western Highlands. In Bangladesh, in partnership with Bangladeshi Nari Progoti Sangho, eight local steering committees developed local action plans to address issues such as child marriage and strengthen social cohesion. In the Philippines, in collaboration with the government, we continue to enhance the capacities of local officials to be champions of WPS in their communities. Across our region, women and children continue to bear disproportionate burdens from militarization, displacement, and fragile peace processes and negotiations. In addition to the shrinking civic space, as well as the funding challenges civil society continue to face, displacement has also reached crisis levels. Refugees and stateless persons, including the Rohingya, endure protected stays in camps or precarious conditions in host countries. Women and girls are especially vulnerable to trafficking, child marriage, and gender-based violence, underscoring the urgent need for rights-based coordinated responses. Despite these, we have witnessed the resilience of women and young women in addressing these challenges. In Thailand, GNWP and its local partners led peacebuilding and psychosocial workshops that supported Burmese women, young women, and youth in managing stress and anxiety. It also promoted awareness of the WPS and youth peace and security agendas while integrating leadership development and peacebuilding components. On social cohesion, we have also organized peace dialogues between youth that served as a pathway for participants to create and implement joint advocacy plans that challenged prejudice and built understanding and friendship while advancing their shared aspirations for democracy, peace, and security. The WPS agenda is not aspirational rhetoric. It is a call to action for real peace, accountability, and the honoring of commitments beyond paper. what are possible pathways in translating this agenda into reality? I urge member states, the UN, civil society, and financing institutions to number one, protect and promote civic spaces and enabling environments for women and young women to meaningfully participate, organize, exercise their rights, decision-making, and lead peacebuilding efforts. This also includes protecting civilians and displaced persons, including stateless populations such as the Rohingya, by securing humanitarian access and advancing coordinated rights-based regional responses. Second, provide resources for the localization of the WPS agenda. Invest in women-led peacebuilding and local initiatives. This is important because, as an official from Nepal said during GNWP's localization many years ago.

Localization without budget is like a car without gas.

Third, collaborate closely with women, youth, and their allies, particularly those from grassroots communities. Fourth, address the everyday impacts of militarization, including displacement, the erosion of livelihoods, and heightened insecurity through concrete national and regional measures. And finally, recognize that the synergy between the WPS and YPS resolutions makes more significant contributions to the path to sustainable peace. At its core, the WPS agenda is about ending conflict and addressing its root causes. It is not just about making conflict safer for women. The gains in advancing the WPS agenda in the past 25 years must be protected. This is an opportunity for all member states and the United Nations to demonstrate that the sacrifices of communities of women peacebuilders for peace will not be in vain, but will instead serve as the foundation of a more inclusive, accountable, and peaceful global community. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ms. Garcia, for your statement and the important work that you do. And now I would finally like to invite Ms. Nia Abadich, student at the University of Sarajevo and a former youth ambassador, to take the floor. Ms. Abadich, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Chair. Good morning, everyone. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Abadich Nia, and I'm a student of security studies from Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's an honor to be here today. My journey has been deeply shaped by the legacies of conflict, resilience, and hope that define my region. I grew up in a society still healing from the scars of war. Thanks to the women peacemakers 30 years ago today, in this very building, I'm here. I see the essential role that women play in rebuilding trust, fostering dialogue, and ensuring that peace is sustainable. My path has not been easy. but it has made me determined to use my voice and knowledge to contribute to a more secure, equal, and compassionate world. Earlier this year, Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted the International Women Peace and Security Conference in Sarajevo, organized by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees with support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Women, where I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Ava Daba. And together we witnessed something truly life-changing. The conference brought together leaders across generations from governments, civil society, academia, and led to the adoption of the Sarajevo Pledge. This pledge marks Bosnia and Herzegovina's decision to join the Global Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact, becoming the first country in Europe and Central Asia to do so. For us, it's more than a document, it's a promise. that women's leadership, equality, and inclusion will guide how we build and sustain peace. Today, this pledge is backed by 46 representatives from 30 countries and territories, showing that when women lead, peace truly follows. I invite you all to join and cite the pledge. Right after the conference, UN Women, with the support of the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and in partnership with the Sarajevo Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security Studies, organized the first International Women, Peace, and Security Summer School. excellencies, the response was truly incredible. 5,000 young people all around the world applied, and 50 of us were selected to learn, connect, and rethink what inclusive security means in practice. We talked about peacebuilding, gender equality, leadership, and how culture and education can help heal divisions. But what mattered most was the sense of community we built. friendships that have already turned into cross-border initiatives to connect divided communities and challenge stereotypes. Now, it's up to us to turn these ideas into long-lasting action for peace in our communities. I know we have three minutes today for our briefings, but there is no time limit for change. There has been progress in my country, but peacebuilding is a long journey. Changing mindsets and institutions takes time. And too often, young people, especially young women, still struggle to find a seat at the table where decisions are made. At the same time, I see reasons to be hopeful every day. In communities that keep choosing dialogue over division, in women who lead reconciliation, in youth who rebuild trust through creativity and activism, and an artist who turned culture into a quiet resistance against hate. True security is not only about borders or institutions, but about human dignity, inclusion, and justice. We've heard incredible recommendation for the PBC today, but what I've noticed is that we as women together today are more unified than ever. I'd like to share three simple recommendations for the Peacebuilding Commission. First, invest in young women's leadership. Support education and mentorship programs for young women in peace and security so they can move from activism to decision-making roles. Secondly, ensure long-term and flexible funding for local women's peace initiatives that continue beyond project or political cycles. This will ensure that trust-building efforts have the time and stability they need to transform communities. Finally, use the PBC's convening power to connect local women peacebuilders with global policy spaces so their experience, our experience, directly shapes international peace and security priorities. In closing, as young people, we are not accepting symbolic participation. We are asking for dialogue, partnership, trust, and a space to lead. Excellencies, my generation wasn't there to remember the signings of the peace agreements in the 1990s, but we are determined to write the next chapter, one built on collaboration, equality, and hope for all. I warmly invite the Peacebuilding Commission to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially Sarajevo, my hometown, to support us to create this new chapter for peace. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Abadjieva, for your very important contribution and the concrete suggestions for the Peacebuilding Commission. We will now resume the interventions by Member States. I would like to first give the floor to His Excellency P. Wilson, Member of Parliament of India, followed then by the representative of Uruguay. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Excellency, Mr. Chair, India commends Germany, the Chair of Peacebuilding Commission for convening today's meeting commemorating the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325. We also appreciate the Namibian Minister for Gender Equality, Executive Director of UN Women and other briefers for their insightful remarks and valuable inputs to further the Women, Peace and Security WPS agenda. As one of the top troop contributing countries to the UN peacekeeping operations, India underscores that building and sustaining peace cannot be achieved without the full and equal participation of women. Our commitment to peaceful and peacebuilding aligns with the principles of national ownership and WPS agenda. Mr. Chair, what sets India's peace speaking legacy apart is not only the scale of our contribution, but our early recognition of women as indispensable agents of sustainable peace. Long before resolution 1325, Indian women medical officers served in the Congo in 1960s, marking one of the earliest instances of women serving in UN peacekeeping operations. This was not merely a symbolic gesture, but a practical acknowledgement that women's perspectives, skills, and presence are essential to effective peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In 2007, India developed the UN first all-female formed police unit in Liberia. This pioneering initiative inspired local women to join the national police and security services. Today, Indian women peacekeepers serve with distinctions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Abay, and South Sudan, helping build trust with communities, addressing gender-based violence, and strengthening protection of civilians. Through these deployments, India has demonstrated the profound positive contribution and impact that women bring to peacekeeping and peacebuilding. They build trust in communities and give hope to the vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. Most critically, they help address gender-based violence and ensure that peace process reflects the needs and perspectives of all segments of society. They inspire women in conflict zone through example. They too can be leaders and peacebuilders, Mr. Chair, at the national level. India's journey from women's development to women-led development has transformed every aspect of our society. Today, we have more than 1.4 million women elected representatives at grassroots. Over 23 Indian states and union territories have reserved 50% of local government seats for women, underscoring that inclusive governance and social cohesion go hand in hand. India continues to invest in capacity building for women, including peacekeepers from the global south. The Center for United Nations Peacekeeping in New Delhi has emerged as a global center of excellence for gender responsive training, conducting flagship courses for women. peacekeepers equipping them with essential skills in operational planning protection of civilians prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and gender sensitiveness leadership earlier this year India hosted the first of its kind of international conference for women pieces from the global South Mr chair as we look ahead India remains unwavering in its commitment to the wps agenda we stand ready to share our expertise training and technology with partners, particularly those in the global south, fostering collective solutions to shared challenges. I thank you, Nandri Vanakam.

Thank you, Excellency, for your statement. I would now like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Uruguay, followed by Colombia.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you to the panelists for their testimonials and recommendations. I would like to take this opportunity to underscore that sustainable peace requires the full, meaningful, secure participation of women at all phases of the peace continuum. With regard to how we can strengthen leadership of women in prevention and resolution of conflicts, we think it's essential to include women peacebuilders in context analyses, in response planning, and in coordination and leadership mechanisms, ensuring women's participation as mediators and negotiators, as well as the inclusion of those directly affected, such as refugees and those internally displaced women. In disarmament, in DDR processes, their inclusion at all stages is vital for sustainability. We support increasing women's presence in uniformed personnel and to focus on human rights and peacekeeping operations. And that's why training and gender awareness should be mandatory before any deployment and also during deployments. With regard to the barriers, we see there are institutional barriers that aren't very gender sensitive. There's a lack of sustainable funding and there's limited protection given to human rights defenders. Experience shows that strengthening women's networks in assigning resources and in technical assistance and also taking on board specialist NGOs in addition to UN Women and other UN systems are all key. to increasing resilience and preventing relapse into conflict. We also would like to see a survivor-based approach in order to address sexual violence with robust policies, zero tolerance policies, and accountability for the perpetrators of these crimes to ensure justice. Regional players can provide value added by giving structural support to these networks by sharing good practices. We also stress the importance of having national action plans for women, peace and security that are inclusive and have adequate resources, clearly defined roles, and transparent follow-up mechanisms. The participation of women in local and national decision-making bodies is a specific way to link community action with public policy. And given that the quality of policy depends on analysis, we would suggest data broken down by gender and age. We think that the Women, Peace and Security agenda should be more closely linked to humanitarian action, sustainable development and the Youth Peace and Security agenda, including attention being paid to all transitional processes, also with a gender approach. This is essential in order to anticipate risks, ensure social cohesion and more sustainable results. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ambassador. I would now like to give the floor to the Ambassador of Colombia, followed by the representative of CARICOM.

Chair, I'd like to thank you for convening this meeting that coincides with the 25th anniversary of resolution 1325 of the Security Council and the 30th anniversary of the Universal and Platform of Action of Beijing. These milestones remind us that the Women, Peace and Security agenda represents a collective commitment and an essential component for building sustainable and inclusive peace. Allow me, if I may, to express our concern about the logistical arrangements for this meeting. This is an emblematic meeting programmed significantly ahead of time, very important for delegations. This situation illustrates why, when it comes to reviewing the peacebuilding architecture, we need to absolutely ensure that the Commission is able to work in the proper conditions with necessary resources so that we can implement our mandate appropriately. experience, national experience, has shown that the effective participation of women transforms the way in which we understand and build peace. Since the 2016 peace agreement, mechanisms such as the special forum for women for following up on the gender perspective, and guaranteeing women's rights, including social leaders, all of that has strengthened the territorial and political participation of women. Inclusion should not be symbolic, it must be part of real decision making supported by adequate funding that is sustainable. We'd like to share with you three specific recommendations that we have. First of all, strengthen financial support, direct flexible support for local women's organizations, particularly in rural areas and those affected by conflict. Accessible financing is an effective tool to prevent violence and consolidate peace from the grassroots. Secondly, we need to institutionalize the participation of women at all levels of decision-making. Now that requires ongoing dialogue mechanisms between governments, peacekeeping missions and women's networks, ensuring that local priorities actually translate into policies and international budgets and national budgets. Thirdly, we need to promote South South and regional links so we can have exchange of good practices. In Latin America, the network of women defenders of the environment is providing innovative responses to climate change, for example, as well as to security. Colleagues, in order for the priorities of peacebuilding women in order to ensure that they can properly be involved in the peacekeeping process, this commission must go beyond simple recognition of their contributions and translate all of that in substantive recommendations based on inclusion and accountability. The clarity of the PBC's mandate means that its recommendations must unequivocally reflect the centrality of women's leadership in peacebuilding. Colombia reiterates our commitment to work with all members to ensure that women's leadership is not just recognized, but that it really is systematically included in decisions, in the funding frameworks and in the strategic priorities, both of the Commission as well as of the peacebuilding architecture of the United Nations in general. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of CARICOM, followed by South Sudan.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for your leadership in ensuring that the commission contributes to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the WPS agenda. My thanks to the briefers as well. As others have noted, the anniversary comes at a time when human rights abuses against women and girls, including rape, and other forms of sexual violence are on the rise. In the Caribbean, CARICOM is working closely with the UN Women multi-country office and other international partners such as Canada and the United Kingdom to implement the WPS agenda. While not defined as war, many CARICOM member states face unusual and persistently high levels of violent crime by international standards, particularly gang-related violence. The Caribbean also has some of the world's highest rates of gender-based violence, including rape and trafficking for sexual exploitation. In the case of Haiti, gender-based violence is weaponized by organized criminal enterprises and gangs to consolidate control over the capital. CARICOM strongly condemns the use of sexual violence and emphasizes that more must be done to ensure that victims and survivors have access to justice and comprehensive post-trauma health, psychosocial and legal services. We welcome the recent deployment of a women's protection advisor with the UN Special Mission in Haiti and commend the proactive engagement by the entire UN system in combating impunity for sexual violence and in supporting local authorities to strengthen women's participation and leadership in mediation as well as to build law enforcement capacity to investigate sexual violence. CARICOM calls on the international community to prioritize protection for vulnerable women and children as the new gang suppression force, the new mission in Haiti is deployed, and to urgently support national authorities in delivering comprehensive, multi-sectoral assistance and justice for survivors. We also wish to see concrete progress in ensuring women's participation in all peace and security processes, including the ongoing transition in Haiti, and indeed in all national and regional responses to violent crime. As others have mentioned, quotas do work. Financing and capacity building are also viable means to guarantee women's inclusion. Chair, although the region is in the nascent stages of WPS implementation, progress is being achieved. In March 2025, Trinidad and Tobago became the first CARICOM member state to launch a national action plan for WPS. Sensitization efforts continue in a series of workshops and consultations to support development of other national action plans, including in Haiti, are ongoing. CARICOM is committed to advancing a regional approach to the WPS agenda. We can learn from other regions, including the AU's appointment of Madam Mullah as Woman Peace and Security Envoy. From a practical standpoint, greater efforts are needed to integrate WPS principles in regional strategies on gun violence, crime prevention, and security. Mr. Chair, we in CARICOM see the value of a holistic approach to implementing WPS. This means that we must and should do more to invest in women's social economic and political empowerment.

This is at the very foundation of sustainable peace.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to pass the floor to the permanent representative of South Sudan followed by Papua New Guinea.

Thank you, chair. Good morning, distinguished delegates. South Sudan aligns itself with the statement delivered by the African Union Special Envoy for the Women, Peace and Security and express appreciation for the remarks made by the Minister of Gender of Namibia, UN Women and the AU Youth Ambassador. To convene this important marking, the 25th anniversary of the Security Council Resolution 1325, the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, and the 23rd special session of the General Assembly is more than a commemoration of historical documents. It is reaffirmation of a lifeline for women, peace and security. These milestones remind us that women, peace and security agenda is not merely an aspiration to represent our share, it represents our share commitment to sustainable peace, inclusive governance and preservation of women dignity. For South Sudan, this agenda holds deep personal significance. Our nation's journey towards peace and stability has been shaped by the courageous and leadership of South Sudanese women who even amid conflict and displacement continue to raise family, lead reconciliation efforts, deliver humanitarian assistance, and advance community-based peacebuilding. Their achievements have been realized with the support of the international community. I was only 14 when the Security Council adopted Resolution 1325. Today, I serve and have the honor to serve as South Sudan Permanent Representative to the United Nations, as well as the co-chair of the African Women's Leaders Network. South Sudan proudly counts today two female head, two vice president, a female speaker in the legislative assembly, and 41 representation of women in the cabinet. These milestones reflect not only national progress, but also enduring impact of the UN work and vital platform it provides for meaningful change. South Sudan is honored to join this commemoration, which reminds us that women's leadership and participation are indispensable to building lasting peace and are central to our national recovery. Yet, insecurities and limited resources for women Women's organization continue to challenge these progress and women's agenda. To address these challenge, we urge greater and more predictable funding for women-led community-based building initiatives, stronger capacity building for younger women leaders, the closer partnership with the African Union, EGAT, and the Peacebuilding Commission to integrate women's priorities into all peacebuilding efforts, and Recognition of women as solution drivers, not only as critiques of system, because many women working within institutions are already working and are making remarkable difference every day to prevent and resolve conflicts. Mr. Chair, South Sudan reaffirms its commitment to sustainable peace is impossible. Sustainable peace is impossible without full participation and meaningful participation of women. We remain steadfast in our commitment to transforming the promises of resolution 1325 into concrete results that empower women, strengthen peace across nations, and preserve the United Nations. I thank you.

Thank you very much. Colleagues, I highly welcome the great interest in this meeting today and the willingness to contribute. I would like, however, to remind everyone to keep the statements two, three minutes because we will have to close the meeting at one o'clock. And I would like to have all the 16 speakers that are still on my list be able to contribute. The next on the list is the permanent representative of Papua New Guinea, followed by Mozambique, Ambassador.

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, and distinguished panelists, we thank the Chair and the respective briefers, including Madam Honorable Minister of Namibia, for their rich presentation, and we join the global community in celebrating the extraordinary role of women peacebuilders in conflict prevention, resolution, and sustaining peace, as we mark the silver jubilee anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We pay special tribute to the courage and leadership of women peacebuilders, especially those in remote and conflict-affected communities across our country, the Pacific region, and beyond. Their voices are central to sustaining peace. Papua New Guinea firmly believes sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women. Chair, in Papua New Guinea, women have long played decisive roles in conflict prevention, reconciliation, and community healing. From mediating peace in the Bougainville peace process and tribal conflicts in our highlands region to advance in post-conflict recovery. They have built trust, fostered dialogue, and supported social cohesion. Today, women continue to shape responses to the worsening climate crisis and its consequences on peace and security, building community resilience and adaptive solutions. We were pleased with the UN Secretary-General's landmark engagement in Papua New Guinea last month, with our civil society, including women, on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Yet, we recognize that women peacebuilders face barriers, including lack of recognition, limited access to funding, gender stereotypes, and security risks. This must never be tolerated. Papua New Guinea's Medium-Term Development Plan IV prioritizes peace, security, rule of law, and restorative justice. This is complemented by the national gender-based violence strategy and the evolving women peace and security national action plan and the recently launched national prevention strategy which strengthen mechanisms for women's empowerment, leadership, participation in peace processes and governance. Chair, for us we would emphasize three essential priorities on this critical agenda. First, Importance of gender-sensitive. investment in women's leadership and empowerment through dedicated financing and capacity building for peace initiatives, particularly flexible and direct funding to local women-led organizations, which was eloquently articulated by Ms. Garcia, the Asia Pacific Civil Society Representative. Second, strengthening women's participation at all decision-making levels in peacebuilding mechanisms, not symbolically, but as a strategic necessity. And thirdly, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of women peacebuilders through protection measures, security training, and psychosocial support and online. Papua New Guinea is committed to implementing inclusive policies aligned with Resolution 1325 and our national action plans. We acknowledge the Peacebuilding Commission's vital role in advancing the WPS agenda including fostering sustained funding, mainstreaming gender perspectives, and promoting partnerships among governments, regional bodies, and civil society. At the Pacific regional level, we are encouraged by our regional cooperation under a 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Ocean of Peace Declaration, and the integration of WPS in the revitalized Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration. Women mediators and peace networks in our region continue to advance this agenda proactively. As civic and fiscal spaces narrow globally, stronger partnerships are needed. Member States, the United Nations, and the development partners must provide predictable funding, technical support, and capacity building for women peacebuilders. In closing, Chair, Our resolve on this important agenda is also guided by faith in scripture that informs us that blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Let us commemorate the Silver Jubilee by strengthening practical and sustained support for women peacebuilders, we owe it to the past and future generations to champion women's leadership for peace and security. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the permanent representative of Mozambique, followed by the representative of France.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wish to start by commending you and the High Table.

For organizing this important meeting and for your leadership in advancing the women, peace and security agenda.

We pay special tribute to the Republic of Namibia, whose presidency of the Security Council in October 2000, shepherded the adoption of the landmark resolution 1325, which was for us a watershed moment recognizing that a sustainable peace cannot be achieved.

Without the full, equal and meaningful participation of women.

Twenty-five years after resolution 1325, we must confront the fact that women remain largely excluded from peace tables, power.

And decision-making on peace and security, and impunity for atrocities against them persists. Mr. Chair, for clarity, Mozambique would like to recall that women's courage and sacrifice were central to our liberation struggle.

A legacy that still shapes our ongoing nation building, peace consolidation, and development efforts. Mr. Chair, now responding to the concept notes guiding questions, Mozambique believes concrete initiatives can be undertaken by the United Nations regional organization, civil society and member.

States individually and collectively on supporting local women peacebuilders.

Member states and the PBC must enhance financial support for women-led organizations and initiative focused on women peace and security.

This is crucial to empower women to assume leadership role in peace processes.

On overcoming implementation barriers, national government must develop and effectively implement national action plans on women, peace and security with adequate resources, clear timelines and accountability mechanisms. On regional actors role, regional organization including the African Union and SADC possesses proven tools for early warning mediation and protection. On translating local priorities into political strategies, peacebuilding must become bottom up with the lived experiences of women.

Systematically embedded in political dialogues, peacekeeping mandates and PBC.

Advice to Security Council. On lessons from localization, civil society, particularly women-led organizations, plays a decisive role in mobilizing support for the WPS.

Agenda and raising awareness of the importance of women's participation in decision-making and peace processes.

Mr. Chair, to conclude, Mozambique reaffirms its commitment to continue national efforts to reduce gender inequalities, which is an integral part of our development process and a requirement of our nation building. We are committed to higher integration of women.

In decision-making processes and in conflict prevention and resolutions, peacemaking, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction.

We also are geared at the higher integration of women in decision-making.

Processes and in conflict prevention and resolution, peacemaking, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction.

However, national efforts alone are insufficient. The international community must match rhetoric with resources commitments with accountability and participation with genuine power sharing.

The Peacebuilding Commission was created precisely to bridge the gap between commitment and implementation. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that its work translates global pledges into local progresses.

I thank you.

Thank you very much. And I would now like to give the floor to the representative of France, followed by the Russian Federation.

Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you for having organized today's meeting. And I wish to welcome the presence among us of Her Excellency, the Minister for Gender Equality and Well-being of the Children of Namibia. We are marking the 25th anniversary since the country, President's Security Council successfully advanced the resolution 1325, which continues to lead the action of the United Nations. Mr. Chairman, as attacks against women and girls are proliferating, the Peacebuilding Commission needs to position participation of women and protection of their rights at the very heart of conflict prevention efforts and post-conflict recovery. I wish to stress four points. First and foremost, there's a need to ensure respect for women's rights and the relevant jurisdiction. The Peacebuilding Commission needs to contribute to implementation of conventions related to human rights. such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, and Istanbul Convention. It needs to support the efforts undertaken by the ICJ and the ICC to that end. Second, enhancement of women's participation in conjunction in line with the general recommendation number 40 of the CDA committee there's an important need for the committee to work towards enhancing women's representation in decision making bodies and systems and moving towards objective of parity, including in United Nations governance. We also have an obligation to do more in post-conflict context to implement the provisions of peace accords related to women's participation in decision-making. Third, fighting against violence against women in all of their dimensions. The Commission needs to be able to further support national authorities, specifically judicial authorities, in fighting against impunity and delivering assistance to victims. There is also a need for mobilization to address emerging challenges by fighting inter alia violence against women in the digital environment. It is in this vein that we launched a laboratory for women's rights online and with the Netherlands during the previous session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, we introduced a resolution dedicated to that subject. Fourth, supporting civil society organizations on the ground. In conjunction with UN Women and UNFPA, the PBC needs to support civil society organizations and rights defenders who are active on the ground for conflict prevention and to build peaceful societies. In this regard, we support feminist organizations. We are delivering support, including financial support for these organizations. To conclude, as France hosted the fourth conference of feminist diplomacy, the PBC can count on France's full support towards a comprehensive implementation of the WPS agenda. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Now to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Russian Federation consistently pays tremendous attention to the question of women, peace and security, which since 2002 has entered the agenda after the adoption of the relevant resolution 1325. In this quarter century, there's been significant progress made in such key areas as reducing the vulnerability of women in the face of consequences of armed conflict and enhancement of their participation in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. However, despite the measures that have been undertaken, women continue to be one of the most vulnerable population groups amid hostilities and they are insufficiently represented in peace processes. We believe that the most valuable process to peacebuilding is made by women who directly live in regions affected by conflict. But at the same time, the participation of women in peacebuilding needs to be practical in nature while necessarily taking into account the cultural specificities of certain countries or regions. There's a need to avoid ideologically driven key cutter type approaches, fabricated contracts, or the imposition of the interest of donors or other external players. We support the establishment of dialogue between representatives of various generations, including in peacebuilding. This dialogue helps to ensure continuity of tradition, helps to ensure greater understanding of the causes and consequences of events, and at the broader level helps to consolidate society, meaning provide and contribute to conflict prevention resolution. There's a need to help establish dialogue among generations, including among women. We believe that the Commission should play as a role of a unifying platform where various participants in the peacebuilding process, including women, have opportunities to liaise, to exchange experience, recommendations and best practices in order to achieve long-term results. This dialogue absolutely must include representatives of the governing bodies of states in conflict. Russia, as a state which was on the front, has been the front lines for the rights of women irrespective of their age, national affiliation or social status always stands ready to advance their status, including the context of peacebuilding. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Norway, followed by Morocco. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Chair, and thanks for organizing this important meeting and not the least thanks to all the panelists and briefers. in all the segments from all of you, both with respect to your recommendations and very strong support and dedication to and commitment to this agenda. Norway is a long-standing supporter and active promoter of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We adopted our first national action plan back in 2006 and stand together today with 114 other countries with dedicated WPS action plans, following up on policies and implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The WPS agenda is at its core about ending and preventing conflicts. The active inclusion of women across the peace continuum significantly increase the chances of achieving sustainable peace. Likewise, a gender lens strengthens our ability to assess the root causes of conflicts. In short, women's leadership and participation is a prerequisite for long-standing or long-term peace. Chair, despite this, none of the peace agreements or accords reached in 2023 included a women representative as a signatory. And only one in 10 peace talks in 2024 included women negotiators. We have not achieved what we set out to do and ensure that women take the rightful place in peace efforts. The situation is in fact going in the wrong direction. It is time to recommit and to do better. Chair, we as the Peacebuilding Commission have a responsibility to help change and alleviate this problem or challenge. Firstly, the PBS should use its advisory role to the Security Council to better strengthen the WPS agenda. This includes better integrating the recommendations of women peacebuilders and human rights defenders in our advice. Secondly, the PBC should continue providing local women peacebuilders a platform to share the experience with a global audience. The Peacebuilding Fund and the Women, Peace and Humanitarian Fund have through the targeted investments in regions build up impressive global network of local women peacebuilders that can draw upon in this regard. Chair, ensuring that the UN system has a strong dedicated mandate to implement the WPS agenda is a core priority for us in the ongoing UN reform, which we of course fully support. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Morocco, followed by Nepal.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Allow me at the outset to thank the German presidency for organizing this timely and important meeting and also to welcome the presence and participation among us today of her excellency the Minister of Gender and Child Welfare of Namibia. I also recommend, commend all the esteemed panelists and briefers for their comprehensive remarks. So Chair, 25 years ago the international community made a promise that women's voices would no longer be excluded from the rooms where peace is forged. From Morocco's experience and our work at the African continent, we have witnessed how women peacebuilders serve as the essential bridge between fractured communities and sustainable peace. In Morocco, we believe that effective peacebuilding begins at home. In this regard, our national action plan for implementation of resolution 1325 is a living framework that has empowered women's Moroccan women to lead in security sector reform, participate in mediation efforts and shape many national processes. We have invested in women's economic inclusion because we understand that prosperity without women's participation is incomplete. Our commitment extends beyond our borders. As a troop contributing country, Morocco has always included the deployment of women peacekeepers who bring unique perspectives to conflict zones and serve as a powerful role model. In our support to other countries through South-South cooperation, we deliberately include women's leadership in our capacity building programs, recognizing the sustainable peace and lasting peace are inseparable from gender equality. The women peacebuilders we heard from today continue their work with extraordinary courage and resilience. Our shared responsibility is clear. We must match their courage with concrete action. In this regard, Mr. Chair, allow me to propose three ideas for our collective consideration. Now, I'll try to summarize them on the spot. So first, gender equality and women's peacebuilding financing remains critically insufficient. And second, authentic engagement requires women's presence at every decision making table. And this includes guaranteeing their inclusion, participation and safety, valuing their expertise and implementing their recommendation. Third, Genuine national ownership should anchor all investment partnerships and policy decision, ensuring that programs reflect local priorities and capacities, including how WPS agenda would implement locally. Mr. Chair, just to say 25 years, the adoption of 13 agenda, we have no shortage of declarations and recommendations. What is needed is to have a shift from rhetorics to the implementation. So what we need today is not only this, also this shift from rhetoric to reason, but also to bring the women who have been negotiators, who have been negotiators and mediators and first responders for years, but yet they remain under recognized and under resourced. So the credibility of the WPS agenda is to fill this gap. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Nepal, followed by Kyrgyzstan.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I commend you for convening this timely discussion and thank the distinguished briefers and all the speakers. for their valuable insights Mr chair Nepal has always been deeply committed to the WPS agenda we are the first country in South Asia and the second in Asia to adopt a national action plan to implement resolutions 1325 and 1820 our homegrown and nationally led peace process attest

to the primacy of inclusion particularly of women

in peace process and political decision making for sustained peace and conflict management as the top troops and police contributing country and top contributor of female peacekeepers, Nepal upholds the highest standards of conduct in their peacekeeping roles. Our female peacekeepers are adept in engaging with communities, building trust, and protecting civilians. Further, Nepal has pledged to extend the WPS integration through gender responsive leadership training, the deployment of engagement platoon with 50% female representation, and establishment of dedicated women-led formed police unit. Mr. Chair, the leadership of women is vital to prevent conflicts, protect human rights, and build resilient societies. To our dismay, women's leadership in peace process is declining at a time when the number of women victims of conflict, including victims of conflict-related sexual violence, is increasing.

Many women face intersectional discrimination, while accountability mechanisms continue to remain weak.

Mr. Chair, in this context, let me highlight a few points. First, ensuring women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in all stages of peace process and political decision-making is indispensable. From conflict prevention and mediation to post-conflict reconstruction and governance, women contribute valuable perspective, foster trust, and demonstrate a strong dedication to social justice, civic education, and community welfare. Second, we must prioritize gender-responsive conflict prevention approach by integrating gender analysis into early warning systems, peacebuilding efforts, and risk assessment. Gender-responsive training across all ranks and integrating more women into security forces is essential with a strong emphasis on civilian protection and prevention of sexual violence. Third, protecting women from all forms of gender-based violence, including in conflict and post-conflict settings, must be guaranteed. This demands robust accountability and monitoring mechanisms to track progress, ensure implementation, and close the persistent gap between policy and practice. Fourth, we need to scale up financing to implement WPS policies and action plans. Sustained, adequate, and predictable funding is essential to move from rhetoric to results. Institutions and structures must be reinforced to support women's expertise and foster deeper collaboration with women peace actors. Fifth, empowering and investing in women, including through their digital and technological capacity building, is crucial to amplifying their voice and participation in the peace process. Finally, strengthened international solidarity and cooperation is vital to implementing WPS agenda for global peace, security and human rights protection. Women, peace and security should not be treated as peripheral. They are foundational to building inclusive, resilient and sustainable peace. Let us act in this spirit to transform our WPS commitment into tangible results. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Kyrgyzstan, followed by Liberia.

Mr. Chair, ladies and gentlemen, at outset, we would like to appreciate the PBC for convening this timely meeting as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Security Council Resolution 1325 and 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. For Kyrgyzstan, women's leadership in peacebuilding is not an abstract. It is a lived reality. In our mountain communities, women have been mediators, bridge builders, and first responders to the crisis. The National Action Plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325, first adopted in 2013, and now it is a second phase, has strengthened the women's participation in conflict prevention, border dialogue, and community reconciliation. We are proud of the growing network of the women peace mediators in Kyrgyzstan and across the Central Asia who work tirelessly to promote tolerance and rebuild trust. Their experience demonstrate that exclusive peace building must be from the local level, empowering those who understand the roots of conflicts and needs of the communities. Women peace builders often face the limited access to sources, Kyrgyzstan supports the stronger regional and global cooperation, including through platforms such as the UN regional dialogue on WPS to amplify women's voice and ensure their protection and recognition. As we look ahead, Kyrgyzstan calls for renewed political commitment and invest to following guidelines. First, support the women's participation in early warning and mediation structures. second, enhance education and digital access for young women peacebuilders, and the third, integrate the relevant approach to

all peacebuilding strategies.

Mr. Chair, in conclusion, Kyrgyzstan reaffirms its steadfast commitment to advance the WPS agenda as a cornerstone of national policy and our contribution to the global peacebuilding, and I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Liberia, followed by Timor-Leste.

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, Liberia is honored to join this important commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325. the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action. We commend the German Presidency of the Peacebuilding Commission for convening this timely discussion. We also like to thank all of the briefers for their insightful briefings. We like to reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing women's leadership, participation, and protection in all areas of peace and security. Mr. Chair, for Liberia, the Women, Peace, and Security agenda is not an abstract framework. It is a lived experience, one born of struggle, courage, and transformation. From the ashes of civil conflict, Liberian women emerge as the moral compass and unifying force that reclaimed our nation's peace. Women's leadership from grassroots level to national governance and their role in ensuring Liberia's peace process remains a defining chapter in our national recovery and an enduring lesson to the world. As we mark these global milestones, Liberia is proud to highlight its progress in implementing its National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. This plan builds on the gains of our earlier frameworks, reinforcing women's participation in governance, security sector reform, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. Our government, under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph Njohom Boakai, continues to prioritize gender equality as a national security and development imperative. Liberia's recent election, transparent, peaceful, and inclusive, demonstrated women's increasing visibility as voters, candidates, observers, and mediators. This progress, however, remains however, reminds us that peace is never complete until it is fully owned and experienced by women. Mr. Chair, while we celebrate the gains of the WPS agenda, we must confront persistent barriers, gender-based violence, underrepresentation of women in decision-making processes, and limited access to resources, for women peacebuilders. To this end, we are making continuous strides in dealing with these vices by reforming policies and strengthening institutions and broadening frameworks that protect women. Liberia also underscores the importance of education and economic empowerment as tools for peacebuilding. Women who are educated, economically independent, and politically empowered are less likely to be victims of violence and more likely to be agents of peace. To conclude, Mr. Chair, Liberia stands ready to share its experiences and best practices from grassroots peace mobilization to inclusive governance to inform global efforts, the lesson we have learned is simple but profound. When women lead, peace lasts. I thank you.

Thank you very much. Colleagues, I feel it is important that every delegation and every Member State that wishes to intervene today will be able to do so. I do have eight more delegations wanting to speak on the list. So I would like to ask you to, if possible, and ideally keep your statements brief and keep them to two minutes. Thank you very much. Next on the list is the representative of Timor-Leste, followed by the United States.

Mr. Chair, distinguished panelists, excellencies, distinguished delegates. Timor-Leste expresses its sincere gratitude to the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission for convening this Ambassadorial-level meeting on the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325. Timor-Leste underscores its firm commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, recognizing gender equality as essential to sustainable peace. in Timor-Leste's transition from conflict to stability, women have played a key role in building resilience and reconciliation through inclusive peace building. Timor-Leste experience highlights the contribution of women across the peace continuum following decades of occupation and strive independence in 2002 relied on women's mobilization, mediation, and institutional rebuilding. Today, Women occupy 39% of the national parliament seats supported by policies promoting gender parity. The 2024-2028 National Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security integrates this principle into security reform and conflict prevention. Mr. Chair, global challenge as noted in Secretary General's report include rising conflict. Increased violence against women and conflict related sexual violence, in Timor-Leste economic vulnerability, climate change, youth unemployment and past violence disproportionately affect women and girls. On how effective, to effectively support the leadership and participation of local women peace builders, Timor-Leste recommends enhanced support for local women peace builders through flexible funding and protecting from the peace building fund. Organization like the Redefeto Timor-Leste networks address gender-based violence and rural dialogue. Measures such as the inclusion of gender advisors in UN country team can improve coordination and enhance women's participation in national process. On implementations barriers, challenge include patriarchal norms, limited education and resources, and intersectional impact on youth. and climate advocates. In rural areas where 70% of the population lives amid cyclones and drought, indigenous women face heightened risk. Women have been essential leaders in grassroots peacebuilding and conflict prevention in Timor-Leste. For example, UN Women has noted the work of female mediators who have successfully resolved serious conflict at the village level. The regional forums and the financial institutions should prioritize women's network, quotas for women participation and joint funding for civil society organization can strengthen these efforts, integrating women priorities into regional peace structures. Translating local priorities into effective strategies requires multilateral, multi-level integration approach. The more less centralized model empowers village level women in peace committees, as seen in post 2015. 2018 election mediation that averted violence, hybrid models combining UN mechanisms with women's leadership supported by disaggregated data and the peacebuilding commissions gender strategy promote accountability and scalability. In conclusion, the women peace and security agenda requires a renewed commitment to counter the erosion of women's rights amid global crisis. Timor-Leste offers its experience and collaboration with the peacebuilding commission, member states and civil society to foster inclusive peace building. By investing in women as agents of change, we can achieve equitable and sustainable peace for all. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would like to give the floor now to the representative of the United States, followed by Sweden.

Mr. Chair, for convening today's discussion on women, peace and security. The United States notes the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 1325. Colleagues, the United States supports the elimination of sexual violence in conflict globally. All countries must work together to prevent and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of these horrific crimes. Sexual violence affects entire communities. We recognize and honor the courageous survivors of sexual violence around the globe. And for every case reported, countless others go entirely undocumented or addressed. We must end impunity for these heinous acts, including by promoting accountability and calling for countries to designate individuals and groups at the UN for engaging in these acts. We must work together to help build the legal frameworks necessary to address conflict-related sexual violence crimes, including by terrorist organizations such as ISIS.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would like to give the floor now to the representative of Sweden, followed by Panama.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, Excellencies, colleagues.

We should know better. Women's participation is a blueprint and an investment for peace, yet women are sidelined, silenced, and excluded from power. We know that. Women's empowerment is an engine for democracy, for growth and resilience, yet violence against women and their bodies remains an unchecked tactic of war. Women's rights are under attack, eroded by conflict, ignored by institutions, and betrayed by silence. These are not new truths. They are longstanding realities we have failed to act upon. Colleagues, we all bear responsibility, but as members of the Peacebuilding Commission,

we carry a particular responsibility to lead with courage.

Let me highlight three key points. First, Liberia has shown that the PBC can be a catalyst for real change. when governments and civil society work together, when political will is present, and when we all contribute with our mandates and resources. Sweden has chaired the Liberia configuration since 2012. Liberia's government and civil society have successfully demonstrated how centering on women, peace and security, and the youth peace and security agendas can drive inclusive peace building outcomes. We welcome the Peacebuilding Support Office Impact Hub's upcoming deep dive into this success. Second, the PBAR presents a critical opportunity to galvanize support for the Women, Peace and Security agenda implementation at country level. In last year's Pact for the Future, we all committed to accelerate these efforts. As discussions around national prevention strategies evolve, the PBC and the Peacebuilding Fund must play a proactive role in embedding

WPS across these strategies.

And thirdly, as we navigate reforms and budget adjustments under the UNAD initiative, we must ensure that WPS remains a core pillar of a UN fit for purpose. We underscore the indispensable role of UN gender advisors and women's protection advisors in the field. Distinguished colleagues, from Kisasa to Kiev, from communities to conference tables, women's leadership transforms outcomes. The PBC must be women's close ally and support others to become allies too. We must push back against the pushback. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Panama, followed by the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Chair.

Minister Excellences, 25 years ago it was recognized for the first time that sustainable peace cannot exist without the leadership, participation, and protection of women. Security Council Resolution 1325 was a historic step forward, the result of decades of struggle by women's movements around the world. from Latin America and the Caribbean, we have promoted this agenda with conviction in pursuit of genuine gender equality that translates into real and equitable political, economic and social opportunities for each and every woman. Women peacebuilders and defenders of human rights and the environment lead and light our way. They are the ones who sustain entire communities. act as caregivers, document abuses and demand justice. However, their visibility makes them the target of attacks. This is why we call on all Member States to guarantee their safe and permanent participation in all local, national and international platforms. We must not forget that for peacebuilding to be fully effective, it must be integrally connected to women's ancestral wisdom and our connection with nature. In this regard, it is necessary to integrate indigenous and rural women into decision-making. Their role and the trust that communities place in them are crucial for post-conflict reconstruction and community reconciliation. Their leadership is also essential for adapting to climate change and sustaining peace over time. Their full participation in all decision-making spaces is non-negotiable. Colleagues, let us invest more in local peacebuilding organisations, hand in hand with development banks. Let us also strengthen and expand South-South and triangular cooperation, as well as South-North cooperation to continue exchanging best practices. We have already seen the impact of investing in women peacebuilders. Success stories such as those in Liberia, Gambia and Finland have shown us the transformative effects of prioritising inclusivity and trust building in public policy. It is our shared responsibility to achieve gender equality. You can count on us on the road towards this goal. We will continue to fight even in the face of so much uncertainty, extremism and discriminatory narratives that seek to distract us from the sustainable development goals. May this space serve to remind us of our principles and to continue moving forward this goal of gender equality, which we will achieve together with a commitment to the common good. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom, followed by Kenya.

Thank you, Chair. And I thank our esteemed briefers, including the three inspiring women peacebuilders we have heard from today. 25 years on from the adoption of resolution 1325, progress has been made, but it is under threat. Women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by conflict and for the most part excluded from peace processes and decision making. The United Kingdom remains steadfast in our commitment to the WPS agenda. We know that real, effective and sustainable progress needs collective action. Chair, the United Kingdom therefore highlights the following three calls to action. First, we affirm that women peacebuilders play a crucial role in realizing a stronger and safer world, and we call on all member states to cooperate to support that role. We should work together to find practical ways to support women's full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in peace and security at all levels. Women's participation is not a nice to have, it is critical to sustainable peace. These must not be empty words. Advocacy must be backed by effective action. Second, we celebrate the courageous women who have dedicated their lives to peace and security, emphasize that their safety is paramount and call on all member states to make that central to their support for women peacebuilders. We condemn threats and reprisals against women who engage in fighting for this agenda, and we will continue to work with UN Women to help prevent and mitigate such reprisals. Finally, we commit to keep supporting, listening to, and championing local women peacebuilders and their work on the ground. And we call on all member states to ensure that the voices of women and girls are central in shaping the next 25 years of implementation of the WPS agenda. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Kenya, followed by Cambodia.

Thank you, Chair.

Mr. Chair, I acknowledge and appreciate all the briefers today for their valuable and eye-opening insights. 25 years ago, the Security Council Resolution 1325 transformed the global peace and security landscape, affirming a truth.

That remains urgent today as it was then.

That peace is unsustainable without women's full, equal and meaningful participation. As we commemorate this milestone alongside the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 20th anniversary of the UN peacebuilding architecture, we do so with both pride and concern. Pride because women have become indispensable leaders across the peace continuum, mediating conflicts, rebuilding communities and anchoring social cohesion. And the concern because the hard-won progress of of a generation now stands on fragile grounds. Indeed, the 2023 statistics indicate the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts and the verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence, as well as grave violations against women, increasing are signals of the world sliding backwards. Chair, Across Africa, women continue to demonstrate that they are not merely participants in peacebuilding. They are its architects and prove that when women lead, peace endures. In the Great Lakes, for example, the regional women's forum under the International Conference of Great Lakes has championed accountability and protection against gender-based violence. In Somalia, women mediators have brokered local ceasefires and clan reconciliations where formal efforts cannot reach. and in South Sudan, women coalitions have bridged ethnic divides and strengthened local governance. In Kenya, initiatives like the We Are No Platform for Peace and Koya Women's Initiatives have prevented electoral violence and built community-based early warning systems. Chair, to protect these gains and advance the WPS agenda, my delegation proposes three interlinked priorities. accountability, localization and adaptability. With regard to accountability, our global framework for the Beijing Platform for Action to Resolution 1325 have established a strong foundation that requires mechanisms to ensure measurable delivery. The PBC, through its bridging and convening role, can facilitate the integration of gender benchmarks into all peacebuilding compacts, strengthen national reporting systems and promote predictable transparent financing for women-led initiatives. With regard to localization, the proximity of local women peacebuilders makes them indispensable to prevention, reconciliation, and recovery. As such, they ought to be viewed as strategic partners, not symbolic participants. In the Horn of Africa, for example, cross-border women's peace caravans linking Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan have built trust among communities divided by political and climate related pressures. Localization must therefore mean not only listening to women's voices, but ensuring their insights shape policy programming and investment decisions. Lastly, in terms of adaptability, The landscape of peace and security is changing, shaped by climate shocks, resource pressures, and digital misinformation. So women are already leading in this adaptation. For example, in the Karamoja clusters spanning Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, women mediators have woven climate resilience into peace dialogues, preventing violence before it begins. The women, peace and security agenda must evolve in the same spirit, empowering women climate advocates, indigenous leaders, young peace builders to confront these emerging interconnected threats. chair the role of women in peace and security cannot be overstated the involvement in peace processes generally leads to a longer lasting peace faster recovery of communities and stronger societies so as the world marks the WPS agenda Kenya calls for a turning point of renewal of political will to embed women's priorities into peace building policy protection for civil space and women's networks and financing for women-led peace building as a investment, not a charitable cause. I thank you.

Thank you very much. At this point, I would like to extend my gratitude to the translators. We have reached 1:00, which would normally be the end of our meeting. We have been granted a small extension, which will give us the possibility to hear the last two country interventions from Cambodia and Zimbabwe. hear a brief intervention from PBSO and give the Minister the possibility to react to today's meeting. So thank you for the translation that we are enjoying today. I would now like to give the floor to the representative of Cambodia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor and my appreciation to the previous speaker for insightful remarks. Mr. Chair, it's my great honor to deliver this statement on behalf of Cambodia permanent representative We wish to join the previous delegates to commend the Chair for convening this commemorative meeting, reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing the WPS agenda at a time when the world faces heightened conflicts, inequality, and insecurity. We also pay tribute to women peacebuilders across the globe who, despite growing risks and shrinking civic space, continue to serve as pillars of reconciliation, development, and sustainable peace. Mr. Chair, marking the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 and the 30th anniversary of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, remind us that women leadership and participation are indispensable for sustaining peace. Cambodia's own journey from conflict to peace stands as living proof of this truth through three levels. At the national level, guided by the Women's Policy of Sihanoukville, Cambodia achieved national reconciliation, stability, and development, conditions that have empowered women to fully contribute to peacebuilding and nationbuilding. Today, we continue to advance women empowerment through inclusive policy and participation at all levels of government. At the regional level, Cambodia supports and localizes the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on WPS, promoting women's role in preventing conflict, responding to crises, and fostering resilience. Our women rank second in ASEAN in peacekeeping participation. today. At global level, since 2006, more than 10,000 Cambodian peacekeepers, including over 800 women, have been deployed in UN missions worldwide. Cambodia women currently rank 13th globally in peacekeeping participation, a testament to our commitment to gender-responsive peace operations. Mr. Chair, to further advance the WPS agenda, Cambodia wishes to share three reflections. First, empower local and regional women peacebuilder. Investing in women network is essential to strengthen grassroots leadership and foster cross-border collaboration. Leadership training for women in fragile contexts and recognition of the informal mediation role are equally vital. Second, ensure inclusive and equitable participation. Women exclusion from formal peace processes undermines the legitimacy and sustainability of peace process. There is a need to create decision-making platform and mentorship opportunity that empower women to call it and contribute to doable peace strategies. Last, protect and sustain women leadership, promoting women political representation at all level, institutionalizing consultation with grassroots women group and safeguarding women peacebuilder from reprisal in all form are key to sustaining their participation and safety. In closing, Cambodia reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the WUPA agenda and stand ready to empower women peacebuilder and to contribute to a more peaceful, inclusive and resilient world. I thank you.

Thank you very much. And I would now like to give the floor to representative of Zimbabwe.

Thank you, Chair. This year's commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security marks a significant milestone in the collective journey towards gender equality and inclusive peace building. The adoption of the resolution under the presidency of Namibia in 2000 was a transformative moment that recognized for the first time the critical role of women in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction. As we reflect on the progress achieved, we must also confront the persistent gaps that hinder the full realization of this agenda. According to the UN Women and UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in 2024, women constituted only 19% of negotiators and mediators in formal peace processes. It was also found when women meaningfully participate as mediators, negotiators, or signatories, peace agreements are 35% more to likely endure for more than 15 years. Although we stand closer than ever to realizing the promise of resolution 1325, these figures remind us that the road ahead remains long. However, through unity, persistence, and shared purpose, we can transform aspiration into reality. Mr. Chair, my delegation remains steadfast in advancing the women, peace, and security agenda as an essential component for sustainable peace and national development. In May 2024, Zimbabwe launched its first generation national action plan on women, peace and security, aligning domestic implementation with UNSCR 1325 and its successor resolutions. On its part, Zimbabwe upholds a strong record on gender parity with over 68% of its peacekeeping officers being women. This achievement is not accidental. It stems from a deliberate political commitment and is anchored in national policies that prioritize inclusive governance, gender equity, and constitutional protections for women and girls. These national actions can only be realized when complemented by engagement with regional and global frameworks. Zimbabwe continues to work with the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to integrate gender into peace and security policies. At the global level, my delegation remains committed to the full implementation of the women peace and security agenda through the United Nations system. Women's participation in peace and security decision-making is not a matter of benevolence, it's a matter of effectiveness. As we commemorate this anniversary, Zimbabwe calls for renewed political will from all Member States to translate commitments into tangible action. We must protect gains made over the past quarter century and ensure that women and girls are not only safeguarded in times of conflict, but are also empowered as architects of peace. Let this anniversary not be a celebration of promises past, but a recommitment to a future where the full power of women shapes the peace and security landscape of our world. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much. Having no further speakers from the delegations on the list, I would now invite Ms. Ava Dabo, Director and Deputy Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office to deliver brief remarks.

Thank you, sir. excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, good afternoon. It is an honor to join you today to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, which is a landmark framework that continues to shape our collective efforts towards inclusive and sustainable peace. Over the years, our work at the Peacebuilding Support Office has reaffirmed a fundamental truth, that women's effective participation before, during, and after conflict improves peacebuilding outcomes. Across the peace continuum, women-led organizations and women peacebuilders have consistently demonstrated leadership from conflict prevention to post-conflict recovery. They address root causes such as inequality, marginalization, poverty, and climate-related risks. They are also central to advancing social cohesion, facilitating dialogue, reconciliation, and healing at local, national, and subnational levels. So for PBSO, the WPS agenda is not a side note, it is indeed central to our mission. We understand that local women peacebuilders are often the first responders in crisis and the brick builders in divided societies. And that is why through the Peacebuilding Fund, PBSO prioritizes gender equality and women's leadership, including through initiatives that co-create projects with women's organizations and ensure their voices shape national priorities. UNPSC's direct engagement with women peacebuilders, whether through the support to the Peacebuilding Commission, the UNCSO Peacebuilding Dialogue, or support to the Peacebuilding Architecture Review, has made one thing clear. Local women peacebuilders face chronic underfunding, limited access to decision-making spaces, and often little or no protection or flexible funding to support their important work. These barriers must be addressed if we are to realize the full promise of the WPS agenda. The PBC with support of PBSO remains a vital platform for building political, technical and financial support for inclusive peacebuilding. Importantly, the PBC's gender strategy adopted in 2016 made it the first intergovernmental body to institutionalize gender equality across its work. PBSO continues to actively support the Commission in implementing this strategy, ensuring that gender considerations are not only integrated but that they are prioritized in its engagement and recommendations. As we mark this 25th anniversary, let us commit to sharing lessons learned and scaling impact. PBSO remains firmly committed to supporting the Peacebuilding Commission's efforts to advance gender-responsive peacebuilding today and in the years to come. Together, let us continue to champion the transformative power of women's leadership in lasting peacebuilding. Thank you.

Gustavo, thank you very much for your remarks. And Minister, I would like to give you a mandatory act to what you heard today before we then conclude.

Thank you very much, Chairperson, and thank you very much to the countries intervention. In brief and in closing, we draw inspiration from the commitment that we have had today from member states. And our takeaway is as we look forward to the next 25 years of advancing WPS, it's for us to translate plan into action. Predictable finance was also an element that came out very key, very important to us ensuring women inclusivity. And also the issue of ensuring that women are actors and women are included in us to ensure we advance the WPS agenda. The commitment from the countries is inspiring and we look forward to continue championing this agenda. especially the UN resolution 1325 is the chief of that initiative. Thank you for the opportunity once again.

Minister, thank you very much. And at this point, I would like to express my gratitude not only to you, but to all our speakers, especially the women peace builders who have shared their powerful insights. and for the work they do. I think the deliberations enforce a clear message, women are not just participants in peacebuilding, they're indispensable leaders of it. And for the peacebuilding chair, let me say the peacebuilding commission will remain firmly committed to advancing the women peace and security agenda, committed to amplifying women's voices, supporting their leadership, and ensuring that local women peacebuilders are recognized as equal partners in shaping peace processes. So let us continue to work hand in hand with civil society, UN partners, regional networks, and other organizations. And let us work for empowering women and girls as agents of peace, because these are decisive steps toward ensuring inclusive, sustainable, and lasting peace processes. And we should heed the call for action, implementation, and for courage that we've heard here throughout the room today. Thank you very much. The meeting is adjourned.