Women and peace and security in the next quarter-century: fulfilling the promise through implementation - Security Council, 10254th meeting
Security Council
Date: 27 October 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/sc/10254
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [16:13]:

The 10254th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. I would like to warmly welcome the distinguished high-level representatives present in the Security Council chamber. Your presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. The provisional agenda for this meeting is: Women, and Peace and Security, Women and Peace and Security in the Next Quarter Century: Fulfilling the Promise through Implementation. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the representatives of Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Jerusalem, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Sima Sami Mahus, Executive Director, United Nations Women; and Ms. Tamana Zaryad Pariani, human rights activist. It is so decided. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I also invite the following to participate in this meeting: His Excellency Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations. His Excellency Mr. Osama Mahmoud Abdelghalek Mahmoud, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations. Her Excellency Ms. Liberata Mulamula, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. Ms. Elise Nicole Moschini, Permanent Observer and Head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross to the United Nations. and Mr. David Balsa Gutierrez, Special Envoy of the Presidency of the Central American Court of Justice to the United Nations. It is so decided. I propose that the Council invite the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the meeting in accordance with the Provisional Rules of Procedure and the previous practice in this regard. There being no objection, it is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its considerations of item 2 of the agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2026/758, the report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security, and document S/2026/789, a letter dated 1 October 2026 from the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept paper on the item under consideration. I warmly welcome the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, and give him the floor.


UN · SG [20:30]:

Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The story of so many crises confronting our world is fundamentally a story of power: who holds it and who is denied it. And nowhere is the power imbalance more glaring than the most ancient and universal form of inequality: between women and men. That is the issue that brings us here today, and it is an issue that this Council resolved to address. Twenty-six years ago, at the urging of women who refused to take no for an answer, Security Council Resolution 1325 gave voice to a simple truth: women’s leadership is not just a matter of rights; it is central to building just and lasting peace. Over the past quarter century, the Women, Peace and Security agenda has made some progress, and I will speak to that. But let's face facts: too often it has resulted in a lot of talk and not enough action. Despite the conferences, meetings, reports and resolutions over the last few decades, the plague of gender inequality persists. And it persists when women are absent from negotiating tables. It persists when women peacebuilders are underfunded or not funded at all. And for women and girls caught within the hell of conflict, gender inequality reveals itself in horrific acts of violence, including sexual violence. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, In the decades since Resolution 1325 was adopted, we have made some positive strides to fulfil its vision. From the over 110 countries that have adopted national action plans on women, peace and security, to the increase in women involved in, and often leading, local mediation and other peace processes, to gender provisions in peace processes and agreements, to the vital role women’s organizations are playing in helping communities heal after the fighting stops. From the earliest days of my mandate as Secretary-General, I went to the UN to become a model for change. And so we took action: Setting a minimum target of at least one-third for women’s participation in the peace processes we lead. Achieving gender parity across all senior leadership, all headquarters, and all professional staff for the first time in history. Establishing minimum financing levels for women’s organizations on the frontlines of crisis. and working with humanitarian partners to ensure women are included in decision-making structures and channeling more funds to women-led organizations; calling for zero tolerance for reprisals against women human rights defenders in conflict settings; doubling the number of women serving in uniform as UN peacekeepers; and supporting grassroots women-led organizations including, for instance, in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the same time, the rising tide of conflicts all around us threatens these gains. As this Council knows, we now face the highest number of conflicts since World War II, from Gaza to Ukraine, the Sahel, Sudan, Myanmar, and elsewhere. My annual report on women, peace and security highlights a sharp rise in the number of women and girls living within 50 kilometres of armed conflict. Women and girls continue to face violence, exclusion, discrimination and abuse. The number of UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence has sharply increased, reaching over 9,700 last year, with the actual number certain to be much higher. We are seeing the increased use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, including in Myanmar, Sudan, and the occupied Palestinian territory, with rising casualties among women and girls. Maternal mortality is rising in crisis zones. Girls are denied the education they need and to which they have a fundamental right. Women leaders, politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders are sidelined and targeted. Women and girls are seeing further crackdowns on their rights, facing severe restrictions in Afghanistan, Mali, Yemen, and Somalia. And outrageous restrictions continue to be imposed by parties to conflict on female personnel of UN and partner organizations, unable to carry out their work simply because they are women. At every step, funding reductions are making matters worse. While global military expenditure skyrocketed to almost 2.9 trillion US dollars last year, foreign aid continues to plummet. This political and financial retreat has real-life consequences: from the closure of clinics and safe spaces for women and girls; to reductions in UN peacekeeping and political missions, including gender and women protection advisors; to the loss of vital humanitarian support for women and girls; to lifesaving women’s organizations being forced to cease operations due to lack of resources. Mr. President, women’s participation is not symbolic. Peace processes are more likely to endure when women participate meaningfully in advancing them. Stability is more achievable when women have equal opportunity to shape the future of their communities. And societies are stronger and more resilient when women and girls can live free from fear and violence. At this fragile moment in our quest to achieve the vision of resolution 1325, I see three areas requiring urgent action. First, we need to deliver on the resolution promise: women at every peacemaking table, and their needs reflected in every peace agreement. Women represented just 5% of negotiators across 57 peace processes last year. And less than one-fifth of global peace agreements last year included at least one reference to women, girls, gender, or sexual violence. Twenty-six years after Resolution 1325, this implementation gap is unacceptable. Durable peace must reflect the leadership, aspirations, and contributions of all people. including of women and girls. This includes through the use of concrete measures, such as binding targets and quotas, as outlined by our Common Pledge for Women's Full, Equal and Meaningful Participation in Peace Processes. Since its launch two years ago, over 40 entities have adopted it, including Member States, international and regional organizations, and others. I call on adopters of the pledge to deliver on its commitments. And all peace processes, dialogue, ceasefires, and peace agreements must reflect the diverse needs of women and girls without exception. Second, we need to scale up funding. The need is especially urgent for women’s organizations in conflict-affected areas and those working to address forced displacement, where women and girls are especially vulnerable. I call on all countries to live up to their official development assistance commitments and urgently restore funding to organizations that support women and girls in conflict settings.

President, third, it is time to enforce zero tolerance for violence against women and girls, from victims of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, To those women who are on the front lines of peace as peace builders, community organizers, human rights defenders, and humanitarian workers, I call for full accountability for those responsible for any acts of violence against women and girls. The UN will continue to do its part, including by securing commitments to cease such acts, documenting violations, and advocating for justice. And I renew my call for the lifting of all restrictions on women humanitarian workers and their full protection as they carry out their life-saving work. Of course, these three priorities are not the only areas where action is urgently needed. States must also work harder to strengthen accountability for gender-based violence. Anchor commitments on women, peace and security in domestic laws and policies, and ensure women's economic security. Step up support to women's organizations in conflict settings, and close information gaps through a gender data revolution. President, equality is not a dream, it is a decision. At the United Nations, it is a decision we made, and we are a strong organization for it. The world must make the same decision when it comes to including women at the peacemaking table and across all political processes, budgets, and policies. When it comes to standing up for the rights and the bodily autonomy of women and girls in all situations, including in conflict. and when it comes to building the peace and security that our world needs. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [30:34]:

I thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his briefing. Thank you so much. It's an exceptional honor. Dear sir, I now give the floor to Ms. Sima Sami Bahous.


UN Women · Executive Director [30:48]:

Mr. President, Excellencies, I thank His Excellency Georgios Yerapetritis Foreign Minister of Greece for convening us, and the Greek Presidency for hosting this open debate. It is my honor today to present the Secretary General's annual report on women, peace, and security. But before doing so, I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Secretary-General for his leadership over the past decade in advancing gender equality and women's rights, and for ensuring that the United Nations stands firmly with women and girls. He has truly been our feminist-in-chief, urging us to be bolder in our ambitions, more determined in our efforts, and more courageous in challenging the status quo. Mr. President, the Secretary-General's report tells us clearly: women's leadership for peace is being constrained at the very moment it is needed most. As military spending rises and aid declines, the need to invest in peace has never been more urgent. Last year, I shared my alarm that women made-up only 7% of negotiators at global peace tables. In 2025, that figure fell to 5% across 57 negotiating processes reviewed. In the three processes led or called by the United Nations, however, women's participation reached 22%, still below the minimum of one-third target, but a clear demonstration of the difference the United Nations can make. Excellencies, after 26 years of commitments to 1325, it is indefensible that nearly 80% of active negotiations last year took place without a single woman at the table. This exclusion is not accidental. It reflects persistent institutional barriers, unequal power relations, and deeply entrenched gender norms that continue to deny women their rightful place in shaping peace. Women's participation is far more than a matter of symbolic representation. Their exclusion has real consequences for what peace agreements address and whom they protect. These consequences extend far beyond women and girls themselves. As conflicts multiply, comprehensive peace agreements are becoming increasingly rare. From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Gaza, Iran, and across the Middle East, and also in Myanmar, the Sahel, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ukraine, and beyond. Women remain largely absent from efforts to end the conflicts that shape their lives. Even when ceasefires are reached, they remain too few, too fragile, and too often fail to end the violence and suffering or address the security of women and girls. None, not one, of the 13 ceasefire agreements reached in 2025 included substantive references to women and girls. Not one prohibited sexual violence, even as UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence doubled in just one year. These omissions come at a terrible human cost. Mr. President, today, a record 756 million women and girls live within 50 kilometers of armed conflict. As warfare evolves, AI-enabled military technologies are introducing new risks to civilian protection and accountability, compounding the dangers already faced by women and girls. In several settings, women and girls account for a growing share of civilians killed, including in attacks on the very places at the heart of their daily lives: hospitals, schools, markets, and homes. This damage extends far beyond the battlefield. In conflict-affected settings, women are five times as likely to die from preventable maternal causes, and girls are two and a half times as likely to be out of school compared to those living in stable situations. Almost 40% of all women and girls living in extreme poverty live in areas affected by conflict. When conflict disrupts services and forces families from their homes, women and girls bear the heaviest burden. They care for children, the injured, the elderly, while facing heightened risks of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking, all while carrying the grief of loved ones, the heartbreak of homes destroyed, and the trauma of lives torn apart. In Afghanistan, this is even more stark, as women and girls continue to be systematically erased from public life and denied a voice in their country's future. Excellencies, the choices we make about where we invest our resources reveal what we value. Our survey of women's organizations in crisis-affected settings found that 61% are in a worse financial situation today than a year ago. 45% have less than six months of funding available. These are the very organizations we depend on to protect rights, sustain communities, and build peace. That so many women-led organizations are struggling to survive is not simply a consequence of war. It is a consequence of how we choose to define security and where we choose to invest in it. Defense can deter threats, but defense can never guarantee peace. Security is built long before the first drone takes flight or the first blow lands. Prevention begins with communities that trust one another and believe in justice. It is girls walking safely to school. Families returning to their homes after conflict, disputes resolved before they become war. Every day, in communities torn apart by conflict, women are doing this work and continue to lead it. They negotiate safe passage for civilians and humanitarian access for food, water, and medicine. They mediate local disputes before they escalate. They document human rights violations and seek accountability. They support survivors of sexual violence and help restore dignity and justice. They are serving as police officers and peacekeepers, protecting civilians, calming tensions, and rebuilding trust between communities and those entrusted with their security. Across many of the conflicts around the world, women are identifying the first warning signs of unrest, preserving space for dialogue even when parties to a conflict refuse to sit together, helping to prevent the radicalization and recruitment of children and young people into armed groups. They do this. whether or not the international community is present, and whether or not their work is recognized and funded. Our failure to support them is not only unjust, it is self-defeating, short-sighted, and costly. Mr. President, last year alone, The Women, Peace and Humanitarian Fund supported 15,000 women peacebuilders who helped address nearly 1 million local disputes. From Colombia to Burundi, they have helped resolve conflicts over scarce resources, displacement, land, inheritance, and property. These efforts are also increasingly reflected in national commitments. There are now 118 countries that have adopted national action plans on women, peace, and security. These plans translate into national policy a powerful idea that emerged from the women's movement, one which this council, in its wisdom, transformed into a global norm through UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and its subsequent resolutions. Yet, these plans remain underfunded and sidelined when decisions are made about security, conflict prevention, reconstruction, or foreign policy. Mr. President, Excellencies, to conclude, I join the Secretary-General in calling for action on three core priorities he has brought before this Council year after year, and even today. First, ensure that any peace process supported by Member States meets the minimum one-third target for women's participation. I urge all signatories to the Secretary-General's common pledge to meet this minimum and to aspire to parity. Second, earmark at least 15% of official development assistance to conflict-affected countries, specifically to advancing gender equality, including at least 1% for women's organizations. I applaud all donors who are already doing this, and I call on all those who have not yet done so to follow their example. Third, end impunity for crimes against women and girls. Sanction and hold accountable those responsible for the killing, rape, sexual and gender-based violence, and gender persecution against women and girls. Protect women peacebuilders, human rights defenders, and humanitarian workers from attacks and reprisals. uphold international law, and apply this Council’s Women, Peace and Security framework consistently. Mr. President, Excellencies, we know what must be done. The question now is whether we have the courage to share power, the resolve to invest in women’s leadership, and the political will to turn our commitments into action. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [41:50]:

I thank Ms. Bahous for her briefing, and I now give the floor to Ms. Tamanna Zaryab Pariyani.


Human rights activist [42:05]:

In the name of humanity, freedom, justice, and equality. Good afternoon, and thank you for having me. My name is Tamanna Zaryab Pariyani. Some of you may recognize me. I am the woman in the video from 2022, the one trembling with fear, crying for help from inside a bedroom while Taliban forces surrounded her home in the middle of the night. I am the woman who thought she might not survive that night. I was with my three sisters when Taliban forces stormed into our home. They came to silence me, for my activism for human rights, as this have silenced others. But that night, from my small apartment in Kabul, despite my fear, I chose to document their crimes. That video helped save my life. Had I not had access to the internet, had I not held my phone in my hand, I might not be here today. Others have not been as lucky. I was imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban. When I was detained, we could hear the scream of prisoners silenced by gunfire. We saw the bodies of dead prisoners left to decay. These memories will never leave me. They show what the Taliban is willing to do to those who defy them. My struggle against violence And inequality has come at great cost. My family has suffered. My friends have suffered. I have suffered. Yet, I continue to speak out because remaining silent is not an option. Especially for women in Afghanistan, speaking out is not easy. It means challenging systems designed to silence you. It means risking your freedom, your safety, and sometimes your life. Today marks five years and 73 days since women in Afghanistan have lived under a system of gender apartheid. I experienced it personally, including during my imprisonment. Millions of other women and girls in Afghanistan continue to experience it every single day. Afghanistan is the only country on the planet where girls are systematically denied education and where women are excluded from nearly every aspect of public life. Women are banned from universities and most jobs. They cannot move freely and are banned from parks, gyms, and countless public spaces. They are denied the basic freedoms that many people around the world take for granted. We have never stopped resisting the Taliban. We organised months of street protests under the campaign to stop gender apartheid in Afghanistan. In 2023, we went on hunger strike in Germany, demanding that the world recognise the Taliban's gender apartheid as an international crime. We were joined by activists around the globe And yet, neither the urgency of this crisis nor our activism has moved you. The international community has failed us. We hear statements, we hear expressions of concern, but the women of Afghanistan need action, not words. Every day that passes, another generation of women and girls loses opportunities, dreams, and futures. This is not only Afghanistan's crisis. Violations do not stop at borders. They spread when they are tolerated. They grow when they are ignored. That is why what is happening in Afghanistan should concern every nation represented here today. If you are a parent, Stand up for the future of your daughters. If you are a brother, stand firm beside your sisters. And if none of these rules define you, then stand up for our common humanity, because none of us can claim ignorance. None of us can say we did not know. During my imprisonment, I witnessed the true face of misogyny. I saw what happens when violence and discrimination are allowed to become a system of power. And I know this: if the world fails to act in Afghanistan, others will learn they too can get away with such crimes. Today, as we reflect on the state of women's rights globally, the situation I have described in Afghanistan tells the story of what happens when every principle that the women, peace and security agenda I stand for is ignored. The women are forced out of public life when their rights are routinely violated and when there are no mechanisms to hold violators accountable. We see other examples in the occupied Palestinian territory, Sudan, Myanmar, and too many others, where women pay the price for wars they did not start, and decisions in which they had no voice. Today, I have three messages to the Security Council that can both impact the lives of women in Afghanistan and move gender equality forward globally. First, center gender justice and women's rights throughout this Council's work, including on Afghanistan. The targeting of women and marginalized groups should be treated as a warning to international peace and security. Do not normalize these violations or actors like the Taliban who commit them. An alarming number of countries have handed over embassies to the Taliban or given them diplomatic recognition. Others are seeking the Taliban's help deporting people to Afghanistan. So it bears repeating, women's rights must be the number one of priority in any engagement with Taliban. When that does not happen, you are failing us and you are failing all women everywhere. And second, hold violators of women's rights like the Taliban accountable. Codify gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. Support the case at the International Court of Justice for violations of CEDAW. Support efforts to arrest Taliban leaders for gender persecution. This action could help prevent this type of systematic oppression of women from happening elsewhere. And third, demand women's participation in all decisions about their own future. Over the years, This Council has heard powerful statements from many women leaders from Afghanistan. Yet too often, they have chosen to listen to the man with a gun rather than the women who are fighting for the rights of their communities. If we truly hope to end the cycle of conflict, women's full participation in peacemaking and accountability efforts in humanitarian delivery holds the key to a just and equal Afghanistan. To those of you who believe you have no power to change the situation of women in Afghanistan, I ask you to remember my story. The Taliban have shot at me and my fellow protesters. We have been whipped, gassed, and beaten. and we have picked ourselves up and come back the next day to protest the Taliban's cruel policies. That is because we know that rights are won through struggle. We know that we are the resistance to repression. Freedom is never guaranteed. It is won, and we will not stop until we win justice and equality for all. women. Thank you.


Greece · Minister of Foreign Affairs; President of the Security Council [51:27]:

I thank Ms. Pariani for her powerful statement and for sharing with us her personal experience. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece. Excellencies, first of all, I would like to thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, for his remarks. as well as for his tireless leadership and dedication to international peace and security over the past decade. We are all very grateful. Allow me to express my country's deep appreciation for your service and for your steadfast support of international law and the values and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. I also wish to thank the Executive Director of UN Women, Her Excellency Sima Bahous, For her statement, Greece reiterates its unwavering support for her mandate and expresses its profound gratitude for her dedicated work on the empowerment of women. Finally, I thank civil society brifer, Ms. Tamana Zaria Baryani, for your very strong and powerful message to all of us. This is a very high responsibility that you convey to us today. Excellencies, It is an exceptional honor for me to preside today at the Security Council on the open debate on women, peace, and security. I devoted a significant part of my 25-year academic career researching and publishing on equality and non-discrimination policies around the world. And I consider that Such policies constitute imperative of ecumenical international rights, but not only this. It is also, and most importantly, that societies cannot survive and thrive without the effective protection and meaningful participation of women in all layers of human interaction. The legacy of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women and Peace and Security is today more relevant than ever. As the toll of conflict on women continues to mount, as respect for their human rights erodes in many parts of the world, and as emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, pose new risks to their participation in public and political life, we must redouble our efforts to make the implementation of the WPS agenda a reality for all women and girls. In light of the above, I would like to make the following points. At the outset, the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls must remain a top priority. There can be no real gender equality while millions of women continue to suffer violations and abuses of their basic human rights, including sexual and gender-based violence. We strongly condemn all such acts and call for accountability for perpetrators. At the level of the Security Council, the role of the UN Sanctions Committee is crucial in ensuring that sexual and gender-based violence is included as a standalone designation criteria across all sanction regimes. At the same time, it is imperative that victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence have safe and unhindered access to sexual and reproductive health care and psychosocial support. Such assistance must follow a survivor-centered approach, respecting survivors' rights, dignity, safety, and confidentiality. Equally important, women do not only bear the brunt of armed conflict, but they're also invaluable agents of peace. Peace processes yield higher implementation rates and are more sustainable when women are actively engaged due to the unique insights that they bring. We therefore call for their full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in peacebuilding and reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for women to constitute at least one-third of participants in mediation and peace processes. To make this participation effective, And inclusive, we must advocate for adequate, predictable, and sustained funding for women peacebuilders and civil society organizations. Equally important is the participation of women in substantive politics and in decision-making positions at all levels. The participation must be substantial rather than driven solely by compliance with formal quotas. Moreover, attempts to intimidate or discredit women politicians and public figures, both offline and online, including through social media platforms, cannot be tolerated. The protection of women leaders and activists from physical and online harassment, threats, and reprisals remains our collective responsibility. Turning to our domestic efforts, Briefly, Greece, as a WPS champion, remains firmly committed to implementation its National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, while mainstreaming gender equality into the annual action plans of all ministries. Within this context, we pursue a holistic approach that integrates the gender dimension into policies horizontally and budgets at the central governmental level. This contributes not only to a fairer distribution of resources, but also to the development of policies that address the barriers faced by women across all areas of public and political life. Beyond the national level, Greece recognizes the importance of translating these commitments into practical action on the ground. This includes linking high-level mediation efforts with the perspectives and experiences of local communities. We therefore advocate for the greater inclusion of women, young people, religious leaders, and civil society actors in ongoing mediation efforts. We also support strengthening the organizational and technical capacities of grassroots organizations enabling them to design and implement gender-sensitive human rights-based peace initiatives. At the same time, translating these commitments into action requires decisive efforts to address the threats and challenges that undermine women's rights and participation. We must tackle emerging forms of technology facilitated and gender based violence and challenge harmful narratives, both online and offline, that undermine women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in public and political life. Combating impunity for atrocities and crimes committed against women and girls is equally essential to ensuring accountability and upholding international law. Excellencies, the implementation of the WPS agenda over the next quarter century coincides with the era of digital revolution. Our shared responsibility is to ensure that all women and girls are equipped with the necessary tools to navigate these new challenges, that they are adequately protected, and that they are meaningfully included in all decision-making processes concerning their future and the future of the world. Sustainable peace and security cannot be achieved if half of the population affected is absent from the negotiating table. Thank you. I resume my function as President of the Council. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Dace Melbārde, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia.


Latvia · Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs [1:00:00]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to once again thank Her Excellency Georgios Gerapetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, who is presiding over this meeting. I thank the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, for his annual report and dedication to advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda throughout his tenure. I also thank Executive Director of UN Women, Seema Bhush, and Tamana Zaryab Pariani for their powerful insights and tireless efforts to turn the WPS agenda into action. Mr. President, we are witnessing a dangerous regression. Women continue to be excluded from decision making. Those who speak out face growing threats and reprisals. And resistance to gender equality is intensifying in conflict settings. As our briefers noted, women's participation in formal peace negotiations is declining, while their representation in political governance remains severely constrained. The human consequences are devastating. In Yemen and Iraq, women in public life face violence, sometimes with fatal consequences. In Ukraine, women delivering humanitarian assistance risk their lives every day to support communities devastated by Russia's war of aggression. We remember Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roschina, who died in Russian custody. Her body was returned bearing evidence of horrific abuse and mutilation. In Herat, Afghanistan, Taliban authorities continue to detain and intimidate dozens of women and girls simply for exercising their fundamental right to exit in public spaces. Across conflict settings, women in public life, including human rights defenders, politicians, journalists, face psychological warfare, systematic harassment, and physical violence intended to silence them. And conflict-related sexual violence continues to be deliberately used as a weapon of war. Mr. President, Latvia knows that protecting women in conflict requires more than declarations. Together with women’s civil society organization Centra Marta, The Latvian government has established three psychological support centers in Ukraine. They provide support for women and girls subjected to rape, torture, abuse, forced displacement from their homes, separation from their loved ones as a result of barbaric war. This is what the Women, Peace, and Security agenda looks like in practice. turning solidarity into tangible support for women whose lives have been shattered by war. And we pay our respect and utmost admiration for the hundreds of thousands of brave Ukrainian women serving on the front line and in the rear, in hospitals, command posts, logistics hubs, and back at home, all defending their country and basic principles of international law.

Lasting peace cannot be achieved without the participation of women.

According to research by Oxford University, when women and civil society networks are included in negotiations, peace agreements are 64% less likely to fail. Latvia's own experience demonstrates the value of women's leadership in security and defense. Women serve in senior command positions of our national armed forces. For example, Colonel Antonina Bliodone, who has commanded the Latvian National Armed Forces Headquarters Battalion, is an example of women's leadership in national security. We are proud to have women actively participating in the National Guard, the reserve forces, cyber forces. Their participation goes beyond representation. It strengthens our institutions and brings broader perspective to security decisions. Mr. President, we must therefore uphold zero tolerance for violence and reprisals, demand strict accountability for perpetrators, and actively dismantle the harmful gender norms that perpetuate exclusion. These imperatives are at the heart of Latvia's upcoming national action plan on WPS. Building on experience, we are focusing on three concrete areas of actions. First, strengthening women's participation and leadership in the security sector.

Latvia has.

Established a gender advisory position within its defense sector and integrated gender perspectives into military training and international operations. Second, preventing and responding to gender-based violence. For example, we have introduced specialized training for justice and law enforcement professionals on victim protection. Third, turning national experience into international action. Latvia supports women's participation in international missions, promoting WPS agenda through cooperation with partner countries, particularly Ukraine. Mr. President, these realities require keeping the WPS agenda at the very core of this Council's mandate. Latvia advocates for dedicated gender and women's protection advisors across all UN missions.

WPS must also remain a priority across the entire.

International system, from conflict prevention and climate action to the UN80 reform process. And the next UN Secretary General must champion women's full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation across all pillars of the UN. For more than 80 years, no woman has served as Secretary-General.

It is time to change that.

And Mr. President, it is time to move beyond speaking about women. It is time to ensure that women themselves have their rightful seat at the table. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:07:28]:

I thank Her Excellency Ms. Melbourn for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [1:07:35]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and I thank you and the Greek mission for convening this debate. My thanks also to the Secretary-General and the Executive Director of UN Women for their briefings and their leadership, and to Tamana Zaryab-Paryani for her testimony today. As we have heard today, 26 years after the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325, there remains a profound gap between the commitments we make in this Council and the reality experienced by women and girls in conflict. We see it across our agenda. In Gaza, nearly 50,000 women and girls have been killed or severely injured since October 2023. In Ukraine, women and girls face displacement, violence and heightened protection risks as a result of Russia’s aggression. And in Myanmar, the Secretary General has documented widespread sexual violence alongside severely constrained access to life-saving support. President, the problem is no longer that we do not know what works. It is that too often we fail to do it. I want to highlight three areas where that needs to change. First, participation must mean real influence. We welcome the contribution of today’s civil society briefer, the Council must listen to women peacebuilders and civil society, but listening is not enough. We must act on their analysis and protect those who engage with us from reprisals. And participation cannot mean bringing women into the room after the important decisions have already been made. In Afghanistan, for example, women and girls have been systematically excluded from public life and decision-making. Their voices must be central to discussions about the country’s future. Peace cannot be sustainable while half the population is shut out of shaping it. The United Kingdom is backing that principle with practical support. This March, the United Kingdom committed that by 2030, at least 90% of our bilateral overseas development assistance will have a focus on equality for women and girls, either as a principle or a significant objective. Last year, we provided approximately $4.6 million to women peacebuilders and women rights organizations across fragile and conflict-affected contexts. This financial year, we will sustain that commitment. Second, protection must be matched by accountability. Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence need comprehensive, survivor-centered support, but they also deserve justice. Yesterday, the United Kingdom announced over $6 million to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Sudan, alongside support for human rights defenders documenting atrocities for future prosecutions. We cannot condemn these crimes year after year while perpetrators believe they can act with impunity. Accountability matters for survivors, but it also matters for prevention. Third, we need to confront the ways in which women are being pushed out of public life. Increasingly, that happens online as well as off. Digital threats and abuse are being used to intimidate and silence women, creating another barrier to their participation in political and public life. The United Kingdom has launched an international program to tackle precisely this form of abuse. Technology needs to expand women's ability to participate, not provide new tools to drive them from the debate. President, Women, peace and security is not an optional addition to the work of this Council. It goes to the heart of whether the peace we help to build lasts. 26 years after Resolution 1325, we do not need another restatement of the case for action. We have a responsibility now to close the gap between what this Council has promised and what women experiencing conflict actually see. That means real influence, that means funding, That means protection backed by accountability and ensuring that women can participate safely as the threats against them evolve. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:11:57]:

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Colombia.


Colombia [1:12:04]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to start by saluting Tamannaah Surya Baryani for her powerful and memorable statement, I think, as well as briefers. President, a fair society is an inclusive society, an equal society. The natural limits of power means freedom. But the critical Part of this is freedom for women and girls. My dear colleagues, freedom means freedom to act, to become, to become what one wants to be in life. Empowerment of women is the real freedom here. More than 25 years ago, The Council recognized that peace is more durable when women are part of it. Our country, Colombia, knows this quite well. In the several decades of conflict, women have played a major role to resolve the most difficult challenges among communities. They are the bond of those communities. And in our culture, it happens to be, they also play a major role of wisdom among families.

Yet.

In 2025, the year with the highest number of conflicts since 1945, women accounted for just 5% of negotiators worldwide. A fact that in and of itself explain why those conflicts remain, in many ways, unresolved. We lack a different perspective. We lack women. Closing the gap is today, more than ever, a shared responsibility that transcends political perspectives. Colombia calls for guaranteeing the full, equal, and meaningful and safe participation of women. We acknowledge the efforts of the United Nations to mainstream this agenda through its specialized capacity with visible results. In the peace processes supported by the organization in 2025, women made-up to 22% of negotiators, in contrast to the global average that I just mentioned. As a signatory state to the Secretary General's common pledge, Colombia urged efforts to promote a minimum one-third representation of women in every negotiation in line with that initiative.

This participation is also strengthened through domestic ownership, which entails creating the conditions for women to exercise leadership safely and in equal footing.

For that reason, in line with resolution 21/22 of 2013, we recognize the need to eradicate all forms of violence against women. It is one, nonetheless, that concerns deeply Colombia, and it is taking place in the region. We are following very.

Close the cases of girls 14 and 15 years of age being raped as a part of sexual.

Violence used as weapon of war in Haiti. This is not just isolated cases. There are thousands of documented cases by gangs taking these actions against girls in the island, and we call the United Nations to do more in this regard. It is critical for the well-being of this human being. President. Colombia acknowledges the contributions to peace of women's organizations. According to the most recent report of the Secretary General in 2025, the prevention led by women helped with the help to resolve many conflicts. And this, as I say, allows communities to move forward once atrocities and human rights violations have been committed. Colombia is a nation with many women heads of household who are leaders in society. Pursuant to resolution 2493 of 2019, Colombia encourages this role to be preserved so that women's voices can be preserved in the decision-making procedures of this Council, because investing in women means investing in preventing scourges that affect them most. Naturally, emerging advanced technologies are part of this investment, AI and other digital tools can multiply the impact of every resource and accelerate the economic, social, and political empowerment of women. I would like to call your attention to the case studies of women in Central America between 2016 to 2019 in addressing cases of sexual violence, gender-based violence, and political violence when they were able to use social media, such as Facebook and other digital platforms, to organize and to report cases of corruption in their communities and to ensure that some civil servants were removed from their duties as a result of these actions. President, This agenda is built through results. Colombia is well aware of this because it has seen this in its own territory. We need to preserve the verification of events and ensure that we do not let ourselves be distracted by other narratives. Women's rights are human rights. Implementing this agenda means investing in peace and security. in our history and in our future. Naturally, we condemn in the strongest possible terms violence against women occurring in Afghanistan, in Syria. Preventing women from representing societies in decision making means preventing the development of society, and it means denying the previous condition that they all have, which is life. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:20:21]:

I thank the representative of Colombia for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Denmark.


Denmark [1:20:27]:

Thank you, Mr. President. And let me also start by thanking you, Mr. Minister, for your presence here today, as well as our briefers, Executive Director Bahus and Ms. Pajani, for their remarks. I also wish to extend a special thanks to the Secretary-General for his strong championship of gender equality throughout his tenure. Mr. President, year after year, we gather in this chamber to reaffirm our collective commitment to women's participation in peace and security. As a Council, we have adopted resolutions, established robust international frameworks, and received regular reporting on progress across the globe. Normatively, the foundation is solid. However, as our briefers have made very clear, the reality on the ground has not kept pace. Around the world, women remain excluded from the decisions that shape peace. As we've heard, in 2025, against a backdrop of shrinking space for inclusive multilateral mediation, women accounted for just 5% of peace negotiators. As part of our fifth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, Denmark is working to reverse this trend. For example, in partnership with UN Women in Syria, Denmark supports Syrian women's participation in political, peacebuilding, humanitarian, and transitional justice processes. In West Africa, we're establishing a regional grant mechanism across eight countries to support grassroot women's and youth-led organizations working on conflict prevention, mediation, and social cohesion. In Afghanistan, through UN Women and Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Denmark supports the participation of Afghan women leaders in national and international policy discussions on their country’s future. We call on all actors engaged in high-level mediation, including regional organizations and informal mediation initiatives, to appoint women as lead mediators, and ensure women's participation in negotiating teams. Our call is grounded in a simple reality: strengthening women's participation in mediation and dialogue is possible, and concrete efforts are happening. But meaningful participation goes beyond numbers. It means shaping priorities, informing decisions, and influencing outcomes over time. Mr. President, From the deliberate targeting on civilians in Ukraine to attacks on healthcare in Gaza and widespread sexual and gender-based violence in Haiti, women and girls face distinct and disproportionate risks in today's conflicts. In Sudan, war is waged on women's bodies through the systematic use of sexual violence and the denial of essential services. Documenting these horrors is not enough. Survivors must have access to life-saving assistance, including sexual and reproductive health services and psychosocial support. On this issue, Denmark is also stepping up. Through our support to UNFPA and other partners, we help promote and sustain sexual and reproductive health and rights and access to essential services for women and girls. But survivors cannot recover when the very services they need are attacked and denied. Parties to armed conflict must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, to protect medical personnel and facilities, and to allow and facilitate humanitarian relief for civilians in need. Mr. President, there can be no lasting peace without justice, and no justice where perpetrators enjoy impunity. From the ICC's landmark conviction for gender-based persecution in Darfur to growing recognition of reproductive violence under international law, progress is possible. But these breakthroughs must translate into consequences for those who commit, command, and enable these crimes. Denmark stands firmly behind the International Criminal Court and its independence. We express our steadfast support for the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and commend the effort of her team of experts in strengthening national capacity to investigate and prosecute these crimes. We must also make more effective use of UN sanctions to hold perpetrators accountable. To this end, Denmark supports strengthening the 1591 Sudan sanctions regime, both geographically and by explicitly identifying conflict-related sexual violence as a designation criteria. Survivors deserve more than our condemnation, they do deserve justice. We must ensure that international and national justice mechanisms have the resources, independence, and political backing to deliver it. Mr. President, Denmark will continue to lend our voice and our full support to the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. That has been true as a member of this Council and will remain true after our tenure concludes.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:25:40]:

I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Panama.


Panama [1:25:48]:

Thank you, President. Panama thanks Greece and the Permanent Representative for convening this important open debate. And we'd like to welcome His Excellency Georgios Kerepetritis, Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece, who is presiding over this meeting. We're grateful to the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, Ms. Sima Bhauz, Executive Director of UN Women. We'd like to thank them for their briefings, and we'd like to thank them for the leadership that they have shown as they went about their respective functions in promoting women's participation and women's protection. We would also like to express our thanks for the moving briefing by Ms. Tamanna Zaria Pariani, human rights activist, who we commend for her exemplary bravery. we would like to welcome those delegations who are here with us this afternoon. 26 years ago, this Council recognized that women's participation in preventing and resolving conflicts, mediation, and peacebuilding is of paramount importance. Resolution 1325 was the result of decades of mobilization by women's groups and an inter-regional alliance that transformed a historic demand into an international commitment. 26 years on, the question is: how much has the distribution of power really changed in the processes that decide war and peace? The Secretary-General's report from this year provides a worrying response to that. In 2025, more than 756 million women and girls lived less than 50 km from an armed conflict. In addition to this, Women accounted for less or barely 5% of negotiators in the 57 peace processes that were reviewed, and 80% of processes did not include any women among their negotiators at all. Women's exclusion is also borne out in the results. Only 19% of the peace agreements that were reviewed signed in 2025 included references to women, gender equality, or sexual violence. None of the 13 ceasefire agreements analysed expressly prohibited conflict-related sexual violence. These figures bear witness to a structural contradiction: Women are facing the consequences of decisions in whose adoption they had barely any participation. Women's participation should make it possible for them to have an impact in the priorities, the content of agreements, guarantees for their protection and their implementation. Women must be able to participate in negotiations, in political transitions, and the institutions that will define the future of their societies. In addition to this, the mandates of peacekeeping missions should be tailored to the realities of every conflict. Nevertheless, this adaptation should not water down commitments that have already been entered into. President, protection is equally urgent. Cases of sexual violence related to conflicts, which were verified by the UN last year, doubled in comparison to the previous year, and they have almost quadrupled in comparison to 2022. In Sudan, sexual and gender-based violence, widespread displacement, and the deterioration of humanitarian conditions continue to devastate communities. In Afghanistan, the systematic restrictions imposed on women and girls continue to exclude them from education, work, and public life. In Haiti, the violence of gangs and insecurity limit something as basic as mobility, as well as women's participation in public life. We are particularly concerned by the fact that, according to the SG’s latest report, 87% of women and girls who report having been victims of sexual violence in the hands of gang members have suffered from gang rape. In these contexts, women do just don't just need protection from violence, they need conditions to exercise their rights, to participate in decisions, and to contribute to defining political and humanitarian responses. Panama reiterates the need to combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including in digital spaces, ensuring care focused on rights and the needs of survivors, and the need to strengthen accountability. Your Excellencies, this Council's responsibility can be measured in its concrete decisions, in the mandates that it approves, the political processes that it supports, in the protection measures that it demands, and the resources that it is able to mobilize. This means including women's participation in mediation and negotiation efforts, protecting women human rights defenders, journalists, mediators, peacebuilders, and humanitarian workers, and ensuring that violations are investigated and punished. Political will must also be translated into budgetary decisions. Against the backdrop of the proliferation of conflicts and humanitarian crises, the increase in military expenditure is going on at the same time as we're seeing a reduction in aid provided. Prevention, mediation, and the political participation of women and organizations that support peace need predictable and sustained financing. We cannot demand results of those who are working for peace while the resources that make their work possible are dwindling. President, for Panama, the Women, Peace and Security agenda is part of a foreign policy that is committed to multilateralism, the United Nations Charter, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. From Latin America and the Caribbean: a region whose experience reaffirms the value of women in negotiation and political solutions, we believe that peace requires inclusive institutions, meaningful participation, and respect for human rights. In 2025, Panama, together with UN Women, hosted a regional event to helped make headway in drafting national action plans on women, peace, and security. In 2026, Panama took on the coordination of the shared commitments on women, peace, and security of the Security Council, thus becoming the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to hold this responsibility. From this coordination effort, Panama has worked to beef up coordination between signatory states and to maintain participation, protection, and women's rights at the heart of this work. Your Excellencies, the challenge of the next 25 years is also to transform decisions, resources, and structures that determine who participates in peacebuilding. The proof of our political will will be concrete and verifiable. Those who negotiate, what kind of commitments do they incorporate into their agreement? Who is involved in negotiation? Which resources are destined to implement them? And what consequences do they have? As we draw to the end of our two-year stint on the Security Council, we reaffirm that this agenda will remain a priority for Panama. The responsibility that we took on does not end with our membership of the Council. It demands that we preserve what we have achieved, that we strengthen interregional alliances, and that we support implementation beyond these cycles on the Council. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:35:51]:

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of China.


China [1:35:59]:

Thank you, President.

I welcome Foreign Minister presiding over today's meeting. I thank Secretary-General Guterres, Executive Director Bahus, and Ms. Pariani for their briefings. 26 years since the adoption of Council Resolution 1325, the international community has seen a gradual increase in the awareness of gender equality. The status of women continues to improve, and women have become a vital force in promoting peace, stability, development, and prosperity globally. However, amid rising global turbulence, women still face multifaceted challenges, including violence, discrimination, and poverty. The international community should effectively implement Resolution 1325, and work together to protect women's rights and interests, and advance the global cause of women. Let me make four points. First, a peaceful and stable environment should be created. As indicated in the SG's report, there were more than 700 million women and girls living in conflict-affected regions in 2025. Across the Middle East, Haiti, and parts of Africa, large numbers of women and girls have become innocent victims of armed conflict gang violence and terrorist attacks. To alleviate their sufferings, the primary imperative is to cease hostilities, promote peace, and stabilize situations. The Council should stay committed to advancing the political settlement of hotspot issues, step up its good offices and mediation efforts, support the parties concerned in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, and take effective actions to de-escalate tensions. We support the UN in actively coordinating humanitarian operations in conflict zones and call on all parties to conflicts to ensure humanitarian access, combat impunity, and build a strong buttress for the safety and security of women. Second, women's equal participation should be guaranteed.

Women are not merely beneficiaries of peace.

They should also be active defenders and builders of peace. Though some women are able to participate in the discussion and handling of political affairs and engage in international peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, women remain significantly underrepresented overall, particularly those from developing countries. The international community should help more women enhance their leadership capacity and promote their full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace processes. It is important to support women, especially those from developing countries, in fully leveraging their wisdom and capabilities in good offices and mediation, ceasefire monitoring, and political decision-making. Third, women's economic and social empowerment should be promoted. Development is the key foundation for solving all problems, and the right to development is the most fundamental human right. All countries need to invest greater resources to support women's equal participation in economic and social activities. and effectively implement national strategies and plans aimed at safeguarding women's rights and interests. The international community should promote accelerated reconstruction efforts in conflict-affected zones, help women secure equal access to education, health care, and employment opportunities, and improve their capacity for self-driven development as well as their resilience against risks.

We should also harness the strengths of emerging technologies to expand women's equal access to resources and opportunities.

Guard against the risks of online discrimination and abuse, and ensure that women can safely enjoy the digital dividends.

Fourth, resources from all parties should be pooled to build synergies.

At present, the global advancement of women still faces challenges such as significant funding gaps and development imbalances. Developed countries should genuinely honor their assistance commitments and scale up their investments in funding, technology, and capacity building. For women's development projects in developing countries, the international community should strengthen North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation, leverage the role of the private sector, and mobilize greater resources to help women effectively tackle challenges such as poverty, discrimination, and the digital divide. We support UN entities, including UN Women and UNDP.

In enhancing coordination in this regard, we also call on multilateral financial institutions to give greater support for improving the livelihoods and well-being of women in vulnerable regions.

President, China has always been a staunch advocate and active contributor to the global cause of women. To promote the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, China has provided training for more than 200,000 women from over 180 countries and regions. and deployed more than 1,000 women peacekeepers. For the next five years, China will contribute an additional 10 million US dollars to UN Women, make available 100 million US dollars through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and implement development projects in partnership with international organizations.

China will also.

Train a greater number of outstanding female talents through the Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building. China stands ready to work with all parties to take concrete actions and write a new chapter for the women, peace, and security agenda.

Thank you, President.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:41:32]:

I thank the representative of China for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of the United States.


United States of America [1:41:41]:

Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to our briefers. I must say for Ms. Pirani, I'm sorry, I know we all are, for what you had to experience. But we are inspired and changed by your courage and determination and clarity. I thank you for that, and know that for everyone watching this and everyone in this room, Your experience and leadership is a reminder of who we can become, especially for my generation. So thank you for being here. And Minister, may I say about your Ambassador, Auggie Balta, who comes right back into the room. I'm a newbie here, and my experience in watching Ambassador Balta work, focus, her determination, her patriotism, And her desire to have things work for Greece, but also for this Council and for the UN, is really quite unparalleled. So it is a pleasure and an honor to be able to say this. And my thanks to you as well. And of course, when Greece moves on in the next week, Latvia takes this chair, and I'm looking forward to that, what will be a remarkable presidency. and what that will mean to us. Thank you, Ambassadors, Mr. Minister. And again, thank you to our briefers as well. The United States remains committed to defending and promoting the human rights and economic empowerment of women and girls, including by protecting their ability to engage in all aspects of social, civic, political, and economic life. As a strong supporter of efforts to combat violence against women and girls and to champion their rights, and moreover, as the biggest single donor to the humanitarian system, the United States understands the imperative of protection assistance for women and girls in conflict and disaster settings, particularly for those who are victims of sexual violence. It is, after all, the 21st century. We all deserve better. In this regard, we welcome the commitments of other UN Member States. We urge all Member States to match words with deeds. Colleagues, women and girls continue to face higher levels of violence, severe restrictions in their access to jobs and economic opportunity, insufficient social protections, and exclusion from education in many parts of the world, including in a number of the countries on this Council’s agenda. In Afghanistan, for example, the Taliban continue to deny young women pathways to receive an education, secure jobs, or receive training. Over the past five years, the Taliban have systematically reversed decades of hard-won progress on women’s participation in peace and security. These practices are unacceptable and must cease immediately. In Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pervasive sexual violence reflects a breakdown in the protection of women and girls. In Sudan and South Sudan, prolonged humanitarian crises continue to disproportionately affect women and girls. Sexual violence is pervasive both in and outside of active conflict areas. The United States’ consistent with the Women, Peace, and Security Act, which President Trump signed into law in 2017. We’ll continue to prioritize these issues in line with the objectives of UNSCR 1325. I thank you, sir.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:45:45]:

Thank you so much for the statement, the representative of the United States. And I now give the floor to the representative of Liberia.


Liberia [1:45:53]:

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Liberia thanks the Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women, and Ms. Pyani for their leadership and qualified insights. We welcome the many excellencies and distinguished colleagues participating in this important debate.

Excellencies, Liberia's experience leaves us with a question: How can women help bring a war to an end, yet still struggle for influence?

Over the peace that follows.

Liberian women organized across religious and community divides, demanded peace, and helped secure peace in Liberia.

Their achievement remains a source of national pride. But the responsibility it places on the nation remains unfinished. Resolution 1325 requires us to examine who exercises power, who negotiates, Whose security matters, and who decides how a country rebuilds?

That is why Liberia proposes three tests of implementation: whether women have influence over the settlement, whether they are free to hold it accountable, and whether the support they receive.

Will endure.

First, influence over the settlement. An agreement may end fighting while preserving exclusion.

We must ask whether our peace processes give greater political weight to those who can renew violence than to those working to prevent it. Mediation must engage those capable of sustaining peace. Women must help shape decisions about security, justice, public resources, and political authority.

When supporting a peace process, the Council should ask how women's proposals shaped the agreement and what authority women will exercise in implementing it. Second, that influence must include the freedom to hold the settlement accountable.

Participation has little substance if speaking candidly brings threats, detention, or violence.

A woman should not have to risk her safety to help this council.

Understand the risks facing her country. Our responsibility continues after briefers leave this chamber. UN entities facilitating briefings should assess risks with the briefers themselves, agree appropriate protection arrangements.

And follow up on reported reprisals. The Council should follow through on the briefer's recommendations.

That freedom must also include the freedom to disagree.

No individual should have to represent every woman's experience or endorse a political settlement just to be heard.

Third, neither influence nor protection should fade when international attention moves elsewhere. Before a UN mission departs, we should know who will sustain engagement with women's organizations.

Respond to threats, and support their access to decision-making. Transition planning must identify who assumes these responsibilities and with what resources.

Women-led organizations need predictable funding that preserves their independence.

We cannot depend on their work while leaving their survival to uncertainty. Liberia must apply these same tests at home. We launched our third National Action Plan last month. Its value will be demonstrated through women's influence.

Safety, and access to resources.

Mr. President, Liberia reaffirms the full Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and its agreed commitments.

Whenever this Council supports a peace settlement for a mission transition, it should ask what influence women will exercise. how they can hold institutions accountable, and what support will endure. In conclusion, women's participation must carry weight in the decisions that govern their lives.

A generation after adopting Resolution 1325, let us meaningfully attend.

To truly implementing it, not just because it is right, which it is, but also because it guarantees peace, it secures our future, and it advances our humanity.

I thank you for your kind attention.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [1:53:57]:

I thank the representative of Liberia, and I now give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Democratic Republic of the Congo [1:54:08]:

President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo would like to congratulate Greece on holding this open debate on women, peace and security for the next quarter century. We welcome the presence of His Excellency Mr. George Geropetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece. as well as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. We also commend his leadership on the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The DRC would also like to express its gratitude to Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, and Madame Tamara Pariani, and thank them for their briefings 26 years after the adoption of Resolution 1325. The challenge is not simply to renew our commitments, but to guarantee their effective implementation. For the DRC, this is particularly pressing. In conflicts, women are the most vulnerable to violence, but they are amongst the most key players in efforts towards prevention, mediation, and reconstruction. My country has been mentioned several times during this debate, and rightly so. This is why, in November 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo adopted a national action plan, a third-generation plan for the implementation of resolution 1325, of the UN Security Council on Women, Peace and Security. In the same spirit, the DRC adopted a national positive masculinity strategy, which seeks to promote the involvement of boys and men in the prevention of violence, protection of women, and gender equality. These efforts have also led to the creation of the National Day for Positive Masculinity, which is marked every 31st of March. These efforts are backed up by a solid legal framework. This includes the Constitution, electoral law, and law on parity. criminal code on gender-based violence, as well as a law establishing the fundamental principles on protection and reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence and victims of crimes against peace and security. Led by His Excellency Felix Antoine Chikhesedi Tsholombo, President, Women's representation in government has gone from less than 15% to 34%, with the historic appointment of the first female Prime Minister in 2024. In terms of protection, the DRC also has legislation that is in line with international standards. The armed forces, the national police, they both adopted action plans to tackle sexual violence in conflict. Military justice punishes perpetrators, particularly via remote audiences and local audiences, as well. We also have an immediate zero tolerance campaign, which was launched in 2021. And all of this strengthens our fight against sexual violence. To support the recovery and reintegration of survivors, the DRC uses also a national reparations fund. for victims of conflict-related sexual violence, and our programme for awareness raising on gender, and another programme on demobilisation, community recovery and stabilisation. President, buoyed as we are by this experience, the Democratic Republic of the Congo considers that The question now is to move from the commitments in Resolution 1325 to an implementation that is effective, that is accompanied by concrete, measurable and verifiable results. The participation of women should not simply be limited to them being present. It must guarantee that they have a real influence on negotiations, on peace agreements, and security-related decisions. To this end, the DRC calls on the Security Council to systematically include a gender analysis in mandates, improving follow-up on women's participation in peace processes, and strengthening oversight of commitments made by member states. So that this participation is effective, we also recommend support be provided for networks of female mediators, training programs and mentorships, as well as temporary quotas in peacekeeping, peace delegations and public institutions. It is just as important also to fight against political violence, including that committed online. Protection must go hand in hand with participation. DRC, to this end, recommends early warning systems that include indicators of women's rights being trampled, to include strengthened access to justice, protection of medical structures, and continuity of reproductive health care. Perpetrators of violations on their side must be punished in a targeted way. In the east of my country, sexual violence remains a weapon of war. in areas occupied by the AFC/M23, who've become the front for rebuilding the nation. The head of this movement, Mr. Sultani Makenga, has since 2012 been on the sanctions list of this council, particularly for reasons of sexual violence committed against women and children. A change in a name will not erase crime, nor will it erase accountability. The perpetrators of this violence must be sanctioned, whatever name they're acting under. The DRC applies the same requirements to everyone, including within our own forces, as our local military justice courts have proven. These commitments will not, however, be fully implemented without predictable funding. Given the current budgetary constraints, the DRC proposes multi-annual flexible financing, better integration of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda into national budgets, as well as a creation of dedicated regional funds and increased coordination between donors and UN agencies. President, as we enter the next quarter century, our collective responsibility is to transform commitments into concrete change. Women who are present where peace is decided upon, women need to be protected against violence, women supported in their recovery, and women who are fully involved in the reconstruction of their societies. The Democratic Republic of the Congo reaffirms its determination to continue its national efforts and to contribute with its regional and international partners to the full realization of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We call on the Security Council and all partners to strengthen their engagement, to invest in women, to protect their rights and to support their leadership across all the pillars of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Resolution 1325 must not remain simply a promise that's renewed every year. It must rather be a measurable reality, with progress made, rights protected, and power really given to women to fashion the decisions that affect their future. Because lasting peace cannot be envisaged without women. Their participation is essential to prevent conflicts, to rebuild societies, and to guarantee lasting stability. It's by putting women at the heart of these decisions and solutions that we will build a just, inclusive, and truly durable peace. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:03:26]:

I thank the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia.


Somalia [2:03:35]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank Greece for convening this important and timely debate on women, peace, and security, and welcome His Excellency Mr. Gharapetris, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, for presiding over today's meeting. I also want to thank the Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his remarks, and I thank the Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Seema Bahous, and the civil society representative, Ms. Tamanna Pariani, for their insights and for bringing the experiences of women affected by conflict into this chamber. Mr. President, more than 25 years ago, after the adoption of the Security Council resolution 1325, we faced a hard truth. International community has built a strong framework on commitments, but it has not matched those commitments with consistent action. In that vein, I would like to emphasize the following priorities. First, conflict prevention must be central to women, peace and security agenda. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by war and conflict, facing heightened risk of displacement, violence, and loss of livelihoods. Prevention must address the root causes that allow conflict to persist, including prolonged occupation, political exclusion, discrimination, and violation of human rights. Preventive diplomacy must take this risk seriously, while investment in women's rights, essential services, and inclusive institutions help build safer, more resilient communities. Women are often among the first to identify emerging tensions within communities. Their knowledge and leadership can strengthen early warning systems, support local mediations, and prevent disputes from escalating into violence. We must therefore ensure that women are systematically included in the conflict prevention strategies and peacebuilding initiatives. Second, Women must have a meaningful role in preventing and resolving conflict. Women should be included directly in negotiation, negotiating delegations, and appointment as lead mediators. Their participation must continue through ceasefire negotiations, peace agreements, and recovery, and not end with a seat at the table. We must assess women's representation in decision-making bodies. and the extent to which they meaningfully influence decisions. Somali women have long shown their courage and commitment to their country's freedom and peace. A great example is this, Ms. Hawo Tako, who is remembered as a Somali woman who fought for independence. It stands as an example of women's contribution to the struggle for self-determination. Her legacy reminds us that women have always helped shape their nation's futures. They must also have a meaningful voice in shaping peace and public life. Third, protection must be matched by accountability. The plight of the Palestinian woman demands an urgent attention. For example, in Gaza and across occupied Palestinian territories, including West Bank and East Jerusalem, women continues to endure Maiming, killing, injury, displacement, deprivation, and trauma. UN Women estimates that nearly 50,000 women and girls have been killed or severely injured since October 2023, including more than 38,000 killed. Nearly one million women and girls have been forced from their homes, and almost every woman and girl in Gaza remains displaced. The long-standing occupation of Palestinian land must end. The occupying power bears a binding legal obligation under the international humanitarian law and human rights law to and must fully comply without exception, excuses, or delay with international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Violations against them must be independently investigated and perpetrators held accountable through a credible process. Accountability is essential to prevent further violations of women and girls and build trust in just and lasting peace. It's equally critical to evaluate survivors' access to justice and whether pledged funding reaches the women and communities it is intended to support. Fourth, Mr. President, Somalia also emphasizes the importance of strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, as well as relevant regional mechanisms, and advancing the women and peace and security agenda. The experiences of African women peacebuilders and the implementation of regional commitments must inform international action. Strong cooperation can improve coordination, strengthen local ownership, and ensure that global commitments respond to the realities of the communities affected by the conflict. To conclude, resolution 1325 is clear: peace requires prevention, women’s participation, and protection. We cannot build lasting peace while root causes such as occupation go unaddressed, while women are shut out of the negotiations, or while violations go unpunished. Let’s match our words with action and make justice and women’s leadership part of every peace we seek. Somalia remains committed to working with the United Nations, the African Union, regional partners, and the international community to advance this shared objective. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:10:00]:

I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.


Russian Federation [2:10:10]:

Mr. Geropetritis, once again, we're very pleased to see you presiding over the Security Council. We'd like to thank Greece for organizing today's meeting, and we're grateful to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, and Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Sima Bhau, for their assessments of the state of the women, peace, and security agenda. We're also very interested to hear from the civil society representative, President. Adopted in the year 2000, resolution 1325 was a reflection of a natural process of women's growing role in all spheres of public life. Broader progress in economic development, access to education and culture could only lead to a situation where women started to be seen not only as a victim of armed conflict needing protection, but also a key player. in taking peacekeeping and peacebuilding decisions. Women directly affected by conflict establish and strengthen trust and cohesion in society. They help prevent violations against other women and also against older persons, persons with disabilities, and children. Their help is irreplaceable in terms of rehabilitation, reintegration of victims of armed conflict. In the Secretary-General's report, the question is raised that the gradual movement towards full gender equality has come to a halt, that there is a so-called gender backlash and a shrinking civic space. As a reason put forward for this is the financial crisis at the UN. We see that this approach is based on ideology, stemming from neoliberalism. We as a country have a solid experience on ensuring gender equality. And our country is a leader of the G20 in terms of the number of women in leadership. And we believe that the status of women in the world is a litmus test for broader trends. Let's ask ourselves a question. Are we seeing these positive trends in economic development, cooperation, cultural exchange, and access to education? In our view, we aren't. The world is beset by confrontation in the military, economic, and ideological spheres. Cooperation as grounds for economic growth are being replaced by policies of blockades and unilateral sanctions. The culture of exchange has become a cancel culture. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on the military. The real work to improve the status of women is being replaced by gender campaigns funded from outside. It's unlikely then, in this situation, that we can expect progress in the situation of women's empowerment. In terms of the UN's contribution in addressing these negative trends, then we should recognize that our organization is suffering not only from a financial crisis, but rather a crisis of good faith and neutrality. Thus, the UN points to the shrinking civil space and a worsening situation for female human rights defenders. However, did they even once In this context, mention Ukraine, where a country of harsh censorship and repression, or for example, latvia, which use fines for watching TV in Russian. They prosecute human rights defenders, journalists, and anyone who, i propose anyone to Google on the internet the process of on 14 Russian journalists, including Russian speaking journalists, men and women, who have been investigated just because they cooperated with Russian news channels. Have you heard from the UN structures about the prisoner of conscience Yelena Berezhna, who was taken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2022 and is still being detained just because she spoke the truth about the status of Russian and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine? The report before us today makes no mention about Russian women suffering from attacks from Ukraine in Kursk and Belgorod, and in other regions. The question that arises: how can we assess this approach? Well, clearly, change is needed. President, Russia has always supported a constructive international cooperation and dialogue as part of the women's empowerment agenda. and at the UN-certified peacekeeping training center of the Interior Ministry of Russia, since 2017, we've had a specialized course for female police officers who wish to work in peacekeeping missions. Training has been not only provided to female Russian police, but also representatives from law enforcement agencies from some African countries. As part of the Eurasian Women's Forum, we've also launched the federal meeting of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matviyenko. She's carrying out a whole host of programs, including for women BRICS leaders. On the 22nd of October, a few days ago in Moscow, we opened a session of the forum on the margins of the Russia-Africa summit. the Russian-Africa missions building trust and cooperation. This session is proposed to discuss important questions of economic and social cooperation and the contribution of women in the run-up to the fifth Eurasian Women's Forum, which will be held in September 2027. Women's leadership in conflict-related humanitarian activity for Russia is also standard practice for Russia. Today, for example, it has been five years since the appointment of the presidential ombudsperson on children's rights, Maria Livovaya-Belova. One of the priorities of her team was reuniting with parents of Ukrainian and Russian children who were separated because of the crisis. Since she's been in her post, 145 minors out of 118 families were transferred to relatives in Ukraine and in third countries, and 32 children have been reunited with their families in Russia. While some Western countries, including at our meetings, tell tales about the thousands of deported children and exert pressure, using their pet International Criminal Court, Ms. Levova-Belova continues her work day in, day out for the benefit of children with mediation from the Holy See, State of Qatar, International Committee of the Red Cross, and also the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. No less eloquent is also the example of the Ombudsperson on Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Yana Lantratova. Her team assisted in efforts to evacuate bodies of people who died and provide medical assistance and recovery after injury. She also assists in organizing exchanges. Last Friday, 23rd of October, there was an exchange of prisoners on the 270 for 270. This is the sixth kind of process with the Ombudsperson person support, and the number of Russians freed from Ukrainian prisons now stands at 933 people. Our country women make a real contribution to peace and providing real assistance to those in need in conflicts, not because they're women, but because they are professionals working for a cause and not just to tick a box in someone else's quota report. We call for the women, peace and security agenda to not be a look at it formally, not to overestimate the importance of this formal nature of that. We are convinced that general progress of humanity will be accompanied by an improvement in the status of women. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:18:18]:

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement and I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.


Pakistan [2:18:25]:

Thank you very much, Excellency. My delegation welcomes your participation in presiding over this meeting, Mr. President. I thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive briefing and insightful remarks. We also thank Executive Director Seema Bahus and Ms. Pariani for their valuable contributions. Twenty-six years after the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325, the Women, Peace, and Security agenda stands as a significant normative achievement. Yet, The distance between commitments and the realities confronting women in conflict situations remains deeply troubling. The challenge before us is of translating our shared commitments into meaningful change on the ground. Moving forward, the WPS agenda should be defined more by effective implementation and measurable results. Women are not merely victims of conflict; they are agents of peace, resilience, and reconciliation. Their meaningful participation strengthens peace processes, promotes social cohesion, and contributes to sustainable peace and security. Mr. President, Pakistan’s commitment to the WPS agenda is longstanding and resolute. It is also reflected in our contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, where Pakistani women have served with professionalism and distinction, including through female engagement teams. Their contributions have demonstrated the indispensable role of women in building trust with local communities, protecting vulnerable populations, and strengthening the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping. Realizing the full promise of resolution 1325 requires progress across all four pillars: participation, protection, prevention, and relief and recovery. We offer some considerations in that regard.

First,

Women's participation must be meaningful. Women should be represented at senior levels in mediation, peace negotiations, and peacebuilding, with decision-making authority throughout conflict prevention, negotiations, implementation, and reconciliation. Second, the protection of women and girls must remain paramount. Conflict-related sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and other violations require effective prevention and accountability. The plight of women living under foreign occupation, in particular, demands urgent international attention. Third, implementation requires predictable and sustainable financing. Member States and international partners should prioritize gender-sensitive peacebuilding and provide flexible, multi-year funding. Investment in women’s education, health, livelihoods, and economic empowerment is also an investment in lasting peace. Fourth, emerging technologies must be harnessed responsibly. Digital platforms and artificial intelligence can facilitate participation and strengthen early warning systems. However, online harassment, surveillance, disinformation, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence pose serious risks. Digital literacy, Privacy safeguards and accountability are essential to ensuring that innovation advances women's rights. Mr. President, we must recognize that the most effective means of protecting women and girls from the consequences of armed conflict is to prevent conflicts in the first place. This requires renewed investment in preventive diplomacy, mediation, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter. The Security Council must address the root causes of conflicts, including prolonged foreign occupation and denial of the right to self-determination. Women must be empowered to participate meaningfully in these efforts, not only as beneficiaries of peace, but as its architects. Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and post-conflict recovery. Women must be at the table from the outset, not invited after decisions have been made. Let us turn the promise of Resolution 1325 into tangible outcomes through political commitment, adequate resources, accountability, and inclusive partnerships. in order to build a future defined by peace, justice, equality, and dignity. I thank you very much.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:23:15]:

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Bahrain.


Bahrain [2:23:22]:

Mr. President, at the outset, I would like to thank Greece for organizing this meeting. We are delighted to see you presiding over the meeting. We would also like to thank the United Nations Secretary-General, as well as Ms. Sima Bahous for their briefings. We also thank Ms. Tamanna Paryani for her very enriching briefing. Mr. President, this debate takes place amid escalating conflicts. And the Secretary-General's report refers to violence, displacement, and obstacles facing women's participation in peace efforts. The Kingdom of Bahrain stresses the importance of moving from commitments to effective implementation and of measuring the impact of those efforts on the ground. Success is not measured by the number of resolutions adopted, but rather by their implementation and their real impact on the lives of women and girls. That is why I would like to highlight three key points: First, strengthening institutional frameworks and enhancing international partnerships to make genuine progress for women, and strengthening the role of women in decision-making and peacebuilding. This requires the creation of an enabling environment that develops their capacities, expands opportunities for their participation, and supports their access to leadership positions. National institutions play a vital role in turning these aspirations into lasting policies and programmes. In this regard, The Kingdom of Bahrain has always sought to consolidate this approach, including through the Supreme Council for Women that is chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabika **** Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, spouse of His Majesty the King of Bahrain, may God preserve him. This year, the Council is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Building on this experience at the international level, the Kingdom of Bahrain, in partnership with UN Women, launched the Her Royal Highness Prize for Women's Empowerment to highlight pioneering initiatives and to encourage the exchange of good practices. The third edition of this award, of this prize, attracted more than 1,774 applications from around the world. Next, strengthening the protection of women and girls in conflict areas and ensuring their fundamental rights. The Secretary-General's report mentions displacement, deprivation of education, and deprivation of health care, a lack of food security, conflict-related sexual violence, And it is important to address these challenges. That is why we emphasize the absolute need to respect international humanitarian law, to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, to protect women and girls from all forms of violence, and to strengthen their role in recovery and reconstruction efforts. Third, moving from empowerment to entrepreneurship, including by strengthening women's participation, participation that is targeted, just, and safe in decision-making, mediation, and peacebuilding. The Secretary-General's report notes that the rate of women among negotiators was only 5% in 57 peace processes in 2025. This indicates the need to guarantee genuine opportunities for their participation and for them to influence the outcomes of negotiations and to create a safe environment that protects them from intimidation and defamation, including regarding the misuse of new technologies and artificial intelligence. In conclusion, it is important to strengthen regional and international cooperation to protect girls and women and to strengthen their participation in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, because the effective participation of women and girls is an essential pillar for achieving lasting peace. Thank you very much, Mr. President.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:28:01]:

I thank the representative of Bahrain for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of France.


France [2:28:10]:

Mr. President, Mr. Minister, we welcome you to the Council. France particularly appreciates your presence at this meeting on an issue that is a priority for our feminist diplomacy, namely the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. I also thank the Secretary-General, antonio Guterres, the Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, and Ms. Tamanna Zariyab-Paryani for their briefings. We commend the unwavering commitment of the Secretary General to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and to gender equality throughout your mandates. Mr. President, despite significant progress, much remains to be done. Women suffer disproportionately from the consequences of armed conflict. In Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sexual and gender-based violence is being used as a weapon of war and of terror. In Ukraine, Russia's war of aggression has forcibly displaced millions of women and girls. In Gaza, the destruction of maternity wards and restrictions on humanitarian access are having devastating effects on mothers and their children. Women remain, regrettably, underrepresented in peace processes and in institutions dealing with peace and security issues. Women politicians, negotiators, and human rights defenders are frequently attacked and subjected to intimidation, including online. As Tamana Zaidiab Paryani reminded us in her courageous and inspiring statement, we must not resign ourselves to these attacks, nor to the questioning of hard-won gains in gender equality. It is our collective responsibility to act. I will highlight three avenues for action that are within reach of the members of this Council. First, we must demand that parties to conflicts respect international humanitarian law, particularly their obligations relating to the protection of civilians, including women. We call on all permanent members to join the French-Mexican initiative that is supported by 128 states and to voluntarily refrain from using the veto in situations of mass atrocities. It is incumbent upon this Council to set an example. It is unacceptable that a permanent member, Russia, appears in the annex to the Secretary-General's report on conflict-related sexual violence for crimes committed in Ukraine. Second, we must fight impunity and make sure that victims obtain redress. Targeted sanctions must be used against those responsible for conflict-related sexual violence. France recalls the crucial role of the International Criminal Court, to which it reiterates its support, as well as for its Trust Fund for Victims. International mechanisms investigating conflict-related sexual crimes also play a major role. We welcome the creation of the International Network of Prosecutors, established upon the initiative of Special Representative Pramila Patten and which France is honored to support. Third, we must strengthen women's participation in peace processes and peace operations. France will continue to advocate for peace operation mandates that fully integrate the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. Field initiatives such as training programmes for women in peacekeeping operations and support for organisations engaged in local mediation and prevention efforts must be strengthened. France calls for all peace processes to apply United Nations standards when it comes to women’s participation. Mr. President, it has been established that women’s participation in peace processes is associated with more lasting, more sustainable peace. Therefore, it is as much a matter of pragmatism as of conviction that all those who seek peace should support the Women, Peace and Security agenda and redouble their efforts to ensure its full implementation. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:32:21]:

I thank

the representative of for the statement, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Oleksandr Karasevych, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.


Ukraine · State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [2:32:33]:

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President, Minister Dzharepetridis. distinguished members of the Security Council. Ukraine is grateful to the Presidency of Greece for convening today's open debate and for focusing our discussion on the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, which remains particularly relevant at a time when armed conflicts continue to affect millions of women and girls, while their participation in decisions concerning peace and security remains insufficient. We also thank Secretary General and Executive Director for their briefings today. Ukraine has accumulated considerable practical experience in implementing this agenda while facing Russia's aggression, and this experience has shown that the effectiveness of national commitments depends not only on the adoption of policies and action plans, but also on how consistently they are implemented at the national, regional, and local levels, and how closely state institutions cooperate with civil society and women's organizations. In February this year, Ukraine adopted its third National Action Plan on the implementation of Resolution 1325 until 2030, covering security and defense, recovery, justice, reparations, protection from conflict-related sexual violence, and women's participation in decision-making. Its implementation involves central and local authorities, civil society, and women's organizations, whose experience remains particularly important in identifying the needs of communities affected by the war and ensuring that national policies respond to the challenges they face. Mr. President, another issue of particular importance for Ukraine is ensuring accountability for war crimes and grave human rights violations committed by the Russian army against women and girls in the course of Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, including conflict-related sexual violence, which continues to have serious consequences for survivors, their families, and affected communities. The recent OHCHR report on sexual violence in the context of the Russian Federation's full-scale armed attack on Ukraine further highlights the gravity of these violations. During the reporting period, OHCHR documented 892 cases of conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by representatives of the Russian Federation, including 151 cases against women and 14 cases against girls. The report confirms that sexual violence was used as a method of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, as well as a means of intimidation and coercion. These findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence, and to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. Ukraine continues to strengthen survivor-centered assistance, improve access to justice, and implement mechanisms of reparations, while insisting that those responsible for such crimes must be held accountable, and that international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution should be further strengthened. We also attach particular importance to the role of women-led civil society organizations, many of which work directly with affected communities and continue to provide assistance, identify emerging needs, and contribute to the development of national policies. At a time of growing financial constraints, it's important to ensure predictable and sustainable support for these organizations, whose work remain essential for the practical implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Ukraine also remains convinced that women's meaningful participation should be ensured in all efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for our country. Mr. President, 26 years after the adoption of Resolution 1325, our priority should remain its effective implementation and the ability to ensure that existing commitments produce tangible results for women and girls affected by armed conflict. Ukraine will continue to contribute to these efforts in close cooperation with the United Nations, Member States, and civil society. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:37:04]:

Thank you, Your Excellency. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Dunoma Umar Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.


Nigeria · Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs [2:37:17]:

Mr. President,

Nigeria thanks Greece for convening this open debate and expresses its appreciation to the Secretary General and other briefers for their briefings.

Nigeria considers this year’s report of the Secretary General on women and peace and security as deeply concerning. The trend of women exclusion in negotiation processes is particularly alarming and weigh most heavily on Africa, which accounts for many of the situations on the Council’s agenda.

The exclusion of women from peace processes and the rise in sexual violence mean fragile agreements fuels renewed conflict and cost lives.

Nigeria's experience in the northeast underscores disproportionate burden borne by women and girls in situations of conflict, including terrorism, abduction, sexual violence, and displacement.

They have also been at the center of recovery as mediators in their communities.

as first responders and as members of our security forces. Nigeria continues to implement its National Action Plan on Resolution 1325 and has strengthened legal protection through Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

We have also surpassed the UN current and projected targets for female participation in peacekeeping, with women representing 22% of deployed contingents against the 2028 target of 15%.

and 24% of formed police units against the target of 20%.

Mr. President, Nigeria proposes three practical recommendations as a way to bridge the gap between commitment and implementation.

First, women's role in conflict prevention, mediation, and post-conflict recovery must become the norm rather than the exception.

The United Nations, the African Union, and regional economic communities should systematically include qualified women in every mediation and good offices team, drawing on the established expertise of regional networks.

Women must have a seat at the negotiating table and meaningful voice in shaping the outcomes.

Second, we must ensure that predictable and sustained financing reaches national and local action plans

including women-led organizations working in conflict-affected areas, communities.

We should take deliberate steps to preserve and strengthen expertise in gender affairs in peace operations, particularly in African Union-led operations financed under resolution 2719, notwithstanding current liquidity constraints. Third, we should put survivors at the center of protection, justice, and accountability. Perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence must be held accountable, primarily through national justice systems with appropriate international support.

Survivors, including women and girls formerly held captive by terrorist groups, must have access to medical care, psychosocial assistance, and economic opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity.

Mr. President, Africa's peace cannot be lasting and or inclusive without the full and meaningful participation of its women. Nigeria remains firmly committed to working with the Council, the African Union, and all partners to translate the promise of resolution 1325 into tangible results for women and girls across our continent.

I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:40:55]:

I thank His Excellency Mr. Ahmed for the statement, and I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Katuna Tlatadze, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia.


Georgia · Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs [2:41:08]:

Mr. President, Excellencies, at the outset, i would like to thank Greek Presidency for convening this timely debate. Georgia aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the European Union, and I would like to add the following in my national capacity. Georgia reaffirms its strong commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Let me use this opportunity and recall the ongoing illegal occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions that continues to severely affect women and girls living there, those living near the occupation lines, and internally displaced women. Protecting their rights and ensuring meaningful participation of women in peace building remain key national priority. For this purpose, Georgia has been developing and implementing national action plans on women, peace, and security since 2012, in line with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Progress was made across all priority areas in the implementation of the National Action Plan for 2020 to 2024. Let me highlight some of the key developments in this regard. In 2024, women's engagement in the peace and security sector increased significantly. Women's representation in Geneva international discussions and the incident preventing and response mechanism increased from 27 to 36%. State service for conflict-affected women and girls expanded significantly. Health care provision improved through the operation of five outpatient clinics and the provisions of referral services. The utilization of legal aid services doubled, reaching 11.8% on conflict-affected women. Equality mechanisms in the defense and security sectors were strengthened. At the institutional level, defense personnel, prosecutors, and legal aid professionals received specialized training on women, peace, and security principles, victim-centered approaches, and investigative standards. Building on previous action plans, the Government of Georgia is developing a new action plan for 2027-2028 in close cooperation with UN Women and civil society organizations. Georgia remains committed to working with the United Nations and international partners to advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and ensure the effective implementation of its commitments. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:43:37]:

I thank Her Excellency Mr. Tlajep for the statement, and I now give the floor to Senator Dorinda Cox.


Australia · First Nations women · Senator [2:43:43]:

Thank you, President. As a proud Yamaji and Noongar woman, I am honoured to represent the generations of First Nations women who have shaped and sustained peace through their leadership, wisdom, and stewardship. Their example reminds us that women have long been agents of peace. Fulfilling the promise of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda means translating women's leadership into full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace and security processes. Because the evidence is clear. When women participate meaningfully, agreements are more durable, solutions are more inclusive, and better outcomes are achieved. And yet, implementation of the WPS agenda continues to fall short. The Secretary-General's report is sobering. In 2025, women were absent from negotiations in four of every five peace processes and made-up only 5% of negotiators. Last year, the proportion of the Security Council decisions containing gender-related language fell to its lowest level in over 15 years. Amid record levels of conflict and intensifying backlash against gender equality, these trends warn us of a less peaceful, less inclusive, less secure future for all of us. President, we wish to highlight three ways Australia is driving implementation of the WPS agenda. First, Australia invests in women's leadership in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Our partnerships with the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators and Pacific Women Mediators Network support women peacebuilders to shape peace and security outcomes. Their work spans some of the most conflict and post-conflict settings in Myanmar and Timor-Leste. Second, Australia is committed to advancing WPS through its international leadership. Our campaign is for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2029-2030 term, reflects our broader commitment to international peace and security. If elected, Australia would amplify the WPS agenda across the council's work. Third, Australia is pursuing gender responsive and survivor centred accountability and justice for conflict related crimes. For example, we are a proud supporter of the gender Justice Practitioner Hub, a flagship initiative providing practitioners with the tools to deliver stronger gender justice outcomes. We also partner with the Global Survivors Fund to provide interim reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. President, I also, as I continue, would like to acknowledge a horrific attack that occurred on Monday last week against an Australian member of parliament, Dr. Helen Haines. Sorry. As we gather here to talk about security and safety of women, Dr. Haynes and her loved ones are in the thoughts of the Australian delegation. President, the first quarter century of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda demonstrated why it matters, but the next chapter must be defined by translating these commitments into action. We look forward to working with all members to ensure that Women, Peace, and Security Agenda delivers on its promise. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:47:06]:

I thank Senator Cox for the statement, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Abdel Satar Issa, Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon.


Lebanon · Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants [2:47:19]:

President, I would like to thank Greece for organizing this open debate on Women, Peace, and Security. 26 years ago, Resolution 1325 marked a fundamental evolution in our conception of this topic. It recognized that women should not just be protected in armed conflicts, but also participate in preventing them and solving them. This principle is now largely recognized. It is part of the functioning of our institutions and the decisions taken on the ground. President, in Lebanon, the consequences of aggression remind us that the cessation of hostilities is not enough. We also need to ensure that people can access care and can rebuild what the conflict has destroyed. These dimensions all have to be borne in mind in reconstruction policies, and women have to be fully engaged in these processes. It is with this in mind that Lebanon adopted last April its second National Action Plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325 for the period 2026-2028. This was drafted in the context of the national unit for Lebanese women and involved a broad-based consultations with the security forces and civil society, and it is based on five priorities: first of all, strengthen the participation of women in decision-making posts; secondly, protecting women and girls from violence during conflict and crises; three, promote a culture of peace and prevent conflicts; mainstream gender issues in reconstruction, and finally, to strengthen institutional capacities for coordination and implementation. Madam President, this development is also taking place within our institutions. Security, where women carry out leading roles in the army, the domestic security forces and public administrations strengthen gender equality between women and men in their policies and their practices through strategies, plans of action, and focal point networks. These mechanisms need to allow women to play a full role in defining priorities, their implementation, and ensuring that women have access to decision-making positions. And this is a reflection of the highest level of the state. The representation of women in the government has gone from 4% in 2022 to more than 21% in 2025. This participation is also a reality in our humanitarian response. Within the Lebanese Red Cross, women volunteers play a full role in terms of providing medical care in circumstances that are often extremely dangerous. They also provide assistance in some of the most important areas, leading teams. Their commitment also reminds us how important it is to protect medical and humanitarian staff in line with international humanitarian law. At the same time, networks of local women mediators supported by UN Women help us to ease tensions and to facilitate dialogue between communities and to support populations affected by displacement. These initiatives give preventing conflict a concrete dimension. This week, we have seen the Women on the Frontlines conference organized. This is a conference which bears witness to the importance of continued dialogue between public institutions, civil society, and actors operating on the ground to move forward the participation of women in political life. Madam President, at a time when humanitarian resources are dwindling, we need to have predictable financing for women-led efforts and sustained international efforts, because the goal of resolution 1325 is not just to ensure the participation of women in peace and security issues, but also to make them actors, fully-fledged actors in decisions that affect them. Twenty-six years on, our responsibility is to ensure that women's participation is guaranteed over time by our institutions. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council; Minister of Foreign Affairs [2:52:21]:

I would like to thank His Excellency Mr. Issa for his statement.


Greece · President of the Security Council [2:52:27]:

Statements to no more than three minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. The flashing light on the microphone will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after three minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of Kazakhstan.


Kazakhstan [2:52:48]:

Madam President, distinguished members of the Security Council, Excellencies, I thank the presidency of Greece for convening this open debate on the eve of the anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, bringing us together for a discussion that touches upon the bedrock of building safe, resilient, and equitable world. For Kazakhstan, the Women, Peace, and Security agenda is a vital national and international security imperative. We firmly believe that lasting peace cannot be achieved without full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and global decision-making. As we look toward the next quarter century, we must translate the spirit of Resolution 1325 into sustained action, recognizing women not solely as victims of conflict, but as leaders, moderators, peacekeepers, and true architects of peace. Kazakhstan is turning these commitments into concrete practice through a whole-of-government approach, involving central and local authorities, security institutions, civil society, and international partners such as UN Women. Kazakhstan successfully completed its first National Action Plan on the implementation of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security for 2022 to 2025. It laid a solid foundation for our peace and security policy, enhanced integrity, cooperation, while strengthening our partnership with civil society. This year, we launched our second National Action Plan for 2026-2028. It responds to modern security threats and addresses climate change, digitalization, cyber risk, migration, and socio-economic challenges. The plan includes 40 concrete measures. Central and local authorities will implement it together with non-governmental organizations and international partners. Nationally, under our family and gender policy, we target a minimum 30% female representation in leadership across all levels of decision making. This commitment is reinforced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's Action Plan on Human Rights. Furthermore, Kazakhstan passed landmark legislation fully criminalizing domestic and gender-based violence, establishing protection mechanisms to secure human safety from the ground up. Our domestic progress directly translates into our international peacekeeping footprint. Since 2018, over 20 Kazakh female military service members have served with distinction in UN peace operations in Lebanon, Western Sahara, and the Golan Heights. Complementing these efforts, the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Training Center, KAZCENT, serves as a key platform for building global capacity. Offering UN-certified courses on civilian protection, gender perspectives, and staff officer preparation, KASEN prepares the next generation of peacekeepers and reflects our firm commitment to multilateralism and preventive diplomacy. In conclusion, Kazakhstan reaffirms its readiness to expand its peacekeeping presence and strengthen the role of women as indispensable architects of global security. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [2:56:20]:

I thank the representative of Kazakhstan for his statement and now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.


Switzerland [2:56:32]:

Madam President, Switzerland recalls that the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda is not merely a declaratory commitment. It requires concrete action, sustainable financing, and a forward-looking and proactive vision. Switzerland is committed to advancing this agenda through several priority areas. First, Switzerland supports the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in mediation, negotiations and peacebuilding at all levels and throughout all stages of peace processes. The inclusion of women is essential to the legitimacy and sustainability of peace agreements and to their effective implementation. In practical terms, in the West Bank, for instance, we train women mediators, establish dialogue platforms, and create mediation hubs. In Sudan, Switzerland and the Berg of Foundation bring together Sudanese women from different regions and communities to strengthen their mediation and negotiation capacities. This has become the most inclusive peace platform in Sudan and has helped to identify concrete confidence-building and de-escalation measures. Secondly, civil society peace initiatives must be supported by predictable, adequate, and sustainable resources. Switzerland therefore provides multi-year support to Peace Women across the globe, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and the NGO Working Group on Women’s Peace and Security to strengthen women’s capacities, protection, visibility and influence in peacebuilding across several regions of the world. For Switzerland, these investments are indispensable to promoting sustainable peace and strengthening over the long term women’s influence at every stage of peace processes. Third, Switzerland addresses both the opportunities and the risks associated with new technologies, particularly AI, in the pursuit of inclusive and sustainable peace. In 2021 and 2023, Switzerland supported studies by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders on the impact of digitalization and cybersecurity on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, particularly the risks of discrimination, harassment, and online violence. In addition, Switzerland supports the pilot project PeacePace, which uses AI for conflict prevention by supporting women peacebuilders in Colombia. In addition to this, we are organizing the event "AI for Peace, not Harm: From Research to Action on Women, Peace and Security in the Digital Age" to translate research into concrete action and to ensure that artificial intelligence serves peace human rights, and the effective participation of women. Madam President, strengthening the role of women mediators, negotiators, and peacebuilders requires concrete initiatives, sustainable financing, and a vision focused on future challenges and opportunities. Switzerland remains firmly committed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [2:59:55]:

I thank the representative of Switzerland for his statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Brazil.


Brazil [3:00:03]:

Madam President, I thank the Greek Presidency for convening this important debate and welcome the briefers' contributions. Twenty-six years after the adoption of resolution 1325, the WPS agenda remains far from being fully implemented. The Secretary-General's latest report presents an alarming picture. In 2025, more than 756 million women and girls lived near armed conflict. Women represented only 5% of negotiators in peace processes. Verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence more than doubled. These figures reflect not a lack of commitment, but a failure to translate them into action. Women and girls continue to suffer the consequences of attacks against civilians, forced displacement, sexual violence, and the destruction of civil infrastructure. As a result, efforts to advance the rights of women and girls will remain insufficient unless they are accompanied by full respect for international law and international humanitarian law. We cannot defend those rights while tolerating violations of international law and of international humanitarian law that expose women and girls to violence, displacement, and deprivation. Attacks against civilians must end. Humanitarian assistance must be guaranteed. Sexual violence in all its forms, including sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping missions, must be tackled and countered, and perpetrators must be firmly held accountable. The WPS agenda cannot be meaningfully implemented if impunity prevails. Also, women's participation must become a reality, rather than a recurring commitment. Women must participate fully, equally, meaningfully, and safely at every stage of peace processes, including conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding. Their participation must extend beyond consultations. Women must have a genuine role in decision-making and in shaping political outcomes. This includes support for women's organizations, women peacebuilders, and human rights defenders, including through sustainable and predictable financing. The Peacebuilding Fund can definitely contribute to this objective. Gender equality, access to education, economic empowerment, strong public institutions, and inclusive development are essential to the achievement of sustainable peace. To this end, we must support inclusive peacebuilding and conflict prevention approaches that connect peace, development, and human rights. With its gender framework, the PBC can help Member States further implement the WPS agenda. It can also help sustain gains in WPS and peacebuilding during transitions or drawdowns of peace operations, when women and girls are particularly vulnerable. Madam President, at a time of increasing military expenditures and shrinking resources for peacebuilding, we must ensure that women’s rights are not sacrificed. The next quarter century of the WPS agenda must be defined not by new promises and commitments, but by their implementation. Protecting women's rights, upholding international law, and building lasting peace are mutually reinforcing responsibilities. We cannot advance on one while neglecting the others. In line with this responsibility, we're happy to announce Brazil is finalizing the second stage of its second national action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which recognizes the importance of aligning broader gender policies with the overarching goal of promoting peace. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:03:53]:

I thank the representative of Brazil for his statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.


Egypt [3:04:03]:

Madam President, we are meeting today 26 years after the adoption of the historical resolution 1325, to address a reality that we cannot ignore, namely that the gap between international commitments and the reality of women in conflict settings is widening. According to the latest Secretary General report, more than 756 women and girls are living in the proximity of armed conflict, and the percentage of women among mediators in peace processes in 2025 did not exceed 5%. These are statistics that indicate the need to move from renewing commitments to actual implementation. Madam President, Egypt stresses that The Women, Peace and Security agenda is based on interrelated pillars, which include engagement, prevention, protection, recovery, and rescue. We would like to highlight a number of priorities. First, the protection of women and girls in armed conflict. We cannot be speaking of women empowerment while women are being killed, forcibly displaced, starved, and subjected to sexual violence. In this context, it is necessary to reach a sustainable and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We must ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid without any obstacles. We must protect civilians according to international humanitarian law. We must reject the forcible displacement of Palestinian people, while giving due attention to the situation of women and girls in Palestine, as the situation deteriorates in Gaza, and as we are seeing appalling actions by settlers in the occupied West Bank. We express grave concern over the suffering of women and girls in Sudan. We must hold the Rapid Support Forces accountable for violations, especially in Darfur and Kordofan, without any selectivity or double standards. Second, we must move from symbolic engagement to impactful engagement and participation. Women do not only benefit from peace, they contribute to making peace. We must empower women and allow them to participate in mediation, decision-making, and negotiation. We must invest in their national capacities to participate in peace processes. including through negotiators, networks, and the national institutions on prevention of conflict. We must also link women's participation to addressing the root causes of conflict and enhancing development and social cohesion. Third, enhancing the role of women in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. Egypt is proud of the participation of women in the police component in UN missions and the participation of women in highly dangerous operations in Mali. They contribute to saving lives through taking on substantial risk. Through the Cairo Center for Settlement of Disputes, Peacebuilding and Peacemaking, Egypt also contributes to enhancing African capacities for engaging women in prevention and sustainable peacebuilding. As a co-facilitator of the review of the peacebuilding architecture in 2025 with Slovenia, we enhanced the link between women, peace, and security and national strategies to prevent conflicts and build peace. We call for turning these gains to a practical support to national institutions. Madam President, on the margins of the high-level week last September, we announced our first national plan on women, peace and security. This plan reflects our institutional commitment to enhance women leadership and women's participation in prevention, peacekeeping, protection through, during conflict and responding to the needs of women through reconstruction and recovery. The plan has also a regional dimension, an international dimension, which reflects Egypt's role in supporting countries affected by conflicts. We are committed to continue to advance the Women, Peace and Security at all levels. I thank you, Madam President.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:09:22]:

I thank the representative of Egypt for his statement.

I give the floor to the representative of Luxembourg.


Luxembourg [3:09:32]:

Madam President, Luxembourg aligns itself with the statement of the European Union and the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security. I thank Greece for organizing this important debate, which coincides with the 26th anniversary of the unanimous adoption of Resolution 1325. This resolution remains a strong affirmation of a simple truth: there can be no lasting peace without total respect for the rights of women. Our world is being ravaged by a record number of active armed conflicts that are having a disproportionate impact on women and girls. The annual report of the Secretary-General underscores that 19% of them live in or near armed conflicts. Luxembourg unequivocally condemns all forms of violence, exploitation, and abuse. sexual and gender-based violence, restrictions on access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and attacks against human rights defenders and women peacebuilders, including reprisals and intimidation against women that cooperate with the UN. We remain determined to end impunity. The annual report highlights the shortage of effective implementation of the successive commitments made by the international community. Even more worrying The progress and the gains that we have made risk being rolled back. Going backwards is not acceptable. Luxembourg feels that the appointment of a woman who is an advocate for human rights and gender equality as the next Secretary-General of the UN would help contribute to a more peaceful, more stable and more prosperous world. Luxembourg recalls the particular responsibility of the members of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security. To honour this responsibility, the Council must set the example by promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda and by systematically mainstreaming it throughout its discussions, decisions, and mandates. That includes regular briefings by women civil society representatives. To advance implementation, all States must take concrete measures for the mainstreaming of gender equality across all policies. We welcome the adoption of national action plans by more than 100 states, and we call for their implementation. Luxembourg adopted its second national action plan for the period 2025 to 2030. Its four pillars, participation, prevention, protection, and promotion, aim to strengthen the mainstreaming of the gender dimension in peace and security policies at the national and international levels. The action plan applies to every area of our foreign policy, namely diplomacy, defence and development, and also covers issues related to justice, education, the reception of refugees, and domestic security. The allocation of a third of our official development assistance to promoting gender equality is an integral part of our international efforts. You can count on the continued engagement of Luxembourg for the protection of, respect for, and promotion of the human rights of all women and girls. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:12:44]:

Thank the representative of Luxembourg for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.


Indonesia [3:12:54]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Greece for convening this important debate, and the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN Women, and the briefer for the insight.

Never in history has the women, peace and security agenda enjoyed such broad political support.

And yet never has the gap between commitment and implementation appeared so stark. As the Secretary-General reported, 25 years after this Council adopted its first resolution on women and peace and security, the halls of government, peace tables, and security institutions remain overwhelmingly dominated by men.

If women's participation remains mere aspiration, we should not be surprised that peace remains elusive.

Indonesia wishes to highlight three points in promoting women's leadership and ensuring their full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in decision-making, politics, and peace processes. First, recognizing women as indispensable actors across the entire peace continuum.

Women's contributions are crucial at every stage, from conflict prevention.

And mediation to peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and sustaining peace. Indonesia has long championed the meaningful participation of women in peace and security.

As the initiator of the Security Council Resolution 2538 on women in peacekeeping, Indonesia continues to promote women's role across peace operation and conflict resolution efforts.

Indonesia also initiated the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators and Southeast Asian Network of Women Peace Negotiators and Mediators as prominent regional platforms dedicated to advancing women's inclusion, leadership, and meaningful participation in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, and post-conflict governance across Southeast Asia. It is our conviction that women are not mere beneficiaries of peace processes; they are agents of peace. Second, translating women's leadership and decision-making roles into real influence in society. Through our long-standing contributions to UN peacekeeping, Indonesia witnesses firsthand the contributions of women peacekeepers in building trust with local communities, in strengthening engagement with women and children affected by conflict, in enhancing protection efforts, and in supporting peacebuilding.

Indonesia's National Action Plan on Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality and Social Conflict, and the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism have proven the centrality and strategic roles of women leaderships in Indonesia's effort to prevent local conflict, counter-terrorism, and peacebuilding through multi-stakeholder collaboration at the national, subnational, and local grassroots levels.

Matching commitment with sustained investment and partnerships. The Secretary-General's report warns that funding shortfalls are weakening support for women's organizations and WPS implementation globally. Indonesia supports strengthening partnerships among governments, regional organizations, UN entities, and civil society to ensure sustainable financing for the WPS agenda. Investment in women's leadership is an investment in peace itself. Mr. President, for Indonesia, advancing the WPS agenda is not simply a policy choice.

It is a strategic necessity to our contribution toward a more peaceful world.

Guided by Indonesia's constitutional mandate to contribute to world peace, we will continue Indonesia's engagement across UN system, including on our candidacy for membership in the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission for the 2027-2030 term, and for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2029-2030 term. I thank you, Mr. President.


President [3:17:02]:

I thank the representative of Indonesia for this statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.


Liechtenstein [3:17:10]:

Thank you so much for the floor, Mr. President. As President, the Women, Peace and Security agenda is losing support when it is needed most. In 2025, 20% of women and girls live within 50 kilometers of active conflict. Verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence quadrupled since 2022. Yet fewer than half of all Security Council decisions contained WPS language, the lowest chair in 17 years, despite resolution 2242 requiring its integration across country situations. Established Monday provisions have been weakened or omitted. Only 21 women civil society representatives have briefed the council in 2026, compared with a record 16 in a single month in 2021. Liechtenstein deeply regrets this concerning developments and calls upon the Council to match its own commitments with renewed action. Mr. President, new technologies are reshaping conflict. Artificial intelligence can support early warning, atrocity documentation, mediation, and peacekeeping. But at the same time, the increasing operationalization of AI in conflict also carries significant risks. existing WPS commitments are not extended to the systems that inform military decisions. According to a recent study, leading AI models left women and girls out of their analysis almost entirely when given a realistic report with no mention of gender. Some models also helped draft justifications for cutting gender advisor posts when asked to find budget savings. There is a significant risk that the gender digital divide translates into a systemic competence gap in places where the application of WPS is especially critical. In this regard, we welcome the Council's growing engagement with AI and international peace and security. We support more systemic engagement, including through an informal working group, also with regards to the implications of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. At the moment of growing pushback against WPS agenda, one truth remains clear: peace is more legitimate, inclusive, and durable when women participate fully, equally, and meaningfully. Yet the gap between commitments and practice remains stark. Liechtenstein regrets that over the course of the past year, four in five negotiations had no women negotiators. Even more alarmingly, only 20% of peace agreements reference women, girls, gender, or sexual violence over the last 35 years. And the UN leads only on a small share of today's peace processes. Of 57 peace processes in 2025, the UN led on three. Yet the UN supports mediation or peacebuilding in at least 45 situations reported to this Council. We call upon the Council to support women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in these processes. Women's participation improves the quality and sustainability of peace agreements, broadens agendas beyond power sharing, and increases the likelihood that agreements address justice, livelihoods, education, and long-term reconciliation. Women already negotiate humanitarian access, engage in the protection of civilians, and the documentation of violations. They belong to the table where peace is decided. I thank you so much.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:21:20]:

I thank the representative of Liechtenstein for this statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Qatar.


Qatar [3:21:30]:

President, first of all, we'd like to commend the participation of the Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece, who's presiding over this important meeting. We'd like to thank the Secretary General for his briefing and his efforts, and the other briefers for their important contributions. President, the State of Qatar has committed to implement the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. This is a commitment that is reflected, notably through our initiatives and diplomatic efforts that have been recognized in the field of mediation. We guarantee opportunities for women so that they can participate in decision-making processes. We are proud to participate in the Arab Women Mediators Network, and we hosted the third meeting of the Working Group on Women, Peace, and Security in January 2025. We recognize the importance of international cooperation in this domain. President, the implementation of commitments linked to the Women, Peace and Security agenda requires that we respect the principles of international law, state sovereignty, and resolve differences peacefully. We have to look at the repercussions of the current situation in our region on the life of communities, including women and girls, and repercussions on the economy, the provision of food and energy as well. Dialogue remains the best way to find a lasting solution to these crises and to stop any escalation, and we continue to deploy efforts in this regard and our good offices to strengthen regional stability and to serve the interests of the peoples of our region, notably women and girls. Madam President, conflicts and crises have a particular impact on women and girls. The statistics and data laid out in the SG's report bear witness to this. They show a concerning situation We see a record level of conflicts throughout the world last year. The report also shows that many women and girls were killed and injured in the occupied Palestinian territories. Several thousand women and girls were killed in Gaza between 2023 and 2025, and in Palestine, women are bearing the brunt of the Israeli violations of international humanitarian law. and international human rights law. Madam President, more than 25 years have elapsed since the historic adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We have an excellent opportunity, therefore, now to take stock of what has been achieved. The real success of our commitments is not in the number of commitments, but rather on the real impact on the lives of women and girls. Women's participation should not be symbolic, it should be real and meaningful in terms of building lasting peace. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:24:40]:

I thank the representative of Qatar for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Cyprus.


Cyprus [3:24:49]:

Mr. President, at the outset, allow me to express our appreciation to Greece for convening this important debate. Cyprus wishes to thank the Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women, and Mrs. Pariani for their insightful remarks. Mr. President, Resolution 1325 not only clearly recognized for the first time the different and disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls, but also establish the imperative for their equal and substantial participation in the decision-making centers, in the peace processes, in the prevention of conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction, and most importantly, their contribution to a more peaceful and equitable world. Cyprus remains committed to translating the principles of Resolution 1325 into concrete action. The significant increase in women's representation in key positions of political, institutional leadership, including the Council of Ministers, the Diplomatic Service, and the National Guard, reflects our commitment to advancing women's equal participation in decision-making. Building on the achievements of its first National Action Plan for 2021-2025, Cyprus has adopted a second National Action Plan for 2026-2028. Measures implemented under the first plan, alongside measures envisaged under the second, include targeted training for National Guard personnel, a code of conduct for military and civilian personnel on respecting the rights of women and girls during conflict, and awareness-raising initiatives to strengthen understanding and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The second plan builds on these achievements and seeks to further advance the implementation of the WPS agenda. Mr. President, Cyprus also recognizes that addressing global and regional challenges requires close cooperation and coordinated action. Accordingly, we seek to ensure that our humanitarian and development assistance, as well as our voluntary contributions to international organizations, support the WPS agenda. We continue to strengthen bilateral bilateral partnerships through support for gender equality programs in neighboring countries. Notably, in 2025, 79% of Cyprus's total voluntary contributions to international organizations and entities were directed to organizations working directly or indirectly to promote women's empowerment. Mr. President, the findings of the Secretary General's latest report leave no room for complacency. In 2025, 756 million women and girls, 19% of the global female population, lived within 50 kilometers of active conflict, the highest level since the 1990s. Meanwhile, documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence more than doubled compared with the previous year and nearly quadrupled since 2022. These figures underscore the urgent need for sustained international action. Having experienced the atrocities of conflict-related sexual violence, Cyprus remains deeply mindful of the suffering endured by survivors. In recognition of their suffering and in tribute to all women subjected to sexual violence in conflict, the Council of Ministers has approved the construction of a monument in the capital dedicated to these women. Mr. President, Had we been asked in 2000 whether a quarter of a century later, resolution 1325 would be more relevant than ever, we might have anticipated a more encouraging trajectory. Yet, the realities we face today and the challenges that continue to occupy our attention reaffirm the importance of its full and effective implementation. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Cyprus remains committed to advancing the WPS agenda, harnessing the transformative potential of women and girls, and strengthening efforts at the local, national, and international levels. This includes empowering civil society, promoting gender mainstreaming, and ensuring that gender perspectives are systematically integrated across the global agenda. Mr. President, The time to invest in women and girls is now. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:29:16]:

I thank the representative of Cyprus for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.


Republic of Korea [3:29:25]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Greece for convening this open debate, and the Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women, and Ms. Pariani for their briefings. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered by Canada on behalf of the Group of Friends of WPS. More than a quarter century on, our challenge is no longer one of the norms, but of delivery. During our recent term on this council, we served as a WPS shared commitment holder and remain committed to carrying that work forward. Let me highlight three points.

First,

Women must be at the table. In this space, the Republic of Korea annually hosts the International Conference on Action with Women and Peace to amplify women's voices in international peace and security. Next month in Seoul, its eighth edition on innovation in WPS for sustainable peace will bring together survivors and youth to explore fresh approaches to women's participation. Second, protection must keep pace with technology. Women leaders, peacebuilders, and human rights defenders are increasingly targeted by technology-facilitated violence, from coordinated smear campaigns to sexually explicit deepfakes. We have been working to ensure that new technologies empower rather than endanger women. At home, AI-based systems now detect deepfake sexual imagery and request its swift removal from online platforms. At the UN, through the Group of Friends for Combating Technology-Facilitated Trafficking in Persons, we will continue to help the Organization keep pace with these challenges. As co-chair of the next year's global dialogue on AI governance, we'll also help ensure that women's rights are a central part of these discussions. Third, commitment must be backed by resources. At a time of liquidity challenges and shrinking aid, flexible and predictable funding for women-led organizations matters more than ever. This year, we have sustained our support to UNFPA and the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, reaching survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and women peacebuilders in crisis and conflict-affected settings. Mr. President, the next quarter century of this agenda will be judged not by the resolutions we adopt, but by whether women are at the center of decision-making, protected from ever-evolving forms of violence, and the resources to lead. My delegation stands ready to its part.

I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:32:33]:

I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.


Germany [3:32:43]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and thanks to Greece for convening this important debate. And thank you to all the briefers for their very substantial remarks and briefings. Germany aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. Over 25 years ago, this chamber adopted resolution 1325, acknowledging the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls. And despite the progress which has been made since then, the SG's latest report on women, peace and security documents that we still have a long way to go in order to ensure women's equal participation in peace processes. And what is more, there is a worrying backlash against the WPS agenda and gender equality more generally. This threatens hard-won gains for the empowerment of women and girls across the globe. So, at this juncture, we need to ask, how can we fulfill the promise of the WPS agenda? And I would like to make three points. Firstly, we need to ensure that women are fully, equally, and meaningfully participating in decision making and in all stages of peace processes. And the United Nations should make this a formal requirement for peace processes it leads or co-facilitates. Research shows That peace is more durable when women are adequately represented in peace processes, led or co-led by the UN. And this would be in everybody's best interest, because peace doesn't work if half of the population is excluded, and excluding women makes peace less durable. And you can see it from the numbers that we're not there yet. Across 57 negotiation processes in 2025, women accounted for 5% of lead negotiators and 14% of mediators. So that is why Germany supports initiatives like the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund or the African Women Leaders Network to ensure that women are adequately represented where it matters. So we urge the Council to make women's participation a standing element of its mandates and to hear women civil society briefers more regularly. Secondly, the Secretary General's latest report on conflict-related sexual violence shows that the number of verified cases is rising sharply. In conflict contexts, women and girls are disproportionately affected by displacement, conflict-related sexual violence, food insecurity, and the disruption of essential health and education services. It documents systematic sexual violence in different settings, and it highlights the need for the protection of women and girls in conflicts. So really, all of us need to do more to meet our national targets. Germany is currently working on its fourth national action plan on WPS, and the plan will, of course, among other things, also reconfirm Germany's commitment regarding the fight against and prevention of conflict-related sexual violence. And we have joined the UN team of experts, CRSV Prosecution Network, which was launched lately. Finally, resources, of course, play a critical role to enable the WPS agenda, and that is why Germany remains the largest bilateral donor to the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund. And this week, we will sign an agreement to expand financial support yet again for the African Women Leaders Network to provide the basis to promote the next generation of women leaders, for example, in Sudan, in South Sudan, in Somalia, just among many other things. So, let me assure you in closing that Germany will continue to do what it can to fulfil the promise of resolution 1325. Thank you very much.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:36:32]:

I thank the representative of Germany for this statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Singapore.


Singapore · Ambassador for International Law [3:36:40]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Greek Presidency for organising this debate on Women, Peace and Security, and the briefers for their valuable insights. Mr President, Singapore firmly believes that the meaningful participation of women is essential to building and sustaining international peace and security. Women must not only be protected by international law, but also have an equal opportunity to shape its development, interpretation, and application. As Ambassador for International Law, I have advocated the meaningful representation of women in all international legal processes, from treaty making to the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Our experience in a variety of UN processes over the years has convinced me that inclusive international lawmaking leads to more durable outcomes.

Singapore's commitment to the WPS agenda is not new. We have consistently supported international and regional efforts to advance the agenda. From our co-sponsorship of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1888 and 1889 to working with fellow ASEAN member states to launch the Regional Plan of Action on WPS in 2021. Resolutions 1888 and 1889 recognized conflict-related sexual violence as a threat to international peace and security, and reaffirmed the inclusion of women as active leaders and stakeholders in peace processes. These principles remain relevant today. However, Mr. President, a stark gap remains between our commitments and our actions. The Secretary-General's report shows that conflict-related sexual violence remains a reality around the world. Many perpetrators go unpunished. The proliferation of conflicts today threatens to expose more women and girls to the horrors of war, in particular conflict-related sexual violence against them. Singapore supports the Secretary-General's recommendation for all parties to the conflict to cease all forms of conflict-related sexual violence immediately. We call on all parties to armed conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including respecting the special protection of women and girls, and facilitating humanitarian relief to assist victims. Singapore is concerned by reports of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers. We support the UN's victim-centered zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. Singapore is a firm advocate for greater female inclusion and leadership in peacekeeping and planning. Since 2016, five women have won the Nobel Peace Prize, showing what women leaders can achieve in peacebuilding. Going forward, Mr. President, our task is to normalize the inclusion and leadership of women in peace efforts. Singapore reiterates our commitment to supporting the UN and Member States' efforts to build a better future for women and girls everywhere. Thank you very much.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:40:30]:

I thank the representative of Singapore for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Spain.


Spain [3:40:41]:

Mr. President, Spain welcomes the convening of this open debate, in particular the Greek Presidency focused on Women, Peace and Security as an essential pillar for advancing sustainable, inclusive, and lasting peace. The Women, Peace and Security agenda is a prevention agenda, an approach that we believe must be a priority within the peace and security architecture. If we want to see how democratic and peaceful a society is, we need to look at how it treats women. And the position that they occupy within it. That is why, in the current context of setbacks for the agenda, we must join forces to strengthen its implementation from this Security Council, which can and should systematically mainstream a gender perspective into all its mandates, to the regional and national levels through the adoption of action plans that can turn international commitments into concrete objectives that are adapted to different contexts. The protection of the human rights of women and girls must continue to occupy a central place in these efforts. The international community cannot allow even the slightest regression in the principle of gender equality. Mr. President, the effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda must be accompanied by stronger accountability for gender-based crimes, including conflict-related sexual violence. Without accountability, lasting peace nor sustainable reconciliation can be achieved. Women-led organizations play a fundamental role in implementing the agenda. However, they are increasingly subjected to threats and persecution. The international community must provide them with political and financial support, as well as effective protection, including those who want to silence their voices. Allow me to refer to the Hear Us initiative promoted by Spain, which on 23 November in Madrid will bring together Afghan organizations and activists to support their struggle against the institutionalized regime of gender apartheid in their country. This initiative is a concrete example of Spain's commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda that was renewed this year with the the publication of the third National Action Plan. The third plan updates implementation tools to address the impact of the digital transition, creates space for the leadership of young women, and strengthens efforts to combat impunity for gender-based crimes. We advocate for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all decision-making processes. Under the motto "Building Peace and Democracy", Spain, in June, hosted the fifth Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy. Our commitment is also reflected in our political and financial support for UN Women, with a total contribution amounting to 13 million euros this year, as well as to other agencies and entities that advance this agenda, such as the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, which supports women's organizations to which we have contributed 500,000. Combating impunity for gender-based crimes and conflict-related sexual violence is a priority of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda for Spain. We support international efforts to address this scourge including the indispensable work of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We recently committed 100,000 euros to the Office, and we will make an additional contribution before the end of the year. We also support the work of judicial mechanisms combating impunity for these crimes, such as the International Criminal Court, which must be able to carry out its mandate independently, with integrity and impartiality. I conclude by reaffirming my country's support for the effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, convinced that achieving the full participation of women at a negotiating table in a disarmament process, in regional or national parliaments, in police and military academies, and ultimately in the advancement of more equal societies, constitutes progress towards building a more just, inclusive, and lasting peace. Thank you very much.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:44:42]:

I thank the representative of Spain for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal.


Portugal [3:44:50]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Portugal thanks Greece for convening this annual debate and the briefers for their valuable insight. We align with the statement by the EU. In our national capacity, a few comments. The latest report by the Secretary General confirms a bleak reality. Record levels of conflict are disproportionately affecting women and girls. Women's rights face growing backlash. Gender-based violence and hate speech remain perversive. Women's participation in peace process has also declined, despite clear evidence of its contribution to more sustainable peace. As we approach the 26th anniversary of Resolution 1325, we should ask ourselves, what must the next quarter century deliver? The challenge is no longer a lack of commitment, it is a lack of implementation. Portugal sees four priorities. First priority, inclusion throughout the entire cycle of peace processes. Women's full, equal, and meaningful participation is crucial, not only in peace negotiations, but also in prevention, early warning, and mediation. Portugal has signed the Secretary General's common pledge and joined the Women, Peace, and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact. Second priority, protection, assistance, and recovery. We need stronger prevention and accountability, also in relation to conflict-related sexual violence. We need effective access to justice and support for survivors, as well as predictable and flexible financing for local women organizations. Third priority, systematic integration of gender perspectives throughout peace and security efforts, including recovery, reconstruction, security sector reform, and transitional justice. As peace operations evolve, gender perspectives and the protection of women and girls must remain central. Greater efficiency must not come at the cost of these commitments. Fourth priority, implementation. National action plans remain essential to translate commitments into action.

Portugal's fourth national


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:47:18]:

to the representative of Kuwait.


Kuwait [3:47:24]:

Mr. President, allow me to thank Greece for holding this important debate. I thank the Secretary General and the briefers. We are convening this debate today as conflicts expand and have grave repercussions. They bring untold suffering that doesn't end with the end of military operations. Women and girls lose their family members. They are forced to leave their homes. and they are deprived of health care and education, and they bear more responsibilities. 24 years following the adoption of resolution 1325, there still is a gap between our commitments and the reality of women in conflict settings. The Secretary-General's report indicated that women only represented 5% of negotiators in 57 peace operations in 2025. We have to ask, how can we build a sustainable peace if women's voices are absent these decisions that shape the future of societies. Mr. President, the State of Kuwait believes that engagement of women must start before the outbreak of conflicts. Women must contribute to diplomacy, preventive diplomacy, and mediation. And this participation must continue during negotiations and peace processes, reconstruction, and recovery. Protection of women is a main responsibility that requires the respect of international law, including international humanitarian law. It requires also the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and it requires ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid without any obstacles, and it requires holding perpetrators of violations accountable. Mr. President, the needs of women do not end with the end of fighting. Sustainable recovery requires a return to education, receiving health, and restoring livelihoods. This is why we might integrate the needs and priorities of women in reconstruction and recovery plans. We must provide work opportunities. We must build their capacities so that women can be economically independent and can contribute to building a future for her family and for society. As technology is advancing, we have to harness digital tools to ensure the participation of women in society and to build their capacities. We also have to address threats in the digital space, including harassment and misinformation. These threats limit the participation of women in decision-making. At national level, we continue our efforts to ensure women's participation in decision-making and in justice. We are working with the ESCWA and with our national committees on developing our first action plan on women, peace, and security. These efforts aim to integrate the pillars of the action plan or of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda in our national policies and to enhance the protection of women in line with the vision of Kuwait 2035 and SDGs. And at this juncture, I must pay tribute to Kuwaiti women who have proven that it plays a vital role in addressing all the different challenges since the Iraqi invasion. of the State of Kuwait, women has made sacrifices, has contributed to reconstruction and to security, and has continued giving. And today, in light of the Iranian attacks against the Kuwait since the 28th of February 2026, the attacks that targeted infrastructure and civilian object and threatened the safety and security of the residents and civilians, Kuwaiti women continue to play a role in serving their country. They contributed to addressing these attacks. We recall efforts by women in leadership positions, and we recall the contribution of women to ensure societal cohesion. These experiences prove that women are not immune to the repercussions of crises and conflicts. Women also contribute to responding to these crises. She's a partner. Women are partners in resilience and in reconstruction, and it is an indispensable voice for a better future. Mr. President, we do not need more promises. Women need more measures that protect them, protect their rights, ensure that they access basic services, and they need measures to ensure that they contribute to decision-making. In conclusion, we are committed to working with Member States, the UN, and partners to turn the Women, Peace and Security agenda into tangible reality. We believe that sustainable peace cannot be built without women, but it is built with the participation of women. I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:52:43]:

Representative of Kuwait for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Armenia.


Armenia [3:52:51]:

Mr. President, we thank the Presidency of Greece in the face of Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. George Gerapetritis, for convening today’s open debate on Women, Peace and Security, and extend our gratitude to the briefers for their thoughtful contributions. We are also pleased to see women briefers at the Security Council meetings and encourage inviting even more female briefers. Last October, the international community marked the 25th anniversary of adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which presents a landmark achievement aiming at addressing the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, and accentuating their critical role in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, post-conflict reconstruction, and recovery. Notwithstanding, the statistics given in the UN Secretary General's most recent report on SCR 1325 shows that there is still a lack of action and attention to the implementation of the WPS agenda. Only last year, 756 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of armed conflict and continue to be disproportionately affected by displacement, conflict-related sexual violence, food insecurity, and disruption of education services. Against this backdrop, in Armenia initiated UNJ resolution Education for Peace, the states are encouraged to establish mechanisms to create inclusive, safe, and equitable learning spaces and to remove barriers to gender inequality in and through education. The physical and mental health of women and girls is endangered around the globe, while funding and official development assistance channeled to women's organizations in conflict-affected countries remain insufficient. In this regard, Armenia highlights that a higher level of focus must be placed on the needs of women with disabilities, as only 23% of women with disabilities are employed compared with 46% of women without disabilities, and 34% of men with disabilities. Mr. President, Armenia's current National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security for 2025-2027, titled "Investing in Global Efforts for Peace," sets out distinct and measurable steps to encourage and promote women's participation in decision-making, prevent gender-based violence, and support post-conflict recovery. The WPS agenda is important for Armenia not only in terms of providing support to women affected by conflict, but also in ensuring that women's voices are heard and their perspectives are taken into account. Currently, when Armenia is implementing its steps towards further institutionalization of peace in the region, women should have a meaningful role in decisions concerning peace and security in the region. The trip route will create economic connectivity and then produce peace dividends that are accessible to women. Women's organizations should do more for regional connectivity and peace initiatives. Mr. President, in a broader context, according to WPS agenda, Armenia promotes women's participation in all aspects of peace and security, including economic and cybersecurity. With regard to the technology facilitated violence against women and girls, Armenia initiated resolution titled Strengthening International Cooperation for Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls in the Context of Digital Technologies, adopted recently by the Human Rights Council. This important initiative aims to enhance international and multi-stakeholder cooperation to promote and protect the rights of women and girls throughout the life cycle of digital technologies addressing discrimination and adverse human rights impacts. Summing up, I would like to reiterate that Armenia remains firmly committed to the furtherance of the WPS agenda, as we share the understanding that full participation of women and girls in the peace processes can significantly contribute to the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. I thank you, Mr. President.


Greece · President of the Security Council [3:57:07]:

I thank the representative of Armenia for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Czechia.


Czechia [3:57:16]:

Mr. President, the Czech Republic aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the European Union and the Group of Friends of Women, Peace, and Security. We thank the briefers for their contributions. More than 25 years after the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 1325, the necessary commitments are already in place. The challenge is to translate them consistently into practice. The focus must now be on the full and effective implementation of the existing Women, Peace, and Security framework and concrete, measurable results. The Secretary General's latest report confirms that women continue to be significantly underrepresented in peace and political processes, despite broad recognition that their involvement contributes to better outcomes. Progress remains limited, leaving a substantial gap between agreed principles and practice. Women must be able to participate fully, equally, and meaningfully in negotiations and decision-making at all levels and stages, including in leadership roles. This requires removing barriers and creating the conditions for their effective engagement It also requires protecting women peacebuilders, mediators, human rights defenders, and civil society representatives from intimidation, threats, reprisals, and technology-facilitated violence. Implementation also means preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence. Such crimes must not be met with impunity, stigma, and silence. Prevention must be strengthened, perpetrators held accountable, and survivors provided with comprehensive, survivor-centered services and access to justice. Mr. President, the Czech Republic is advancing these priorities through its third National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. Its implementation is coordinated across relevant ministries and with civil society, supported by monitoring and evaluation mechanisms designed to track measurable progress and achieve tangible outcomes. The plan also reflects the lessons learned from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, including the impact on conflict and forced displacement on women and girls, the need to strengthen national resilience, and women's role in crisis response, stabilization, and recovery. The Czech Republic also advances the WPS agenda through its development cooperation and humanitarian assistance with attention to the needs and protection of women and girls. This includes projects focused on preventing gender-based violence and protecting forcibly displaced women in conflict and post-conflict settings. The Security Council must lead by example, by upholding the existing Women, Peace and Security framework, preserving agreed language, and systematically integrating the agenda into its decisions, mandates, and sanctions regimes. As good practices from different national and regional contexts demonstrate, progress is possible. We should build on what works and adapt it to different contexts.

I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:00:31]:

I thank the representative of Czechia for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.


Israel [4:00:40]:

Mr. President, I thank you for convening this debate. It falls on election day in Israel, and I wish to see the many highly qualified women candidates running for the Knesset take leadership roles in shaping Israel's future. Among them, a mother who lost sons on October 7th and turned grief into public service, a mother who fought to bring her son from Gaza, and a mother whose son gave his life shielding others at the Nova Music Festival. Their candidacies are themselves an act of resilience, women refusing to remain victims of that day and choosing to shape what comes afterwards. Women are also the front lines of Israel's security. 50% of our air defense operators are women, 40% of our intelligence and strategic planning forces are women, and 20% of our combat soldiers are women. Specifically, we honor the young women surveillance soldiers at Nahal Oz, the eyes of our security on the Gaza border. who were murdered and kidnapped on October 7th. We stand with all the women who suffered on that dark day. Now, three years after, meaningful cooperation is also taking shape in our region. In direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by United States, senior women diplomats sat at a table on both sides, working together to try to create a future where neither country is held hostage by Hezbollah. Israel is surrounded by threats from every direction: Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and of course, the Iranian regime, the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Iran and its terrorist proxies seek a world that opposes the importance of women, peace, and security, threatening anyone who embraces equality, democracy, and peace. We must do everything in our power to free all women in our region from these groups, their violence, and terror. Not only Israeli women, but Palestinian women, Lebanese women, and Yemeni women, and of course, the women of Iran, who lived under the oppressive anti-WPS regime for almost 50 years. We also learned many lessons on October 7th and its aftermath. Along with Switzerland and Germany, we are sponsoring the creation of a first-of-its-kind universal toolkit for first emergency responders by the UNODC. This toolkit draws on our collective experiences in order to support survivors and victims of SGBV worldwide. The toolkit adopts a victim-centered approach and seeks to provide emergency workers and volunteers with practical guidance to ensure that critical evidence is preserved when there are grounds to suspect that sexual and gender-based violence had occurred at the scene of a terrorist attack. This is Israel, participation, protection, and prevention in practice. I thank you, Mr. President.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:04:34]:

I thank the representative of Israel for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Lithuania.


Lithuania [4:04:43]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Greece for convening this timely debate and the briefers for their insights. The latest Secretary-General’s report on women, peace and security warns that two decades of progress are unraveling. Hard-won standards are increasingly contested, civic space is shrinking, and women’s organizations in conflict-affected settings receive only 0.4% of aid. At the same time, women remain excluded from decisions on conflict prevention, peace processes, and post-conflict recovery. We must defend the commitments enshrined in Resolution 1325 and translate them into action. Lithuania remains firmly committed to this task. In this regard, I would like to highlight three points. First, we must ensure women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in decision-making at every stage, from conflict prevention to peacebuilding and recovery. This requires concrete participation targets, gender-responsive mediation and negotiation teams, and transparent reporting on those voices are reflected in agreements. Second, we must prevent and address all forms of violence against women and ensure accountability. The recent thematic OHCHR report documented 1,004 cases of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine since February 2022. 89% were attributed to Russian authorities. Accountability for such crimes is essential to deliver justice, prevent recurrence, and build sustainable peace. Third, we must protect women human rights defenders, journalists, peacebuilders, civil society leaders, and humanitarian workers. They face threats, intimidation, arbitrary detention, and violence.

Especially in Russia, Belarus, Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Sudan, and Myanmar.

States must ensure conditions for their safe and meaningful participation in public life. Delivering on these priorities requires adequate and sustained financing. Financial commitments must match political commitments and support local women-led organizations. For Lithuania, the Women, Peace, and Security agenda is an integral part of democratic resilience. Our 2025-2029 National Action Plan focuses on four priorities: improving gender balance in decision-making, removing barriers to women's participation, promoting zero tolerance for violence against women, and integrating a gender perspective across security and foreign policy. Mr. President, Lithuania remains committed to translating the Women, Peace and Security agenda into concrete and measurable results.

I thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:07:50]:

I thank the representative of Lithuania for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan.


Azerbaijan [4:07:59]:

Mr. President, at the outset, I would like to thank the delegation of Greece for convening today's meeting on Women, Peace and Security. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognized the particular vulnerabilities faced by women and girls in armed conflict, and recognized the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security. Regrettably, armed conflicts continue to have a disproportionate impact on women and children around the world. Widespread violations persist against a backdrop of non-compliance with international obligations, coupled with the lack of accountability for breaches of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. On numerous occasions, Member States have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including in post-conflict settings. The humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts require timely and adequate international support to address the needs and challenges faced by affected populations, including women and girls, as recognized in Security Council Resolution 2474. Despite the end of the decades-long conflict and the progress achieved in advancing the peace agenda in our region, The fate and whereabouts of thousands of Azerbaijanis who went missing in connection with the former armed conflict continue to be a pressing humanitarian concern. Clarifying the fate of missing persons and advancing related international efforts in this regard remains matters of utmost importance to Azerbaijan. To this end, my country hosts annual international conferences, including the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons, dedicated to addressing this issue. Azerbaijan has also initiated the General Assembly resolution on missing persons and the Commission on the Status of Women resolution entitled “Release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned in armed conflicts”. Mr. President, in the post-conflict period, Azerbaijan has undertaken large-scale rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. to enable internally displaced persons to exercise their right to a safe, voluntary, and dignified return to their places of origin. Through the Great Return Program, specific measures have been introduced to empower women and girls and to ensure their meaningful participation in the recovery process. These efforts, however, continue to be severely hampered by the persistent threat posed by landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Since November 2020, 443 people, including women and children, have fallen victim to mine incidents, and the numbers keep rising. This grave situation underscores the urgent need for adequate international assistance to strengthen national humanitarian demining capacities and support demining efforts. Notwithstanding these difficulties, approximately 96,000 people have already returned, and now living and working in newly rebuilt cities, towns, and villages as a result of the measures undertaken by the government. In conclusion, we reiterate the importance of continuing to advance the empowerment of women and girls in post-conflict settings in accordance with the relevant national and international normative frameworks. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:11:31]:

I thank the representative of Azerbaijan for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the League of Arab States to the United Nations.


LAS [4:12:14]:

Mr. President, my ambassador is about to come. He's at the door. Please give me just 30 seconds and he will be around. Thank you.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:12:41]:

So I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Osama Mahmoud Abdelhalek Mahmoud, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations.


LAS · Permanent Observer to the UN [4:12:55]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We sincerely thank you for convening this debate on women, peace, and security. More than a quarter century after the adoption of resolution 1325, the fundamental challenge remains translating commitments into tangible actions that ensure the protection of women and girls and guarantee the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. The task is of particular importance in the Arab region in light of continued Israeli occupation and violations against the Palestinian people, in light of the conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, and other crises that place severe burdens on women and girls. and exacerbate the risks of violence, displacement, and deprivation of basic services. We therefore need to strengthen protection, ensure safe access to assistance and health services, and we need to hold perpetrators of violations accountable in accordance with international law. Mr. President, the League of Arab States continues to support the implementation of Women, Peace, and Security agenda through the Regional Strategy for the Protection of Arab Women and by supporting Member States in developing national action plans in cooperation with UN Women and relevant partners. The League also works to strengthen the role of Arab Women Mediators Network. We support establishing national networks and engaging local women's expertise in regional and international mediation efforts. These efforts are complemented by the work of the Emergency Committee for the Protection of Women during Armed Conflicts in the Arab Region, and by enhanced cooperation with relevant UN mechanisms. To achieve real progress, we need to focus on four interrelated priorities: First, ensuring the meaningful participation of women in mediation, negotiations, and decision-making, while supporting women leaders and civil society organizations and protecting them from threats and acts of retaliation. Second, providing sustainable and flexible funding for national action plans and local women’s organizations, strengthening institutional coordination, and measuring results so that commitments have a clear impact on the lives of women. Third, strengthening accountability for violations committed against women and girls and ensuring survivors access to justice and to health, psychological, and social services, particularly in situations of displacement and refuge. Fourth, leveraging technology and innovation to support women's participation and protection while addressing digital violence and disinformation and safeguarding privacy and human rights. It is important to integrate these priorities into conflict prevention, recovery, and reconstruction efforts, aligning them with sustainable development and efforts to address climate, food, and water challenges. Mr. President, women's participation is a fundamental right and an essential condition for comprehensive and sustainable peace. The League of Arab States reaffirms its commitment to working with the UN, member states, and partners to translate Resolution 1325 and related resolutions into effective protection, meaningful participation, and real accountability. Thank you very much, and apologies for coming a bit later.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:15:48]:

His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Liberata Mulamula, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace, and Security.


AU · Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security [4:16:04]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, good evening. I thank Greece for convening this open debate, and I thank the Secretary General and the Executive Director of the UN Women, Madam Sima Bhau, and our civil society briefers for their insights. Mr. President, 26 years ago, the Rhodes Resolution 1325 ran through Africa. The Windhoek Declaration of May 2000 laid its foundation, the foundation to Resolution 1325. Five months later, and in Namibia's presidency, this council affirmed that women are not only victims of conflict, but architects of peace, and this has been repeated, stated by the previous speakers. It is also befitting that Liberia, whose women helped end a civil war, and of course Somalia, whose women claimed their place through the Six Clan, now sit at this table. Mr. President, yet, as we have heard, the promise is slipping. In 2025, women were just 5% of negotiators in peace processes. Some three quarters of a billion women and girls now live close to conflict or in conflict. We have witnessed in Sudan, in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, Somalia, sexual violence, displacement, and exclusion persist. Our challenge, as men have said, is not lack of commitment, Mr. President, it is its implementation. Last October, Mr. President, Africa returned to Windhoek. The Windhoek +25 Declaration calls for a decisive shift from representation to influence, from commitments to accountability, and from statements to sustained investment. In that spirit, Mr. President, the African Union puts forward six requests. One, Mr. President. First and foremost, is protect. Protect what has been agreed upon. Women and peace and security language in the mandates of missions saving in Africa must be kept, not diluted. Agreed language is the flow of our commitments, not something to bargain away. Mr. President, secondly. Let's protect the expertise. Women peace, women's protection advisors and gender advisors must not be the first casualties of budget cuts. And where African Union-led peace support operations are financed under Resolution 2719, gender expertise must be built in from the first day. Mr. President, thirdly, we must put women at the tables that matters now. On Sudan, Eastern DRC, Sahel, we need to put women with direct and meaningful participation, and this has been repeatedly stated, not consultations at the margins. And fourthly, Mr. President, We need to restore the legal identity to those whom war has made them invisible. Children born of rape in conflict are often denied birth registration, where a father's name is required, leaving them stateless and shut out of school, shut out from health care and assistance. Women who flee They lose their documents, and with them, they lose access to aid, to land, to justice, and the right to pass their nationality to their children. Africa, as the instrument says, has been stated, we have the African Children's Charter, the Kampala Convention, and the AU Protocol on the Right to Nationality. What is missing is implementation. Fifth, and lastly, Mr. President, keep the voices of frontline women in this chamber and protect them from reprisals when they speak before this chamber. And lastly, fund peace as seriously as we fund war. With global military spending nearly $2.5 trillion, Women cannot be asked to build peace on just goodwill. We need gender-responsive budgeting and direct, flexible funding for African women-led organizations and all other around the world. For our part, Mr. President, the African Union will hold itself to account through our continental results framework and through FemWise Africa. And the African Women Leaders Network, we will continue to invest in a new generation of women mediators. Let us imagine an Africa where women lead the negotiations and govern nations, not as exceptions, but as an ordinary expression of equality. An Africa where no child trades a classroom for a battlefield. and no child grows up without a name or nationality. And Africa, where peace is measured not by the silence of guns, but by the dignity of communities. And lastly, Mr. President, the women who inspired Resolution 1325 did not struggle merely for a seat at the table. They fought to shape the future of their societies. Let the next quarter century be remembered not for the resolutions we adopted, not for the statements we make, but for the promises we kept. For the promises we kept. Mr. President, I thank you, and I thank you, members of the chambers, for your attention. Thank you, and wish you a good evening.


Greece · President of the Security Council [4:23:34]:

I thank Her Excellency Ms. Mula Mula for the statement. There are still a number of speakers remaining on my list for this meeting. I intend, with the concurrence of members of the Council, to suspend the meeting until 3:00 PM, 28 October 2026. This meeting is suspended.