YouSaid · the spoken record

António Guterres

lines on the record: 28
first: 2020-04-27
most recent: 2021-06-28
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Last year, Member States asked me to develop a vision to better address current and future challenges to advance our common agenda; now children, youth and future generations must be an important part of this effort and I will do everything possible to highlight this aspect. I call on the Security Council and all Member States to strongly support the protection of children in all ways at all times. There is no place for children in conflict, and we must not allow conflict to trample on the rights of children.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“This agenda is central to conflict resolution and prevention. As armed conflicts evolve and as children face multiple threats, the framework for the protection of children must also adapt. We need to ensure the inclusion of child protection language in peace processes, and to enhance data analysis, early warning and advocacy for early action. The report now before us is grim. But we can also draw hope from the local and international commitments to this work; from the efforts of our child protection specialists; and, most importantly, in hearing the voice of the children behind the numbers. I applaud the young people, who, after enduring so much trauma and pain, still stand up for, and help, others. We need to elevate children’s voices and best interests in peace processes and political decision-making.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“As a result, 17 action plans are being implemented and at least 35 new commitments were made by parties to conflict during 2020. Last year alone, more than 12,300 children were released. The COVID-19 pandemic has added new dimensions to this vital work – and new stresses. I salute the dedication and professionalism of United Nations staff and partners, who adapted swiftly to support host countries in the pandemic response and ensure the continued monitoring of violations while engaging with conflict parties on behalf of children. I cannot stress enough the need to fund child protection positions in the field, as our ability to protect children rests on the presence of such staff. There are many challenges to be overcome if we aim to better protect children and prevent violations against them in the years to come.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“My Special Representative and the United Nations on the ground, along with civil society and other partners, are fully mobilized to better protect children and to prevent violations against them from occurring in the first place. To do this, they use all available tools put in place by this Council’s 13 resolutions on ending and preventing violations against children. They monitor and document violations, engage with parties to conflict and develop action plans and commitments. They advocate for the release of children, provide technical and capacity- building assistance, and support this Council’s working group on children and armed conflict. The annual report, with its accountability and engagement components, is a crucial instrument.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“The most prevalent verified violations continued to be the recruitment and use of children, the killing and maiming of children, and the denial of humanitarian access to children. Moreover, new and deeply concerning trends emerged: an exponential increase in the number of children abducted, and in sexual violence against boys and girls. We are also seeing schools and hospitals, constantly attacked, looted, destroyed or used for military purposes, with girls’ educational and health facilities targeted disproportionately. As we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the creation of the children and armed conflict mandate, its continued relevance is sadly clear and it remains a proven tool for protecting the world’s children.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“I thank the Government of Estonia for convening today’s open debate on children and armed conflict. Conflict devastates societies and hits children particularly hard. The start of 2021 has been no exception and, although monitoring of violations against children committed during 2021 will not be reported until my report of next year, I call on all parties to conflict to prioritize the prevention of violations against children and to engage in dialogue, ceasefires and peace processes. During 2020, almost 24,000 grave violations were committed against 19,300 children in the 21 situations covered by this mandate. The disregard for children ’s rights at times of conflict and upheaval is shocking and heartbreaking.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Radio Okapi is providing factual information about COVID-19 in local languages. Across the continent and around the world, our Verified initiative is providing science-based narratives to help people stay safe, stay hopeful and help one another. The pandemic has shown that we are only as strong as our weakest link and that we will achieve recovery only in solidarity. A sense of shared vulnerability must translate into a common purpose as we strive to overcome fragmentation and nationalism, address the root causes, drivers and sources of conflict and crisis, shape a strong recovery and build a better future for all.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Our United Nations country teams and peacekeeping and political missions are working closely with national Governments, the African Union, regional economic communities and international financial institutions to counter the spread of the virus and put inclusion, resilience and climate action at the forefront of efforts to rebuild economies and societies. In January, I appointed a Special Coordinator for development in the Sahel. His efforts will address the important nexus among peace, security and development. In Central Africa, we are working with Governments and the Economic Community of Central African States to implement the regional strategy to address the COVID-19 pandemic and alleviate its socioeconomic impact. Our communications campaigns and peacekeeping missions are helping to address rumours and disinformation.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“I welcome the record allocation of special drawing rights by the International Monetary Fund. That must come with a reallocation so that liquidity reaches countries in need and they can avoid additional problems. I also commend the extension of the Group of 20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework for Debt Treatments. However, eligibility must be expanded to all vulnerable developing countries, including middle-income countries, which still borrow at premium rates and risk debt distress. In the longer term, we urgently need to strengthen and reform the international debt architecture.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“However, limited supply and access to vaccines and insufficient support for the pandemic response are now hampering and delaying the recovery. Out of 1.4 billion doses administered around the world today, only 24 million have reached Africa — less than 2 per cent. Equitable and sustainable vaccine roll-out worldwide is the quickest path towards a fast and fair recovery. That requires the sharing of doses, removing export restrictions, ramping up local production and fully funding the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and its COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility. The United Nations is advocating everywhere for a coordinated global effort on vaccines and for measures to alleviate the debt burden that threatens to cripple the recovery in many low- and middle-income developing countries, particularly in Africa.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Guaranteeing equal opportunities, social protection, access to resources and services and inclusive and meaningful participation in decision-making are not simply moral and legal obligations; they are a necessary condition for countries to exit the conflict trap and get firmly on the pathway of peace and sustainable development. Recovery from the pandemic offers an opportunity to address the root causes of conflict, put prevention at the forefront of our efforts and implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union. The entire United Nations system across the African continent is working to support such goals. African Governments themselves have shown a great commitment to fighting the pandemic by establishing the Africa Regulatory Taskforce for a unified continent- wide approach.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“The pandemic continues to deepen existing gender inequalities. Women account for more than 50 per cent of the low-wage, labour intensive jobs in retail, hospitality and tourism, which may never come back as companies embrace automation. COVID-19 threatens the hard-won gains in terms of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all areas of social, economic and political life, including peace processes. I urge Member States to make proactive efforts to include women and young people when shaping post-pandemic recovery.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Economic growth on the African continent has slowed, estimated at 3.4 per cent in 2021, as compared to 6 per cent globally. Remittances are drying up and debt is mounting. In the name of fighting the crisis, some Governments have restricted democratic processes and civic space. In several countries, the pandemic has gone hand in hand with divisive rhetoric, hate speech, incitements to violence and harmful misinformation, which has exacerbated divisions and further eroded trust. The severe impact of the pandemic on young people, especially in Africa, the youngest continent, is contributing to increased risks. The loss of opportunities for education, employment and income drive a sense of alienation, marginalization and mental-health stress, which can be exploited by criminals and extremists.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Where climate change dries up rivers, reduces harvests and destroys critical infrastructure, it displaces communities, leaves people susceptible to recruitment by criminal gangs, violent extremists and armed groups and increases the risks of instability. Some countries are in a vicious cycle, in which conflict breeds poverty and fragility, which, in turn, decreases the resilience of those societies and the prospects for peace. One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, as we face the possibility of an uneven recovery, it is clear that the crisis is feeding many of those drivers of conflict and instability. The severe economic fallout of the pandemic is already aggravating tensions. Globally, the crisis has pushed an additional estimated 114 million people into extreme poverty.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Throughout the past year, the Peacebuilding Commission has worked closely with the African Union and regional economic communities to create space for national and regional leaders to share their experiences and seek support to build back better from the pandemic. My Peacebuilding Fund has adjusted its work in response to the pandemic to support national crisis-management efforts, social cohesion, dialogues and inclusive approaches and to counter hate speech and disinformation. Many communities and countries on the African continent already face a complex peace and security environment. Risk factors include long-standing inequalities, poverty, food insecurity, environmental degradation, urbanization and demographic pressures. Climate disruption is a further crisis multiplier.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Since the start of the pandemic, my Special Representatives and Envoys across the continent have stepped up their efforts to enhance conflict prevention and advance peace negotiations in line with the African Union Silencing the Guns initiative. Last month, for example, my Special Representative for Central Africa, François Louncény Fall, travelled to N’Djamena and met key Chadian and regional stakeholders to promote peaceful, inclusive and consensual processes for a return to constitutional order following the death of President Deby Itno. The outreach of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya through virtual meetings with women, young people and civic leaders was central to our support for the ongoing political dialogue.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“My call was welcomed by many Governments and armed groups, including many in Africa, and is more relevant than ever as we face continued chronic violence in some countries and the re-emergence of old conflicts in others. Violent extremist groups in Western and Central Africa and Mozambique, including those associated with Al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, have continued, and even increased, their heinous attacks on civilians, creating additional major challenges for societies and Governments. The recent attacks in Cabo Delgado and the increasing insecurity caused by the Allied Democratic Forces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are tragic reminders of that serious threat.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the important subject of addressing the root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa. Since the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, I have warned of the risks that it poses to people and societies around the world, especially in countries affected by conflict. The series of policy briefs I issued last year included one that focuses only on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Africa. That was the backdrop to my appeal for a global ceasefire to enable us to focus on our common enemy: the virus.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Let us do far more to tap their talents as we tackle the pandemic and chart a recovery that leads to a more peaceful, sustainable and equitable future for all.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Thirdly, we must strengthen human rights protections and protect the civic space on which youth participation depends. Fourthly, we must emerge from the COVID-19 crisis with a determination to recover better by massively increasing our investment in young people’s capacities as we deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. Across that work, our efforts must reflect a fundamental understanding: young people are not subjects to be protected, but should be seen as citizens with equal rights, as full members of our societies and as powerful agents for change. The world cannot afford a lost generation of youth, their lives set back by COVID-19 and their voices stifled by a lack of participation.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Even before COVID-19, a global learning crisis already threatened to undermine long-term prospects for development and social cohesion, particularly in conflict-affected settings. Now this crisis is multiplying, coupled with massive increases in poverty and unemployment. It is in that context that I am issuing a call to action on youth, peace and security. First, we must do more to address those challenges, guided by the findings of “The missing peace: independent progress study on youth and peace and security” (see S/2018/86). Secondly, we must invest in young people’s participation, organizations and initiatives. The Peacebuilding Fund is an invaluable tool, and I urge the Council to ensure it has the resources it needs.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Exclusion from political decision- making further increases their vulnerability to discrimination, sexual violence and exploitation, trafficking and child marriage. Only 2.2 per cent of the world’s parliamentarians are under 30 years of age, so it is not surprising to see declining turnout on the part of young voters in the world, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with political establishments. Young women and men forced from their homes owing to conflict and violence remain highly vulnerable. Reports of threats and human rights violations against young peacebuilders and human rights defenders are also of grave concern. Behind all of that lies insufficient investment in prevention and in ensuring that young people have opportunities to advance in life.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“The Peacebuilding Commission has provided young peacebuilders a platform to present their work and policy recommendations. Young refugees helped shape the Global Compact on Refugees, and countries including Finland, the Gambia and Nigeria are developing national road maps for youth and peace and security. The United Nations, for its part, is striving to integrate that agenda across the Organization, guided by the United Nations Youth Strategy. Notwithstanding that progress, the youth, peace and security agenda still faces formidable challenges. Participation opportunities remain inadequate. Many young peacebuilders report that their participation is not welcomed by the public or those in positions of power. That is especially evident for young women.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“In South Sudan, young people used the online campaign #SouthSudanIsWatching to assert their rights as observers of the High-level Revitalization Forum. In Syria, young medical students are supporting engineers to build medical supplies and are teaching others with special needs through online messaging. Finally, in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of S/2020/346 the Congo, Mali and the Sudan, more than 6,500 former combatants, mostly young people, have benefited from programmes supported by peacekeeping missions. I am encouraged to see that global networks have emerged to support young peacebuilders. The African Union has begun to develop a Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security. The Security Council meets often with young people during its country visits.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Just five years after the adoption of resolution 2250 (2015), encouraging steps are being taken to enable young people to play their essential role in building peaceful and just societies. From prevention to mediation and from humanitarian assistance to post-conflict healing and reconciliation, young people are stepping up through formal and informal mechanisms and by using traditional platforms and new technologies. Many of Member States have taken steps to facilitate that. In Colombia, young leaders played a critical role throughout the peace process and had a direct impact on the content of the 2016 peace agreement. In the Philippines, young women peacebuilders organized interreligious dialogues to strengthen local ownership of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Yet, despite those hurdles and risks, young people are still finding ways to engage, to support each other and to demand and drive change. We see it in our battle against COVID-19. In Colombia, Ghana, Iraq and several other countries, young peacebuilders and humanitarians are delivering supplies to front-line health workers and people in need. They are keeping communication open within communities to maintain social cohesion despite physical distancing. They are supporting my call for a global ceasefire. We see it every week in our battle against climate change. The Fridays for Future movement continues because young people know that their prospects and aspirations are at stake. And, as illustrated in the report, we see youth engagement in their efforts to bring about lasting peace and security.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“The numbers are startling: one of every five young people was already not in education, training or employment; one of every four is affected by violence or conflict; and every year 12 million girls become mothers while they themselves are still children. Those frustrations and, frankly, the failure of those in power today to address them fuel declining confidence in political establishments and institutions. When such a cycle takes hold, it is all too easy for extremist groups to exploit the anger and despair, and the risk of radicalization climbs. We can already see such groups taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdowns, intensifying their efforts on social media to spread hatred and recruit young people who may be spending more time at home and online.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“I welcome this opportunity to present my first report on youth, peace and security (S/2020/167). Since the report was issued, our world has been shaken by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Young people are feeling the impact acutely, from lost jobs to family stress, mental health and other hardships. More than 1.54 billion children and youth are out of school. Young refugees, displaced persons and others caught up in conflict or disaster now face even more vulnerability. Persons with disabilities may face new hindrances in accessing the services and support to which they have a right. Even before the current crisis, young people were facing enormous challenges.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source