YouSaid · the spoken record

Chowdhury

lines on the record: 1,172
first: 1997-03-06
most recent: 2009-08-07
sittings or episodes: 146
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

“Eventually, that statement culminated in the resolution. Needless to say, Bangladesh is deeply committed to its full and effective implementation. Women suffer most as the victims of conflict. In peace processes they are mostly deprived of the dividends; their voices are not fully listened to - or even heard. Six years after resolution 1325 (2000), we need to reflect further on how best to advance its goal. We need to analyse the challenges and how they can be overcome. We need to ensure the adequate representation of women at all levels of decision- making in conflict prevention. This must include early- warning mechanisms, both during hostilities and during post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation. Women's effective participation in peace negotiations is measured not in numbers but in terms of their decision-making power.”
2006-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5556Resumption1 (2006) · source
“I would be remiss if I did not begin by applauding the Japanese presidency for its effective stewardship of this forum. I would also like to thank you, Sir, for your initiative in having organized this open debate. It is on a subject dear to our hearts. It has been six years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). This landmark resolution - one with which Bangladesh, as a member of the Council at the time, was closely associated - was based primarily on the simple thesis of equal access for and full participation of women at all levels of the power structure. The role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts has been an essential element in bringing about and sustaining peace and security. To this effect, the Bangladeshi presidency of the Security Council issued a statement on Women's Day in March 2000.”
2006-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5556Resumption1 (2006) · source
“That would have to be at all levels. The active participation of civil society is a sine qua non. Every generation must seek to bequeath to the next a better world. Ours must do the same. For that purpose, we must identify some ideals and seek to achieve them. It is such pursuits that lend vigour to our societies and create the positive ferment that is the primum movens of civilizations. Also, they help us to achieve greater heights across a broader spectrum of human endeavour.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“Increased focus on conflict prevention; responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity; the effective promotion and protection of human rights; and enhanced rule of law are some of the achievements of the summit that would go a long way towards empowering women in the longer term and towards enhancing their role in conflict prevention and resolution. We welcome the proposed system-wide action plan on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). It is our hope that it will be instrumental in integrating gender perspectives across the entire United Nations system. Such gender mainstreaming, of course, must take into account geographical, ethnic and cultural factors. To be successful, the action plan will require the necessary resources - financial, material and human.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“Our endeavours to resolve those conflicts and address their root causes will fail if we do not empower women. The formal participation of women in peace negotiations and decision-making processes is key to the effectiveness of conflict prevention. The 2005 world summit outlined several policy frameworks important to millions of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations. The operationalization of the peacebuilding commission by the year's end would be a giant step in that direction.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“The excellent presentation this morning by Under- Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guehenno, as well as his leadership qualities, give us the confidence that the desired results will come to fruition. Bangladesh, as one of the consistently top contributors of troops to United Nations peacekeeping operations, remains conscious of its responsibilities to incorporate essential elements of resolution 1325 (2000) into the pre- deployment training of its peacekeepers. The non-participation or insignificant participation of women in peace agreement negotiations is still a problem. Those peace agreements inevitably fail to address the special needs of women. Although women suffer most as victims of conflict, they are excluded from peace dividends.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her Government have an unflinching commitment to those goals. The United Nations should work as a conduit for disseminating homegrown ideas and best practices, such as microcredit and non-formal education, that have proven to work in my country and many others societies of comparable milieu. Those ideas can be applied in post-conflict societies with the major involvement of women. They will form the bulwark of peacebuilding. Success in implementing the resolution, in our view, has been mixed. While we have integrated gender perspectives in some aspects of United Nations peacekeeping operations and also in some post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, much work remains to be done. We encourage the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to continue its efforts in that direction.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“The Bangladesh presidency issued a statement to that effect on International Women's Day in March 2000. Eventually, the process culminated in the resolution. Needless to say, Bangladesh remains committed to its full implementation. Drawing from our domestic experience, we believe that gender mainstreaming and empowerment are critical factors for development. Access to education and health care, coupled with the provision of microcredit facilities, can unleash the entrepreneurial skills of individuals. We know that such empowerment of women helps stave off extremist thought and action. That includes the scourge of terrorism. Today, by adhering to those very values, Bangladesh itself is undergoing a quiet but significant societal transformation.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“It is natural, therefore, that they are keen and often better equipped to prevent and resolve such situations. They have sought to do so over generations as peace educators, both in their families and in their wider societies, fostering a culture of peace within and across communities. They often, therefore, aptly serve as bridge-builders of understanding across rivers of strife. It is in that perspective that Bangladesh, as a member of the Security Council, worked closely in the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). The resolution was primarily based on a simple thesis. It was that women's equal access to and full participation in all layers of the power structure, as well as their full participation in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, are essential elements for making and sustaining peace.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“But our power of analysis has grown over time, and we now observe - perhaps more keenly - that poverty, the struggle for scarce resources and socio- economic injustices lie at the heart of conflicts. And all of them, sadly, entail grave violations of human rights. It does not take much scrutiny to come to the conclusion that the most vulnerable segment of the civilian population comprises women and children. That is evident everywhere. Women and girls are often viewed as bearers of cultural identities. Thus, they become prime targets. When women suffer, so do children. In addition, children are used as instruments for the perpetration of violence, as that can be done easily and cheaply. The current hotspots of the world are replete with such examples. Women know the price that they and their children have to pay in conflict situations.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“It has been five years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), a resolution with which Bangladesh, then sitting in the Council, was very closely associated. I wish to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for giving us the opportunity to take stock of the progress made in implementing the resolution since then. I also wish to praise Romania for the excellent conduct of the Council's presidency during the current month. In the past, conflicts were largely inter-State or inter-empire. More recently, they have been intra-State, with subregional and regional ramifications. In many ways - more than in the past - civilians form the bulk of the victims. Two millennia ago, the Greek sage Aristotle wisely observed that all wars were waged for the sake of getting money. Not much has changed since then.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“Bangladesh has always favoured a multilateral approach to the maintenance of international peace and security. We are committed to the principles of international law, based on justice, the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for human dignity. We share those values with the rest of the international community. It is only through the consistent and effective application of those principles that the United Nations can attain the moral authority and credibility that will help to make the world a safer place. That would surely redound to the benefit of us all.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“In addition to addressing security and political developments, a peace process negotiation should include commitments by all parties to the conflict to cease attacks on civilians, to facilitate humanitarian access, to create conditions conducive to the safe and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons, to ensure the safety of humanitarian personnel and to actively participate in DDRR programmes. We are heartened by the increased coordination between the military and civilian components of peacekeeping missions, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF. That has resulted in accelerated reintegration of child soldiers and mine action programmes in post-conflict societies.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“The international community must pool its efforts to ensure that those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide do not escape justice. That is all the more important if we wish to avoid another Rwanda. Adherence to and respect for the Geneva Conventions and other instruments of international humanitarian and human rights law are crucial. We are also required to find a balance - specific to each circumstance - between the delivery of justice and the national reconciliation process in post-conflict societies. We cannot, however, allow impunity to prevail. We need the peace to be sustainable; otherwise, the society will inexorably slide back into conflict. One other area that we need to examine is the peace process itself. It must address concerns about the protection of civilians in order to be sustainable.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“We also underscore the need to improve the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. It is essential that the international community remain engaged in order to ensure that civilians caught in armed conflict are physically protected, that humanitarian assistance reaches them unhindered and that, when peace is achieved, they are not deprived of the dividends. We also need to address the issue systematically, as outlined in the lO-point programme. We are encouraged at the determination of the Council to deter war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We see the need to break the prevalent culture of impunity. The establishment of international tribunals is a step in the right direction.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“We are concerned that the security constraints on humanitarian assistance for 3.5 million civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories have worsened following the construction of a barrier through the West Bank. The wall is having a profound humanitarian impact on civilians by separating Palestinian communities from their land, their jobs and their businesses, and it is severely restricting their access to food, water, schools and hospitals. Bangladesh believes that the allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children by United Nations personnel need to be addressed urgently and in a manner that is rigorous, fair and transparent. This is an area that we cannot afford to neglect if we are to maintain the Organization's profile and image at a high level.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Such programmes need secure and adequate funding to deter the recurrence of violence. Recent events in C6te d'Ivoire have once again brought to the fore the need for clearer and more robust mandates for peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh, as one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations, would support enhanced robustness for such mandates, assuming that it is matched by adequate resources. Security Council resolution 1296 (2000) broadened the mandate of peacekeeping operations to include the physical protection of civilians under imminent threat of violence. We are uncertain, however, whether that expanded mandate has always been matched by resources, particularly in terms of the number of personnel.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“The erosion of social support structures and the culture of impunity have led to the spread of such violence. Sexual violence against women and girls is being used as a means of warfare in some countries. New dynamics are being created by the cross- border and regional dimension of some conflicts. These require us to adopt a regional and comprehensive approach. In that respect, Bangladesh welcomes the increasing role of regional organizations, particularly the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. There is a broad consensus on the need to strengthen the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation (DDRR) in areas of conflict. We need to adopt a regional approach to DDRR programmes in view of the cross-border movement of refugees, combatants and small arms.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Algeria's skilful leadership of the Council this month has been truly praiseworthy, and we congratulate the delegation of that country - especially my friend Ambassador Abdallah Baali and yourself, Mr. Foreign Minister - on that account. We commend your choice of a topic of critical urgency. We also commend Mr. Jan Egeland for his report. The genocide that took place in Rwanda some 10 years ago stirred our conscience: it reminded us of our obligation towards civilian victims of armed conflict. Several conflicts still rage - many of them severely - in many parts of the world. Some have transformed into delicate situations of transition. It is regrettable that civilians continue to be subjected to extreme violence and that they are denied access to essential humanitarian assistance.”
2004-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5100Resumption1 (2004) · source
“There must be zero tolerance for crimes against women and girls in conflict situations. Impunity must be ended and the perpetrators of crimes brought to justice. We must uphold the promises we made in resolution 1325 (2000). Consistent and concerted action, buttressed by genuine political will, is required if we are to realize the goals that have been set. Our aims can thus be achieved through partnerships across the broadest possible spectrum, including with non- governmental organizations and other civil society actors. Thus we could and should move forward from rhetoric to action and from advocacy to implementation. The meeting was suspended at 1.35 p.m.”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“Much remains to be done, however. We need to develop guidelines to ensure that all peace-related activities include and support the rule of law and promote gender equality, thus protecting women's human rights. Systematic use of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in post-conflict countries as a guiding framework would be desirable. The promotion and protection of the human rights of women and of girls in armed conflict throughout the world is a pressing challenge. Their situation - particularly that of those under foreign occupation, such as in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan - remains a matter of grave concern for us. There is need for a sustained commitment at all times to gender justice and women's empowerment.”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“Yet we collaborated on that issue in order to make the point that gender mainstreaming is a universal value and that it is as much a concern of the developing countries as it is of the developed. Our actions flowed from that belief. Bangladesh believes that it is, indeed, quite evident in our society that our investment in women has contributed enormously to the creation of standards of pluralism, democracy and human rights. These ideals are essential components of sustainable peace. Our peacekeepers - and we are consistently one of the largest contributors - carry those ideals with them in conflict-ridden places and distant parts. Our main reward lies in the universal appreciation of this global service. Significant developments have been achieved at the United Nations with regard to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“It was that women's participation is an ingredient essential for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. We believe that resolution 1325 (2000) is a vital resolution that has set critical norms. We see that as a landmark event. It is heartening that the resolution provides for the integration of gender perspectives into United Nations programmes related to peace. Acting in partnership with the United Kingdom delegation, Bangladesh sponsored a resolution in the Commission on the Status of Women on mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of the United Nations system. While it is true that Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have many things in common, in terms of development their levels are very different.”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“Two examples are microcredit and non-formal education. We have learned that gender mainstreaming helps to marginalize extremist thought and action. It encourages a societal behavioural pattern that is more value-laden than violent. That is perhaps one explanation as to why there have been no incidents connected to international terrorism in Bangladesh. We have incorporated that value into our foreign policy as a principle. We are always pleased to share our experiences with others. That is why Bangladesh was so closely associated with the development and adoption of the landmark resolution 1325 (2000). It was the Bangladesh presidency that issued a statement on women and peace, for the first time in the Council, on International Women's Day in March 2000. That statement contained a simple thesis.”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“For Bangladesh, the subject of today's deliberations is of topical importance. We therefore thank the United Kingdom presidency for convening this meeting, as we thank others - Under-Secretary-General Guehenno, High Commissioner Arbour and Executive Director Obaid - for their informed presentations. Appreciation is owed to the Secretary-General for the document at hand (S/2004/814). It is true that entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict, but the worst sufferers are often women and girls. That information is derived from simple empirical observation. Bangladesh's cultural matrix provides for high priority with regard to women's issues. That tradition has pervaded most of our contemporary history. It has now found fruition in many innovative ideas that help to empower women.”
2004-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5066 (2004) · source
“That is, indeed, a grave development that needs to be addressed collectively and with due urgency. We call upon all Member States to demonstrate the political will to re-energize the non- proliferation and disarmament activities that have been paralysed for several years. We must fulfil our obligation towards non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament and general disarmament in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner under effective international control. We believe that the most effective way to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction is through the total elimination of such weapons.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“It is our conviction that the Goals can be best achieved against a backdrop of disarmament, reduced military expenditures, proper allocation of resources for poverty eradication and effective confidence-building measures. Bangladesh strongly condemns all attempts at religious profiling of terrorism. Terrorism is a universal phenomenon and should be addressed collectively, in the best interests of humanity. We wish to reiterate that terrorism cannot be attributed to religion, race, nationality or civilization. Any attempt to do so, rather than tackling the problem objectively, will only help the terrorists by creating divisions among nations along religious and racial lines. Bangladesh remains seriously concerned at the attempt by terrorists to acquire weapons of mass destruction.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“While our condemnation of terrorism has been stated and restated in unambiguous terms, we must at the same time not lose sight of the need to define terrorism. Our efforts to pre-empt extremist thoughts and acts of desperation should focus on ensuring sustainable development for all the people on Earth. It is through a sincere and sustained focus on removing the prevailing sense of deprivation and marginalization among certain populations that we can try to effectively reduce the threat to international peace and security. Bangladesh calls upon all countries, particularly the developed countries, to implement their commitments for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“The national parliament of Bangladesh has passed comprehensive legislation in that regard, including legislation on money-laundering, designed to curb the financing of terrorism. Bangladesh believes that in order to fight the menace of terrorism effectively, it is important to take a deeper look at its root causes and to try to address them in a comprehensive fashion. Military response alone cannot eliminate terrorism; it must be combined with societal measures. We must therefore propagate cross-cultural harmony among different civilizations and across religious lines. The roots of poverty and the conditions that foster depredation, exploitation and deprivation should be addressed globally.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“The international community must also ensure that the fight against terrorism is conducted in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the relevant international conventions. Bangladesh welcomed all 14 resolutions - including resolution 1373 (2001) - adopted since 2001 aimed at putting a stop to that universal scourge. Bangladesh is committed to those resolutions and cooperates actively in implementing the mechanisms created through those resolutions, including the Counter-Terrorism Committee. We also welcome the unanimous adoption of Security Council resolution 1566 (2004). Bangladesh considers that putting in place enabling legislation that is in line with international and regional conventions on terrorism is vital for their implementation.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“We consider that the heinous acts perpetrated by terrorists around the world pose a threat to international peace and security, and condemn such acts in the strongest terms. We believe that no cause can justify such cruel acts directed against civilians, including women and children. Our condemnation of the recent brutal killing of innocent schoolchildren in Beslan is a clear case in point. We reiterate our call to convene an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations to define terrorism, to differentiate terrorism from the struggle for national liberation of peoples under colonial and foreign occupation and to conclude a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Today's debate assumes added significant as it takes place against the backdrop of the trend towards circumventing multilateralism in international affairs, particularly in the maintenance of international peace and security. We must reaffirm our unwavering commitments and pledges to the centrality of the role of the United Nations in establishing supremacy of the rule of law in all areas of international relations. Bangladesh's position on terrorism has always been firm and consistent. It has condemned international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and remains an active coalition partner in the war against terrorism. Bangladesh is party to several conventions on combating terrorism adopted at the international and regional levels, and we are committed to their effective implementation.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“At the very outset, let me commend Ambassador Denisov and Mr. Ruperez for their very eloquent reporting to the Council early this morning, which has to a great measure set the trend of the discussions that have followed. On a more general note, Sir, I congratulate your delegation most warmly, for your skilful leadership of the Council during the current month, and indeed for providing an opportunity for the open debate on this very important and crucial subject. As the United Nations - mankind's greatest gift to itself - approaches six decades of existence, we recall that the single most important reason for its founding was the maintenance of international peace and security and ensuring global stability.”
2004-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5059Resumption1 (2004) · source
“As a country deeply involved in the shepherding and implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, it is our firm belief, indeed faith, that the civil society is the voice and the ears of the grassroots. It has the capacity to educate the masses about the value and dividends of peace and non-violence. It must be embraced as an equal partner if our common aspiration for peace and prosperity is to translate from hope to fruition. We call upon the Security Council to garner the political will to invest today in the civil society, a tested partner in peace and development, to avoid costly wars tomorrow. That is a categorical imperative that we would ignore with great peril and sad consequences.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Finally, the significantly low representation of NGOs and civil society organizations from developing countries enjoying consultative status with the Economic and Social Council or association with the United Nations Department of Public Information must be improved. Bangladesh fully supports global coalition and networks of issue-based civil society organizations for strong global advocacy. We also encourage a regional or a South-South perspective in NGO networking in post-conflict peace-building. After all, social transformations must come from within and cannot be imposed from outside. Cultural sensitivities and local values must be taken into account in peace- building. Examples from comparable societies must be shared.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Fourthly, it is essential to develop a bond of mutual trust and confidence among the NGOs, civil society organizations, the United Nations system and intergovernmental and governmental processes in order to have an effective collective partnership and to achieve a consensual approach to peace-building. We encourage the NGO community to explore their potentials and to ensure that their own mandates focus on prevention of conflicts and post-conflict rebuilding. Also, the debate over the NGOs lacking the legitimacy and accountability of elected Governments must be tempered by fostering an institutional mechanism for greater NGO accountability, transparency and a code of conduct in their governance.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Also, NGOs with well-known credentials for women's empowerment and gender justice must be involved in post-conflict peace-building policy development, as empowering women economically and politically helps marginalize extremist thought and action. Bangladesh also advocates that for peacekeeping to lay a strong foundation for long-term peace-building, the two processes must evolve in tandem in a coherent and comprehensive manner involving all partners, including the United Nations, the intergovernmental bodies, the private sector and the civil society organizations.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Now is the time for greater involvement of the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly in conflict prevention and in peace-building, with a system-wide coordination involving the United Nations agencies, the Bretton Woods Institutions, the private sector and civil society organizations. As a member of the Economic and Social Council, Bangladesh will leave no effort unexplored to achieve this goal. Thirdly, the field experience of NGOs involved in the operational delivery of rule of law, human rights, justice and humanitarian services, as well as social rehabilitation of ex-combatants and child soldiers, must be incorporated, where appropriate, in the integrated planning process for new peacekeeping missions.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Secondly, the Economic and Social Council, as the principal intergovernmental body mandated to promote policy processes in addressing deep-rooted socio-economic, cultural, environmental or structural causes of conflict, should be the lead institution in involving civil society organizations in post-conflict peace-building policy recommendations. It should engage NGOs effectively through its consultative mechanisms, its subsidiary commissions and its ad hoc advisory groups on post-conflict countries. It must act as a United Nations system-wide conduit for the transmittal of early warnings and best practices to the Security Council and to the General Assembly.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“They have a well-recorded potential to connect grassroots to global governance, mobilize public opinion and add a fresh voice to global decision-making. They have acted collectively in global campaigns, influenced the outcomes of global conferences, reacted promptly to grave humanitarian crises and fought for justice and reconciliation. The United Nations Charter has envisaged their role in the Organization's work; yet little progress has been achieved in creating institutional mechanisms for making their voices heard in the United Nations and its principal bodies. We must therefore translate the rhetoric into concrete action and develop permanent mechanisms for fostering a United Nations-civil society organizations partnership. This is my first thought.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“They are immunizing or rehydrating one more child born in conflict, ameliorating the sufferings of one more sick person by extending her basic medical care and generating employment for one more ex-combatant, helping his social rehabilitation. These activities bring solace and succor to millions around the world and replace their sense of despair with the promise of hope. In this positive spirit, let me reflect with you on how we could facilitate the role of civil society through collective efforts in assisting and buttressing post- conflict peace-building. There exists a wide recognition that NGOs and civil society organizations can and do play a significant advocacy and operational role in multilateral efforts to assist post-conflict societies in achieving sustainable peace and stability.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“We take pride in the fact that our country hosts and promotes a vibrant and globally proactive group of civil society organizations, all of which are homegrown and products of our indigenous ethos. Support to civil society organizations and forging partnerships with them in pursuit of common goals is at the heart of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Government's policies. Numbering over 20,000, some of the Bangladeshi non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are the largest in the world and have had the greatest global impact. Grameen and BRAC are household words in most parts of the world. Even as I speak, a network of these civil society organizations are providing primary education to one more girl child, giving microcredit to one more woman in a post-conflict society and making available to another poor woman the wherewithal of empowerment.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Bangladesh compliments the Philippines for a most skilful leadership of the Council during the current month and for the apt choice of the topic for today's deliberations. In our view, your presence, Madam President, has lent a special significance to our current debate. We recall most warmly your recent successful visit to my country. We congratulate you on a good start to your tenure as Foreign Minister. My delegation also welcomes the participation in today's discussions of the representative of CARE International and the International Centre for Transitional Justice. As a nation of 135 million, which values pluralism so greatly, Bangladesh is one of the largest democracies in the world.”
2004-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4993Resumption1 (2004) · source
“We conclude with a tribute to those courageous men and women who have made the supreme sacrifice in the course of global peace and to other colleagues who continue to bring succour to suffering populations. We express the hope that the ideas we have put on the table will prove useful with regard to the draft presidential statement to follow, for we have gleaned them from our experience as we have trod the path to stability that we have helped to make by traversing it ourselves.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Our participation in more than 27 peacekeeping operations has amply testified to the fact that our words are matched by deeds. As a dependable and consistent troop-contributing country, Bangladesh has already demonstrated its flexibility and innovativeness in making some recent peacekeeping operations cost- effective through the inter-mission mobilization of assets and troops. In 2004, Bangladesh is among the few troop-contributing countries to have made substantive pre-mandate pledges to all four anticipated missions, including the offer to redeploy well equipped troops from Sierra Leone to Haiti, which would save the United Nations time and money and would facilitate early exit of the Multinational Interim Force from that island.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“For Bangladesh, United Nations peacekeeping is indeed a foreign policy priority and a window to reach out to strife-torn societies. When we do peacekeeping, we carry with us the conviction, learned from our own historical experience, that, for development to take root, conflicts must first cease and never recur. We seek to spread the values of pluralism, liberalism, human rights and gender justice. We wish to share with those societies our indigenously evolved paradigm of development, involving micro-credit and non-formal education. It is not just a coincidence that in the General Assembly our flagship resolution is on a culture of peace and non-violence, and that, as Council members, we were closely associated with resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1353 (2001).”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Sixthly, lessons learned and best practices must be incorporated in policy development, planning, training and the implementation of strategies for peacekeeping operations, so that each new operation becomes more efficient and more cost-effective. The Department of Peacekeeping Operations and its Best Practices Unit should be provided the wherewithal to carry out this exercise effectively. Last but not least, it is a categorical imperative that there must prevail the political will and capacity of troop-contributing countries to undertake risks and rapidly deploy, and also the determination to stay the course until the mission is completed. At the end of the day, the United Nations must be able to confidently depend on troop-contributing countries that pledge to deliver on time and that can and will do so.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Most important, a culture of prevention must overtake a culture of reaction, saving resources for investment in the Millennium Development Goals. Fifthly, the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers must never be compromised; attacks on peacekeepers must never be condoned; and appropriate preventive measures must always be incorporated in mission mandates. The United Nations should be supported to enhance its capacity to strengthen safety and security in field missions. Mandates and tasks must also be matched by robust and uniform rules of engagement to deter the spoilers of peace, within the principle of non-use of force except in self-defence.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“Inclusion, where appropriate, of peace-building elements in mandates, early integrated mission planning and the implementation of comprehensive strategies - including disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation, the rule of law and criminal justice - is key. Models for the active engagement of the Economic and Social Council in post-conflict reconstruction should be developed to lessen the Security Council's burden, with coordinated support from the United Nations Development Group, donors, the international financial institutions and civil society. Gender mainstreaming, empowerment of women and protection of children must constitute essential elements of any peace-building endeavour.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source
“The United Nations Standby Arrangements System, the on-call list and the rapid deployment level system should be put to better use to ensure ready availability of well-trained personnel as well as force multipliers and enablers. Complementarity of rapid deployment support from regional and subregional organizations must be encouraged. Where possible, better coordination and utilization of capacities and resources among adjacent missions should be explored. Fourthly, peacekeeping should not be seen as a substitute for sustainable peace and development. Rather, it should lay a firm foundation for phased transition to post-conflict reconstruction and for the prevention of the recurrence of armed conflicts.”
2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source