YouSaid · the spoken record

Duarte Lopes

lines on the record: 104
first: 2017-11-21
most recent: 2022-03-08
sittings or episodes: 22
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

“Allow me to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2019/509), which unfortunately describes a very worrying reality of violations of international human rights law against children and highlights a very large number of cases of child recruitment as a tactic of war. Portugal has signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, notable the one on the involvement of children in armed conflict. We therefore call on Member States that have not yet done so to follow that path. Attacks on schools and hospitals and their use for military purposes cannot continue in impunity. Portugal reiterates its firm commitment to access to education in emergency situations, including higher education, and also calls on Governments that have not done so to sign the Safe Schools Declaration.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“I will also speak in French. (spoke in French) I thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this open debate on children and armed conflict. Despite the efforts of the international community, children remain among the main victims of such conflicts. This is an issue that is an absolute priority. I would like to thank Ms. Kamara and Mr. Awan for their personal testimonies and I congratulate them on their courage and their journey, which is so inspiring. I would also like to reiterate my country's support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Virginia Gamba, and thank her for her briefing. Portugal supports the statement to be made by the observer of the European Union, as well as that on behalf of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict, which was just delivered by the representative of Canada.”
2019-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8591 (2019) · source
“President, the Informal Working Group will make further progress on all open items and adopt the draft presidential notes on specific working methods of the Security Council. That will certainly contribute to further enhancing the inclusiveness and effectiveness of the Council's work.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“We also especially welcomed the statement by the Ambassador of South Africa on behalf of the 10 elected members of the Council. As a complement to those statements, I would like to briefly reiterate the following. First we must definitely guarantee due process in all the Sanctions Committees through the potential expansion of the Office of the Ombudsperson's mandate and by strengthening its independence. Secondly, it is also crucial to ensure all Council members' equitable access to the chairmanships of its subsidiary bodies, as well as a fair share of penholderships on dossiers. Thirdly, we advocate for involving incoming elected members in the work of the Council as early as possible. In conclusion, we trust that during the coming months and under your able stewardship, Mr.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate on a subject that is always timely. This new opportunity to address the Security Council's working methods constitutes further evidence of your diligent role, both as President of the Council and as Chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions. I also thank the briefers for their comprehensive contributions. Portugal is a committed member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, and we therefore align our statement with that delivered by the representative of Switzerland. We also associate ourselves with the statement made by the representative of New Zealand on behalf of a cross-regional group of countries.”
2019-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8539 (2019) · source
“As stated during the Peacekeeping Ministerial, Portugal has shown an interest in working with DPO on the possibility of organizing mixed training courses on capacity and leadership, with 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female participation. We hope that that will enable meaningful progress in key areas where women have traditionally been underrepresented. With regard to our presence in United Nations peace operations, I would like to highlight the fact that Portugal is now, for the first time, deploying female soldiers to combat missions. In that context, we would like to reiterate our willingness expressed during the Peacekeeping Ministerial to share lessons learned with interested partners.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“Despite the progress achieved, almost two decades since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), we are far from achieving the full, effective and meaningful participation of female peacekeepers and a sufficient level of integration of a gender perspective in such operations. We therefore fully support the Action for Peacekeeping initiative and endorse the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations peacekeeping operations. We also welcome the new uniformed gender-parity strategy, launched by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), with clear goals to advance female participation. Its timely implementation requires very strong synergy between the United Nations and Member States.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“The new action plan fosters the participation of civil society and includes measures on: first, integrating the women and peace and security agenda and a gender-equality perspective at the national, regional and international levels; secondly, protecting the rights of women and girls and punishing all forms of violence, including sexual violence; and, thirdly, promoting the participation of women and young girls in conflict prevention and peacebuilding processes. As became clear at the recent United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial on 29 March, there is broad recognition of the important role that women play in peacekeeping and peacebuilding.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's debate. Portugal fully aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the observer of the European Union. Portugal is strongly committed to gender equality, human rights and international peace and security. As stated in resolution 1325 (2000), a lack ofgender equality adversely affects the maintenance of international peace and security. Portugal recently adopted its third national plan for implementing resolution 1325 (2000), with clear targets, timetables and indicators.”
2019-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8508 (2019) · source
“Portugal currently participates in missions in Mali, the Central African Republic, the Niger, Somalia, South Sudan and Darfur. We have technical military cooperation agreements with several African States, and we are engaged in development projects, including with the United Nations and the CPLP, aimed at the implementation of the SDGs. We have made a long- term commitment to the security and development of an African continent that is globally relevant at all levels and which undoubtedly deserves to increase its representation in the Security Council. We will remain committed and mobilized. We must indeed silence the weapons ofthe present so that we can focus on the future, ensuring that the hands of young people will not be holding guns, but the tools to build a life that lives up to their legitimate aspirations.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Alongside more traditional threats, Africa also feels the strain of such global challenges as climate change, water and food insecurity, pandemics, terrorism and transnational organized crime. Therefore, we must tackle the root causes of conflict through a positive agenda, while combating poverty and promoting development. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be of crucial importance in this process. Portugal maintains a very close relationship with Africa and remains engaged in contributing to thesejoint efforts, both bilaterally and at the level of the European Union, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) and, of course, the United Nations.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Silencing the guns will also require strong determination in preventing future conflicts. We need to strengthen the role of women and young people in the prevention and management of conflicts, as well as their civic and political participation at all levels. We need to keep up our efforts to prevent the radicalization of young people, and we need to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons. We therefore encourage an active African participation in instruments such as the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects, its International Tracing Instrument and the Arms Trade Treaty. But security measures alone will not be effective if they are not accompanied by an effort to achieve social inclusion.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“We believe that the strong partnership among the African Union, the United Nations and other international partners, such as the European Union, is the best way to achieve peace and security, prosperity, environmental protection, gender equality, human rights and democracy. Those elements are all intertwined - when they concur, they are mutually reinforcing. The framework is already in place. The African Peace and Security Architecture, alongside instruments such as the African Governance Architecture and the African Union's Agenda 2063, provides a solid regional basis, which complements the existing multilateral framework. All of us must remain engaged and mobilized to provide the necessary support. Resolution 2457 (2019), just adopted, is a further contribution to that end.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“Let me start by congratulating Equatorial Guinea for today's timely debate, and also to thank our briefers, Special Representative Lamamra and Mr. Gounden. Portugal aligns itself with the statement made by the Head of Delegation of the European Union and wishes to make some additional remarks. Local security crises have global repercussions, and they need to be addressed through joint efforts. The African Union has assumed growing leadership in the search for African solutions to African problems. The strategic partnership established with the United Nations is a crucial step towards strengthening the chances of success, and it has already achieved promising results, as in the recent case of the Central African Republic.”
2019-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8473 (2019) · source
“In conclusion, it is essential that the international community implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, work together to address the impacts of climate change and ensure support for those States that are most vulnerable to its effects. The Security Council cannot ignore the many interlinkages between climate change and security. It should stand ready to take the necessary measures required to prevent, reduce and address the existing risks. Portugal supports an integrated approach to those challenges, one that is based on inter-pillar and interregional cooperation and aimed at promoting resilience and preparedness. And we see that approach as a necessary step towards the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“During the Portuguese presidency of the Security Council in November 2011, the Council held a high- level briefing (see S/PV.6668) on the new challenges to international peace and security, where the issue of the impact of climate change on refugees and displaced persons was considered. That debate has since evolved, thanks to the efforts ofmany Member States that sought to bring this issue to the fore, including, most recently, Sweden in 2018. We believe that the time is ripe for further including relevant climate and environmental risks in risk assessments that form the basis of the Security Council's discussions, thereby bolstering the Council's conflict prevention role.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“Existing vulnerabilities are amplified by rising waters, excessive rainfall and prolonged drought, thereby increasing social and economic instability, which often leads people to move in search of better living conditions. Those concerns are reflected in the 2017 Hague Declaration on Planetary Security, with a special focus on combating desertification in the Sahel region and optimizing international coordination efforts. Portugal's strategic concept of national defence, adopted in 2013, also addresses that reality by taking into consideration environmental threats and risks and paving the way for strengthening our capacity to prevent, adapt and respond to environment-related security challenges.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“We know all too well the concerning trends we face - the unprecedented economic costs of climate-related disasters, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions at historic highs and warmer and more acidic oceans than ever before. Those challenges require urgent and ambitious action. We therefore commend the convening of the Secretary-General's 2019 climate summit in September, as well as the President of the General Assembly's high-level meeting slated for March. What brings us together today is the recognition that, among its many effects, climate change also has a concrete impact on international peace and security. Climate change is a major threat multiplier, particularly in already fragile regions. The added tension of competition over diminishing natural resources adds fuel to existing conflicts.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this timely open debate. Portugal fully aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the observer of the European Union. We heard the Secretary-General's warning that "nothing less than our future and the fate of humankind depends on how we rise to the climate challenge". Climate change constitutes a direct existential threat to international peace and security, one that can be addressed only through the involvement of, and cooperation between, all Member States. That is the reality that pushes us to seek action and encourages us to have climate change more strongly reflected in the work of the Security Council.”
2019-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8451 (2019) · source
“In that context, it stresses the need for African Union peacekeeping forces to be properly trained on respect for human rights and the code of conduct in peacekeeping operations. Portugal also supports peace operations in Africa through the African Peace Facility of the European Union. We believe that it is essential to ensure predictable and sustainable funding for African peace operations, whether led by the African Union or regional organizations through the African Union. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that Portugal remains ready to participate in the training of military contingents from other troop-contributing countries, as is the case within the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“In that regard, my country supports the strengthening of cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in the context of peacekeeping operations, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. The complementary action of the European Union, including through trilateral cooperation in various scenarios and formats on the African continent, represents value added. As to how that cooperation can be improved, we support the measures contained in the Secretary- General's report on options for authorization and support for African Union peace support operations of 26 May 2017 (S/2017/454). Indeed, that document sets out various modalities to ensure flexible and predictable funding for missions. It proposes responsibility and audit procedures.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The increasing scope and complexity of mandates have not always been matched by the resources and capacities required by missions to address contemporary, asymmetrical and, often, transnational threats. We therefore fully share the importance attached by the Secretary-General to conflict prevention, the stabilization of tensions, the primacy of politics and the use of diplomacy as a preferred means to achieve lasting peace. Indeed, Portugal is one of the 151 signatories to the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, further to the Secretary-General's Action for Peacekeeping initiative.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“With respect to MINUSCA, Portugal participates with its largest contingent - 165 military personnel and 13 police officers, including a rapid reaction force - operating without restrictions or reservations in circumstances that require a high level of mobility and rapid response, in particular to deal with the situation of unprotected civilians. With regard to MINUSMA, our participation is a concrete example of best practices of cooperation among the various States Members of the United Nations. That initiative, which takes the form of a pilot project on sharing air capacity in the context of United Nations peacekeeping operations, illustrates well the huge potential that joint work brings to strategic coherence, the efficient use of available resources and the improvement and effectiveness of missions.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Mr. Duarte Lopes (Portugal) (spoke in French): Allow me first of all to commend you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate. Portugal attaches particular importance to peacekeeping efforts in Africa. Six of the seven United Nations missions and peacekeeping operations in which Portugal participates are in Africa, namely, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Allow me also to call on all Member States to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration. Eighty-one countries, including my own, have joined the Declaration, which was promoted by Norway and Argentina in 2015. The Declaration highlights the importance of protecting access to safe education for women and girls living in conflict. I conclude with a special reference to Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege as symbols in the denunciation of sexual violence against women and its use as warfare. The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize acknowledges the unequal consequences that armed conflicts impose upon women, who are particularly vulnerable to sexual crimes, trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Countering such violence is a priority for Portugal in our internal policies and in our external action.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - in particular Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5 and 16 - is extremely relevant in the consolidation of the role of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. Better articulation between the 2030 Agenda and the resolutions on women and peace and security would allow for greater investment in education in conflict situations. Portugal has continuously promoted respect for the right of education, including higher education in humanitarian emergencies. A global and coordinated approach for the promotion of higher education will better equip a new generation of leaders that will be able to rebuild the countries and societies shattered by war and break the cycle of violence. In that context, let me mention the Global Platform for Syrian Students.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“1) Portugal therefore calls on all Member States to implement resolution 1325 (2000) in a more effective and efficient way. Like many others, we believe that there is a connection between gender equality and the prevention of conflict. Empowering women should be regarded as a fundamental part of any peacebuilding process. Allow me to briefly mention a couple of examples of what we are doing. We are organizing exchanges and sharing of experiences of officials deployed to peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions. We are providing training on gender equality and violence against women and girls to officials in the justice sector, the armed forces and the security forces. A total of 81 Portuguese women are taking part in United Nations and European Union bilateral and regional missions.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for convening this open debate. My statement is fully aligned with the one already delivered by the observer of the European Union. As we approach the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the gap between commitment and implementation remains particularly significant in matters related to the economic, political and social empowerment of women. Despite the accountability tool created by the resolution, the latest report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security leaves no room for doubt: "We continue to witness devastating failures to respect international human rights and humanitarian law across conflicts, particularly with regard to grave violations of women's human rights." (S/2018/900, para.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“It involves a political and diplomatic approach; specialized expertise, for example, in conflicts over natural resources; and a legal dimension in support of transitional justice. Finally, I would like to recall the interdependence between security and development, and reiterate that lasting peace will be achieved only if the causes of conflicts are tackled and addressed. Therefore, mediation and development must happen in parallel and in complementarity. Portugal is ready to continue to play an active role in those two parallel and complementary efforts.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“Non-proliferation, the legal accountability of those responsible for mass atrocity crimes, and follow-up actions in transition processes during post-conflict periods are of significant relevance to the consolidation and support of peace. To better implement mediation efforts, it is important to enhance national capabilities to better support special envoys. Also, greater international coordination and complementarity in mediation and conflict resolution actions are required in order to optimize resources and avoid overlapping. Partnerships, civil society at local and national levels, and the role of women and young people are key to successful mediation efforts. Mediation has an interdisciplinary character.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“We commend the Secretary-General's efforts to strengthen the mediation capacity of the United Nations, calling for a surge in diplomacy for peace. The creation of the High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation is already a tangible result. The ongoing United Nations reform in the areas of management, peace and security, and development will certainly help to strengthen the holistic approach to conflict resolution. We reiterate the importance of strengthening conflict prevention through the development of early warning systems and the increase in capabilities for situations that require immediate action by the international community.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“Portugal is fully aligned with the statement delivered by the European Union. At the outset, I would like to congratulate the United Kingdom on having chosen this topic for an open debate at the Security Council. This reflection on how to better seek peaceful settlement of disputes is of paramount importance for international peace and security and for the success of the United Nations. The duty of States to settle their differences by peaceful means is clearly set forth in Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations and enshrined in countless international instruments, such as the Charter of the Organization of American States, the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the treaties establishing the European communities and the subsequent treaties and acts modifying and supplementing them to name just a few.”
2018-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8334 (2018) · source
“Education is both a mechanism to prevent recruitment and the means to address the root causes of conflict. The Convention of the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on children and armed conflict, along with the Paris Principles, continue to provide an adequate frame of reference for action. Portugal invites all Member States that have not yet done so to consider endorsing the Paris Principles. In conclusion, protecting children from the ravages of war is a moral imperative and a priority of international peace and security. The international community is equipped to improve the situation of children in armed conflicts and address the root causes of conflict, including through sustainable development, the promotion and protection of human rights and peacebuilding.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“However, it is fundamental that children deprived of their liberty for their alleged association with extremist groups be recognized, in the first instance, as victims of forcible recruitment who have been exposed to extreme brutality. Portugal supports the inclusion of child protection provisions in the mandates of peace operations and mandatory predeployment training on child protection for all United Nations troop and police contingents. We also support the effective screening of peacekeepers. Attacks on, and the use of, schools and hospitals for military purposes cannot continue to take place with impunity. In that context, my country reiterates its active engagement in providing access to education in emergency situations, including higher education, and calls on Governments to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Despite the strong normative framework and a mechanism to monitor, report and respond to grave violations against children, huge challenges remain, in particular to the changing nature of hostilities, protracted conflicts, violent extremism and the proliferation of non-State armed groups, including terrorist groups. Prevention, reintegration, rehabilitation and cooperation, both at the domestic and international levels, are essential. Efforts should include the demobilization and return of displaced and refugee children. As the international community, we must ensure that adequate resources are devoted to child rehabilitation programmes and educational training in post-conflict situations.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“1 thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's open debate. I would also like to thank today's briefers for their statements, in particular Special Representative Virginia Gamba. Portugal reiterates its support for her important mandate, and we commend her unrelenting efforts. The information contained in the latest report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/465) is alarming. While there have been improvements in some places, with the adoption of action plans, in others violations of children's rights significantly increased, including sexual violence, maiming and killings as a result of military operations, both by State and non-State actors.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Although the Council is not, and should not be, a judicial organ, it can contribute to ensuring accountability, including by referring situations to the International Criminal Court or mandating peacekeeping operations to help in investigations or the arrest of those responsible for the most serious crimes of international concern. In the same vein, restraint on the part of the permanent members from the use of veto, at least when crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are committed, would be a very important step. In conclusion, although the international context is now quite different from what it was in 1945, the need for the United Nations, and the Council in particular, to be at the very heart of international peace and security is ever more acute.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The emergence of new and interlinked types of global threats, such as climate change, new typologies of conflicts, transnational organized crime or terrorism, must also be kept in mind, as it may be necessary to further develop the existing legal framework in order to better deal with new challenges. Upholding accountability is a never-ending challenge for the United Nations and each and every Member State. Portugal considers that despite the progress that has been made in the past few decades, the current accountability framework can be further improved.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Portugal considers that the Security Council can further promote recourse to methods for the pacific settlement of disputes, including negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement and use of regional mechanisms, as provided for in Chapter VI of the Charter. Portugal also considers that when acting under Chapter VII, the Security Council could reinforce its legitimacy by clearly stating the reasons for which it understands that a given event is a threat or breach of the peace or an act of aggression. Those are concepts for which international law provides useful guidance. Regarding respect for international obligations, a closer monitoring of the implementation of Security Council resolutions can certainly help in preventing future violations of international law.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“But it also affirms that measures to fulfil that mission must be taken in conformity with the principles of justice and international law. The Security Council, a collective organ for collective action, is therefore not only bound to act in accordance with the applicable international law, but also has an important responsibility to promote and contribute to respect for international law. That is not a simple abstraction; it is in fact a condition of success for its crucial mission in maintaining international peace and security. Allow me to share some quick thoughts on how, in our view, the Security Council can increase its contribution to international peace and security by upholding international law through concrete steps.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier on behalf of the European Union. I would like to congratulate Poland on choosing this particular topic for an open debate at the Security Council. Reflecting on how respect for international law affects peace and security is relevant for the success of the United Nations. International law is not merely a set of rules and mechanisms aimed at prescribing conduct and settling disputes. It also embodies a powerful ethical discourse and, as such, is an important referent for action as well as a tool of international progress. The Charter of the United Nations, itself an international legal instrument, confers on the United Nations the fundamental responsibility to maintain international peace and security.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Finally, allow me to draw the Council's attention to the Informal Expert Group on Women and Peace and Security, which supports the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008). It is a relevant initiative of which Portugal is a proud member.”
2018-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8234 (2018) · source
“Preventing sexual violence in conflict is possible only if all stakeholders are involved in finding durable solutions. In that regard, it is essential to work closely with civil society. Civil society organizations often play an instrumental role in ensuring the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, including by complementing the work done by military, security and civilian personnel in conflict and post-conflict settings and in emergency situations. They are often essential to preventing and reporting crimes and to alerting the international community to such crimes, to restoring the internal stability of their countries and to supporting reconstruction efforts and helping the population recover.”
2018-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8234 (2018) · source
“Currently, our second national action plan includes training programmes on gender equality and violence against women and young women, including sexual violence, gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings, in the fields ofjustice, armed forces and security forces; the inclusion ofissues related to the womenandpeace andsecurityagendainourdevelopment cooperation, notably aiming at the implementation of resolution 2106 (2013); ensuring that measures are taken so that all victims of violence, including sexual violence, have the right to protection and reparation, and that perpetrators are held accountable; and promoting awareness-raising programmes on health and human rights issues, including on sexual violence and gender- based violence.”
2018-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8234 (2018) · source
“It is therefore essential to ensure that all necessary measures are taken, to strengthen justice mechanisms, to hold accountable those responsible for sexual violence, and to end impunity. It is also of the utmost importance to address the persistent barriers that prevent reporting wartime sexual violence. We need more effective and rigorous investigations for bringing to justice the perpetrators of all these crimes. Portugal has been implementing resolution 1325 (2000) since the development of our first national action plan in 2009.”
2018-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8234 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank the Peruvian presidency of the Security Council for convening today's open debate on this very important issue. Portugal values the fact that the Council continues to give its attention to the women and peace and security agenda, which is an essential tool for preventing conflict and for ensuring more effective responses to today's complex crises. As the latest report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/250) notes, conflict-related sexual violence is accompanied by the violation of other human rights. Women's security is clearly linked to the fulfilment of human rights, be they political, civil, economic, social or cultural rights. Furthermore, the report also clearly indicates that sexual violence can cause long- term physical and psychological trauma and shred the social fabric.”
2018-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8234 (2018) · source
“We therefore encourage the Council to regularly invite the Chairs of the Peacebuilding Commission and of its country configurations, as well as the President of the Economic and Social Council, as briefers or participants in informal dialogues, as necessary. Fourthly, we encourage the Council to make better use of its subsidiary bodies, such as the sanctions committees and the working groups, to ensure that it captures early signs of emerging threats to peace and security, including those closely linked to the larger development agenda, climate change, pandemics, illegal trafficking or organized crime. Mr. President, in the coming months, as you ably guide the Informal Working Group as its as Chair, we trust that the Council will agree on further progress related to its working methods, without overburdening the Council's workload.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“We welcome and encourage that good practice, as it contributes to increased transparency and allows members of the Council to have their views on record, without prejudice to informal consultations whenever the Council's members deem that appropriate. Thirdly, we believe that the Security Council's consultation with the Peacebuilding Commission and the Economic and Social Council increases the power of synergies and strengthens a more coordinated United Nations response in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. The importance of such interactions has already been recognized by the Security Council. What is now required is to bring this approach into full practice.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“The first aspect concerns open debates, which tend to be a regular feature of the Council's monthly programme of work. We welcome these debates as an expression of the commitment to greater transparency and openness to non-Council members. But open debates are also a way to enable Member States to better understand the measures adopted by the Council and to enhance their commitment to the full implementation of these measures. In this vein, we believe that whenever an open debate is expected to have an outcome, the Council should preferentially decide to allow at a later stage for the outcome to reflect the input of non-Council members, as deemed relevant by the Council. With regard to the second aspect, we note with appreciation that an increasing number of Council members are expressing their views publicly at briefings.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate. We welcome every effort from the Security Council to push this agenda forward. I also thank Mr. Ian Martin for his briefing. In recent years, some steps were taken to increase the transparency, inclusiveness, interaction and efficiency of the work of the Security Council. In that regard, we commend the recent work by the members of the Council, under the leadership of Japan, in updating the presidential note S/2010/507. The challenge now lies in its implementation. As yet another member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, we associate ourselves with the statement delivered earlier by the Permanent Representative of Switzerland. I would like now to briefly touch upon four aspects and suggest some concrete improvements.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source