YouSaid · the spoken record

Liepnieks

lines on the record

23

first

2022-01-18

most recent

2023-07-14

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4

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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

1. “We pledge our unwavering support to her and to anyone dedicated to preventing sexual violence, assisting survivors and ensuring accountability for the perpetrators, both in Ukraine and elsewhere.”

   2023-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9378Resumption1 (2023) · source

2. “Furthermore, the Russian Federation seeks to stifle the voice and actions of the United Nations through its veto powers. Yet, the international community refuses to be silenced. The General Assembly recognized the need to hold the Russian Federation accountable and to establish an international mechanism for reparations. In May, a register of damage was established under the Council of Europe, signifying steps towards justice for Ukraine. We look forward to the meeting of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe to be held in Riga in September to continue implementing the register of damage. In conclusion, we express our appreciation for the Special Representative’s tireless work.”

   2023-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9378Resumption1 (2023) · source

3. “Since 24 February 2022, the United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine documented 125 cases of conflict-related sexual violence affecting civilians and prisoners of war, while the real number is even higher. The heinous acts committed by the Russian armed forces and groups as a tactic of war included torture methods such as electrocution, beatings, burns, forced nudity and rape, including gang rape. The victims ranged from young children to the elderly, with perpetrators even raping women and girls in front of their family members. Moreover, Russia’s attacks on hospitals hindered access to services for managing the aftermath of sexual violence. It is horrendous that a permanent member of this esteemed Council is responsible for these crimes and continues to commit atrocities on a daily basis.”

   2023-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9378Resumption1 (2023) · source

4. “We appreciate the work of the United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict inter-agency network for their initiatives providing crucial support to survivors, including medical, psychological, legal and socioeconomic assistance. A notable example is the project implemented in the conflict-free mining sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We also express our appreciation to the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict for their contributions to strengthening rule of law institutions. Their efforts, including assisting Guinean authorities in establishing an ad hoc tribunal, deserve recognition. Unfortunately, conflict-related sexual violence is also part of the full-scale war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”

   2023-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9378Resumption1 (2023) · source

5. “On behalf of the Baltic countries — Estonia, Lithuania, and my own country, Latvia — I extend my gratitude to the United Kingdom for organizing this open debate and to the distinguished briefers for their presentations. As we reflect upon the previous year, we see that sexual violence persisted as a cruel weapon of war, torture and terrorism in various regions, including in Myanmar, Syria, Libya and Iran, where it was employed to intimidate and punish political opponents. Displaced women and girls in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and the Sudan fell victim to sexual assault by armed individuals in and around displacement sites. The Baltic States commend the tireless efforts of the United Nations in addressing those horrific situations.”

   2023-07-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9378Resumption1 (2023) · source

6. “Since the very first days of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Latvia has continued to allocate additional funds for the physical and emotional rehabilitation of victims of the war, especially women and girls, who have suffered from sexual violence committed by Russia’s soldiers, as documented by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. In conclusion, I urge all members to take action to support the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions. Without the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, peace agreements are less likely to be reached and less likely to be sustainable.”

   2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

7. “We must take concrete steps to ensure that they have a seat at the table and that their voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes related to peace and security. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are long-standing priorities for Latvia in international organizations and development cooperation. As a current member of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and its Bureau and the Executive Board of UN-Women, Latvia has worked diligently to promote gender equality and plays an active role in shaping and enforcing global standards and policies for gender equality.”

   2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

8. “We should not stand by and watch as their fundamental rights are taken away. The near-total erasure of women and girls — half of the population — from public life in Afghanistan is not just a staggering human rights violation but a setback for the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda that will be felt for years to come. We cannot stress enough the central role of women in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan. Latvia supports international efforts aimed at ensuring that women and girls reclaim their space and can fully contribute to the future of Afghanistan. Women and girls should not be seen merely as victims of conflict and instability.”

   2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

9. “The Council has called on the parties to conflicts to respect international law and to take measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, and yet a member of this very Council, the Russian Federation, has increasingly targeted women and girls by using sexual violence as a tactic of war, as we have seen in its war of aggression against Ukraine. It will be critical to ensure effective prevention and protection systems and practical and immediate assistance for the victims, as well as to end impunity and ensure accountability for those crimes. The Russian Federation must and will be held accountable for the crimes it has committed, including through a special tribunal for the crime of aggression. We regret the ongoing crackdown on women’s rights in Afghanistan and Iran.”

   2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

10. “Sexual and gender-based violence remains pervasive in conflict situations, and while women and girls are often its primary victims, their voices are often silenced or ignored. In the years to come, one of the main indicators of the success of the women and peace and security agenda will be the international response to the crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. In resolution 1325 (2000) and the nine subsequent resolutions adopted in the past two decades, the Security Council recognized the effects of armed conflict on women and girls and declared sexual violence a war crime.”

    2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

11. “More countries, including Latvia, have developed national action plans on women and peace and security, which serve as a road map for ensuring that women’s needs and priorities are integrated into all aspects of peacebuilding. However, despite those achievements, much remains to be done. Women continue to be underrepresented in peace negotiations and in decision-making roles in the security arena. In the past 25 years, women have made up just 13 per cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per cent of signatories in major peace processes. At that rate, it may take close to 300 years to achieve full gender equality, and meanwhile, women and girls are disproportionately affected by conflict.”

    2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

12. “I would like to start by thanking all the briefers, as well as Mozambique, for giving us the opportunity to reflect on the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. We welcome the continued practice of inviting women representatives of civil society to brief the Security Council. Latvia aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the European Union and by the representative of Canada on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security. The women and peace and security agenda is an important contributor to tackling today’s global peace and security challenges. Women’s participation in peace negotiations, mediation and conflict resolution has increased, and so has the inclusion of gender perspectives in peacekeeping operations.”

    2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276Resumption1 (2023) · source

13. “Finally, we recognize that building resilience and peacebuilding requires adequate resources. As a donor to the Peacebuilding Fund and other United Nations funds and programmes, Latvia supports initiatives to achieve more sustainable financing for peacebuilding, including through contributions from the United Nations regular budget. We believe that this can also serve as an important deliverable in the context of the New Agenda for Peace initiative.”

    2023-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9250 (2023) · source

14. “Ensuring justice is a prerequisite for a nation — or even a region — in a post-conflict situation to reconcile with the past and to focus on building a resilient future. Thirdly, the coronavirus disease pandemic demonstrated that the information space has become another domain that requires jointly addressing complex challenges. Enhanced resilience is also required in order to deal with all kinds of harmful content — both online and offline. Strengthening media and information literacy and working on the global code of conduct with regard to the integrity of public information are a few steps in this direction. It is important to combat the spread of disinformation and misinformation, which hamper the ability of citizens to take informed decisions and pose a challenge to better global governance.”

    2023-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9250 (2023) · source

15. “For example, for several years Latvian non-governmental organizations have been successfully implementing projects in countries in Central Asia aimed at strengthening women’s participation in democratic processes and public administration, as well as business. Secondly, it is important to facilitate the exchange of best practices and build networks among peacebuilders. There should be further efforts to strengthen interaction between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, as the PBC community has unique expertise in the field of building societal resilience. Given the lessons learned from our discussions in the PBC, we consider it important for the Security Council to better address the topic of accountability.”

    2023-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9250 (2023) · source

16. “However, the international community and the United Nations, including the Security Council, has an important role to play in supporting those efforts. First, we have to acknowledge the key ingredient of strengthening resilience, and that is trust. Trust, in turn, can only be built upon universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Therefore, to build global resilience we need full and proactive commitment by the Security Council to protecting human rights and promoting the equality of all groups, including women and youth. In that regard, I would like to highlight Latvia’s long-standing practical experience when it comes to investment in people, both at home and in other countries, with the aim of enabling equal opportunities.”

    2023-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9250 (2023) · source

17. “Latvia welcomes this open debate on peacebuilding. We appreciate Japan’s leadership in facilitating an inclusive and timely discussion on this important topic. As a former member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Latvia fully acknowledges the key role of resilience in peacebuilding efforts. While the overall goal must remain to prevent crises, not all challenges can be adequately predicted and averted. In such cases, resilience at individual, national and global levels plays a key role in helping to absorb shocks, manage crises and prevent further disruption. Building resilience requires local ownership and determination to strengthen institutions, improve governance and address vulnerabilities.”

    2023-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9250 (2023) · source

18. “For example, the Latvian non-governmental organization MARTA Centre is actively involved in educating young women on gender equality, in particular in the European Union Eastern Partnership countries and Central Asian countries. Let me conclude by reiterating a simple truth: women having a voice is a crucial and central premise of all human rights. The ability of women to speak up and to participate is an essential element of a prosperous, equal and safe world. It is important to break the silence. When the international community witnesses violence against women and girls, we must not sit back but act decisively.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source

19. “Latvia recognizes that effective measures leading to the global empowerment of women begin with responsive and responsible policies at home. On 14 July 2020, the Latvian Government approved Latvia’s national action plan on women and peace and security for the period 2020-2025. The plan foresees three main tasks, which focus on raising public awareness of gender equality issues and the elimination of gender-based violence, especially in the younger generation; training in the defence and home affairs sector, including the establishment of a gender adviser’s position; and the transfer of Latvia’s experience and knowledge. All those tasks are being implemented in close cooperation with non-governmental organizations, civil society and our foreign partners.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source

20. “As a member State elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women until 2025 and as a Vice-Chair of the Commission’s Bureau for the next two sessions, Latvia is committed to continuing to play an active role in shaping and enforcing global standards and policies for gender equality. As of this year, Latvia has also become an elected member of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). Latvia fully supports the commitment of the PBC to strengthening the role of women in the post-conflict phase. In addition, Latvia invests in United Nations efforts in a practical way by providing financial support to UN-Women. In 2021, for the first time Latvia made a financial contribution to UNICEF, which also plays an important role in broader efforts related to the women and peace and security agenda.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source

21. “There should be zero tolerance towards cases where women who have previously briefed the Security Council face threats and persecution. As stated in the Secretary-General’s report, the relevant sanctions committees continue to be underutilized as a means of holding accountable those responsible for violations of women’s rights. Latvia strongly believes that the empowerment of women and their inclusive engagement, as well as gender equality, is an essential foundation for a peaceful, secure and sustainable society. It also applies to all aspects of international peace and security. For those reasons, gender equality and the rights of women are Latvia’s longstanding priorities.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source

22. “Latvia is deeply concerned about the surge in killings of women human rights defenders and journalists in 2020 — surpassing the numbers reported for 2019 and 2018. There is also an alarming level of underreporting and self-censorship, which results in the majority of cases being left uncovered. That is not acceptable. We must pool our efforts to counter those threats and harassment against women, which are aimed at silencing them and precluding their participation. Silence equals powerlessness; when silencing women, we make them think that they have no rights, no value, no voice. The international community, including the Security Council, must redouble its efforts and use all available means to reaffirm that this is not true.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source

23. “Latvia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union and the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security. Let me begin by expressing appreciation for Norway’s long-standing leadership promoting the women and peace and security agenda. Also, I extend special thanks to Ms. Bachelet, Ms. Yaftali and Ms. Asoka for offering a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities regarding women’s participation in peace processes. Discussions such as this are crucial to raising awareness of the obstacles that women face daily in their efforts to contribute to international peace and security. As outlined in the latest report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2021/827), women peacebuilders and civil activists are continuously exposed to harassment and attacks.”

    2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949Resumption1 (2022) · source