YouSaid · the spoken record

Secretary-General

lines on the record: 2,998
first: 1995-09-26
most recent: 2021-05-16
sittings or episodes: 363
sources: un-security-council

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“While the numerical picture may be murky, the impacts of mercenaries today are all too clear. The presence of mercenaries and other foreign fighters worsens conflict and threatens stability. Some mercenaries go from war to war, plying their deadly trade with enormous firepower, little accountability and complete disregard for international humanitarian law. Mercenary activities undermine the rule of law and perpetuate impunity. They abet the illegal and inequitable exploitation of a country's natural resources. They provoke large-scale displacement and intercommunal tension. Even Machiavelli, famously tolerant of questionable behaviour, wrote in The Prince that mercenaries are "disunited, undisciplined, ambitious and faithless". The nature of mercenary activities has evolved over the years.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“I would like to thank the presidency of Equatorial Guinea for having organized this high-level debate on the activities of mercenaries as a source of insecurity and destabilization in Africa and in particular, pursuant to the concept note before us (S/2019/97, annex), in Central Africa. I welcome the presence of the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea at this meeting. (spoke in English) The use of mercenaries dates back through the ages. From antiquity to the medieval era to the present day, those who fight for financial reward or other material compensation have been a near constant on the battlefield. The shadowy nature of the practice makes data hard to come by, but reports suggest a surge in the use of mercenaries and other foreign fighters.”
2019-02-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8456 (2019) · source
“I also urge them to use the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals as a global plan of action. The willingness to collaborate and act quickly must be translated into genuine and tangible results. Promoting prevention and resilience must be at the heart of our collective efforts. I believe that we have the knowledge and resources required to achieve that objective. We lack only the courage and political will. We must involve everyone in building stable and resilient societies, work together with management teams, ensure the full participation of women and harness the energy and creativity of young people. Conflict prevention is a responsibility we all share. Regional and subregional organizations play a key role in implementing a global multidimensional strategy that can meet the challenges ahead.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“In particular, we need to help regional and subregional organizations to better anticipate crises and take preventive measures early. The Alert and Response System of the Economic Community of States of West Africa is a rather edifying example in that regard. No State or organization can alone overcome the current challenges, whether they involve climate change or inequality. I fear therefore that the current political trends, prevailing pessimism and lack of confidence could undermine multilateralism and the international rules-based system. I urge world leaders to renew their commitment to inclusive multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations, and on the principles of complementarity and subsidiarity.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Those efforts should - and must - be replicated elsewhere. (Spoke in French) That was the subject of the high-level interactive dialogue that I organized in June with the leaders of various organizations, including regional ones, to consider ways and means of strengthening our cooperation by placing special focus on prevention. I intend to continue that dialogue and intensify our collaboration with a view to contributing our expertise and support to anchor stable and resilient societies. I also intend to take inspiration from the success of frameworks adopted by the United Nations and the African Union, but also coordination mechanisms in other regions of the world. The reforms I have undertaken will help us to improve the coherence of our efforts.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“When crises broke out in Mali and the Central African Republic, the Economic Community of West African States and the Economic Community of Central African States were the first to deploy troops and engage in mediation efforts. The African Union took over the operations, which later became United Nations peacekeeping operations. In Central Asia, the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia supports regional dialogue on transboundary water management and promotes water diplomacy, in close cooperation with national Governments and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. And in the aftermath of contested elections in Honduras in November 2017, the United Nations maintained close contacts with the Organization of American States to ease tensions and facilitate dialogue.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Regional and subregional organizations have the proximity, experience, knowledge of local dynamics, flexibility and relationships to engage more rapidly and effectively when situations deteriorate. In the Gambia two years ago, the coordinated joint action of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the United Nations and neighbouring countries helped to prevent a political crisis and supported a peaceful, democratic political transition. In Madagascar, the United Nations worked in close coordination with the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the International Organization of la Francophonie to facilitate dialogue, which contributed to peaceful presidential elections last month. We hope that cooperation will be maintained in the near future.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Our relationship with the African Union is showing the way forward, through our frameworks for enhanced partnership for peace and security and the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I am delighted that the Chairperson of the African Union Commission is here to discuss this important issue with us today. Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations shows the visionary genius of those who drafted our foundational document. At that time, regional organizations barely existed. Seventy years on, regional and subregional organizations are an indispensable part of the rules-based global order. Chapter VIII even envisages our cooperation on joint peacekeeping operations.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Young women and men must be empowered to participate in making the decisions that affect their lives. That is a vital goal in itself, but it is also essential to counter the risk of alienation and susceptibility to extremist narratives, and even recruitment. By the same token, we must invest in helping countries and communities that are emerging from conflict. Justice, truth and reconciliation are essential for societies to heal and move beyond war. The United Nations works to support such efforts in many countries and regions of the world. States and subregional and regional organizations are our vital partners in all those efforts, and we are working together with respect and trust.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“But it is also one of the most effective tools for prevention. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will make a significant contribution to tackling root causes and building lasting peace. While conflict between States has declined, internal conflicts are increasing and account for the majority of humanitarian needs and displacement around the world. Strong, resilient societies are enriched, not threatened, by diversity. But such societies do not come about by chance. As societies become more multi-ethnic and multireligious, cultural and economic investments in cohesion are vital. Every member, every group, must feel valued. We must also invest in education and training for young people so that they have hope and prospects for the future.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Beyond the peace and security pillar, the entire United Nations system is tackling the root causes that can make communities and societies vulnerable to violence and conflict, which often lie in competition over control of power and resources, inequality and exclusion, unmet aspirations, the marginalization of women, young people and minority groups, poor governance and the instrumentalization of ethnic and religious divisions. They are also interlinked and exacerbated by climate change, migration, transnational crimes and global terrorism. All our work to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, from human rights and humanitarian affairs to gender equality, environmental protection and combating climate change, has a role in preventing conflict. Sustainable development is an end in itself, and must be considered as such.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“The recent United Nations-World Bank study entitled PathwaysforPeace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict concluded that prevention would save approximately $34 billion in damage in countries that avoid war. Those benefits are compounded over time, to reach over $140 billion after 15 years. From greater use of my good offices, including through my Special Representatives and Envoys, to investing in mediation, to strengthening the contribution of peacekeeping and peacebuilding to prevention, we are working to improve our capacity. The endorsement of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative by 151 Member States is a strong sign of support for the central role of our peacekeepers in preventing conflicts from worsening, and in proactively supporting peace.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“There are complex links among those threats, which can reinforce and amplify each other and should not be seen in isolation. I have therefore called on all parts of the United Nations system to focus on prevention, including, obviously as a priority for us, the prevention of conflict. We are overwhelmingly managing crisis and conflict, when we should put far more effort into preventing them from happening in the first place. Rather than launching humanitarian aid operations to save lives, we should invest in reducing the need for aid. For us, prevention is an end in itself. It should never be seen as the instrument of any other political agenda. First and foremost, it saves lives and protects people from harm. But prevention also makes economic sense.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“Following the debate yesterday (see S/PV.8413), I again thank the delegation of Cote d'lvoire for having proposed this open debate on the role of States, regional arrangements and the United Nations in the prevention of conflicts. (spoke in English) Our world is faced with complex threats that are multidimensional, interconnected and unpredictable. The number of countries experiencing violent conflict is higher than it has been in 30 years. The number of low-intensity conflicts has increased by 60 per cent in the past 10 years. We have a responsibility to act, not in isolation but collectively. Since assuming office, I have prioritized prevention of all kinds, from conflicts to natural disasters to pandemics and the foreseeable dangers posed by new technologies.”
2018-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8414 (2018) · source
“An adequate level of funding would enable the Force to fill equipment shortfalls and capability gaps, and to better address the serious threats facing the region. In our interconnected age, security challenges on one continent pose a risk to the whole world. The factors that drive conflict in Africa - including poverty, youth unemployment, climate change, competition for resources and transnational crime - threaten global security. Improving the impact and effectiveness of peacekeeping in Africa is a collective responsibility, and we will continue to tackle it with our African partners, across the continent and around the world.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“It is essential that African-led peace operations acting under the Security Council's authority be provided with strong mandates and predictable, sustainable and flexible financing, including through United Nations- assessed contributions where appropriate. I have appealed to the international community to support the regional Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force in combating terrorism and organized crime. I am grateful to the European Union and other donors that have pledged to the Force, but so far almost halfthe pledges have not been earmarked, let alone disbursed. There has been progress over the past year. The Joint Force has reached initial operational capacity. But we are far from what is needed to meet the security challenges of the Sahel.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Chairperson Faki and I will soon sign a joint communique guiding the work of the Secretariat and the African Union Commission in strengthening United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa and paving the way for more adequately supported African peace operations. We are working closely with the African Union on joint planning for the mandating of its peace-support operations and on legal and human rights compliance frameworks. As I have told the Council before, we need to understand that United Nations peacekeeping has limits. We face more and more situations in which we need peace enforcement and counter-terrorism operations that can be carried out only by our partners - namely, the African Union and various subregional organizations.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Dozens of world leaders have joined the Circle of Leadership in support of measures to implement a zero-tolerance policy, and 100 countries have signed voluntary compacts with the United Nations to tackle the issue. The era of silence and taboos around this issue is over, and the era of accountability has begun. The United Nations and the African Union are cooperating more closely than ever before. African peace operations, including those mandated by the African Union, have played a key role in maintaining peace and security on the continent and deserve predictable systems of support.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Closer integration of conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding will allow us to put sustainable development at the heart of our work. Increasing the numbers of women in peacekeeping at all levels is another way to improve the effectiveness of our operations. I am taking steps to ensure that my gender-parity strategy is implemented across all our peacekeeping missions, and to increase the numbers of female troops and police. We are also mobilizing to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse in our ranks, including our peacekeeping missions, putting the rights and dignity of victims front and centre. We are providing more support to victims, and we have a greater and more effective capacity in seeking justice. We have stepped up training and improved investigations.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The Action for Peacekeeping initiative was also informed by the recommendations of the Dos Santos Cruz report on improving the safety and security of our peacekeepers. This also led to the development of an action plan to address the performance and security of United Nations peacekeepers. Our operations are now taking a more proactive posture to make these improvements. We are adopting innovative measures to train and equip our troops, and we have undertaken independent reviews of our missions to determine how we can better fulfil our mandates. We will remain vigilant and review the results of these steps. At the same time, our reforms of the United Nations peace and security architecture will improve performance by providing more integrated analyses and stronger country and regional strategies.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“I am also encouraged by African support for my Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which aims to mobilize all partners and stakeholders to, first, refocus peacekeeping around more realistic mandates; secondly, to make our missions stronger and safer; and, thirdly, to mobilize greater collective support for political solutions and for well-equipped and well- trained troops. More than 150 Governments have signed the Declaration of Shared Commitments in support of Action for Peacekeeping, including 42 on the African continent. Partnerships with troop-contributing countries; with regional organizations, particularly the African Union; and with host Governments are critical to the success of this initiative, which is already showing results.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“These Frameworks are already promoting coherence, efficiency and effectiveness in our common action. The Deputy Secretary-General and senior officials of the African Union have undertaken several joint visits to the continent. The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, who is here with us today, have conducted joint visits to the Central African Republic, the Sudan and South Sudan. The role ofwomen in peace and security was at the heart of their recent visit to South Sudan.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“United Nations missions are carrying out complex operations with multidimensional mandates in extremely dangerous environments. Transnational crime, non-State armed groups and terrorist groups pose serious challenges, sometimes targeting our peacekeepers directly. Against this backdrop, our partnership with the African Union and African Member States is vital to our collective efforts for peace, and we must continue working to strengthen it. There is excellent cooperation at the highest levels. African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and I have signed two Joint United Nations- African Union Frameworks: the Joint United Nations- African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, and the Joint Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“In South Sudan, we worked with the African Union in support of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to bring about the signing of the revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. Over the past 10 years, the African Peace and Security Architecture has been considerably bolstered, and one of its essential pillars - the Peace Fund - is currently being implemented. To date, States members of the African Union have contributed $60 million of the $400 million required by the end of 2021. This is very encouraging, and I congratulate the Chairperson of the African Union, President Kagame, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on all their efforts. (spoke in English) Peacekeeping in Africa continues to present some of our greatest challenges.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“African countries provide nearly half of United Nations Blue Helmets deployed around the world, including almost two-thirds of all women peacekeepers, and the majority of United Nations police officers. (spoke in French) Our peacekeeping missions on the African continent have made encouraging progress in recent years. Our mandates were completed in cote d'Ivoire and Liberia and our missions were able to withdraw. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, the Central African Republic and Darfur, the African Union and the United Nations have worked closely together to support the political processes, national dialogues and mediation efforts in the region, which has defused tensions and paved the way for peace agreements and elections.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“The Secretary-General: I thank the Chinese presidency for convening this open debate on strengtheningpeacekeeping operations in Africa, and for China's contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa and around the world. Some 2,500 uniformed Chinese personnel, including well-trained and equipped individual and formed police units, are making an important contribution to multilateral efforts for peace. I welcome President Xi's pledge to establish a peacekeeping standby force and hope to build on the 13 units that have already been registered. The African continent hosts seven of the fourteen United Nations peacekeeping missions and more than 80 per cent of United Nations peacekeepers.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“Peacekeeping is a remarkable exercise in global solidarity. United Nations peacekeepers are ready to pay the ultimate price for peace, and we are all in their debt. Last week, eight of our peacekeepers - all from the African countries Malawi and Tanzania - were killed in the line of duty. Most were trying to prevent an attack on the town of Beni in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to create a safe environment for those working to end the Ebola outbreak there. I send my deepest condolences to their families and to the families of all peacekeepers killed in the line of duty. Let us stand and observe a moment of silence for the fallen. The members of the Council observed a minute ofsilence.”
2018-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8407 (2018) · source
“But most of all, it is our resilient and still visionary Charter of the United Nations that points the way with its articulation of universal values, its grounding in peace, development, human rights and the rule of law, and its vision of countries living as good neighbours and sharing a common fate and future. Strengthening multilateralism means strengthening our commitment to the Charter. Such a commitment is needed now more than ever from all around this table and around our world.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“As we mark the centennial of the First World War, we must draw on its lessons and buttress our practice of multilateralism for the tests and threats of today and tomorrow. And as twenty-first-century challenges threaten to outpace twentieth-century institutions and mindsets, let us reaffirm the ideals of collective action while pursuing a new generation of approaches and architecture capable of responding. Reform of the United Nations has a crucial contribution to make, and I look forward to continuing to press ahead across the pillars of that effort.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“I encourage the members of the Council to do more to overcome divisions, embrace the prevention and peacebuilding agendas, and make greater use of mediation and the other tools set out in Chapter VI of the Charter for the resolution of disputes through peaceful means. I remain convinced of the need for a surge in diplomacy, and I draw strength from recent examples of negotiated political solutions to problems that previously seemed hopeless. In the same spirit, I encourage all Member States to make greater investments in building a fair globalization that works for all, and in social cohesion that gives a stake in society to all, in line with the 2030 Agenda. There should be no room for demonizing minorities, migrants and refugees, or for stifling the diversity that enriches societies.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“We need new forms of cooperation with other international and regional organizations - a networked multilateralism. And we need closer links with civil society and other stakeholders - an inclusive multilateralism. The Security Council has a central role to play in showing the value of international cooperation. Let us recall that Charter of the United Nations endows the Council with special stature, powers and responsibilities; and so this body also bears the burden of not just its own but the United Nations overall reputation. I think we can all agree that crises in Syria, in the Middle East peace process and elsewhere have shaken popular faith in the potential of the international community to deliver solutions.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“This is very dangerous in the face of today's challenges, for which global approaches are essential. In this difficult context, we need to inspire a return to international cooperation. We need a reformed, reinvigorated and strengthened multilateral system. In the end, multilateralism is nothing more than countries coming together, respecting one another and establishing the forms of cooperation that guarantee peace and prosperity for all in a healthy planet. Towards that end, we need stronger commitment to a rules-based order, with the United Nations at its centre and with the different institutions and treaties that bring the Charter to life. But it is not enough to have laws and international conventions, Vital as they are.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“This is a time of multiplying conflicts, advancing climate change, deepening inequality and rising tensions over trade. It is a period whenpeople are moving across borders in unprecedented numbers in search of safety or opportunity. We are still wrestling with the risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and only beginning to reckon with the potential dangers ofnew technologies. There is anxiety, uncertainty and unpredictability across the world. Trust is on the decline, within and among nations. People are losing faith in political establishments - national and global. Key assumptions have been upended, key endeavours undermined and key institutions undercut. It often seems that the more global the threat, the less able we are to cooperate.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Recent years have seen inspiring achievements in international diplomacy, above all the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The peace operations authorized by the Council are also important expressions of multilateralism in action. Peacekeeping has helped a great many countries to recover from armed conflict. Our missions are often critical bulwarks against chaos and bloodshed. That is why I am so encouraged that 151 countries, along with 4 leading international and regional organizations, have expressed support for the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which aims to strengthen these collective partnerships. In other realms, however, multilateral efforts are under immense stress.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“I thank China for using its presidency of the Security Council to highlight the importance of strengthening multilateralism and the role of the United Nations. Today's discussion takes place just days before the one hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War. That conflict was a colossal tragedy and a frightening harbinger of bloody decades to follow. Europe was multipolar at that time, but that was not enough to keep violence at bay. Without multilateral mechanisms for international problem-solving, war erupted and lasted for years. It took a second global cataclysm to trigger the multilateral arrangements we know today. They have a proven track record in saving lives, generating economic and social progress and avoiding a third descent into world war.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“As we look forward, I urge the Security Council to invest in gender equality and women's empowerment, not only as an end in themselves, but as a critical means of achieving our overarching aim of preventing and ending conflict and building peace and prosperity in the world for all.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“In preparation for these landmark dates, my report on women and peace and security next year will include an assessment of implementation of the relevant recommendations in the three peace and security reviews undertaken in 2015, particularly the Global Study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), together with resolution 2242 (2015), adopted three years ago. The findings and recommendations from this assessment will be the basis for increased efforts in the year leading up to 2020. I encourage Member States to initiate similar preparations and reviews.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Finally, from now on I will include gender analysis in my reports to the Security Council whenever it is relevant to inform its decisions. In two years' time, we will mark the twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), the fifth anniversary of the global agreement giving rise to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. Gender equality and women's participation are a unifying thread running through the implementation of these landmark agreements for human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Thirdly, a gendered approach to peace and security means supporting peacebuilding at the local level, even during conflict. As peace processes falter at the national and international level, we must consistently support the local women's groups that negotiate humanitarian access and support community resilience, learn from them and build peace from the ground up. Fourthly, financing this agenda is critical, and the United Nations intends to lead by example. I have created a high-level task force to review our funding on gender equality, including in the peace and security pillar. I will hold United Nations entities accountable with respect to their commitments to increasing spending on women and peace and security, with a target of reaching or exceeding 15 per cent by 2020.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Secondly, with respect to mediation, we know that the meaningful participation of women is directly linked to more sustainable peace. And yet we continue to support and lead processes that are not inclusive. The establishment of several women's networks in recent years is an important trend, as they can play a role in influencing processes for the better. I am pleased that members of my High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation - which is gender-balanced to the level of full parity - are here this week to work with representatives of these networks. Women's participation should not be confined to advisory roles or parallel structures, and I welcome the growing sense of urgency from Member States, civil society and others to ensure that we are designing more effective peace processes with much stronger women's participation.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“The United Nations fully supports the innovative efforts launched by Member States this year to incentivize greater representation. I remain committed to ending all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse within the United Nations - one of the first initiatives I took when I assumed office. I will continue to work with my Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, the Victims' Rights Advocate and Member States on this issue. I am pleased that nearly 100 Member States have now signed voluntary compacts with us to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse, and I call on others to join them. The Circle of Leadership of Heads of State and Government is committed to zero tolerance, to preventing and ending this scourge and to addressing its impact effectively and humanely.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Their differing perspectives are already having a positive impact, but the number of women in peace operations overall has stagnated. Without decisive action, they will go backwards as some missions are downsized. I have therefore formed a working group to put emergency measures in place to address this issue. Some elements will need approval from Member States, and I hope the commitment of the participants in this Chamber today will be reflected in their support for these reforms when we seize the General Assembly to change some of our rules and regulations. It is also crippling to our credibility and protection-capacity that women represent only 4 per cent of our military peacekeepers and 10 per cent of police.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“We repeat statistics about the sustainability of inclusive peace processes, but that is not how we mediate most conflicts. We extol the positive influence of women peacebuilders, but provide little space for their participation. We rely heavily on women's organizations, but do not fund them adequately. We recognize the importance of gender analysis, but out the budgets for such expertise. To address this gap, I intend to prioritize several action points in the coming year. First, gender parity has the greatest potential impact on effectiveness and credibility in our field operations. But this is where the numbers are lowest, and the rate of change is slowest. Women now comprise 41 per cent of heads and deputy heads of our peace operations - more than ever before.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Funding for programmes to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in countries affected by conflict is just 5 per cent of total bilateral aid to such countries. The evidence linking gender equality and peace was recently set out in our joint study with the World Bank, Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict. It is convincing and well- known. Maybe that is why the list of speakers for this debate is so long every year In 2015, the open debate on this item had the highest number of speakers in the history of the Security Council (see S/PV.7533). But there is a significant gap between what we say in this Chamber and what we do outside it. Every year, we make laudable commitments, but they are not backed with the requisite financial and political support.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“The participation of women in formal peace processes remains extremely limited. Between 1990 and 2017, women constituted just 2 per cent of mediators, 8 per cent of negotiators and 5 per cent of witnesses and signatories in all major peace processes. Conflict continues to have a devastating effect on women and girls. The United Nations documented more than 800 cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2017 - a 56 per cent increase since 2016. Women human rights defenders, political leaders, journalists and activists, who play an important role in addressing the root causes of conflict, are targeted at alarming rates. Women's marginalization, lack of access to health and education services, and economic disempowerment continue to be both a cause and an effect of conflict.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“The Peacebuilding Fund invests more than 30 per cent of its resources in gender equality programming, and a growing number of donors are earmarking funds for gender equality. We are placing this agenda at the heart of our partnerships with regional organizations. The Deputy Secretary-General has made several high-level missions with the African Union, focused on women, peace and security and development. Last month, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Dr. Denis Mukwege and Ms. Nadia Murad, two champions of women, peace and security who exemplify the power of individuals to make a difference and the fact that survivors and advocates are best placed to determine the changes needed to build sustainable peace. But despite this progress in some areas, the facts on the ground show that we still have far to go.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Women's organizations continue to have an impact, from keeping dialogue alive in Guinea Bissau to rebuilding communities in Colombia. In the Central African Republic and Mali, women successfully contributed to negotiating between armed actors to halt the escalation of intercommunal tensions. In the Syrian Arab Republic, women have negotiated local ceasefires, mediated the creation of civilian safe zones and coordinated humanitarian and relief initiatives; they have done similarly in Yemen. I can personally attest to the critical importance of the work done by the women peacemakers I have met around the world, from Mali to Bangladesh. Here at the United Nations, the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund is channeling resources to women's organizations that need them.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Climate change and underdevelopment are increasingly threatening to our security, while the question of human rights has been relegated to the background. There is every reason to worry, but we must resist the ambient pessimism and not lose sight of the fact that solutions exist. Hope has always guided our steps in the action we collectively take on behalf of women and peace and security. This is in issue that promises change, which includes many elements we need to address the complex challenges the world is facing: climate change, disarmament, equality and inclusion. It is also a fundamental question in terms of reaching our main goal of preventing conflict and human suffering. (spoke in English) Over the past year, we have seen positive examples ofprogress.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“I thank the presidency of Bolivia for give me the opportunity to address the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda through the political and economic empowerment of women. I congratulate the Council on its efforts this past year to increase the number of speakers from civil society, for the work of its group of experts on women and peace and security, and to achieve parity between genders and guarantee the gender perspective among the speakers during the presidencies of some of its members. (spoke in French) Never, over the past 30 years, has the number of countries in the grip of some form of violent conflict been so high. Forced displacements due to wars and persecution are more numerous than never.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Following an initial scoping study in 2016 conducted by UN-Habitat, I have recently finalized a guidance note to ensure greater strategic convergence across the United Nations system to help address issues of land and conflict. Once again, let me thank the Bolivian presidency for today's timely debate. There is a lot of work to be done on this critical issue, and if we address it effectively, we will go a long way towards creating a safe and sustainable world for everyone, now and in future.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source