Leaders on Conflict, Peace and Security

Excellencies,

Distinguished participants,

It is a pleasure to address you today, and I thank the President of Georgia, for her warm invitation.

Remarkable progress that has been made over two decades in every region in decreasing conflict, reducing poverty, combatting gender-based violence, advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, and expanding access to education and other rights – all this is now in jeopardy.

Depleted by the pandemic, undermined by growing environmental harm and digital disinformation, disregard of the rule of law, many societies are evolving – or plunging – into increased repression and violence; rising poverty; anger; and conflict.

Yet, across the globe and in every community, women and girls are at the heart of individual and collective efforts to ensure lasting equal and just societies.

Women human rights defenders and peacebuilders are at the forefront of efforts to build peace, ensure justice and drive positive social transformation.

But despite this powerful role, women human rights defenders and peacebuilders – and their families, communities and movements – are increasingly sidelined and subjected to threats and attacks, in a widespread backlash against decades of progress for women's rights and gender equality.

They are frequently excluded, targeted, and attacked – because of their activism – but also because of their audacity to challenge gender norms which deny them space in public life, the status quo in where they are denied equal power, and normalized discriminatory practices. In 2020, my Office verified 35 cases of killings of women human rights defenders, journalists, and trade unionists in seven conflict-affected countries.

Patterns of attacks to their integrity and reputation have been documented across geographic regions, including arrests and detention, intimidation, threats of sexual assault, rape, and psychological harassment, both offline and online, by both State and non-State actors. At the same time, governments are adopting broad digital surveillance measures further restricting the space within which defenders can safely operate.

Strengthened accountability mechanisms, investigations and the prosecution of perpetrators, as well as ensuring access of all victims to effective, gender-responsive remedies, is crucial.

I continue to be troubled by the persistent gaps and stagnation in women’s participation in decision-making as well as in peace processes.

Evidence shows that women’s meaningful – not tokenistic - participation in governments leads to greater investments in social protection, the environment and climate justice.

Yet, women make up only one quarter of members of COVID-19 task forces examined across 36 conflict and post-conflict countries.

And in peace processes that took place between 1992 and 2019, women human rights defenders and peacebuilders constituted an average of only 13 per cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per cent of signatories in major peace processes worldwide.

I recall that women’s participation in peace processes generates greater public trust and legitimacy, reflecting a fuller spectrum of perspectives and analyses. It leads to more durable changes and solutions.

Distinguished colleagues,

Barely 1 per cent of funding in fragile or conflict-affected countries goes to women’s rights organizations. And you might already be familiar with the staggering finding that in 2017, the global feminist movement had the same budget as one F-35 fighter plane (about $110 million).

We must significantly step up our commitment to ensuring that women human rights defenders and peacebuilders, especially at the community level, have access to more flexible, predictable and sustainable financial resources and support. This includes emergency protection funds in cases where their individual and collective security, and that of their loved ones, are at risk.

Distinguished colleagues,

A renewed drive is needed to ensure that peace is built by, and for, women and girls in all their diversity.

My experience has shown me that sustainable and legitimate peace is only achieved with women in power, in charge, and equally at the table.

Thank you.