United Nations S/ PV.8382 Security Council Provisional Seventy-third year 8382nd meeting Thursday, 25 October 2018, 10 a.m. New York President: Mr. Llorentty Solíz/Mrs. Cordova Soria .............. (Bolivia (Plurinational State of)) Members: China ......................................... Mr. Ma Zhaoxu Côte d’Ivoire ................................... Mr. Adom Equatorial Guinea ............................... Mrs. Mele Colifa Ethiopia ....................................... Mr. Amde France ........................................ Mr. Delattre Kazakhstan .................................... Mr. Tumysh Kuwait ........................................ Mr. Almunayekh Netherlands .................................... Ms. Brandt Peru .......................................... Mr. Meza-Cuadra Poland ........................................ Ms. Wronecka Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Kuzmin Sweden ....................................... Ms. Wallström United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Ms. Pierce United States of America .......................... Mr. Cohen Agenda Women and peace and security Promoting the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda and sustaining peace through women’s political and economic empowerment Report of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security (S/2018/900) Letter dated 9 October 2018 from the Permanent Representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary- General (S/2018/904) . This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 18-34014 (E) *1834014* S/PV.8382 Women and peace and security 25/10/2018 The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m. the Empowerment of Women; and Ms. Randa Siniora Atallah, General Director of the Women’s Centre for Election in Ethiopia Legal Aid and Counselling. The President: In my national capacity, I should In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s like to break with protocol. We all woke up this morning provisional rules of procedure, I also invite the to the very good news that, today, Ms. Sahle-Work following to participate in this meeting: Her Excellency Zewde has been elected the first woman President of Ms. Mara Marinaki, Principal Adviser on Gender and Ethiopia. I think that news is a very good way to start the Implementation of United Nations Security Council this important debate. Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women and Peace and Security of the European External Action Service of Adoption of the agenda the European Union; Ms. Narjes Saidane, Permanent The agenda was adopted. Observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie to the United Nations; Ms. Amarsanaa Women and peace and security Darisuren, Senior Adviser on Gender Issues of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Promoting the implementation of the women and Ms. Clare Hutchinson, Special Representative of and peace and security agenda and sustaining the NATO Secretary-General of for Women, Peace peace through women’s political and economic and Security. empowerment I propose that the Council invite the Permanent Report of the Secretary-General on women and Observer of the Observer State of the Holy See to peace and security (S/2018/900) the United Nations to participate in this meeting, in Letter dated 9 October 2018 from the accordance with the provisional rules of procedure and Permanent Representative of the Plurinational the previous practice in this regard. State of Bolivia to the United Nations addressed There being no objection, it is so decided. to the Secretary-General (S/2018/904) The Security Council will now begin its consideration The President (spoke in Spanish): In accordance of the item on its agenda. with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Albania, I wish to draw the attention of Council members to Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, document S/2018/900, which contains the report of the Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Secretary-General on women and peace and security. Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Djibouti, I wish to also draw the attention of Council members the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, to document S/2018/904, which contains a letter dated Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, 9 October 2018 from the Permanent Representative of India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the United Nations Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, concept paper on the item under consideration. Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, I wish to warmly welcome the Secretary-General, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, and give him Slovakia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, the floor. Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, the United The Secretary-General (spoke in Spanish): I thank Arab Emirates, Uruguay, the Bolivarian Republic of the presidency of Bolivia for give me the opportunity Venezuela and Viet Nam to participate in this meeting. to address the implementation of the women and peace In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s and security agenda through the political and economic provisional rules of procedure, I invite the empowerment of women. I congratulate the Council following briefers to participate in this meeting: on its efforts this past year to increase the number of Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director speakers from civil society, for the work of its group of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and of experts on women and peace and security, and to 2/108 18-34014 25/10/2018 Women and peace and security S/PV.8382 achieve parity between genders and guarantee the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Dr. Denis Mukwege gender perspective among the speakers during the and Ms. Nadia Murad, two champions of women, peace presidencies of some of its members. and security who exemplify the power of individuals to make a difference and the fact that survivors and (spoke in French) advocates are best placed to determine the changes Never, over the past 30 years, has the number of needed to build sustainable peace. countries in the grip of some form of violent conflict But despite this progress in some areas, the facts been so high. Forced displacements due to wars and on the ground show that we still have far to go. The persecution are more numerous than never. Climate participation of women in formal peace processes change and underdevelopment are increasingly remains extremely limited. Between 1990 and 2017, threatening to our security, while the question of women constituted just 2 per cent of mediators, 8 per human rights has been relegated to the background. cent of negotiators and 5 per cent of witnesses and There is every reason to worry, but we must resist the signatories in all major peace processes. Conflict ambient pessimism and not lose sight of the fact that continues to have a devastating effect on women and solutions exist. Hope has always guided our steps in girls. The United Nations documented more than 800 the action we collectively take on behalf of women cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2017 — a and peace and security. This is in issue that promises 56 per cent increase since 2016. change, which includes many elements we need to address the complex challenges the world is facing: Women human rights defenders, political leaders, climate change, disarmament, equality and inclusion. It journalists and activists, who play an important role is also a fundamental question in terms of reaching our in addressing the root causes of conflict, are targeted main goal of preventing conflict and human suffering. at alarming rates. Women’s marginalization, lack of access to health and education services, and economic (spoke in English) disempowerment continue to be both a cause and an Over the past year, we have seen positive examples effect of conflict. Funding for programmes to promote of progress. Women’s organizations continue to have an gender equality and the empowerment of women in impact, from keeping dialogue alive in Guinea Bissau countries affected by conflict is just 5 per cent of total to rebuilding communities in Colombia. In the Central bilateral aid to such countries. African Republic and Mali, women successfully The evidence linking gender equality and peace contributed to negotiating between armed actors to was recently set out in our joint study with the World halt the escalation of intercommunal tensions. In the Bank, Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Syrian Arab Republic, women have negotiated local Preventing Violent Conflict. It is convincing and well- ceasefires, mediated the creation of civilian safe zones known. Maybe that is