United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk praised women around the world in a statement on International Women's Day, stating: "Peace cannot be achieved without women's participation and presence at the negotiation table. There is no justice without them. There is no democracy. Without women's participation, in all their diversity, no progress can be made at all.
This year, we celebrate International Women's Day at a time of unprecedented crisis. Climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet and threatening the existence of humanity. Inequalities are widening and deepening, causing further suffering. Moreover, the multiple conflicts raging around the world generate unimaginable humanitarian tragedies.
In times of conflict, women keep families and entire communities together. I have witnessed this repeatedly, highlighting their strength and amazing ability to confront and withstand crises. Yet, they also suffer specific harms.
I think of the thousands of women targeted today in war zones through rape or sexual violence. I reflect on the millions of women left with the responsibility of sustaining families or making decisions about survival or flight. There are pregnant women who have no choice but to give birth in a shelter under bombardment, without any medical assistance. And millions of women and girls stripped of their power and capabilities by the absurdities of war.
This reality should shock us all and compel us to act. It makes us question how we have reached this point. Women have lived for centuries under patriarchal power structures, enduring long histories of misogyny and male dominance, the normalization of hatred, silencing of voices, and the complete failure of male-centered global governance to provide suitable solutions.
Today's conflicts, largely ignited and managed by men, are driving global security toward collapse. Military spending has reached record levels, and the arms trade is recording huge profits. However, I would like to ask today, where is the investment in peace? Where is the investment in gender equality that we so desperately need?
At the grassroots level, women human rights defenders, peace builders, and feminist movements have been vigorously leading efforts to build peace and stimulate social transformation. The changes we have seen toward achieving gender equality are noteworthy. However, the voices of women and girls at decision-making tables regarding today’s prominent peace and reconciliation processes remain marginal at best.
Simultaneously, data paints a grim picture of reality. Of the 18 peace agreements reached in 2022, only one was signed with a representative from a women’s group or organization involved. A tiny fraction of bilateral aid supports feminist organizations and women-led entities concerned with women's rights in conflict- or crisis-affected countries.
The lack of women's participation in peace processes and peacebuilding is indicative of their broader lack of representation in leadership positions across all sectors. To date, no country has achieved gender equality. Setbacks against women and girls and the value of gender equality continue to undermine the rights, freedoms, and independence of half of humanity.
This year is a notable election year, the first of its kind in history, where we have the opportunity to change the status quo, engage more women in leadership, and shift the downward spiral observed in global peace and security. The outcomes of these elections have the potential to influence policies on women's empowerment, gender equality, and peace for years to come.
Sustainable peace will only be built with women at the negotiation table. The international community must make this a reality quickly. We need more women in governance systems and greater investments in peace, social protection, and climate justice.
We need peacebuilding and reconstruction policies that challenge and transform governments to include women and their voices. We need sustainable funding and support for women peace builders, human rights defenders, and feminist organizations, including providing funding when their safety is at risk. And we need safe and open spaces for dialogue where women can participate equally with men in political processes.
We need foreign policies that are enlightened and guided by feminist principles. I welcome the steps some countries have already taken in this regard.
Finally, we must address the root causes of gender discrimination to eliminate cycles of conflict and oppression. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the historic Security Council Resolution 1325, which emphasized that peace and security efforts become more sustainable when women have an equal and meaningful voice in preventing conflicts, relief, recovery, and peace processes.
I commend and express solidarity with all women and girls who advocate for human rights amid conflicts. We fully recognize that the rights of women and girls form the backbone of peace and sustainable development. The rescue of our world from crises and conflicts relies on the steps we decide to take today to ensure women and girls lead and shape all critical decisions that will not only affect them but all of humanity."
