Chair,
Norway is a long-standing supporter and active promoter of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
We adopted our first National Action Plan in 2006 and stand together today with 114 other countries with dedicated WPS action plans, following up on policies and implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325.
The WPS agenda is at its core, about ending and preventing conflicts.
The active inclusion of women across the peace continuum significantly increase the chances of achieving sustainable peace.
Likewise, a gender lens strengthens our ability to assess the root causes of conflicts.
It is proved: Women’s leadership and participation is a pre-requisite for long-term peace.
Chair,
Despite this, none of the peace agreements reached in 2023 included a women representative as a signatory.
Only 1 in 10 peace talks in 2024 included women negotiators.
We have not achieved what we set out to do and ensured that women take their rightful place in peace efforts.
The situation is in fact going in the wrong direction.
It is time to recommit and do better.
Chair,
We, as the Peacebuilding Commission, have a responsibility to help change this.
Firstly, the PBC should use its advisory role to the Security Council to better strengthen the WPS agenda.
This includes better integrating the recommendations of women peacebuilders and human rights defenders in our advice.
Secondly, the PBC should continue providing local women peacebuilders a platform to share their experiences with a global audience.
The Peacebuilding Fund and the Women, Peace, and Humanitarian Fund have, through their targeted investments in all regions, built up impressive global network of local women peacebuilders that can be drawn upon in this regard.
Chair,
Ensuring that the UN system has a strong, dedicated mandate to implement the WPS agenda is a priority for Norway in the ongoing UN80 reform process – a process we support.
Thank you.