STATEMENT
The Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), High-level Event.
with partners including Norway, MADRE, DefendDefenders, and Front Line Defenders,
Palais des Nations. Tempus 1.
"Defending Human Rights Has a Cost: Investing in the Protection & Participation of Women Human Rights Defenders in Conflict & Crisis Settings".
Statement delivered by Ambassador Tine Mørch Smith, Permanent Representative of Norway
Check against delivery
1 December 2022
Welcome to this event, which Norway is pleased to co-host, in connection with the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day earlier this week.
Norway’s commitment and support to the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund, are closely linked to our ongoing work on women human rights defenders and promoting women’s participation in peace and reconciliation processes.
Norway has given priority to supporting human rights defenders for many years. We lead the negotiations on the resolutions on human rights defenders in both the UN Human Rights Council and in the General Assembly.
Women human rights defenders are key agents of change. This is why we emphasised their role in a Human Rights Council resolution earlier this year, focusing on human rights defenders in conflict and post-conflict situations.
When women participate in solving conflicts, peace lasts longer. However, far too often taking part means becoming a target. When women speak up, they risk more than men. Women peace builders and human rights defenders risk the most. They should receive recognition. Instead, they are subject to threats and violence.
Protecting and supporting women’s participation is one of Norway’s main priorities in the UN Security Council. During our Presidency in January, we invited 11 women peacebuilders and human right defenders to formally brief the Security Council on country situations. Our Signature Event convened the first ever formal Security Council discussion on the need to protect women’s participation and address violence targeting women peacebuilders and human right defenders.
We greatly appreciate the many recommendations put forward there on how the UN, Security Council and Member States can strengthen our prevention and response measures, protect and empower women human right defenders, and promote and safeguard their right to participate. This includes the recommendations by more than 40 civil society experts and human rights defenders on what protection measures they want. It is particularly important to hear directly from Women Human Rights Defenders. Not only because they have been targeted, but because they often are the first, and sometimes only, line of defence for other peace actors as well.
Many recommendations highlighted risk mitigation and management as an immediate response. They also underlined the need for increased resources to support the work and protection of women human rights defenders – and ensuring that relevant UN entities are set up to do the same.
The Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund’s human rights window provides resources and a safety net in this regard.
I am therefore pleased to be able to announce additional Norwegian support today, 1.9 million CHF to the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund. I encourage other member states to support too.
Norway has also been encouraging current and incoming members of the Security Council to join – and implement – the «Statement of Shared Commitments on Women, Peace and Security». The Shared Commitments emphasize how the Council members can support and protect women peacebuilders and human rights defenders briefing the Council, including on the issue of reprisals. Further, they highlight how the Council should follow-up on the recommendations provided by the briefers. 14 Security Council members (current and incoming) have joined the commitments and we encourage others to follow.
I thank you again and look forward to learning more from this eminent panel in today’s discussions.