EU Delegation co-hosts panel discussion on Women, Peace and Security for International Day for Women in Diplomacy

On 26 June, the EU Delegation co-hosted a panel discussion at the Council of Europe on UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, in partnership with the Informal Network of Women Deputies of Permanent Representations and the Monaco Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. This debate, organised to mark the International Day for Women in Diplomacy during the PACE June session, was moderated by Vebjørn Heines, Ambassador of Norway to the Council of Europe.

Participants included:

• Gabriel Revel, Permanent Representative of Monaco to the Council of Europe

• Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

• Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

• Beatrice Fresko Rolfo, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Women, the Family and Equality at the National Council of Monaco

• Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko, Ukrainian Member of Parliament and Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

• Tanja Gonggrijp, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and current President of GT-TRIBUNAL

• Caterina Bolognese, Head of the Council of Europe Gender Equality Division

UNSC Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, recognises the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and calls for their full participation at all levels of conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as in peacebuilding.

The speakers highlighted the relevance of this in current conflicts, especially in Ukraine, but noted that 26 years after its adoption, the gap between commitments and reality remains far too wide. Women are still too often absent from peace processes.

Mariana Betsa and Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko underlined that, despite the pressures of Russia's war of aggression, Ukraine chose to strengthen protection against domestic and gender-based violence. They called for UNSC Resolution 1325 to be translated into immediate concrete action, so that those responsible for such violations are held fully accountable under international law.

The speakers also called for better participation of women and reaffirmed the importance of the Istanbul Convention.

All participants agreed that women, who represent half of the population, should be more present in peace processes, as their participation is key to securing a just and lasting peace.