Women, Peace, Security Agenda Must Deliver ‘Measurable Change’, Secretary-General Tells Security Council Open Debate, Calling for Faster Action to Meet Commitments

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres' remarks to the Security Council at the annual open debate on women and peace and security, in New York today:

Twenty-five years ago, Security Council resolution 1325 gave voice to a simple truth: women's leadership is central to just and lasting peace. And over the past quarter-century, the women, peace and security agenda has inspired countless resolutions, reports and round tables.

But let's speak frankly.

Too often, we gather in rooms like this one - full of conviction and commitment - only to fall short when it comes to real change in the lives of women and girls caught in conflict.

We speak of inclusion, yet far too frequently women remain absent from negotiating tables. We speak of protection, yet sexual violence persists with impunity. We speak of leadership, yet women peacebuilders are underfunded, under threat and under-recognized. And we all lose - women and men, girls and boys.

My report on women, peace and security is a record of what has been achieved, a chronicle of where we have fallen short and a warning of what we risk losing.

We know that progress is possible.

More than 100 countries have adopted national action plans on women, peace and security. Women have led local mediation, shaped new laws and advanced justice for survivors of gender-based violence.

UN peacekeeping has doubled the number of women in uniform. Gender provisions in peace agreements have become more common. And women's organizations have helped transform post-conflict recovery and reconciliation in communities worldwide.

But gains are fragile and - very worryingly - going in reverse.

Around the globe, we see troubling trends in military spending, more armed conflicts and more shocking brutality against women and girls. Last year, 676 million women lived within 50 kilometres of deadly conflict events - the highest number in decades.

Sexual violence surged, with documented incidents against girls rising by 35 per cent. In some places - alarmingly - girls accounted for nearly half of all victims. Maternal mortality is rising in crisis zones. Girls are being pulled from school. Women in public life - politicians, journalists, human rights defenders - are targeted with violence and harassment.

In Afghanistan, the systematic erasure of women and girls from public life is in overdrive - with appalling restrictions in accessing education, employment, healthcare and justice - and surges in sexual violence and maternal mortality.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Haiti, Myanmar and beyond, women and girls face grave risks and horrific levels of violence.

And while women's organizations remain lifelines for millions in crisis, they are being starved of resources. In a survey conducted by UN-Women just a few months ago, 90 per cent of local women-led groups in conflict settings reported financial distress. Nearly half expected to shut down within six months.

One year ago, I launched the Common Pledge for Women's Full, Equal and Meaningful Participation in Peace Processes.

Since then, 39 entities - including Member States, international and regional organizations and others - have adopted it. We must now ensure that commitments translate into concrete action.

We have also set an initial target for at least one third of the participants in UN-led peace processes to be women. The ultimate goal is to reach gender parity in all peace and security processes.

We are continuing to consult with women-led civil society and women peacebuilders who are the drivers behind holistic and sustainable peace. And around the world, we are supporting women's access to education, mental health services and economic opportunity - even in the most restrictive environments. We are documenting violations, advocating for justice and amplifying the voices of women peacebuilders.

Now is the time for Member States to speed up commitments on women, peace and security as world leaders pledged in the Pact for the Future.

My report lays out a number of steps to do just that.

First, funding. By ramping up investment in peace - especially for women's organizations in conflict-affected countries - and gender equality.

Second, participation. Women must be at the table - not as tokens, but as equal partners. Binding targets and quotas are essential.

Third, accountability - for those responsible for all acts of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

Fourth, protection - enforcing zero tolerance for violence against women peacebuilders and human rights defenders.

Fifth, anchoring commitments on women, peace and security in national laws, policies, planning, budgets and programmes.

Sixth, transforming women's economic security through employment, social protection and property and inheritance rights.

Seventh, supporting women's organizations in conflict and displacement settings with direct, flexible and quality funding.

And finally, through a gender data revolution to close information gaps - especially in critical areas like conflict-related sexual violence - and to ensure that women's experiences and needs are visible and addressed.

The women, peace and security agenda must deliver measurable change. More women shaping peace agreements, security reforms and recovery plans. More survivors accessing services and justice. More communities drawing from the vitality and strength of all their people.

Resolution 1325 is clear: Women are leaders of peace for all. The world does not need more reminders of that truth - it needs more results that reflect it.