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Amid Spike in Armed Conflict-Related Deaths, Inclusive Prevention Strategies Involving Women, Addressing Root Causes Crucial for International Peace, Security Council Hears

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

9574th Meeting (AM & PM)

SC/15623
13 March 2024

(Note: Due to the financial liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations and the resulting time constraints, the full press release will be published at a later date.)

Amidst an upsurge in armed conflict around the world — with the highest number of conflict-related deaths in 30 years — the Security Council heard today of the urgent need to promote inclusive prevention strategies that address the root causes of conflict during its first-ever open debate on empowering all actors, particularly women, to engage in that task.

"We need more prevention," underscored Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, adding that — ultimately — prevention at the international level "is about the use of diplomacy for peace". However, prevention begins at the national level, as national actors can build the mechanisms necessary to manage disputes peacefully in their societies and enact the structural reforms required to address the underlying drivers of conflict.

The "New Agenda for Peace" — the Secretary-General's policy brief outlining his vision for the future of multilateralism and the UN's work on peace and security in a changing world — focuses on how women's participation is linked to efforts to prevent conflict, she said, observing: "Simply put, without half the population participating and deciding, there cannot be sustainable peace."

Building on that was Sérgio França Danese (Brazil), Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, who said that peacebuilding — an inherently political process — must be inclusive. Conflict prevention, as part of sustaining peace, requires a cross-pillar approach, he said, emphasizing women's key role in preventing and resolving conflicts. He also noted that the Commission has recognized the role youth should play in successful prevention strategies, pointing out that conflict and social instability have a considerable impact on the economic and political opportunities young people will have in their lives.

Abiodun Williams, Professor of the Practice of International Politics at Tufts University, agreed, stating that the costs of conflict can be counted in human suffering, economic collapse and the instability they provoke within and beyond national borders. Prevention must therefore be a strategic priority, and peacemaking — to prevent the continuation of conflict — requires dedicating significant diplomatic resources while recognizing that it is a process, not a singular event such as signing a peace agreement. He also said that preventing recurrence requires understanding that conflict triggers in a post-war environment may differ from those that caused the initial violence.

On that, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Programme Manager at the Pacific Women Mediators Network, urged the Council to learn from local peacebuilders. Such first responders address threats comprehensively and inclusively without differentiating between development, humanitarian or peace-and-security issues. She also encouraged the Security Council to ask the Secretary-General to appoint a group of experts to develop guidelines on what effective national, regional and global prevention strategies should look like. "Only transforming our approach from militarized security towards prioritizing human security with a gender lens can bring lasting peace," she stressed.

Concurring was Francess Piagie Alghali, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, who underscored the need for the United Nations and other stakeholders of peace and security to move towards people-centred comprehensive strategies that address the root causes of conflict. Traditional approaches that focus on military security measures are often not enough to do so, she observed.

Mozambique's representative echoed that, pointing out that the pursuit of military solutions has been a prominent feature of recent conflicts — even when dialogue and negotiation have not been exhausted. The root causes of conflict must be addressed, and he called on States to invest in the development of strong institutions, protect human rights and implement post-conflict recovery programmes while ensuring the involvement of all sectors of society — including women and youth.

Similarly, Vindhya Persaud, Minister for Human Services and Social Security of Guyana, stated that countries bear the primary responsibility to prevent conflict through poverty reduction, inclusivity, good governance and national peacebuilding strategies. She also called for enhancing women's representation in peace and security processes, which continues to lag despite evidence showing that agreements are more likely to succeed with their meaningful participation. On that, the representative of the Republic of Korea spotlighted studies that show that peace agreements which include women are approximately 35 per cent more likely to last at least 15 years.

"Peace wears the face of a woman," stressed Arianna Tanca, Minister for Women and Human Right Affairs of Ecuador, who underscored that — without women — structural change leading to equality, reconciliation and non-repetition cannot take root. She therefore highlighted the Peacebuilding Commission's role in exchanging good practices and lessons learned from situations where women's leadership was recognized. She also said that peace, development and security are interdependent and, where one pillar is absent, crisis and conflict are on the rise.

Kaoutar Krikou, Minister for Solidarity, the Family and the Status of Women of Algeria, also stressed the need to address the root causes of conflict. There is no development without security and vice-versa, she pointed out. Joining her was the representative of the United States, who stressed that the Council must view the humanitarian, development and peace nexus holistically.

And no one is better placed to identify root causes in order to prevent their recurrence than the men and women who are agents of change, said Switzerland's representative. But these individuals must not remain isolated, and their capacity to defend peace must be strengthened. Pointing out that, at a local level, civil society — and women in particular — often create "islands of peace", she said that a prevention strategy must "link these islands to make them national, or even international, archipelagos".

For her part, Huang Xiaowei, Minister and Deputy Head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women of the State Council of China, said that the role of women is increasingly celebrated and youth participation is further deepened in her country's pursuit of sustainable peace. However, given the turbulent international situation, it is necessary to further empower women and girls and equip them with the skills and education required to transform their communities, promote development and realize lasting peace.

The United Kingdom's representative agreed, stating that the Council "could yet be more robust" in advocating for women's full inclusion in peace, development, mediation and decision-making processes. Further, more women should be invited to brief the Council, and the organ can throw its weight behind inclusive national processes to build and sustain peace.

While the representative of the Russian Federation emphasized that conflict prevention is the Council's primary task, France's delegate highlighted "the responsibility to respond when crises arise". The representative of Slovenia also similarly urged the organ to promptly respond to crisis situations as they erupt and to scan the horizon for emerging ones.

Japan's representative, Council President for March, spoke in his national capacity to point out that it is far more difficult to manage conflicts once they break out. Agreeing, the representative of Malta stressed: "The cost of conflict far outweighs investments in preventative measures and peacebuilding."

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