Xhaçka: There can be no peace without women

Full speech of the Minister:

Madam President,

It is a great honor for me to be the First Albanian Foreign Minister to address the Security Council as a non-permanent member of this important body. But what makes this case even more special to me and my country is the issue we are addressing today: Women, Peace and Security, an issue that is a top priority on Albania’s agenda for the next two years.

I want to thank my Norwegian colleague and the Norwegian Presidency for this opportunity. I also want to thank High Commissioner Bachelet for her speech. I know her personal commitment to this cause.
I also want to thank Ms. Yaftali and Ms. Asoka for prospects from the field that were particularly informative.

I have been working on this agenda for some time now as a politician but also as a women’s rights activist. And all these years a thought has been with me constantly: How is it possible that women still have to fight for something as basic as equality, and for the same rights as men who are the other half of the population?
It is complicated, that even in the time we live in, equality of rights, representation, education and opportunities are not good if you are a woman. Moreover, the right to participate in the construction and maintenance of peace and security is not taken for granted if you are a woman.

It is a sad truth of history, but it is also a sad truth of our days and era that while men currently cause most of the fighting, women often carry their main weight. I do not say this as a cliché slogan. I say this as a lesson that we Albanians have learned from our history. We saw this in Kosovo. Women were left behind to take care of their families, women were left behind to collect the leftovers.
Women were raped, tortured and killed as deliberate targets of a criminal campaign of ethnic cleansing.
And we see this in all the conflicts around the world from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Myanmar to Ethiopia, to Syria or the persecution of activists in Belarus.

Women activists face threats and dangers, including arbitrary detentions, abductions and disappearances by government authorities, and even killings by government authorities, not only because of the common dangers associated with such activities in conflict zones, but also because that are women.

And yet, I know there is resistance for women to play a role in how peace is achieved. How conflicts are resolved.
30 years ago, when my country began its long and difficult road to reconstruction from decades of isolation and demolition under an extremely radical communist regime, we made the same mistake. We denied women the role in reconstruction, in accordance, in the process of laying the foundations of our new Albania. We paid for that mistake. But we also learned from him.

I am proud that gender equality is a high priority for the Albanian Government, not only in words and policies, but also in concrete actions and achievements. Albania is currently ranked among the top 5 governments with balanced gender equality, with 75% of ministerial posts held by women. A similar percentage of senior and middle-level executive positions, as well as some of the top senior public positions – including independent institutions, agencies, departments in key areas of the state – are held by women.

We have benefited. The whole country has benefited.
That is why we decided to make Women, Peace and Security our top priority. In this spirit, we joined Norway, the United Arab Emirates and Niger in the Declaration of Joint Commitments to make Women, Peace and Security a top priority during our CC Presidencies.

However, we know that participation and advocacy go hand in hand. For this reason I would like to focus on 4 main points:
First, to support and make available resources to relevant UN organizations to provide all necessary protection and support to women human rights activists, peacebuilders and civil society representatives at risk, including those who have informed the Security Council or engaged in other qualities with the UN system.

Second, establish flexible funding mechanisms capable of acting quickly and responding quickly when women leaders face threats and retaliation – Creating a Financing Window for Women Human Rights Activists earlier today is a positive development and Albania will contribute to the fund.
Third, increase funding for women’s rights organizations and movements and for women-led women’s rights organizations and movements in sensitive and conflict-affected areas.

Fourth, increase accountability for women, peace and security by having a zero-tolerance approach to retaliatory acts against women activists and human rights defenders.

The council must play an essential role in this regard. A crucial role. There can be no peace without women and it would be unforgivable to exclude half of humanity from efforts aimed at international peace and security.

Thank you!

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