New York: Pakistan has called on the global community to give greater importance to women’s involvement in initiatives designed to advance peace and security, stressing that women’s leadership is essential for building lasting peace.
Speaking at a High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said, “Let’s invest in women leadership, let’s invest in peace, let’s invest in future.”
The forum was held to commemorate the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace on September 13, 1999. Jadoon also acknowledged Bangladesh for sponsoring the annual follow-up resolution, which was approved by the 193-member General Assembly during its 80th session.
The Pakistani diplomat said the landmark framework established that peace should not be viewed simply as the absence of armed conflict. Rather, he noted, sustainable peace is built through respect for human rights, acceptance of diversity and strengthening the rule of law.
Emphasising the importance of women in peacebuilding, Jadoon said genuine and lasting peace could not be secured without giving women a meaningful place in political and public life.
He maintained that developing a strong culture of peace required women to have full opportunities to participate in political processes, along with equal and unrestricted access to education and justice.
Jadoon particularly highlighted the importance of female leadership in countries recovering from conflict. He said communities that had endured years of violence required the contribution and leadership of women to rebuild and heal.
He added that peace agreements were more likely to endure when women played an active role in negotiations, whereas excluding them from political decision-making could leave peace fragile and temporary.
The ambassador also referred to several UN resolutions that recognise women’s vital contribution to international peace and security.
According to him, these efforts underline the need for continued investment in women’s leadership as a central component of peacebuilding.
He also highlighted the achievements of Pakistani women across a wide range of sectors, including politics, diplomacy, education, the armed forces and UN peacekeeping operations. Their resilience, bravery and commitment, he said, had received broad appreciation.
Concluding his remarks, Jadoon said Pakistan, guided by its cultural values, constitutional responsibilities and belief in the indispensable role of women in achieving genuine peace, would continue working to expand women’s participation in matters concerning peace and security.
