Qatar seeks to enhance women’s participation in peace processes
Qatar affirmed the urgent need for the international community to pay more attention to enhancing the participation of women in peace processes and negotiations, expressing its belief that the essential step for preventing sexual violence in conflicts lies in taking proactive measures in order to empower women in all stages, whether before or after the outbreak of conflicts, including ensuring their full and active participation in political, economic and social life.
This came in a statement delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani before a virtual meeting held by the UN Security Council on “sexual violence in conflicts.”
Qatar pays special attention to the issue of preventing sexual violence in conflicts, due to its direct link with the State’s priorities of protecting and promoting human rights, HE Sheikha Alya said, pointing to the efforts of Qatar in preventing and settling disputes and enhancing international peace and security, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
The ambassador added that the main step in preventing sexual violence in conflicts lies in taking proactive measures in order to empower women in all stages, stressing the urgent need for the international community to give more attention to enhancing the participation of women in peace processes and negotiations.
This in a manner that enhances the desired results and ensures sustainability, which was emphasised by the global study on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), in addition to the need to place the special needs of women and girl victims of sexual violence among the priorities of peace agreements.
Qatar, she said, believes that the needs and role of women and girls in conflict zones should be included among the target groups in the international development and relief programmes that it implements in many regions of the world, especially those suffering from conflicts, referring in this context to the effective contribution of Qatar in organising the first international conference on youth participation in peace processes held in Helsinki in 2019.
Also, the initiative of Qatar to host the high-level global conference on comprehensive peace processes for youth that will be held in Doha in 2022 in co-operation with Finland, Colombia and the United Nations represented by the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Education Above All Foundation in Qatar, which will focus among other topics on the participation of young women in peace processes.
HE Sheikha Alya explained that Qatar, as a host country, is keen for the conference to achieve its desired goal, which is to take into account gender equality in all stages of the conference preparation, and to ensure the implementation and follow-up of its outcomes. She expressed hope that effective participation of young women at this conference will contribute to push for a new generation that paves the way for broad participation of women in peace processes, and the prevention of sexual violence in conflict situations.
Qatar believes that the involvement of women contributes to the success of mediation processes to resolve disputes, she said, stressing Qatar’s conviction that ensuring the rights of women and girls and the advancement of women and their active participation in society should be an essential part of any agreements that are worked out and reached.
Based on the important role that Qatar plays in sponsoring the Afghan dialogue to achieve peace and stability, it was keen, in coordination with the parties participating in the dialogue, to include women in the Afghan peace talks that were held in Doha in September 2020, which witnessed the participation of a number of female figures as members of the negotiating team of Afghanistan, she said.
HE Sheikha Alya explained that the inclusion of women in the Afghan peace talks is the same approach followed in the negotiations that took place in Doha in July 2019, which also witnessed distinguished participation by women who played an important role in the negotiations, and they had a great impact in promoting a fruitful dialogue environment.
Concluding, ambassador Alya reiterated Qatar’s commitment to continue co-operation with all parties concerned with the agenda of women, peace and security at the national, regional and international levels, to provide the necessary support to ensure its implementation on the ground, and to contribute to the establishment of sustainable peace and security in the world.