OSCE’s role in promoting Women, Peace and Security agenda focus of high-level event in Vienna

VIENNA, 21 October 2020 - The OSCE’s vital role in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda was the focus of the high-level event “OSCE enhancing the UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Gender equality for a more peaceful world”.

The online event was hosted by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship, the Permanent Mission of Finland to the OSCE and Sweden, the 2021 OSCE incoming Chair. The meeting commemorated the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and discussed how to accelerate the implementation of the Resolution with special focus on the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in conflict resolution, mediation and decision-making.

The guest speaker of the event, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs of the United Nations H.E. Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo in her remarks outlined key areas for action to achieve for the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Albania’s Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Agron Tare, noted how the implementation of his country’s National Action Plan 2018-2020 on Women, Peace and Security has raised women’s leadership in the areas of women’s rights and in building a sustainable and peaceful society.

The State Secretary of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Johanna Sumuvuori, highlighted the need for an OSCE-wide action plan on Women, Peace and Security and underlined the need to empower women in mediation and peace processes. She also elaborated on how the participating States could do more within the OSCE on this topic.

Key findings on the promotion of women’s participation and leadership in peace negotiations, mediation and preventive dialogues were highlighted by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Robert Rydberg. He also outlined the incoming OSCE Chair’s priorities concerning the Women, Peace and Security agenda for 2021.

The participants heard from representatives of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre on the challenges in implementing Resolution 1325 in the OSCE region. Participants discussed how the Organization as a whole can work more effectively to implement the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and how co-operation between participating States can be strengthened.