Secretary-General Launches Call for Action to Advance Women’s Peacekeeping Role by Embracing Gender Data Revolution, Adopting Feminist Approach

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks launching a call to action following a round-table discussion on women, peace and security in peacekeeping contexts, held today:

Indeed I wanted to launch a call to action, and to call on:  Governments, on the United Nations system, because it starts by us all and the way we behave; on regional organizations, African Union, European Union, many others; civil society organizations, academia, and the wider international community to take bold actions to translate commitments into reality, to prioritize women’s leadership, to invest in community-based women’s networks as equal partners, to embrace evidence-based decision-making through a gender data revolution, and to adopt a feminist approach to accelerate women’s full, equal and meaningful participation.

Today, let’s be clear, women’s leadership is a cause.  We must make it a norm.  That is how we will transform international peace and security.  And that is how we will build a peaceful and equal future, which has proven so elusive in all the efforts that we are making; namely, to implement a global ceasefire.

That is, I think, our shared duty, our common path.  Day after day, year after year, we are paying a price because of our own biases and because of discrimination that exists.  And we need to be able to do better.  And it depends on us for that to happen.

I thank you very much, I thank particularly the four very distinguished guests that have given so important contributions to our discussion.  I heard their appeals for our own capacity to change in the United Nations to better be able to support your cause.  Thank you very, very much, and all the best.