Ministeri Soinin puhe: Side event of the Women, Peace and Security Focal Points Network

Ulkoministeri Timo Soinin puhe YK:n yleiskokouksen sivutapahtumassa Side event of the Women, Peace and Security Focal Points Network 26. syyskuuta 2018.

(Check against delivery.)

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to thank Germany, Spain, Namibia and UN Women for organizing this event and for their active role in advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. 

The normative framework is strong. The UN Security Council resolution 1325 was adopted almost 20 years ago. There have been seven subsequent resolutions and progress has been made in the Women, Peace and Security agenda, but women still remain marginalized in peace processes. We need to do more.

Finland is serious about its commitments regarding Women, Peace and Security. Activities, priorities and also responsibilities have been included in Finland´s new and third National Action Plan launched earlier this year. The Action Plan takes into consideration some new sectors that are important in the 1325 Agenda, including prevention of violent extremism, the gender perspective in arms control and migration. 

We need more women in peace processes and in high-level decision-making forums. Women’s participation is crucial at all stages in conflict prevention, in peace negotiations and in peace building processes. We should not see women and girls just as victims of conflicts but as active actors. Women´s participation in peace processes is needed for sustainable peace and long-term solutions.

To make this goal reality we need high-level engagement and commitment. The purpose of our joint initiative launched in cooperation with Spain, the Commitment 2025, is to ensure women´s meaningful participation and inclusion in peace processes so that it becomes reality by 2025. We all need to be committed to this goal, the Member States and the United Nations as a whole. We see that this network would be a viable forum to review how these objectives will be met.

Our aim is to devise concrete commitments and share our ideas with this network and Member States in order for interested countries to join the initiative. The UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security in October provides a forum to present this initiative in more detail.

I thank you.