UNSC High Level Open Debate 

Keeping the promises: The role of regional organizations in implementing women, peace and security in the face of political turmoil and seizures of power by force

(15 June 2022; 1000 hrs)

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations 

Madam President,

We thank H.E. Olta Xhaçka, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania for convening this important meeting. We are grateful to Secretary General for his insights. We appreciate the insights provided by all others briefers today.

2.     Discriminatory social and political structures have made violence against women systemic and deeply entrenched.  Therefore, women have always been easy targets in situations of armed conflict. More often than not they have found themselves to be at the receiving end of peace and developmental processes.

Madam President,

3.     India's political and developmental trajectory has navigated several complex challenges through its women-centric initiatives. From women's development to women-led development, women in India are driving India’s development. Our governance model has transformed from being a government-led model to a multi-stakeholder inclusive governance model.

4.     As the world’s largest democracy, India offers a unique template for gender sensitive governance. More than 1.3 million elected women representatives, who constitute nearly 44% of the total elected representatives are leading political decision-making at the grassroots level. All-women Panchayats in India, the village-level elected local bodies, playing a defining role in grassroots policy making. Twenty Indian States have made provisions for 50% reservation for women in legislative bodies. 

5.     Our actions are driven by a deep conviction that a conducive environment for the participation and inclusion of women in political processes is indispensable for peace. To foster such an enabling environment, democratic polity, pluralism and rule of law are essential pre-requisites. For stability in our region, we have therefore been underlining the importance of inclusive and representative governance in Afghanistan with the meaningful participation of women in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2593.  We are particularly concerned about the discriminatory inferior status being accorded to women in the Afghan society, which has, inter alia, adversely impacted the education of Afghan girls.

6.     India’s developmental processes are guided by the principle of  ‘Participation by all, Prosperity for All’. Several citizen-centric initiatives have been taken to ensure women are full participants and beneficiaries in India’s development story. We have leveraged digital technologies to provide greater access for women to finance, credit, technology and employment. Towards this end, we had opened online bank accounts for over 445 million people, of which more than 55 percent of account holders were women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative helped in direct benefit transfer to nearly 200 million women.

7.     As regards conflict situations, the United Nations, regional organisations and international community have a special responsibility towards women. Checking impunity and stopping violence and exploitation in conflict situations has to be of paramount importance. The nature of peacekeeping and peacebuilding has changed to accommodate these imperatives.

8.     In this regard, it is important that we factor in growing concerns emanating from misuse of new and critical technologies. Internet and social media networks have the potential to augment women’s voice and increase their participation. However, extremist groups and terrorists have increasingly exploited these tools to the detriment of women. They have threatened women who are active in public life, muzzled their voices, amplified discriminatory ideas and promoted violent radicalization. To counter such misuse, we require a non-discriminatory and collective effort through a whole of society approach.

Madam President,

9.     Terrorism and violent extremism continue to be the biggest violator of human rights and a persistent threat to global peace and security. Needless to say, women and girls invariably suffer disproportionately by terror acts. It deserves strong condemnation and calls for adoption of a zero-tolerance approach. The Council must focus its attention on the consequences of terrorism on the rights of women.

10.     Women police officers and peacekeepers have played a critical role in preserving the Women Peace and Security agenda. Having women peacekeepers is crucial to the success of peacekeeping missions. It also brings in greater access to civilians and other stakeholders, as well as additional skill sets for the peacekeeping team. Women peacekeepers serve as powerful mentors and role models for women and girls in post-conflict settings. They inspire grit and resilience in female victims to champion their own rights and pursue non‐traditional careers. 

11.     India welcomes the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy to increase the number of women peacekeepers. We also support increasing the deployment of Women Protection Advisors for effective monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on sexual violence in conflict. 

12.     India stands ready to engage with its partners to work towards mainstreaming of the women, peace and security agenda for building inclusive, peaceful and resilient societies. 

13.     Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, durable peace cannot be achieved without the active participation of the other gender.  Our collective commitments and actions towards global peace must be anchored on this premise. 

I thank you Madam President.