UN failed to include more women in peace talks

UN has been fighting extensively for inclusion of women at the workplace and other verticals of the society. However, what’s concerning and shocking is that UN it’s has failed in including more women in the peace talks. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, chief of UN Women, lashed out at a security meeting in UN criticising it for the low level of the number of women present during the peace talks even after 15 years of the landmark resolution.

The landmark resolution aimed at including women equally as compared to men in decision-making positions at all the levels of peace talks. She said in the meeting which was held on tuesday that women are “perhaps the most under-utilised tool we have for successfully building peace,” reports The Guardian.

Another female diplomat, Alaa Murabit, head of the organisation called the Voice of Libyan Women accused the member states of proving non-encouraging towards participation of women in the peace talks.

“From my own experience in Libya, I know the only reliable requirement for admission to peace talks is a gun,” said Murabit to the council in the UN meeting which had the highest number of members present-113.

More truth came across from the NATO Security General, Alexander Vershbow, who said that UN had only passed the resolution in 2000 because of the harsh fact that it is more dangerous to be a woman in the conflict area than to be a soldier.

But the NATO has promised that more women will now be called in for the peace talk process and requested that more should be done for women. As with the world exercising extreme violence, it will be women who are going to be at risk again.

Mlambo-Ngcuka took the reference of a global study and hinted on the still continuing hurdles that are proving to be a glitch in the low level of women participation. Lack of political will, financing, accountability and attitudes toward women are the major issues.

However, there are many positive effects that can enhance better judgement in the decision-making at peace tables with the inclusion of women like inclusion of community needs and improved humanitarian assistance as pointed out in a study as per The Guardian.

Picture credit- Ms Afropolitan