UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobi addresses Security Council meeting. UN Security Council discusses protection of women as peacekeeping operations wind down Women
Peacekeeping operations have become important in promoting women’s leadership and empowerment, ensuring women’s meaningful participation in political and peace processes, and protecting women and girls from abuses and human rights violations. This was stated by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobi, speaking at a Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
The Security Council meeting was devoted to fulfilling commitments to ensure security and protect women’s rights in the context of the accelerated winding down of peacekeeping operations.
Since 2014, the UN has conducted at least ten peacekeeping operations in situations of political instability and operationally difficult conditions. In recent years, peacekeeping operations have been reduced and withdrawn at an accelerated pace from Mali and Sudan. A phased withdrawal of forces and assets from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently underway.
“In all these transitional situations, implementing the women, peace and security agenda has proven challenging,” acknowledged the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa.
The withdrawal of missions from key hotspots in Sudan and the DRC has created a security vacuum, leaving women and girls vulnerable to attacks by armed groups. The reduction in technical and logistical assistance has reduced the UN’s ability to support stakeholders in combating conflict-related sexual violence.
“We must continue to do everything we can to support women and girls and enable them to participate in their communities and in shaping the destinies of their countries,” concluded Marta Pobi.