Pakistan Mission to United Nations

Statement by Ambassador Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations at the Security Council open debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations: 'Women in Peacekeeping' (11 April 2019)

Mr. President,

My delegation thanks Germany for convening today's open debate on women in peacekeeping, an integral tool to achieve some of the priorities under the Women and Peace and Security agenda.

I also wish to convey our appreciation for Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other briefers for their insightful briefings.

Mr. President,

Beginning with Resolution 1325 (2000), there have, so far, been eight Security Council Resolutions articulating and moving forward the WPS agenda. Even as the international community has come together to collectively condemn acts of unimaginable horror, the sexual abuse of women and girls continues to be used as a tactic of war in conflicts across the world, including in my own region.

Mr. President,

As one of the world's leading troop contributing countries, Pakistan has set the highest standards in fulfilling peacekeeping mandates, including protection of vulnerable segments of the population, especially women and children, from violence. We have always advocated integration of the gender perspective into the peace-building paradigm, with a view to promoting the comprehensive inclusive and sustainable peace.

Female peacekeepers from my country have already made a mark and shown themselves, alongside their male counterparts, to be competent, dedicated and professional. An outstanding example was Shahzadi Gulfam, the first-ever recipient of the UN's International Female Police Peacekeeper's award in 2011. We are proud of her service as indeed of all our Peacekeepers.

To share our experience and promote best practices in peacekeeping, we have established a Center for International Peace and Stability, offering specially designed modules to help peacekeepers respond effectively and protect innocent civilians from sexual violence. During the recently held Peacekeeping Ministerial, we also offered a Course for Female Military Observers at CIPS.

During her visit to Pakistan earlier this year, the President of the General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, visited CIPs to interact with and learn more about the experiences of women Peacekeepers. It led to a rich discussion of ways to inspire more women to join Peacekeeping Missions.

Mr. President,

As a major TCC, let me make five specific points:

• One, we believe, increased participation of female peacekeepers, and encouraging more women to take up mediation roles helps in the stabilization and reconstruction phases of conflicts. Pakistan, for its part, will be deploying a female engagement team in the Democratic Republic of Congo later this year. We have also recently achieved the goal of deployment of 15% females staff officers in Peacekeeping Missions, thus fulfilling our responsibilities in accordance with the uniformed gender parity strategy, A4P and Security Council Resolutions.
• Two, incentivization of participation of women in peacekeeping missions merits serious consideration. This may include additional allowances, shorter rotation cycles, better suited medical facilities, better accommodation and improved communication with families that they have left behind to serve the cause of peace.
• Three, increasing the deployment of female peacekeepers on its own cannot realistically meet the requirements of the WPS agenda. It is national governments that bear the primary responsibility for women's safety and rights. The international community should support states in this regard, including through strengthening the capacity of their national institutions.
• Four, Pakistan fully supports the Secretary General's policy of zero tolerance for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). Pakistan was among the first group of countries to sign the Secretary General's voluntary compact on the subject, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan also joined the Secretary General's circle of leadership last year.
• Five, our female peacekeepers must feel safe in their work environments. Any slack in ensuring their safety would also affect the UN's credibility and the ability to deliver. A zero tolerance policy on SEA must also be implemented in letter and spirit to accompany the progressive deployment of female peacekeepers, as envisaged by the UN

Mr. President,

For my country, protection of the vulnerable, including women and children, is not only a global peace and security imperative, it is also a solemn obligation. We remain resolute and steadfast to honour our commitments in this regard.

I thank you.