Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan at the panel discussion on the role of women in peace.

Foreign Minister Praises Women as ‘Agents for Change, Peace’

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YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered remarks at a panel discussion titled “Women, Peace and Security: International and Armenian Practice” on March 15.

During the address, on the final day of NATO week in Armenia, he welcomed Clare Hutchinson, NATO’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security and thanked her for the participation in this discussion.

“In recent years, we have successfully continued our mutually beneficial partnership with NATO. Today we have a solid agenda of cooperation with the Alliance — the main vehicle of it being Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) – including the fulfillment of commitments on implementation of the UNSCR 1325,” he said.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, on women, peace, and security, was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on October 31, 2000. The resolution acknowledged the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls.

He added, “It is our firm conviction that women are strong agents of change for peace and security and that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflicts, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts, as well as in contributing to the lasting and durable settlements.

“Thus, ensuring their solid participation in the resolution of conflicts is not merely an exercise of gender equality, it is an instrument enhancing the chances of peace and development.”

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He added that the recently inaugurated “Women for Peace” campaign, which aims to be an inclusive platform for women and mothers to promote peace and reconciliation in the conflict torn areas is an illustrative example of the participation of women in the peace building efforts.

In February of this year, he said, the Armenian government approved the first National Action Plan on implementation of the measure, making it the 80th UN member state to do so.

“We need to take innovative, gender-sensitive approaches, with a view to address root causes and risk factors that hamper the participation of women and create conditions that put an effective end to such malpractices. This discussion is indeed very timely for the Armenian public allowing once again to focus on the important link between the empowerment of women and the sustainability of peace and development, both at national, regional and international levels. And this is an ongoing challenge for all of us, in this country and in this region. That is why I want to renew my appeal to collective, responsible and resolute action on advancing this agenda on Women, Peace and Security,” Mnatsaknyan concluded.

 

 

 

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