Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 November 2023
71. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he continues to use Ireland’s position at EU/UN level to highlight outrages against women and children in the various conflict zones across the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50500/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland actively speaks out against all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls across the globe and is committed to integrating gender equality across all of our humanitarian and development interventions, and in our wider foreign policy.
The UN Secretary General’s Report on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) draws attention to the increasing number of women and girls living in conflict-affected countries, standing at 614 million in 2022, a 50 per cent increase from 2017. This figure underlines the urgency of implementing the WPS Agenda, which recognises the particular impact of war and conflict on women and girls, as well as the critical role of women in peacebuilding efforts. Ireland is implementing its third National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and related resolutions on WPS (2019-2024). Through the NAP, Ireland commits to deliver on a holistic and comprehensive approach to conflict prevention as well as the adoption of both the EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security and the conclusions of the 2015 UN Study on the implementation of the WPS Agenda. The National Action Plan also emphasises the importance of amplifying the voices of young people and commits to supporting organisations to build youth engagement, including a focus on intergenerational dialogue and the engagement and empowerment of young women and girls.During our tenure on the UN Security Council (2021-2022), Ireland worked to mainstream the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, and to embed gender perspectives, across the work of the Council. Together with Mexico, Ireland co-chaired the UN Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security, and in 2022 meetings of this group addressed the specific situations of women in areas such Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Palestine, as well as the broader theme of conflict-related sexual violence.At Ireland’s initiative, we joined together with Kenya and Mexico in 2021 to develop the ‘WPS Shared Commitments’ Trio Initiative. These ‘Shared Commitments’ have now been adopted by 17 past and present Security Council members. Ireland continues to promote gender equality and the rights of the child in other UN fora, such as at the Commission on the Status of Women, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, and the UN Human Rights Council. We also contribute actively to discussions at EU-level on human rights issues, including at the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council.
