Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues,
As we gather today, I am reminded of the profound responsibility we share 鈥� one that extends beyond this conference room, deep into the lives of countless women and girls affected by conflict.
The WPS agenda has never been more relevant 鈥� or more severely tested. It faces an unprecedented crisis driven by severe funding shortfalls, rising militarization, and political rollbacks. Global development assistance has plummeted, threatening 90% of women’s rights organizations and leaving at least half in conflict-affected regions at immediate risk of closure.
The Secretary-General鈥檚 latest annual report on conflict-related sexual violence reflects a world in crisis, marked by intensifying conflicts, runaway military spending, arms proliferation, record levels of forced displacement, geopolitical divides, shrinking civic space, and growing attacks against women鈥檚 rights defenders and gender equality norms. The report is a litany of broken bodies, broken lives, broken laws and the broken promise that even wars will have limits, and that international law will protect civilians from the effects of hostilities.
In 2025, the number of cases documented more than doubled from the previous year, with women and girls accounting for 88 percent of victims. Lifesaving programs are being defunded right when needs are mounting.
Today, women are disappearing from peace and mediation processes: in Sudan, across myriad diplomatic initiatives, not a single Sudanese woman participated in actual negotiations. In Ukraine, only men feature in peace talks. Sadly, as the new mediation landscape sidelines the United Nations, women鈥檚 exclusion worsens. Last year, the UN led only three peace processes compared with fourteen which it led 15 years ago.
Since the establishment of this mandate 17 years ago, we have transformed the understanding of conflict-related sexual violence into a critical peace and security issue.
These hard-won gains must be protected. We must move beyond rhetoric to resolute action 鈥� by investing in sustainable and predictable financing for holistic services for survivors; ensuring accountability by enhancing reporting, investigation, and prosecution; and ensuring women鈥檚 meaningful participation in peace processes, as vital stakeholders.
Excellencies,
The road ahead demands courage, compassion and unwavering commitment. Women鈥檚 leadership, participation and protection are not peripheral concerns but strategic imperatives essential for sustainable peace. Twenty-six years ago, Resolution 1325 challenged us to reimagine peace and security through the lens of inclusion, equality, and human dignity. Now let us ensure that the next quarter century is remembered not for what we failed to protect, but for what we had the courage to advance.
Thank you.