New York: Qatar has said it acknowledges the importance of the rule of law in consolidating stability and progress and the need to strengthen women’s participation and advocacy for the rights of women and girls in all efforts aimed at conflict prevention and resolution as well as peace-building.
The country also highlighted the importance of enhancing women’s role in various fields, and initiatives taken to enable them to play their full role in parliamentary and political fields.
Addressing a Security Council meeting on ‘Women and peace and security: Women, rule of law and transitional justice in conflict-affected situations’, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Seif Al Thani said issues of women, peace and security cannot be tackled without addressing the root causes of their suffering and insecurity.
Women’s protection needs direct efforts on multiple fronts, she said. One of these efforts is to implement laws to protect them during armed conflicts, without discrimination or selectivity, while another is to call on parties in a conflict to take measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence in armed conflict situations. “The status of women in conflict zones is a matter of concern,” she said, adding women and girls are subjected to the worst kind of violence due to these conflicts and bear the bulk of the burden due to the violation of their rights.
Palestinian women are facing the consequences of Israeli unfair practices — which all Palestinian people in the occupied territories are suffering, especially in the Gaza Strip, she said, adding women bear the bulk of difficulties. Besides the economic blockade Israel continues to detain people, including women, and block the movement of Palestinian women at several places.
Women prisoners are subjected to practices contrary to international conventions and humanitarian and moral values.
In Syria, she said, women and children are among the most vulnerable to and most affected by violence. They are subjected to sexual, physical and psychological abuse, harassment, humiliation and torture during raids by forces loyal to the regime, and are punished because their relatives are wanted by the regime.
Such action amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, Sheikha Alia said, holding the Syrian regime responsible for crimes against women and girls.
She hailed the council’s consideration of women, peace and security issue after 13 years of the adoption of the historic Resolution 1325, and after achievements in upgrading women’s skills, especially in international peace and security.
But it comes at a time when weakness in the role of women in making decisions on their future, security and stability continues along with the violation of their rights, especially in the Arab world, she said.
She also highlighted the need to facilitate women’s access to transitional justice mechanisms, particularly in crimes during conflicts and transition phase. QNA
