Print article

Full remarks by Deputy PM, FM Minh at Int'l Conference on Women, Peace and Security

VGP - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh's opening remarks at the International Confernce on Women, Peace and Security, held in Ha Noi on December 7.

December 08, 2020 2:10 PM GMT+7

 

Your Excellency Madam Tong Thi Phong, First Vice President of the National Assembly of Viet Nam,

Your Excellency Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Excellencies Ministers, distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen,

I wish to begin by extending a warm welcome to all distinguished participants and sincere gratitude for your presence today.

In spite of difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and differences in time zones, your participation, be it physical or virtual from more than 70 countries, speaks to your commitment to the global agenda of “Women, Peace and Security” and to the multilateral efforts for peace, security and development as a whole.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our meeting is convened at a meaningful time for discussions on the theme of

 “Strengthening Women’s Role in Building and Sustaining Peace: from Commitments to Results”.

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the birth of landmark documents on gender equality and the role of women, including the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

We also commemorate 20 years of the Security Council Resolution 1325 on making “Women, Peace and Security” a global agenda.

The road from political will to action has not been easy.

Great efforts have been made in this undertaking by the international community and women themselves, with their aspiration and willpower. This highlights women’s important role in peace and security, and their weighty contribution to building and reinforcing peace.

In every part of the world, women have taken up an active role in conflict prevention and settlement, and post-conflict reconstruction. They have engaged significantly in making, maintaining, and building peace, and are taking the lead in shaping and promoting social development and progress.

At the UNSC, women, peace and security has become a key agenda, involving ten resolutions adopted since 2000, and been mainstreamed into most of its documents.

It is regrettable that many challenges remain.

Some countries and regions are still embroiled in war, conflict, poverty and epidemics.

Gender-based violence remains a scourge.

The lives and dignity of women are still under threat.

Many girls are unable to go to school.

Women are still confronted with political, economic and cultural barriers, as they are deprived of necessary support to play their rightful role, or even marginalized from social development.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse the progress in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strip away valuable resources for protecting and advancing the rights of women worldwide.

On this note, Viet Nam calls on the international community to heighten their commitment and determination in promoting cooperation on global gender equality. We should arrive at measures to mobilize resources for women’s more substantive role and participation in fostering and enhancing peace.

Today, we should focus on reviewing the attainments in realizing the global agenda on women, peace and security over the past 20 years and the implementation of Resolution 1325 and related Resolutions of the UNSC.

We should evaluate challenges encountered, share experience and good practices, and together set out a new approach. Let us reaffirm our commitment to coordinating policy orientations and actions on this matter. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Viet Nam underwent immense pain of wars to achieve peace and independence, and surmounted countless hardship for successful reconstruction and development. This process witnessed the sacrifices and contributions of women over generations.

Accordingly, we give policy priority to gender equality and promotion of women's role in and contribution to peace building. We also advocate this matter at multilateral forums as the United Nations and ASEAN.

The entire political system of Viet Nam has been exerting efforts to put in place laws and policies on gender equality, ensuring the rights, interests and role of women in all spheres of social life. Viet Nam was one of the first countries to ratify the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and reflect it in domestic laws. We have been vigorously implementing the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and achieved multiple Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals, including those on gender equality and women's empowerment.

As a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Viet Nam worked with other countries in drafting and advancing Resolution 1889 in 2009 on the role of women after conflicts, and will continue to advance the agenda of “Women, Peace and Security” during the 2020 – 2021 term. I am confident that there will be an larger presence of Vietnamese servicewomen clad in the uniform of the UN Peacekeepers in the future.

Ladies and gentlemen,

All over the world, women have committed themselves to making momentous changes happen, and will continue to do so.

Within them burns the flame of courage, dedication and hope in a brighter future for the generations to come.

Let us spread that flame far and wide, at this event and on the journey to realize the noble goals under the global agenda of “Women, Peace and Security”. In this spirit, I am convinced that our event will be a great success.

I wish you health and happiness.

Thank you very much./.