Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at the Unites Nations Security Council annual debate on Women, Peace and Security - October 24th, 2024

Madame Chair,

Brazil commends Switzerland for the topic of this year’s open debate and the briefers for their insightful presentations.

Women have traditionally played a vital role in conflict prevention and in mediation. We must step up efforts to support their work and make sure no peace talks take place without the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women.

Achieving gender equality and enhancing women’s participation in peace and security require challenging deeply entrenched gender norms and stereotypes. They perpetuate women’s exclusion and marginalization. We must all work together to promote positive cultural and social change that supports women’s rights and participation in these fields, among many others.

As Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, I invite you all to take into account the written advice submitted to the Council in preparation for today’s meeting. Besides highlighting women’s expertise in various aspects of peacebuilding, not only in gender issues, the PBC also encourages members to adopt targets for women’s inclusion.

As we approach the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325, Brazil echoes UN Women’s call for members to mainstream language on women, peace and security in different resolutions. Last year, when Brazil had the honor to chair the open debate on WPS, we questioned the narrative that this agenda belongs to a few countries. In fact, the Global South, including Brazil, pioneered the integration of gender equality, a principle of the UN Charter, into the works of the Security Council.

And we should not forget the plight of women in the many conflicts zones at the moment. In particular, Brazil calls the attention to the risk faced by Palestinian women and girls, in light of bills currently discussed in the Knesset that could render UNRWA incapable of fulfilling its mandate and causing even more suffering to the Palestinian people.

Madame Chair,

Brazil believes in the power of dialogue. We therefore applaud the Secretary General’s Common Pledge to Increase Women’s Full, Equal, and Meaningful Participation in Peace Processes. I am proud to announce that Brazil adheres to this timely initiative, as the world needs peace more than ever, and mindful that, in Bertha Lutz’s words, the Brazilian delegate to the San Francisco Conference, we will not be able to achieve it without the help of women.

As a strong supporter of mediation and as a member of the Ibero-American and the South Cone Networks of Women Mediators, Brazil stands ready to collaborate with DPPA and other partners in making the Pledge launched today a decisive contribution to mediation worldwide.

Thank you.