October 31, 2001 Arria Formula Meeting Celebrating the First Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325

Date: 
Wednesday, October 31, 2001
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security

October 31st 2001 marks the Anniversary of the Security Council's first debate and landmark resolution on women, peace and security. Though resolutions do not usually have anniversaries, Resolution 1325 is different - it is the first to have a powerful, global constituency, and the first to be supported by a vibrant women's movement. It is also the first Resolution to give political legitimacy to women's struggle for a seat at the negotiating table-the first to provide a political frame-work within which women's protection and their role in peace-building can be addressed. Although it was the first time that the Council had ever issued a statement on the subject, Resolution 1325 acknowledges what has been glaringly obvious for so long: that war affects women differently than men, their protection is neglected, and their contributions to peace building marginalized. On October 31, 2001 the second Arria Formula meeting was held between the Security Council delegations and Women's NGOs at UN Headquarters in New York . Women from East Timor, Afghanistan, and Kosovo / Federal Republic of Yugoslavia met with Security Council members to describe their experiences with war.

Statements were made by:

-Ms. Elisabeth Rehn, Independent Expert on the impact of armed conflict on women and women's role in peacebuilding

-Natrcia Godinho-Adams of East Timor

-Jamila of Afghanistan

-Haxhere Veseli, Kosovo/Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

-Maha Muna on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Women and International Peace and Security

-The Security Council issued a Presidential Statement, October 31, 2001

Panel Discussion featuring 5 UN Departmental Heads held October 31st

-Angela King, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Moderator

-Mr. Kieran Prendergast, Under Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs

-Mr. Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under Secretary-General, Department of Peace Keeping Operations

-Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, Under Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs

-Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Under Secretary-General, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

-Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNTAET, East Timor

See Attached PDFs for Statements