The Chinese have a powerful proverb that ‘women hold up half the sky'. ...

The Chinese have a powerful proverb that ‘women hold up half the sky'. Twelve years after this Council first made landmark commitments in Resolution 1325, we must all stand united behind efforts to confront those who seek to exclude, harm or marginalise half their populations. As the Secretary-General has set out in his report, we have in this Council made a concerted effort in the course of the past year to support the rights, protection and empowerment of women in strengthened peacekeeping mandates, in calls for more female peacekeepers, greater representation for women in UN leadership roles and a greater number of gender experts in UN field missions. We must respond in this Council to the Secretary-General's call to demonstrate continued and committed leadership.