May I join others in thanking the Presidency for holding this open debate on ...

May I join others in thanking the Presidency for holding this open debate on a very
important issue. Women's role in helping to break the conflict cycle is multi-faceted. Legitimate
conflict resolution and peacebuilding needs a fully inclusive process. Most
importantly however, women's full participation is a question of effectiveness.
Women bring important skills and perspectives to the substance of negotiations
and to practical peacebuilding efforts on the ground. Peace processes in which
women are fully engaged are more likely to generate lasting solutions. And yet,
this constituency is often neither represented from amongst the assembled
parties during a peace process, nor employed as mediators.