Statement of Japan, April 14, 2016

One possible way to prevent violent extremism is to provide assistance aimed at creating a society that does not give in to violent extremism. In that context, Japan attaches great importance to supporting women and girls so as to make societies more resilient. By empowering women, we can empower other members of their families and communities. To that end, Japan has continuously funded projects of UN-Women, as well as those of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. One of this year’s projects seeks to reinforce women’s leadership through their engagement in political dialogue in the Sahel region. I hope that women’s participation in political dialogue will contribute to building communities that are resilient against violent extremists, such as Boko Haram