“The special role in maintaining peace and advancing development lies with women. In particular we see the role of women in achieving successful conflict resolution and sustainable development of post-conflict societies. We strongly advocate women's economic empowerment for peacebuilding and development.

“The Millennium Development Goals count for one of the most successful global anti-poverty drives in history. Ranging from poverty, hunger, maternal and child health, gender equality, education and environment MDGs have noted important progress at the national, regional and global levels and have improved the lives of millions of people.

“My Government is also entrenching democracy, secularism and women empowerment to ideologically defeat terrorism and extremism.”

“With regard to all forms of extremism that can lead to acts of terrorism, it is important also to address their root causes, to show young people that violence holds out no promise for the future. The establishment in Geneva of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) is one important step in this direction.

“...we strongly condemn the use of the chemical weapons in Syria, as well as the indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population which has to date produced thousands of innocent victims, including women and children, and caused a serious humanitarian crisis wounding the universal conscience and seriously threatening peace and international security.”

“However, we are unlikely going to meet the other four [Millennium Development] goals, namely: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal access to education; ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women; and improving maternal health. Malawi, will, therefore, be proceeding to the post 2015 development agenda, with unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals.”

“However, we are unlikely going to meet the other four [Millennium Development] goals, namely: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal access to education; ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women; and improving maternal health. Malawi, will, therefore, be proceeding to the post 2015 development agenda, with unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals.”

“Gender equality is essential in shaping respectful and equal relationships in society. These values are important for Latvia.”

“Benin, my country, is distinguished by the establishment of free maternal and primary education, and also facilities at secondary and higher education allowing pupils and students who are disadvantaged to have access to education and also to significantly increase the enrolment level, particularly of girls.”

“The people of Afghanistan have witnessed many positive achievements in past decade including in the fields of socioeconomic development, education - especially education for our girls - health, communications and information technology, promotion and protection of humans rights including particularly women's rights.”