Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Gennady Kuzmin at UNSC debate on women, peace, and security
At the outset, we would like to express our appreciation to the UAE Presidency of the Security Council and to you personally, Mme.Minister, for organizing this debate. It was with great interest that we followed statements by Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Women Ms. Sima Bahous, Managing Director of the IMF Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, as well as Ms. Moussokoro Coulibaly.
We emphasize the importance of discussing issues of women’s social and economic inclusion as a critical element of building peace. Unfortunately, it is not seldom that this track of cooperation is unjustifiably understated and sidelined.
Russia calls to take additional measures to boost the role of women in social and economic development of states. What is required today is measures enhancing women's economic potential, creating favorable conditions for developing female businesses, broadening access of women to financial and material resources, markets, modern technology, and intellectual property.
International cooperation in this area should focus on overcoming poverty, development of women, improving access to education and decent work. The practice of applying unilateral coercive measures to states is absolutely unacceptable. It is obvious that such actions impact the interests of women in social and economic areas in the first place. These problems must remain in focus of the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, and other UN bodies, in order to implement the WPS agenda in a consistent manner.
Mme.President,
This year, we mark March 8, the International Women’s Day, against the backdrop of landmark global developments.
For past 8 years, the so-called Western world has indifferently watched women and children being killed by the Kiev junta in Donetsk and Lugansk, being persecuted by Ukrainian radicals and neo-Nazis in eastern and southeastern Ukraine. The West has bashfully lowered its eyes to ignore the policy of total extermination of the Russian language and culture, and of Ukrainian citizens who had been born ethnic Russians.
None of you used to knit your brow or speak in a metallic voice, when women and teens were burnt alive in the Odessa Trade Union House to the applause and cheering that were broadcast live on Ukrainian TV. You have been totally indifferent all those 8 years. You demonstrated complete nonchalance when cities and towns in Donbass were bombed by aviation, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, when they suffered under an all-out blockade.
Kiev got away with all of it. But this could not last forever Peace in Ukraine will be restored – for the sake of women, children, families.
Mme.President,
It has been more than 20 years since the Security Council adopted resolution 1325. The fundamental principles of this document that are based on the four elements: prevention, protection, participation, and sustaining peace in situations of armed conflict, are relevant today as never before. Our task is to not waste best practices related to WPS, not “bury” the value of cooperation on this agenda in the heat of political discussions. Russia has always been and remains ready for relevant cooperation.
Thank you.
