Launch of the Plan of Action for Women in Communities to Counter Hate Speech and Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes
12 June 2023 (10:00 am– 11:30 am)
ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York
Statement of Italy delivered by the Permanent Representative, Ambassador Maurizio Massari
It is an honor for me to participate to the launch of the Plan of Action for Women in Communities to Counter Hate Speech and Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes.
Allow me to thank the Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser of the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Nderitu, for convening this meeting. I have already expressed in other occasions my appreciation for her wise inputs and vision, and today I am particularly glad that other distinguished partners and colleagues have joined for this first presentation of a new project of her Office.
Allow me to spend a few words on the background of this pilot initiative and to explain why my Country, Italy, is endorsing and co-hosting this event.
The designation of the Plan of Action is self-explanatory: this Plan is the result of the joint work carried out by a group of community women leaders who met in Naples in July 2022. They were coming from different countries and regions of the world, and from a variety of social and professional backgrounds, and some of them are with us today. I am particular glad to salute H.E. Dame Pauline Tallen from Nigeria for her leading role in this process.
In Naples, these amazing women have discussed new ways to protect, support and empower those women who are at the forefront of atrocity prevention. Their joint work has resulted in the drafting of a series of recommendations aimed at advancing this very ambitious and challenging agenda.
Indeed, women and girls are amongst the most vulnerable targets of atrocity crimes. Yet, at the same time, they remain crucial actors to restore the social fabric and cohesion.
Last January, in this Chamber, ECOSOC has explored the linkages between peace, inclusion, human rights and sustainable development that are needed when we examine the heinous phenomenon of atrocity crimes. This has shown that in order to make prevention and early warning effective, we must look at their root causes to gain a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors.
Incitement to discrimination and violence and all kind of narratives aimed at nurturing hate speech are major triggers on this dangerous path.
This reflection is even more meaningful as it takes place at the eve of the International Day on Countering Hate Speech, aimed at spreading awareness and better understanding of the phenomenon.
The international community bears the responsibility to communicate clearly the rejection of all forms of discrimination. Education and communication are the best tools at our disposal, and communities are at the core of these efforts – as are the women who can effectively act at that level as natural builders of peace.
As a matter of fact, this brings us back to the fundamental issue of participation. If we want to fully include a women’s perspective and promote women-led initiatives aimed at countering hate speech, we must ensure that their voices are heard, and even more so, that their voices count at the table where decisions are taken.
Participation is one of the pillars of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and is a pre-condition for the full implementation of Resolution 1325. In this context, Italy reiterates its strong support for this landmark text and for the implementation of the WPS agenda, and commends UN Women work to support women’s full and equal representation and participation in all levels of peace processes and security efforts
Peacebuilding, peacekeeping and mediation are sectors in which women have proven to be particularly effective. We welcome the increasing success of the regional networks of women mediators and the rising interest for this model across the regions of the world. Italy is a proud supporter of the Mediterranean Women Mediators’ Network launched in October 2017 to promote gender equality and foster women’s inclusion in peace processes, mediation efforts and peacebuilding in the Mediterranean region.
Over the years, the network has led to the establishment of a Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediators Networks, uniting the voices from 6 different regions of the world in a call to accelerate the implementation of the WPS agenda on the ground. This year, the torch of the coordination of the Global Alliance has passed from the Mediterranean to Africa and we look forward to strengthen the linkages and the synergies between these already existing initiatives and other pilot projects as the one that we are celebrating today.
In order to do so, we must listen to the call for action, accountability and participation coming from the communities, from the grassroot, women-led organizations of the civil society and embed this call in our collective vision and cross-regional action.
I hope that the Napoli Plan of Action be a step in this direction.
Thank you.
