Madam President,
I thank Colombia for convening this timely debate and for placing women’s leadership at the center of our discussion on peace and security.
Italy aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Group of Friends for Women, Peace and Security and by the European Union.
Twenty-five years after the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325, the Women, Peace and Security agenda remains as relevant as ever. Peace cannot be built, sustained or owned by societies if half of their population is excluded from shaping it.
Women are not only victims of conflict. They are mediators, negotiators, peacebuilders, community leaders and agents of change. Their leadership is not simply a matter of rights and representation; it is a strategic necessity for achieving more inclusive, legitimate and sustainable peace processes.
Yet women remain underrepresented in peace negotiations and political transitions, while women-led civil society organizations continue to face insufficient funding, limited access to decision-making spaces and growing security risks.
To address this gap between commitments and implementation, we must ensure the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women at every stage of conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery. This includes investing in women’s leadership, supporting women mediators and peacebuilders, and strengthening partnerships with women-led civil society organizations.
At a time when conflicts are multiplying and trust in institutions is under strain, witnessing a growing backlash against woman rights and autonomy, advancing women’s participation remains one of the most effective investments in peace.
Italy continues to advance the implementation of the WPS agenda through its Fifth National Action Plan for 2025–2029, with a particular focus on empowering women at the community level and supporting those affected by conflict.
Held in Rome under the Italian-Philippine Co-Presidency, the Eighth Capital-Level Meeting of the WPS Focal Points Network, marking the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Network’s 10th anniversary, reaffirms Italy’s strong commitment to promote women’s meaningful participation in peace processes.
We also welcome initiatives aimed at strengthening coordination and knowledge-sharing within the United Nations system, as well as sustained support for women’s organizations and networks, which play a crucial role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Italy has therefore joined the Secretary-General’s Common Pledge for Women’s Full, Equal and Meaningful Participation in Peace Processes and remains committed to turning commitments into concrete results.
Let us move beyond recognition and towards implementation. Let us ensure that women are not invited to peace processes as an afterthought, but are present from the outset as indispensable partners in building a more peaceful, just and secure world.
Thank you.
