by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
A new UN study has found that female participation is an important key to achieving peace and security in the Asia Pacific region.
While female participation and empowerment still remains a challenge for many, the study with collated data, case studies and practices have concluded that female participation and gender equality are important issues, and when addressed with more attention, can contribute to achieving a global sustainable peace in the region.
UN Women, as a key advocator on female empowerment and gender equality amongst others, is calling for stronger and effective actions that can be implemented to ensure that women participate in peace and security talks.
While this remains a struggle, and often challenges many women at a global scale, Taiwan and Marshall Islands are amongst some, who have recognised the importance of having female leaders.
The two countries for the first time in history have elected their first female presidents into parliament as political leaders.
The milestone’set by the female figures in politics highlights that female participation is slowly progressing, however, there is still more support needed for female participation in their contribution to achieving sustainable peace.
The study was officially launched in the Asia Pacific region by UN Women, Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of the government of Thailand during the UN Security Council’s High Level Review on women, peace and security agenda in New York in October.
At the closing of the launch, the Embassy of Japan announced future plans to support women, peace and security in the Asia Pacific region.
Robert Clarke, a UN Women Regional Director and Representative in Thailand, said that without female participation in peace processes and conflict prevention is a way forward towards the goal of achieving sustainable peace.
