51吃瓜

Participants in the 5^th Capital-level meeting of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) focal points network in Washington, DC.

From 6 to 9 June 2023, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) focal points network hosted an event in Washington DC, co-chaired by the United States of America and Romania. Invited to join the 5^th Capital-level meeting of the network was the 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). Represented by one of its Political Affairs Officers who is also its Gender Focal Point, CTED took active part in informal discussions with participating delegations highlighting emerging issues of relevance to terrorism and counter-terrorism actors and the work of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and CTED.

Themed “Advancing the adaptability and evolution of WPS as a framework for implementing policy change,” the meeting covered a number of topics, including the state of implementation of the WPS framework in different contexts; the possibility of developing recommendations regarding the role of national focal points; strengthening efforts related to the implementation of WPS national action plans; and standardizing and developing the concept of WPS Centers of Excellence.

As noted during the event, diverse stakeholder groups — including women — need to be included in conflict resolution decision-making and mediation. Shared solidarity and collective action were deemed necessary for transforming WPS. For this to happen, WPS had to strengthen its prevention pillar and prioritize ways to end conflict. Also noted was an imperative need for investment in women's movements to link WPS agendas with becoming a more inclusive, recognized, and transformative.

Remarks were delivered by senior officials from the United States and Romania, UN Women, and the African Union WPS Network. During the session, audience members heard from a senior expert with the White House Gender Council; the U.S. Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues; the U.S Special Envoy on Afghanistan; an Under-Secretary-General with the U.S Department of State; as well as the African Union Special Envoy on WPS and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the United States. Two parliamentary panels were held featuring delegations from several countries, including Jordan, South Africa, Sweden, Syria, and Ukraine. The second half of the event, which was held at the U.S. Institute of Peace, discussed the WPS agenda. Keynote speakers included Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations from the U.S Department of State and the Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at the U.S Agency for International Development, followed by a panel of civil society representatives.