WUNRN
The United
Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle
Eastern federation
of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian
Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian
Gulf, bordering Oman
and Saudi
Arabia. The seven states, termed emirates, are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras
al-Khaimah, Sharjah,
and Umm
al-Quwain. http://en.wikipedia.org:80/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates
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United Arab Emirates (UAE) Calls for Women's Participation
In the Protection of Peace & Security
Emirates News Agency-WAM - 01 November, 2008
The
UAE has called on the international community to help boost a balanced women's
participation in all efforts being made in the making and protection of
national peace, security and stability in their communities and regions, as
well as in the decision making process, mediation, reconciliation,
administration of humanitarian operations, disarmament and reconstruction
efforts.
"Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), which was issued 8 years ago,
represented an international acknowledgement of the important and equal role to
be played by women in peacekeeping operations, prevention of conflicts and
maintenance of international peace and security. This has become clear after
wars and conflicts in many regions proved that the low participation of woman
in the above-mentioned fields have made women and children more vulnerable to
acts of killing, sexual violence, mutilation, starvation, forced displacement
and other inhumane acts, which fall under the rubric of war crimes, and are
punishable in accordance with the international criminal system," Ahmed
Al-Jarman, UAE's Permanent Representative at the United Nations stated in an
address to the open debate of the UN Security Council on "Women and Peace
and Security".
He said the methodological approach called for by the resolution and other
relevant presidential statements, was not only aiming at providing the
necessary protection to women and girls and putting an end to the targeting of
women and girls and violating their human rights during armed conflicts, but has
also aimed at addressing their needs and concerns at the time of formulating
strategies for containing existing tensions and preventing conflicts and for
transitional periods, reconstruction and peace-building in post-conflict areas.
"This requires taking necessary measures on a priority basis in order to
ensure efficient and integrated participation of women in all efforts made to
maintain and promote domestic peace and security in their communities,
including effective participation in decision-making processes, mediation,
reconciliation and negotiation, management of humanitarian operations,
disarmament, demobilization, rebuilding capacities, integration and
reconstruction," he added.
He pointed out that the UAE, which has closely followed with satisfaction the
efforts made so far for gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping operations at the
level of the UN system and national and civil societies, emphasizes the reality
that women's involvement in these operations continues to be weak and
ineffective due to the absence of political will and the lack of necessary
resources. "We, therefore, call upon the Security Council and all
agencies, funds and departments of the UN to continue their responsibility in
accordance with their mandates to achieve gender equality and reinforce
confidence in the rule of law and the security sector, which are considered
prerequisites for the maintenance of sustainable peace and security," he
stated.
Al-Jarman reiterated the UAE's call for the need for the re-evaluation and
development of the implementation plan of resolution 1325 and addressing areas
of weakness in this resolution, including those related to the insufficient
funding for gender mainstreaming projects and the need to enhance the role of
women in the following five main areas: prevention, protection, participation,
relief and recovery.
The UAE's call for the strengthening of cooperation among the UN entities,
governments, civil organizations and task forces of regional governmental and
non-governmental organizations, especially in the areas of exchange of
information and good practices which proved to be effective in post-conflict
countries. "This will ensure the full implementation of resolution 1325,
including the creation of an enabling environment for the empowerment of women
and expansion of women's direct political participation in the mediation and
negotiation processes, peace talks, implementation of concluded agreements, and
other humanitarian and development operations, which requires, in our opinion,
gender balance in all delegations and task forces, and the inclusion of women's
interests and concerns in the agendas of peace talks," he added.
The need for developing the important role of the United Nations and donating
countries in assisting post-conflict countries in funding and implementing
projects aimed at strengthening national legislations and training activities
in areas of human rights and gender mainstreaming. This, the UAE believes, will
ensure the active participation of women in leading various sectors in
accordance with the national goals and international standards which call for a
better accountability, monitoring and reporting system on the status of women,
and the protection of their rights, which can be achieved through combating
violence and illegal acts against women, including crimes committed by
personnel participating in peacekeeping operations.
The UAE also believes the need to develop further methods and applications for
training and empowering women in order to facilitate women's involvement in the
legal reform process and democratization, in the drafting of the constitution
and elections laws, in the education of voters, in leading parties and in
participating in local governance and reconstruction efforts in post-conflict
areas.
"There is also the need for reinforcing national, regional and
international legislations related to forming commissions of inquiry and
national and international independent courts with a view to putting an end to
impunity and prosecuting and punishing those who are responsible for violations
of women's rights, rape and war crimes, Al-Jarman stated.
The UAE also believes in the need for implementing comprehensive plans for
raising awareness especially in conflict and post-conflict countries, in order
to promote the full implementation of international humanitarian law and human
rights law, which both protect women and girls rights during armed conflicts.
He pointed out that the United Arab Emirates had gone a long way in advancing
the cause of women and strengthening their effective participation in the
economic, social, cultural and political developments over the last three
decades. "In keeping with the gender equality perspective, the UAE has
implemented during the last few years a number of training programs to
integrate women, alongside men, into humanitarian work and civil defense,
including external military missions which are linked to relief programs and
peacekeeping in areas of conflicts with a view to alleviating the suffering of
affected populations," he explained.
Believing in her important role in decision-making and the enhancement of
national stability and security, he said, the UAE Government encouraged the UAE
woman to achieve significant and unprecedented gains by increasing her representation
in the executive, legislative and judicial authorities. "The UAE
Government has also enacted the necessary legislations for protecting women's
constitutional rights on the basis of gender equality with men in rights and
duties, and has acceded to a number of international conventions that
safeguarded the rights of women, particularly the United Nations Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Government
has also enacted the Family Code with a view to protecting women's rights and
dignity," he stated.
He reiterated the UAE's concerns at the continuing dire humanitarian situation
of the Palestinian women and children as a result of the Israeli continued
aggression, siege and occupation of the Palestinian territories, in breach of
the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and other international humanitarian laws.
"We demand from the Security Council to uphold its responsibilities
towards demanding Israel to ensure the full implementation of its obligations
under the relevant United Nations resolutions. Otherwise, our region will
remain in a state of instability and insecurity, which in turn will generate
more violence against women," he said. "We also hope that our
deliberations on this item will lead to creating an integrated global
institutional approach that leads to protecting women and children and
improving their conditions during and after conflicts," he added.
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