October 26, 2019: In an address to the African Union Peace and Security Council, in Addis Ababa, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed confirmed the Secretary General's strong commitment to women’s leadership and political participation as part of his vision for conflict prevention:

"This is borne of a personal conviction on the need to harness the expertise and capacities of all of our people if we are to address the complex global challenges we face today — from inequality to violent extremism and now exacerbated by the climate crisis.

Gender equality is a precursor to sustaining peace and achieving sustainable development. There is ample evidence that women’s participation makes peace and security processes more inclusive, effective and durable. Women’s inclusion contributes to the development of responsive decision-making processes that ensure sustainable development.

In situations of conflict, and in preventing violence, women’s mediation and peacemaking efforts have been proven to be more effective. And female peacekeepers are often indispensable in responding to the complex needs of the communities in which they serve."

Read more: Women’s Participation Proven to Enhance Peacemaking, Security, Yet Gender Equality Still Elusive, Secretary-General Tells African Union Peace and Security Council (reliefweb.int)