On 10 November 2015, Libyan women participants in the Libyan Women Action Plan for Peace presented their unified vision to the international community at a conference at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The Libyan women outlined their agenda for peace and stated seven crucial issues of their concerns that affect women and the society at large.
These included security, transitional justice and reconciliation, violence against women, the situation of the displaced and migrants, constitution-making and women’s political participation, in addition to the role of media in promoting peace and the need to support the economy to secure the livelihood of women who suffered from the armed conflict.
“The women participants in the political dialogue have made very valuable efforts to reconcile the differences. Such efforts can and must be re-enforced further through the broader inclusion of women in the peace process”, said David A. Chikvaidze, Chef de Cabinet of the Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva, at the opening session.
Alexandre Fasel, the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office in Geneva addressed the opening session: “2015 is the year of the anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. In 1325 and its successor resolutions the Security Council and the UN Member States recognize the vital role that women play in peace processes. Today, we know that Women’s inclusion in peace and transition processes are not just about having an equal say in matters of peace and security, but also about achieving better and more sustainable results”, Ambassador Fasel said.
Representatives of a number of missions in Geneva, including Brazil, Canada, Egypt, the European Union, France, Germany, International Organisation of la Francophonie, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Representatives of UNICEF and the Graduate Institute in Libya also attended.
The Libyan women designed their action plan at a weekend meeting in Montreux before moving to Geneva to present it to the international community.
The meeting was followed by a press conference in which the Libyan women made the following statement.
(Source: UNSMIL)
