Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN at the UN Security Council Open Debate on “Women and Peace and Security” (10011th meeting)
New York, 6 October 2025
Thank you, President.
Let me start by extending my sincere gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for the comprehensive report. And I also wish to thank Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, for her inspiring leadership and the informative briefing she delivered.
Latvia aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by Canada on behalf of the Group of Friends on WPS and with the statement to be delivered by the EU.
Mr. President,
Twenty-five years ago, this Council adopted Resolution 1325, acknowledging a truth that women had always known: peace without women is not peace at all but a fragile pause before the next storm. If we exclude half of the population, any peace efforts risk being short-lived and will lack societal resilience needed to withstand future relapse into conflict.
And yet, as underlined by the Secretary-General, in 2024, 676 million women lived in proximity of a deadly conflict event - the highest number and share since the 1990s. It means that millions of women are giving birth and raising children amid gunfire, girls pass checkpoints to reach school, and families rebuild homes that may not stand tomorrow - proof that, even after 25 years, the world is still failing those whose leadership is vital to peace. And there are two important points I wish to emphasize.
First, the Secretary-General’s recommendations in the Annual Report are not only timely but essential. They reflect the ambition needed to realize the WPS agenda in full. Especially, the call for accountability is a cornerstone, urging justice for survivors of gender-based violence, including conflict related sexual violence, in accordance with the international law. There are stark examples of violence against women and girls used as a brutal weapon of war – by Russia in its aggression war against Ukraine, by warring parties in the Middle East, Sudan, the DRC, and other conflicts around the world. And there must be no impunity for these crimes.
Second, it remains concerning that even after many years, the WPS agenda often continues to be regarded as peripheral to international peace and security. Latvia believes that WPS is central to the Council’s mandate. Integrating it into its work, including resolutions and peace operation mandates is essential as conflict and insecurity are driven by underlying social and political inequalities.
With that in mind, Latvia has decided to join the WPS Shared Commitments initiative as we join the Security Council next year. And we look forward to working closely with the Signatories of the Commitments and other delegations to advance the WPS agenda together.
Mr. President,
Our vision for the future is that the next 25 years will not be defined by statistics of women surviving in the shadows of war but by the countless women who rise to lead us toward peace. And as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has said: “We cannot succeed if half of us are held back”.
I thank you.