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Mr. President, Equal participation of women shifts the dynamics at the negotiating table by bringing in a broader range of concerns and perspectives, enabling inclusive durable solutions on conflict resolution, building peaceful societies and ensuring sustained development and prosperity. I thank the Secretary General for a clear focus on implementation in his latest report. My delegation aligns itself with the statement on behalf of the EU. In addition, let me make the following points.

1. Women’s networks play an important early warning and preventive role, such as women’s situation rooms in Africa, which the AU has declared a best practice to prevent conflict; the AU’s initiative to build a dedicated roster of women mediators or the creation of Nordic Women’s Mediation Network.  Existing good practices should be emulated and encouraged.  We call on the UN to consider developing a dedicated roster of women mediators to reinforce inclusive, multi-track prevention and mediation processes; as well as on countries to submit more women mediator candidacies for UN’s existing rosters.

2. Women suffer disproportionately from the effects of armed violence in conflicts. They get killed, robbed, raped, trafficked, or forced into prostitution at gunpoint. Women also bear the brunt of armed violence as single heads of households and caregivers. Their needs as ex-combatants and former child soldiers differ from those of their male counterparts. ATT (The Arms Trade Treaty) has had an important impact on highlighting the gender dimension of arms control and disarmament.  As reflected in Security Council resolution 2220, my delegation urges further strengthening of the gender dimension in tackling the SALW (Small Arms and Light Weapons). Ensuring women’s full and meaningful participation in efforts to combat and eradicate the illicit transfer and misuse of SALW must remain a priority. NATO/EAPC guidelines on implementing UNSCR1325 on women, peace and security in SALW as well as mine action is a good example.  We also support Secretary General’s call to strengthen gender-responsive approaches to DDR and SSR, further integrating the gender dimension into relevant processes.

3. Although human rights violations targeting women increasingly figure in sanctions regimes, only 5 of them, as noted in SG’s report, explicitly include acts involving sexual violence or violations targeting women as designation criteria. We stress the need to reinforce the gender expertise of relevant expert groups; to further enhance sanctions regimes’ cooperation with SRSG on sexual violence in conflict; as well as to expand the designation criteria in sanctions regimes where sexual and gender-based crimes and specific attacks against women are persistently perpetrated.

4. Communication can be a powerful tool for promoting the implementation of WPS agenda.  The ways in which women are depicted in the media can have a profound effect on societal attitudes, perceptions of gender roles, and effective tackling of stereotypes that constrain and limit women’s role and opportunities in all spheres of life.

Yet, as per 2015 Global Media Monitoring Project, women make the central focus of just 10% of news stories, mostly as victims. Only 4% of media stories clearly challenge gender stereotypes.  

Improving women’s chances to get their stories told - as media protagonists and media makers, through better education, access to information, media literacy, social, organizational and communication skills should be part and parcel of all UN led operations and programmes on the ground. This would, inter alia, allow to  better challenge constraining inhibitions,  inspire courage, affirm women’s right to take the lead, and offer  inspiring real life role models to other women and girls, still struggling  to  have their rights and their human dignity  taken into account.

Female journalists may offer particular insights into the plight of women in conflict zones by accessing those women, where access may not be possible to their male counterparts due to prevailing restrictions and social norms. Female journalists also produce more stories centered on women, than their male counterparts. As such, they become important conduits for the WPS agenda.

But women journalists themselves often face serious risks as they seek to tell the stories of conflict and transformation. A shocking 70 per cent of women journalists killed worldwide are murdered. Besides physical attacks, intimidation, harassment, and rape, they are subjected to aggressive targeted trolling and sexualized attacks online.  

Council resolution 2222 adopted under Lithuanian presidency in May last year points to the specific risks women journalists face. These need to be adequately addressed, including through a much stronger focus on tackling impunity.

Finally, let me reiterate Lithuania’s strong commitment to further the WPS agenda through concrete action. We are currently renewing our 1325 national action plan, and enhancing relevant co-operation with our eastern partnership neighbours, including Ukraine, where Russia- sponsored war in the country’s east severely affected women’s personal safety and their human rights.

Lithuania is taking steps to increase the involvement of women in peace operations in both, the civilian and military fields. Last year, a third of our personnel deployed to civilian missions abroad were women. As a founding member of WPS national focal points network, Lithuania will continue to engage actively in its work as well as on the broader WPS agenda.

I thank you.