The resolution “was a real game changer,” says Laura Flores, director of the Americas division at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), in an interview with UN News.
Leading the department’s initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean, she works closely with local authorities and organizations, as well as women’s and indigenous communities to advance gender equality.
“People have finally started to recognize that women are not only affected by conflicts, but also play a key role in their resolution,” Flores said of the inclusion of women in conflict resolution. “This is about ensuring that women have a place at the table in peace negotiations and that their voices are heard in decisions that shape recovery and security. »
Indigenous leader Otilia Lux de Cotí representing Guatemala at a conference.
Record count of MPs
Last year, nearly 700 million women lived within 50 km of deadly conflict, according to the UN Secretary-General. report on women, peace and security.
Sexual violence has increased by 87 percent in the past two years, while nine out of ten peace processes excluded women negotiators.
However on the 25thth The anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda is a reminder that progress has been made. The Americas region has the highest average of women parliamentarians in the world, with an average of 41 percent in Caribbean countries, 31.9 percent in South America and 30.8 percent in Central America, Flores said.
Countries like Mexico, Chile, and Colombia have all adopted foreign policies aimed at promoting gender equality in diplomacy, peacebuilding, and development.
Despite encouraging developments, gender-based violence in the region remains “alarming”, with at least 11 women murdered every day in Latin America.
— Laura Flores
“These policies are still new, and they will need strong support and coordination to really take root, but they are a sign of progress,” she said.
Regional assets, but still present challenges
The UN promotes the protection of women in conflict and their participation in negotiations, but it is up to countries to implement WPS measures in their policies. In Chile, the UN supported a commission initiated by the country’s president to address the root causes of the conflict affecting indigenous communities. It specifically looked at the challenges faced by indigenous Mapuche women and most of the commission’s proposals came from women.
Last year, Ms. Flores’ department contributed to the development of Colombia’s first national action plan consistent with Resolution 1325. Meanwhile, in Haiti, DPPA is working jointly with UN Women – the leading UN entity for gender equality – to support women and girls, particularly survivors of gender-based violence.
Despite encouraging developments, gender-based violence in the region remains “alarming,” with at least 11 women murdered every day in Latin America, Flores said.
Political violence and digital harassment against women leaders continues to increase, while in some countries like Haiti, inclusion in politics remains low amid high levels of sexual violence.
“The region is dynamic, but it needs protection, investment and political will to continue moving forward,” stressed Ms. Flores.
Ceremonial ritual of the indigenous Mapuche people in Chile.
Moving forward, hand in hand
Indigenous peoples, catching up 467 million of the world’s population, are often denied the right to live in accordance with their cultural values and face exclusion from political processes.
“Indigenous women are often the hardest hit by conflict, but they are also incredibly resilient and play a central role in peace efforts,” said Flores.
One of these resilient women is Otilia Lux de Cotí, an indigenous leader and the only female K’iche Mayan minister to be included in the government of Guatemala in 2000.
Ms. Lux played an important role in documenting the specific forms of violence that women and indigenous peoples suffered during the country’s civil war.
Indigenous women’s leaders have played a central role in defending democracy, particularly during the 2023 elections, when the peaceful transfer of power was under threat.
— Otilia Lux de Coti
“I am the daughter of the Guatemalan war,” Ms. Lux told us in an interview.
On 200,000 Lives were lost in the conflict which began in 1962 and lasted for around three decades. Since the signing of the peace agreement in 1996, the country has made progress in promoting women’s rights, much of which is led by women themselves.
“More recently, indigenous women leaders have played a central role in defending democracy, particularly during the 2023 elections, when the peaceful transfer of power was threatened,” Ms. Flores said.
During the 2023 electoral crisis, indigenous peoples in Guatemala took to the streets and varas, or sticks, symbol of their ancestral authorities, to defend their vote.
“The decision to act was not made overnight; it followed a long process of discussion and consultation within our communities. We call this process Yacataj in K’iche’ – a collective awakening of consciousness,” said Ms. Lux.
“This moment when our ancestral symbols were brandished was not simply a protest; it was an act of democratic participation seen through Indigenous eyes,” she added.
Just as Resolution 1325 urges countries to “ensure increased representation of women at all levels of decision-making” for conflict prevention and resolution, women like Ms. Lux promote democracy by “refusing to remain silent.”
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
