President Alain Berset also addressed the UN Security Council for the first time on 7 March as part of his participation in the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The topic of "Women, Peace and Security" was at the centre of the open debate of the Council. The President of the Confederation underlined the importance of women's participation in political decision-making and peace processes. In reference to his recent trip to Mozambique in February 2023, he said: "Women are committed to peace, both in their communities and at the national level. They contribute to building a just and equal political and economic future for their country."
The agenda "Women, Peace and Security" was adopted by the UN Security Council in 2000: Resolution 1325 and its follow-up resolutions recognise the role of women in all efforts to achieve lasting peace and call for the protection of women's rights. Nevertheless, women often continue to be the first targets of violence, hate speech, threats, retaliation and sexual assault in conflict situations - such incidents are also increasingly taking place in the virtual space.
The implementation of the agenda still needs to be strengthened across the globe. Berset called on the Council to take concrete action to address these challenges: "Words must now be matched with concrete actions in terms of budget, personnel and policy. This is a prerequisite for women to be able to speak out and contribute to sustainable peace - safely, freely and without fear of reprisals."
