Over 600 million women and girls are now affected by war, marking a 50% increase in a decade, and they fear being forgotten amid a global backlash against women’s rights, according to top U.N. officials.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted in a recent report that progress in women’s rights is eroding amid escalating armed conflicts. He noted that the goals of equal participation in peace negotiations, outlined in a Security Council resolution from 2000, remain largely unmet.
Guterres pointed out that women’s leadership in peace efforts is being undermined, with decision-making predominantly male-dominated. He warned that as long as patriarchal structures persist, achieving peace will remain challenging.
The report revealed alarming statistics: the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023, cases of conflict-related sexual violence rose by 50%, and the number of girls affected by serious violations increased by 35%.
Sima Bahous, head of UN Women, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the lack of attention to women’s voices in peace initiatives. She highlighted the dire situations faced by women in places like Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar, expressing that 612 million affected women and girls wonder if they have been forgotten by the international community.
Bahous stressed the urgent need for action, noting that many women in conflict zones face severe food insecurity and high maternal mortality rates. Women’s participation in peace negotiations remains low, with less than 10% involvement in peace processes overall.
To address these issues, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed announced a “Common Pledge on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes,” calling for concrete commitments to include women as mediators and ensure their meaningful involvement in peace negotiations.
Ambassadors at the meeting highlighted a persistent lack of political will to support women’s roles in peace processes, underscoring the need for renewed commitment from member states.