Joint Nordic Statement at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Conflict Prevention

Check Against Delivery

Mr. President, distinguished delegates,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries – Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Denmark.

We commend Japan for your continued commitment to prioritizing prevention and putting peacebuilding on the agenda of the Security Council.

Let me highlight three central points.

First. In order to address the root causes of conflicts and to sustain peace, gender equality is crucial. Protecting and promoting human rights for all is key to addressing inequalities, which drive conflict. We echo the Secretary-General’s statement 8 March; “Women’s rights are a proven path to fair, peaceful, prosperous societies. It is good for us all”. Women in all their diversity must have access to decision-making. And we must give particular attention to the participation of young women. Too often young women are disproportionately excluded from decisions on issues that affect them.

Practically, national institutions should remove barriers to and promote women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in political and peacebuilding processes. They should foster access to justice for all and prevent violence against women, including sexual and gender-based violence. In line with the Secretary-General´s recommendation in the New Agenda for Peace, we encourage the development of regional and national prevention strategies. Human rights must be at their core.

Second. We cannot overstate the importance of locally driven and community-based initiatives as part of infrastructures for peace. In this regard, the Council can do more to support the Secretary-General’s good offices role and strengthen the role of gender advisors. The Council can also do more when it comes to making sure that peace operations are mandated, equipped and trained to foster meaningful partnerships with local communities and to include the perspectives of women, youth and local civil society. Furthermore, we need adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding, and the Peacebuilding Fund is among the essential mechanisms in this regard.

Third. The UN system needs to expand its conflict prevention efforts and the mainstreaming of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the Youth, Peace and Security agenda within these. Conflict prevention tools such as horizon scanning, situational awareness briefings and early response should be more systematically used by the Council. And the analysis that underpin these tools must be gender and age-responsive. In addition, the Council should strengthen its relationship with the Peacebuilding Commission by organizing joint briefings and requesting and making substantive use of the Commission’s advice and recommendations.

We also encourage the Security Council to make the Secretary-General´s upcoming third report on Youth, Peace and Security the subject of an open debate.

Excellencies, the WPS-agenda approaches its 25th anniversary and the YPS-agenda its 10th anniversary. We are also preparing for the 2025 review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, marking its 20th anniversary. Important efforts have been taken, but we must do even more – together. We, the Nordic countries, are long-standing advocates for prioritizing prevention, promoting youth participation in peacebuilding, and putting women front and center.

Thank you.