Open Day: Powerful Messages to Speed International Commitments
At the Open Day in Kabul, Afghan women peace activists voiced their concerns about women's security and access to justice in their country. (Photo: UNIFEM)
24 June 2010
The UN-organized “Global Open Day for Women and Peace” continued in mid-June with senior UN officials and women peace advocates engaging in vibrant exchanges of proposed actions for improving women’s participation in peace processes.
In more than 20 countries, the Global Open Day is helping to kick off preparations for the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. A set of recommendations from the event will go to the UN Security Council before it meets in October to debate the resolution’s track record and future implementation.
UNIFEM Executive Director Ines Alberdi attended the Global Open Day in Sudan, saying it would send a “powerful message of urgency” to the council. She highlighted recent progress in recognizing that conflict-related sexual violence needs immediate attention, but stressed that the level of sexual violence in crises remains “dreadful.” Other shortfalls include the low number of women in peace negotiations and the lack of financing of women’s needs in post-conflict recovery plans.
In Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, Special Representative of the UN Secret