Over 70 United Nations member states, with their designated ministers and representatives, vowed to strengthen policies on the inclusion of women in the peace and security agenda as they adopted the “Pasay Declaration on Women, Peace and Security” in the International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) in Manila.
The declaration underscored the participation of women in decision-making processes when it comes to “prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and in post-conflict reconstruction.”
“We commit to enhance women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation at all levels by prioritizing policies that actively remove barriers and create spaces for women’s leadership,” the declaration read.
The declarations aimed to enforce sustainable practices in facilitating an inclusive and collaborative approach when it comes to its agenda. It also called on all member states to address intersecting issues such as funding, climate resilience, and the adoption of gender-responsive policies.
“This declaration represents a powerful and unified commitment to advancing the Women Peace and Security agenda in our time, reaffirming the principles of the UNSC resolution 1325,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said in a Wednesday press conference.
“It underscores that gender equality and women’s empowerment are not only fundamental rights or human rights but are essential to achieving sustainable peace and development,” he added.
Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, executive director of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation proposed that “no one should be left behind” in pushing forward the global WPS agenda.
