Irene Khan Calls for Stronger Women’s Role in Peacebuilding

Justice, equality, human rights and inclusive participation are essential to building a sustainable culture of peace, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Irene Zubaida Khan, has said.

She also called for stronger global efforts to promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding.

Speaking at a high-level forum on the Culture of Peace programme at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday, Khan outlined three key priorities for advancing women’s leadership.

She stressed the need to ensure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation at every stage of peace processes; invest in developing the leadership of adolescent girls and young women, particularly by expanding their access to digital technology and digital literacy; and provide sustained, targeted support to women-led organisations working in conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance, community resilience, social cohesion and peacebuilding.

Khan said women remain underrepresented in peace processes despite the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda. They are also frequently excluded from critical decisions affecting their lives and futures, she noted.

She reaffirmed Bangladesh’s strong commitment to strengthening women’s leadership in building a culture of peace.

Khan also highlighted the contributions of Bangladeshi women peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping missions and the important role of women leaders in civil society, including at the grassroots level, in advancing human rights and sustainable development in Bangladesh.