The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Canada and UN Women jointly launched today a 5-year programme to expand and strengthen womenâs leadership and participation in conflict prevention, resolution and recovery in South-East Asia.
The CAD 8.5 million (USD 6.36 million) programme, âEmpowering women for sustainable peace: preventing violence and promoting social cohesion in ASEANâ, is funded by Global Affairs Canada with the support of UN Women as a lead UN partner.
âCanada is proud to launch this flagship initiative that uses the women, peace and security approach to promote inclusive and sustainable peace and security in the region, while addressing the systemic gender inequality,â said H.E. Diedrah Kelly, Canadaâs Ambassador to ASEAN.
ASEAN has made important strides to advance women, peace and security agenda, including the adoption of the first âJoint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEANâ in 2017, the launch of the ASEAN Womenâs Peace Registry in 2018, and convening the first ASEAN Symposium on Women, Peace and Security in 2019 and the ASEAN Ministerial Dialogue on Strengthening Women’s role for Sustainable Peace and Security in 2020.
Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi said, âASEAN is working concertedly to advance women, peace and security agenda across the three ASEAN Community Pillars as part of our commitment to promote gender equality and the roles of women in the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.â
The COVID-19 impact has increased the risks for women and girls in fragile and conflict-affected contexts and this challenges us to re-examine threats to human security. âThe pandemic highlights the important linkage between peace, humanitarian and development and the critical need for womenâs leadership and participation to ensure an effective and comprehensive response, from policy decision-making to peacebuilding and pandemic response,â said Mr. Mohammad Naciri, Regional Director, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
The new programme reflects the commitment of ASEAN and Canada to promote gender equality and to respond to an increasingly widespread call across the globe for women to be empowered to lead and participate in peace and development.
ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao Peopleâs Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
Source: UN Women
