Women's Issues
Attendance of Foreign Minister IWAYA at the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network High-Level Side Event
On September 24, commencing at 11:00 a.m. local time (on 25, 0:00 a.m. JST) for approximately 35 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting New York, U.S. for attending the United Nations General Assembly, attended the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network High-Level Side Event. The overview of the event is as follows:
- At the outset, Minister IWAYA and Mr. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, as the co-chairs of the WPS Focal Points Network in 2025, along with H.E. Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, as the Secretariat of the Network, and Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia delivered opening remarks.
- In his remark, Minister IWAYA stated that 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), and expressed his pleasure to organize the WPS Focal Points Network High-Level Event as co-chair of the Network with Norway in this commemorative year. He emphasized that in today's increasingly uncertain international society, the implementation of WPS is more important than ever. Furthermore, Minister IWAYA stated that Japan would leverage its experience as co-chair of the WPS Focal Points Network to continue to vigorously promote WPS as one of the main pillars of Japan’s foreign policy and contribute even more to the international promotion of WPS.
- Subsequently, statements were made by attending members, each introducing initiatives and expressing commitments towards the promotion of WPS.
(Reference1) Women, Peace and Security (WPS)
In 2000, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which for the first time in the history of the Council explicitly stated that equal participation of women, protection from sexual violence in conflict, and gender equality are necessary for international peace, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution. To implement this resolution and related resolutions, Japan has formulated its action plan three times, and is currently implementing the third action plan.
(Reference2) WPS Focal Points Network
The WPS Focal Points Network is the largest network on WPS in UN member countries to share lessons learned and good practices. In addition to governments, regional organizations such as NATO, OSCE, AU, and ASEAN also participate in the network. As of September 2025, a total of 106 members from 96 countries and 10 regional organizations are the participants.