Press Releases
Statement by Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA at the 2024 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network High-Level Side Event
The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network High-Level Side Event was held in New York, U.S., from 11:00 to 13:00 local time on September 25th (0:00 to 2:00 a.m. on September 26th, JST). The overview of the event and the statement of Foreign Minister Kamikawa delivered by Mr. Matsuo, Ambassador in charge of UN Affairs is as follows.
- At the outset, the following representatives on behalf of the host countries of the Side Event, namely the United States, Romania, Switzerland and South Africa gave opening remarks: Ms. Alina-Ștefania Gorghiu, Minister of Justice, Romania, Amb. Geeta Rao Gupta, Global Women’s Issues, United States Department of State, Mr. Thomas Gürber, Deputy State Secretary, Head of the UN Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland and Deputy Minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa, as well as Dr. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director, UN Women, which serves as the secretariat of the Network.
- Subsequently, Japan and Norway, which will serve as co-chairs of the Network in 2025, made statements. In the statement, which was delivered by Mr. Hirotaka Matsuo, Ambassador in charge of UN Affairs, Minister Kamikawa noted that she has positioned the WPS agenda as one of the main pillars of Japan’s foreign policy since she participated in the meeting last time, shortly after her appointment as Foreign Minister about a year ago. Also, she emphasized that she has come to realize the importance of connecting dots of good practices of each country, sharing and expanding those to the cooperation around the world. Furthermore, she pointed out that 2025 will mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and based on the fact of efforts Japan has made, she announced that Japan will serve as co-chair of the WPS Focal Points Network with Norway in 2025, and will also host the Network's Capital-Level Meeting in Tokyo from February 4th to 6th next year.
- In the following statements made by the member countries in attendance, their respective engagements to promote the WPS agenda were introduced.
In 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which stated for the first time in the Council's history that international peace and conflict prevention and resolution require the equal participation of women, protection against sexual violence in conflict, and gender equality. To implement the resolution and related resolutions, Japan has so far formulated and implemented three rounds of action plans.
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 2024, a total of 103 members from 93 countries and 10 regional organizations are the participants.
