Check against delivery

Madame la vice-présidente du Conseil d’Etat,
Monsieur le recteur de l’Université de Genève,
Madame l’ambassadrice,
Mesdames et messieurs les délégués des organisations internationales et des missions permanentes à Genève,
Chères organisatrices, chers organisateurs de cet évènement, chères étudiantes, chers étudiants

C'est un honneur pour moi d'être ici aujourd'hui et de représenter la présidente de la Confédération, madame Viola Amherd, et de vous adresser ces quelques mots :

L’année dernière, la présidente de la Confédération s’est trouvée à Times Square, à New York, pour un évènement semblable à celui qui a lieu aujourd’hui, ici, à Genève. C'est un plaisir de voir que l'action en faveur des femmes qui se consacrent à la paix continue de prendre de l’ampleur au niveau international.

Je suis plus qu’heureux de faire partie de cet évènement, et d'unir ma voix à la vôtre pour une cause qui est chère au Gouvernement suisse : à savoir reconnaître et promouvoir le rôle important des femmes dans la promotion et la protection de la paix et de la sécurité.

La Suisse est heureuse de pouvoir soutenir cet évènement et de célébrer avec vous, aujourd’hui, l’engagement de ces femmes, dans le cadre de la journée internationale des droits des femmes.

Les portraits que nous avons affichés aujourd’hui à la porte de l’université sont les visages de femmes qui se consacrent à la promotion et à la protection de la paix dans le monde. Il est important de leur donner de la visibilité et de mettre en valeur leur courage : elles peuvent en effet inspirer les femmes et les jeunes filles et leur servir de modèle pour suivre leurs traces et défendre leurs propres droits.

En signe de soutien symbolique, la Présidente de la Confédération suisse, Viola Amherd, a ajouté son portrait à l'installation à New York. J’ai suivi son exemple aujourd’hui, pour rappeler que nous devons tous, hommes et femmes, contribuer à ces efforts.

More than two decades ago, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, which together with ten follow-up resolutions, forms the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation at all levels of decision-making is a central part of this agenda. This includes: women’s participation in national, regional, and international institutions; in mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict; in peace negotiations; and in peace operations, whether as soldiers, police, or civilians.

Yet, women in peacekeeping and peace processes is not just about numbers. It is crucial to create an enabling environment in which all personnel, regardless of their gender and background, feel empowered, are treated with dignity and respect, and are given equal and fair opportunities to contribute their full potential to peacekeeping operations and peace processes.

Strong evidence, research, and experience show that women are crucial participants in peace processes and peacekeeping efforts. They bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table, which allow for more inclusive peace processes. Peacekeeping teams that count on diversity can engage more effectively with local populations. They help creating a safe space for victims of gender-based violence, and enhance the protection of Human Rights and the overall operational effectiveness of a peacekeeping mission. Yet, it is important to bear in mind that even though diverse teams are significant for the overall effectiveness of the armed forces, the final objective goes beyond that: we strive towards equal rights for women – which includes access to the security sector.

As you know, Switzerland has over a century and a half of experience in peacebuilding and the prevention of armed conflicts. As part of its peace policy, Switzerland is active in conflict situations: as the Host State of international organizations here in Geneva, by providing good offices and regularly hosting and facilitating, as a neutral convener, peace conferences, mediations and negotiations. Switzerland is therefore particularly keen on and committed to promoting the inclusion of women in peace processes.

In the field of Women, Peace and Security, let me give you a concrete picture of the efforts Switzerland is undertaking:
First, on the national level, we are currently elaborating the fifth national action plan on the implementation of the WPS agenda, in close collaboration with our civil society. The Federal Department of Defence has undertaken a variety of measures to have more women serving in the Swiss Armed Forces, in peacekeeping operations and in the federal defence administration itself. We have established a specialized office for women in the armed forces and diversity and we have formulated an “inclusive diversity strategy for the armed forces, peacekeeping personnel and the civilian defence administration”. This effort includes a plan of action with specific measures such as research related to the reasons which might encourage or discourage young women from volunteering for military service, measures to protect all conscripts from gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as the creation of more part-time jobs, paid maternity and paternity leave and a transparent salary system.

Let me also share some thoughts about the participation of women from the Swiss Armed Forces in peacekeeping operations. According to the Swiss Constitution, male citizens have to undergo mandatory military service, while women can serve on a voluntary basis. Due to this constitutional baseline the percentage of women in the Swiss Armed Forces is still relatively low and, tied to that, the pool of female military personnel potentially volunteering for peacekeeping is also limited. So, the Swiss Armed Forces had to come up with some creative solutions to attract more women to serve in peacekeeping missions. And they have had some success: For several years now, women without prior military training have been encouraged to voluntarily serve in peacekeeping missions either with the Swiss contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia-Hercegovina or KFOR in Kosovo – missions which are also based on Resolutions by the UN Security Council. These women are selected for their vocational civilian expertise and are then given a specialized military training before joining their colleagues with prior military experience for the pre-deployment training. In this context, we have also established the possibility for these women after returning from their peacekeeping mission to be fully integrated into the conscript armed forces - a promising route to bring more women into our armed forces.

There are, of course, other efforts under way to attract more women to the Swiss Armed Forces. National media campaigns have been launched. A year ago, we have also created the position of a Gender Advisor within the Joint Operations Command, with the responsibilities of including the gender perspective into all military actions and operations of the Swiss Armed Forces – be it in Switzerland or abroad. The mainstreaming of gender into the existing processes increases the operational effectiveness of our troops and enables a prevention-centred approach.

These are a few initiatives we have recently started, to promote diversity and the participation of women in the armed forces. Even seemingly small measures such as the recent procurement of clothing and equipment customizable to suit the morphology of women in the army make a difference.

Secondly, on the international level, Switzerland, as a member of the UN Security Council until the end of this year, continuously advocates for a systematic integration of the WPS agenda into the work of the Council and more specifically in peacekeeping mandates. Since last year, Switzerland co-chairs the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security of the Security Council. We take part in the WPS shared commitments for Security Council Member States. Switzerland will assume the monthly presidency of the Security Council in October 2024, during which it will host the annual Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. Switzerland is the largest donor of UN Women. It has joined the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact in October 2021.

We are going in the right direction, but despite our very best efforts, we still have a long way to go until there are no more hurdles, insecurities and disadvantages for women who are committing an important part of their lives to provide for and enhance the security of other people and to build a sustainable peace.

Until then, let us continue advocating for women's full, equal and meaningful participation and inclusion in all stages of peace processes – because Peace begins with her.

Thank you

«Peace begins with her » - Speech by State Secretary Markus Mäder