Madam President,

Allow me to thank Colombia for convening this important debate and to thank the briefers for their valuable contributions.

As we approach the twenty-sixth anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, we are reminded that women’s participation is not simply a matter of rights and representation, it is a strategic necessity for building sustainable peace, strengthening institutions, and preventing the recurrence of conflict.

While the Women, Peace and Security agenda has gained significant recognition and many Member States have adopted National Action Plans, implementation gaps persist. Women remain underrepresented in peace negotiations, political transitions, and post-conflict decision-making processes. At the same time, women peacebuilders, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society leaders continue to face intimidation, violence, and shrinking civic space.

Madam President,

Albania firmly believes that women are not merely beneficiaries of peace, they are architects of peace. Their participation increases the legitimacy of peace agreements, strengthens social cohesion, and helps address the root causes of conflict.

In this regard, allow me to highlight three priorities.

First, we must significantly increase investment in women peacebuilders and women-led civil society organizations, particularly those operating in conflict and post-conflict settings. Local women leaders are often the first to respond to crises and the last to abandon their communities, yet they remain among the most underfunded actors in peacebuilding efforts.

Second, women must participate fully, equally, meaningfully, and safely in peace negotiations and political transitions. Albania supports the Secretary-General’s recommendation of a minimum target of one-third women’s participation in mediation and peace processes, while continuing to strive toward parity.

Third, we should leverage digital technologies to amplify women’s voices and expand their participation in peace and political processes. At the same time, we must strengthen measures against online harassment, hate speech, and disinformation that disproportionately target women leaders, peacebuilders, and human rights defenders.

Madam President,

Albania has made important progress in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Through our cooperation with UN Women, we have successfully integrated gender-responsive budgeting at both central and local levels, ensuring that public resources contribute to more inclusive and equitable outcomes.

We firmly believe that women’s political empowerment strengthens democratic governance and promotes more inclusive decision-making, including on peace and security matters.

At the United Nations, including through our engagement in the Human Rights Council, Albania remains committed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We will continue to support women peacebuilders, advocate for the protection of women human rights defenders, and promote the meaningful participation of women-led civil society organizations in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and post-conflict recovery.

Today’s debate is important in sending a clear message today: peace is stronger, more representative, and more sustainable when women help shape it. There can be no lasting peace without the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women.

Thank you.