NEW YORK – The president of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, hosted an informal high-level discussion titled “Future of Eastern Europe: Empowerment of Women” on Tuesday, September 29
As chair of the Council on Women World Leaders, President Grybauskaitė invited world leaders from Central and East Europe and representatives of several international organizations to discuss ways to draw the international community‘s attention to the situation of women in countries affected by armed conflicts, as well as help women survivors of wars – especially in Georgia and Ukraine.
President Dalia Grybauskaitė of Lithuania.
Among those invited to attend was Ukrainian Congress Committee of America President Tamara Olexy and Ukrainian National Women’s League of America President Marianna Zajac.
Invited to participate in the roundtable were: Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili; Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic; former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright; and Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Natalia Gherman.
A delegation from Ukraine, including Vira Savchenko, sister of Ukrainian POW Nadiya Savchenko; National Deputy Mariia Ionova, vice-chair of the Committee on European Integration; and National Deputy Svitlana Zalishchuk, chair of the Subcommittee on Euro-Atlantic Cooperation and Euro-Integration of Committee on Foreign Affairs, also took part in the discussion.
Vira Savchenko is flanked by Tamara Olexy (left) and Martha Kebalo.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent a video message to the participants.
President Grybauskaitė warmly welcomed those in attendance and set the tone for the meeting by stating, “In wars and armed conflicts, the weakest section of society – women and children – suffer the most… and we cannot close our eyes to these crimes.“
The discussion also highlighted the suffering in Ukraine and Georgia, where more than 1.6 million people – two-thirds of whom are women and children – have been forced to flee their homes.
Speaking through translator Marta Kebalo (main representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations), Vira Savchenko read a letter written by her sister especially for the gathering. The former Ukrainian air force pilot, Iraq war veteran, member of Ukraine’s Parliament and delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was transnationally abducted and has been unlawfully imprisoned in Russia for over a year.
Nadiya Savchenko’s letter, which touched upon Russian propaganda, warned the participants that “if nations today fail to stand just as strong and united against the new aggressor, they may have to fight Russism, not Nazism, in World War III.”
Discussants also underscored the 15th anniversary of the landmark U.N. Resolution on Women, Peace and Security, which was adopted in October 2000. Resolution 1325 reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, and stresses the importance of their equal participation and involvement in maintaining and promoting peace and security. The resolution urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts. It also calls on all parties in conflicts to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
Former Secretary of State Albright mentioned that there are more women in the U.N. system since the passing of this resolution, but much more work needs to be done.
President Margvelashvili praised the women of Georgia, stating that they are the most capable of adapting to change, especially after the collapse of the USSR, as they have helped society to transform and become viable. Unfortunately, issues of domestic violence and abuse remain, and the best way to combat these issues is to “empower women in politics and decision-making processes… that is why 2015 is the Year of Women in Georgia.” He continued by informing those in attendance that Georgia is hosting a conference on empowering women in of November of this year.
The president of Croatia also stressed that concrete actions are needed to help women in conflict and to empower women. “We need to look at women as agents of change, not victims,” stated Ms. Grabar-Kitarovic.
President Grybauskaitė underscored that women have made a significant contribution to managing the consequences of armed conflict. In Ukraine, Georgia and other countries, women help rebuild destroyed cities and communities, and take care of refuges and the wounded, she noted. Therefore, it is essential that women be provided with the opportunities to take an active role in restoring peace and resolving conflicts. According to U.N. estimates, between 1992 and 2011, women made up only 9 percent of peace negotiators around the world.