President,

I welcome you to New York to preside over this debate. And I thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, Assistant Secretary-General Felipe Paullier, Executive Director Sima Bahous, and Youth Ambassador Simone Mbode Diouf for their briefings.

The role of women and youth in the maintenance of international peace and security is crucial. In the current turbulent international context, the discussion of this topic must go beyond political correctness and loud slogans to concrete and pragmatic initiatives. Here I would like to make four observations.

First, to promote a ceasefire and cessation of violence so as to protect the safety of women and youth. The world today is far from being tranquil. From the Middle East to Africa, from Eurasia to Haiti in the Caribbean, wars and violent conflicts continue unabated with women and youth being the first victims. In El Fasher, Sudan, thousands of women and youth have been displaced and deprived of food and clothing as a result of the conflict. In Gaza, Israeli military operations have claimed the lives of 12,000 mothers and children, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinian women have been displaced, living in fear, anger, and despair. Just on May 26, Israel attacked a refugee camp in Rafah, resulting in the death of dozens of people, most of whom were women and children. When safety and even the very survival are under threat, nothing else is possible. The Security Council should assume its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and make unremitting efforts to promote a ceasefire and an end to the fighting. China calls on parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, to refrain from using women and youth as military targets, to effectively guarantee access to humanitarian supplies, and to return as soon as possible to the political track of dispute resolution.

Second, to leverage the role of women and youth in finding political solutions to hotspot issues. At present, the degree and the level of participation of women and youth in political and peace processes vary from country to country, and the potential talents and contributions of women and youth have yet to be fully recognized and utilized. China supports the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 and 2250, which provide equal opportunities for women and youth to participate in peace processes by eliminating discrimination, prejudice, and obstacles. It is essential to enhance the motivation and sense of participation of women and youth and to encourage them to contribute their ideas to conflict prevention, political development, and social governance. We must fully leverage their advantages of quick thinking, understanding, and tolerance, so that they can become an indispensable force in the maintenance and building of peace.

Third, to support the economic empowerment of women and youth so as to strengthen the foundation of peace. One of the major reasons that some young people and women were hoodwinked to join armed groups and terrorist organizations is their lack of access to education, employment, and the development. The international community should increase their access to education and employment opportunities, so that they can become the masters of their own destiny and a major force for social stability and development. This is the most effective means of conflict prevention and the peace project with the highest returns.

China has always been active in supporting the economic empowerment of women and youth. In Mali. The Senou vocational training center, which was built with China’s assistance, has helped more than 500 young people acquire professional knowledge in construction and electrical engineering, and many women have acquired new skills, bringing hope to their families. In Fiji, China has trained more than 2,400 people with Juncao technology since 2014. The local people have planted more than 2,000 hectares of Juncao grass, which has raised income and improved the lives of many women and young people. At the China International Import Expo last November, carpets, pine nuts, and pomegranates from Afghanistan were the star products, the export of which has created a source of income for thousands of Afghan families and improved the lives of many Afghan women and youth.

Fourth, to deepen global partnership in advancing the cause of women and youth. The UN and all countries are duty-bound to implement the women, youth, peace, and security agenda. Organizations such as UN Women, UN Office on Youth, UNDP, and UNFPA should not only increase investment in addressing existing problems such as the elimination of violence, poverty reduction, education, and gender equality, but also work to tackle new challenges such as digital, technology, and intelligence divides, so that woman and youth from underdeveloped countries and regions will not be left behind in the new round of technological revolution. We call on developed countries to effectively fulfill their ODA commitments and to make the promotion of women and youth in developing countries a key area of their investment. Multilateral financial institutions such as the IMF should allocate more funds to improve the livelihoods of women and youth and other groups in developing countries. We support deepening South-South cooperation and learning from each other’s experience in advancing the cause of women and youth, with a view to achieving shared development.

President, 

Women can hold up half the sky and the youth represents the future and hope. China stands ready to work with the international community to build a better world, so that women and youth from all countries can live in the sunshine of peace and development.

Thank you, President.