Open Day for Regional Women, Peace and Security Dialogue held in Chisinau

Kayoko Gotoh, Director for the Europe and Central Asia Division of UN DPPA-DPO and co-host of the event, echoed the importance of ensuring that women and girls have a voice and can fully participate in decision-making, especially given current conflicts and geopolitical tensions. "As we approach the Summit of the Future, we must address the structural inequalities that impede women's rights and collaborate to advance gender equality and peace," she said.

Belen Sanz Luque, UN Women’s Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, called for joint efforts to prevent violence and conflicts, stressing the crucial role of women in leading dialogues and resolution. "Our peaceful future depends on their presence at the negotiating table," she said.

"This forum represents a significant step in reinforcing our commitment to ensuring women and girls have a meaningful role in peace and conflict resolution,” added Yeşim Oruç, UN Resident Coordinator for Moldova.

Daniella Misail-Nichitin, State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Moldova’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Point, spoke about trends and policies to ensure gender equality in law enforcement agencies in Moldova, especially among young people. "Although the number of women involved in the public security sector is increasing, their presence remains insufficient,” she told the participants. “It is essential that women are included at all levels of public and professional life to ensure the success and sustainability of peace efforts."

"The mechanisms for strengthening women's rights must be improved," said H. E. Søren Jensen, Ambassador of Denmark to the Republic of Moldova. "And the participation of girls and women in developing resilience plans and measures could be the key to mitigating the consequences of climate change."

 H. E. Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova, said she hopes this dialogue offers a space where the participants can connect, find solutions to existing challenges and spark new ideas and actions. “The topic of security is not for only men to decide,” she said. “And it is not even for only one country to decide – it is for all of us to build together. Together, we can create a world where peace and equality are not just aspirations but realities."

"Together, we can drive impactful actions and foster collaborations that will strengthen women's roles in peace and security," added Dr. Guido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova.

During the dialogue, the participants exchanged knowledge and best practices from their respective organizations. Hailing from Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, they represented civil society activists, local/grassroots leaders, women-led and feminist organizations, girls- and youth-led organizations, women peacebuilders and mediators, and women human rights defenders. Together, they held joint discussions about ways to address sub-regional conflict prevention and peacebuilding challenges and establish priorities from human security and gender equality perspectives.

"Achieving gender equality and addressing the backlash against it requires a multi-faceted approach, starting with strong data collection and monitoring to prioritize issues,” said Kamila Gorkhmazova, from the WPS Advisory Council, Azerbaijan. “Civil society's active participation is crucial but often overlooked, which leads to a gap in addressing real concerns."

During the dialogue, participants emphasized the importance of NGO networks in promoting gender equality by amplifying each other’s voices, and they also shared examples of the importance of localization, including at the national level. It was acknowledged that while inequalities exist, especially in areas with recent conflicts, current trends are positive. Young women leaders also spoke about the importance of women’s economic empowerment and the need to connect WPS with the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.

The Open Day for Regional Women, Peace and Security Dialogue was organized by UN Women in collaboration with UN DPPA-DPO and financial support from Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.