Statement by H.E. Ambassador MIKANAGI Tomohiro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Annual Meeting of the WPS Shared Commitment Holders

 
Thank you.
 
First, I would like to thank Malta and Slovenia for convening this very important meeting. I also thank the briefers for your very insightful overview of the situation surrounding the WPS agenda. Japan has been placing importance on our joint endeavor towards the common goal of advancing the WPS agenda and commends the efforts and achievements made by the Shared Commitment signatories.
 
As a member of the Council, Japan has been making efforts in mainstreaming the WPS agenda throughout its term and specifically highlighted it during its two presidencies. Let me briefly recap what Japan has been doing in the past two years.
 
In January 2023, Japan became the President of the Council in our first month of the two-year term, and held an open debate on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace. We invited Ms. Diago Diagne Ndiaye, the Regional President of the Network of Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Member States, as a briefer, and, in her briefing, she called for investment in people, with a specific focus on women and girls, to ensure societal inclusivity, which will lead to building resilient and effective institutions.
 
In the same month, Japan also led a joint statement by the Shared Commitment signatories before a private council meeting on Afghanistan.
 
During our second presidency in March 2024, building on discussions from our first presidency, Japan held another open debate on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, this time with a focus on “Promoting conflict prevention - Empowering all actors including women and youth.” Briefers included Ms. Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, the Regional Representative of the Shifting the Power Coalition in Fiji.
 
Ms. Bhagwan’s recommendations included requesting the SG to develop concrete policy guidance on how the UN could support women mediators’ networks. During the debate in March, many member states underscored the importance of full, equal and meaningful participation of women and repeatedly mentioned women’s unique role in community-based healing and reconciliation.
 
On the occasion of the open debate, Japan again led a joint statement by the WPS Shared Commitment signatories, underlining the need for more efforts towards recognizing and elevating women’s engagement at all levels, integrating gender equality, and shaping gender-responsive strategies.
 
Apart from the efforts made during the presidencies, we believe that the role of the penholder is also important in promoting the WPS agenda. As the penholder on Afghanistan, Japan led the adoption of Resolution 2681 in April 2023, which specifically condemned the Taliban's ban on women nationals working at UN agencies. Resolution 2721 on the Independent Assessment of Afghanistan, adopted in December 2023 also under Japan’s penholdership, included reference to the importance of women's rights and participation. Furthermore, in September 2024, Japan led a press stakeout that condemned the so-called "morality law" by the Taliban, which was joined by 12 Council members. 

Japan will leave the Council next month but hopes that our joint efforts over the past two years have contributed to the advancement of the WPS agenda and looks forward to seeing the continued efforts under the WPS Shared Commitment initiative in the coming years.

Thank you.