PBC: AMBASSADORIAL-LEVEL MEETING ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
Statement delivered by H.E. Ms. Beth Delaney, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
27 October 2025
Thank you Chair,
We thank all briefers for their valuable contributions, and warmly welcome today’s participation of local women peacebuilders and civil society representatives.
Chair, I wish to make three points:
First, while we recognise progress on the WPS agenda over the past 25 years, we are now seeing those hard-won gains rapidly erode.
This is despite clear evidence showing that gender equality is a stronger predictor of peace than a nation’s wealth or political system.
That peace agreements are more durable when women are involved, but gender equality reduces poverty, strengthens social cohesion, boosts economic productivity, and builds a peaceful, stable future.
Yet, the indispensable role of women peacebuilders –from prevention and mediation to recovery and governance – remains overlooked.
Women peacebuilders’ deep understanding of local realities makes them vital to early warning systems, de-escalating conflict, and creating pathways for sustainable peace.
Their leadership is not optional, it is essential.
The international community must ensure women peacebuilders are systematically included at all stages of peacebuilding.
Second, as we've heard again today, we must address the intersecting challenges women peacebuilders face: shrinking civic space, backlash against gender equality, under-funding of women-led initiatives, and limited access to decision making.
Australia is doing our part to respond.
We've tripled our annual contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund to AUD15 million, reflecting our commitment to gender equality and inclusive, locally-led conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Through our National WPS Action Plan, we promote gender equality, protect the human rights of women and girls, and embed their full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes.
In our region, Australia is proud to support the leadership of women peacebuilders in shaping key strategies, including the Boe Declaration and the recently adopted Ocean of Peace Declaration.
We also partner with the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators and the Pacific Women Mediators Network to strengthen women’s influence in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
These networks play a cruical role in ensuring women’s priorities shape peacebuilding agendas locally, regionally and internationally.
Third, as we negotiate the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture, we call for stronger implementation of the WPS agenda.
At the Peacebuilding Commission, we support elevating women peacebuilders’ voices and ensuring their full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in all peacebuilding processes.
We urge Member States and International Financial Institutions to invest in women-led organisations and embed women’s leadership in peacebuilding frameworks and prevention strategies.
Chair, Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to WPS as a prerequisite for inclusive, locally-led peacebuilding.
We look forward to working with the Commission to ensure women’s leadership is not only recognised—but resourced, protected, and made central to building lasting peace.
Thank you.