Queen Mathilde of Belgium used events on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday to call for the protection of human life and dignity in war and to urge a greater role for women in peace processes.
“Since when have we stopped placing human dignity above all else?” she said at an event on humanitarian diplomacy. “War has rules. Human life and human dignity must be protected.”
Queen Mathilde, a UN Sustainable Development Goals advocate, spoke at a session focused on humanitarian diplomacy, with particular attention to Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
She said more than 117 million people are suffering as a result of armed conflict, and warned that access for aid is becoming increasingly difficult while the risks facing humanitarian convoys are growing.
The Queen said aid workers on the ground must engage in daily dialogue “with all parties, by explaining the rules of war, building a climate of trust and creating the conditions that allow trucks to pass."
Mathilde also addressed an event on Women, Peace and Security in the Great Lakes region, at which she highlighted the importance of women’s participation in peacebuilding.
“Peace agreements are up to 35% more likely to last when women participate meaningfully in their design and implementation,” she said.
Yet. despite clear evidence of the value they bring, women made up just 7% of negotiators in peace processes worldwide last year, she added.
The Queen said women contributed pragmatic solutions rooted in everyday life.
“The question is no longer whether women are willing to take part," she concluded in an appeal to institutions, " but whether our peace processes are willing to give them the place they deserve.”
