Kuwait calls for global action on war’s toll on women and children

• Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah emphasized the importance of UN Resolution 1325, highlighting its framework for addressing the impact of wars on women and children, who constitute seventy percent of conflict victims globally.

Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Affairs, emphasized the importance of UN Resolution 1325, highlighting its framework to address the impact of wars on women and children, who make up seventypercent of conflict victims globally, Al Rai reported.

In a speech delivered on behalf of Kuwait at the High-Level International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security in Manila, Philippines, from October 28 to 30, Ambassador Al-Duaij Al-Sabah highlighted the importance of hearing the voices of women affected by war and finding lasting solutions, particularly in countries severely impacted by conflict, such as Palestine, Lebanon, and Sudan. She expressed concern over serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws.

Al-Duaij Al-Sabah reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to implementing the principles of UN Resolution 1325, emphasizing Kuwait’s practical measures to empower women in peace–building and reconstruction.

She noted the establishment of the National Committee for the Implementation of the Resolution in December 2023, in collaboration with international organizations, to advance women’s rights, conduct workshops, and provide specialized training programs to strengthen the capacities of government agencies.

She added that Kuwait contributed to sponsoring the regional conference “Arab Women, Peace, and Security: Challenges for Women in the Arab Region – Stopping the War on Gaza Now, Not Tomorrow,” held under the patronage of Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya in collaboration with the Arab Women’s Organization and the Kuwait Federation of Women’s Associations last February.

She noted that as part of these efforts, an art exhibition titled “Women in War – Palestine” was held in collaboration with the Sheikha Insar Charity Foundation in Kuwait last September, along with a panel discussion on women, peace, and mental health to address challenges facing women and to exchange ideas on effective strategies for enhancing women’s roles in peace processes.

In this regard, she expressed pride in her membership in the Arab Network of Women Peace Mediators, affiliated with the League of Arab States, which aims to promote women’s participation in mediation, conflict resolution, and peace–building.

Regarding women’s empowerment in Kuwait, Al-DuaijAl-Sabah highlighted achievements in the security, judicial, and diplomatic sectors. Over 900 female police officers have been appointed, along with more than eighteen female judges and over eighty female prosecutors. Women also joined the Kuwaiti National Guard for the first time in a historic decision, and now constitute 22 percent of the diplomatic corps.

She emphasized the need to continue efforts to promote gender equality and increase women’s representation at all levels of decision-making. She called on the international community to support the four pillars of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda: prevention, protection, participation, and relief and recovery, underscoring the importance of involving women in peace–building and promoting security and stability worldwide.