Minister Counsellor Nguyễn Hoàng Nguyên, Deputy Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations addresses the open debate on women, peace and security held at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday (local time). —VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tuấn

NEW YORK — Việt Nam has been an active and consistent advocate for the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and remains committed to ensuring that women are not only beneficiaries but also architects of sustainable peace, said Minister Counsellor Nguyễn Hoàng Nguyên, Deputy Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations (UN).

He made the remarks while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on women, peace and security held at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday (local time) to mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of Resolution 1325, known as the WPS agenda.

The Vietnamese diplomat stressed that women in Việt Nam have always played a vital role throughout the nation’s history – from the struggles for national independence to post-war reconstruction and development.

He noted that 25 years since the adoption of Resolution 1325, women and girls remain among the most vulnerable to the impacts of conflict, while their voices are still limited in peace processes.

Nguyên underscored that preventing and addressing the root causes of conflict is the most effective means of protection, emphasising the need to place women at the centre of peacekeeping, reconciliation, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. He also called for expanding women’s access to employment opportunities, financial resources, digital technology, and social welfare, particularly for those affected by conflicts.

The debate, chaired by Russia as President of the UN Security Council for October 2025, drew participation from nearly 90 member states.

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that 25 years since Resolution 1325 was adopted, global efforts to promote gender equality are facing severe challenges amid escalating conflicts worldwide, with 676 million women now living near conflict zones – the highest figure since the 1990s.

The Secretary-General urged nations to allocate at least 15 per cent of peace-related budgets to gender equality initiatives, increase the number of women in peacekeeping forces, and ensure women’s participation in all stages of the peace process.

Many representatives of countries voiced concern over the rising levels of conflict-related violence and military spending globally, noting that the number of women and girls killed in conflicts has quadrupled over the past two years. They also appealed for better access to medical and psychological support for victims, as well as guaranteed funding for women-led organisations. — VNA/VNS