President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca stressed in a speech, that women leaders must be peace builders, peacemakers and peacekeepers
The President was addressing the Women in Parliament global forum held in Jordan
“We are the mothers of our communities, our nations, and our regions. We must be peace builders, peacemakers and peacekeepers, and transform our countries into peace loving societies. I believe we can transform the world,” she said.
“The urgent need for peace must shape our thoughts and direct our actions,” she said. “It is only in this way that we can act seriously and credibly, to achieve sustainable peace and meaningful wellbeing in the lives of all”.
The complex causes of migration often stem from a diversity of conflicts, the President said, “stemming from inequalities, from poverty, from discrimination, from the effects of egocentrism and from long drawn-out disputes. Even if the topic of migration is unpopular in many of our countries, we must be brave. We must speak the truth. We must face this reality courageously as women leaders, striving to make a positive, effective, and deep-rooted change”.
“It is only by rising to meet our responsibilities towards the most vulnerable that we shall discover how each one of us, in our roles as decision makers and active citizens, must unite to change this unfolding humanitarian situation for the better”.
She described the movement of refugees as a global challenge that no nation is equipped to deal with alone. "People will always be on the move for whatever reason. Migration has been our history; it is our present and will be our future. This is why I believe that the international community cannot be passive, or continue to manage this challenge by a crisis approach”.
“We must create and develop strategies to proactively respond to this phenomenon”.
“Refugees and migrants must themselves be part of our conversations, if we are to hope for a sustainable strategy that can deal with all the facets of this reality”.
“The United Nations High Commission for Refugees reports that over 182,000 people have already crossed the Mediterranean this year. Of these arrivals, 82% come from the world’s top ten refugee countries of origin. Many lives have been lost, with over 1,261 people reported dead or missing so far in 2016. According to the International Organisation for Migration, some 3,000 people died crossing the Mediterranean Sea last year”.
“In light of these horrible facts, we must work together, in our capacity as women leaders, to propose new strategies and define new policies. We must bring the uniqueness of our position as women leaders, to respond to those who argue that borders and fences are the only way to deal with the growing numbers of vulnerable people”.
Work
“Let us also consider the situation of work for those who migrate, whether seeking asylum or not, and the many disadvantages faced by women as compared to men”.
According to a report released by the International Labour Organisation on Decent Work and Migration, women tend to be concentrated in a more limited number of occupations, she said. “They lack the proper information on processes of migration, and procedures for employment opportunities that would empower them”.
“The risks faced by women may also be made worse, due to particular psycho-social needs. Other risks include: the impact of family relationships, financial difficulties, and employment related problems, that are specific to the realities experienced by women in migration. These are only compounded by the growing threat of violent conflict that has escalated in so many regions of our world. If we believe in a global culture of peace, then we must begin with a transformation of our own societies”.
She spoke of the need to stand together and fight inequality and gender-violence. “These do not only take place in conflict zones. They are also present within our families and our communities”.
“We must begin with our own attitudes towards gender and power. All of society must work together, across national borders, or the lines drawn by our cultural and faith traditions. We need to encourage governments to unite with civil society in tackling the needs of women, and more particularly, the needs of vulnerable women such as refugees”.
“We must also recognise the danger of discrimination, which has led many receiving countries to view refugee women as inferiors, or potential threats to stability. This poisonous mentality is gaining ground within many of our communities and nations, and it must be challenged at every opportunity. We must replace it with a counter-narrative that recognises and celebrates the positive contributions of these women to our societies. We must acknowledge their potential to be productive contributors in society”.
“Most of our countries are committed to international conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child”. According to the international principles within these conventions, she said, destination countries are not only obliged to refrain from violating the rights of individuals, but also to take positive actions to ensure that individuals of all genders are able to enjoy their rights. “These principles are also reflected in our global commitment to the United Nations sustainable development goals”.
“With the aim of these goals in mind, my Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society has facilitated a Refugee-Led NGO Platform, to give greater visibility and create a space of empowerment for asylum seeker groups and communities in Malta”.
She urged those present to reflect on the values of peace building, of respect, of sharing, and of authentic concern that we wish to see flourish in "our societies, our nations and our regions".
“We must recognise the essential importance of access to fundamental human rights in the lives of all citizens. These rights must be celebrated, protected, and enforced if we are serious about securing the wellbeing of present and future generations”.
“We must participate in the building of a global culture of peace. People, no matter their differences, must feel included in society, and ready to create communities that provide, as well as receive, support, learning, and care”.
“It is our duty to ensure that the individual dignity of the asylum seeker, of all persons, is at the heart of our discussions. It is from this firm foundation that we can then reach out to build sustainable peace within our communities, societies, and entire nations”.