By Giwa SHILE
Germany is to push for more women to mediate in international conflicts during its pending two-year tenure on the UN Security Council, according to a German newspaper report.
“Peace talks can be conducted more quickly and more successfully, and agreements hold for longer, when women are involved as mediators and negotiators,” the German ambassador to the UN, Christoph Heusgen, said on Friday.
He said that Germany would for that reason press for women to be more heavily involved as mediators and decision-takers.
“Women bring with them life experiences and perspectives different to those of men, and these can assist in finding compromises, reconciling enemies and agreeing peace,” said Heusgen.
Heusgen was Chancellor Angela Merkel’s security advisor before taking up his post at the UN in the summer in 2017.
Heusgen noted that women, as well as children, were often the victims of crises.
In addition, women were more conscious of their responsibilities, as shown by the fact that microcredits were more frequently granted to women than to men in development work.
Germany is taking a temporary seat on the Security Council in January for the sixth time.
In March and April, it will chair the council jointly with permanent member France.
