The world today is facing a horrendous range of conflicts. We are seeing military coups, seizures of land by force, and explosion of rivalries into military action. We witness competition for resources tearing countries and nations apart. We see men, women and children enlisted to join battles they did not create, cutting lives short and leaving too many behind in the march of human progress.
Conflict leaves its ravages across all societies, all generations and all people. However, it is women and girls who are hardest hit by its impact. From disrupting education to early forced marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, and deprivations of shelter, sanitation, and dignified conditions – the advancement of women is too often curtailed by the scourge of violence and conflict, in every region of the world.
Yet it is also women who have the most untapped potential to bring peace. In conflict settings around the world, women’s participation in conflict resolution can make a difference before, during and after conflict. However, women continue to be excluded, especially from formal peace processes, and the world is worse off for this needless marginalisation.
We will continue to support women to make lasting marks in the most challenged parts of the world
The international community is already committed to addressing this. Indeed, 22 years ago, the UN Security Council passed a landmark resolution intended to bring women front and centre in peace-building processes. Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, was intended to tap the potential of women to reduce both the incidence and impact of war, and support conflict prevention and recovery that can be inclusive, sustained and effective.
More than two decades on, progress on this agenda is not where it needs to be, and many peace processes are stalled. Efforts to ensure inclusive peace are now more important than ever but multiple barriers to women’s full, equal and meaningful participation remain. Only 19 per cent of conflict parties’ delegations in peace processes supported by the UN were women in 2021. Related, only eight out of 25 peace agreements reached globally in 2021 included provisions referencing women, girls and gender.
Countries do themselves no favours by excluding women in this way. While on mission in the UAE last month, I met with 140 women cadets from Africa, Asia, and the Arab region at the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace and Security Initiative. I have also met Ukrainian women peacebuilders taking refuge in Moldova, Colombian women leading the implementation of their country’s Peace Agreement, Afghan women who continue to pursue justice and peace for their homeland, and countless more women peacebuilders during my tenure at UN Women. In each instance, I have been impressed by women peacebuilders’ unshakable commitment and tireless efforts to take an active role in the journey from conflict to inclusive, sustainable peace.
It is thus high time that the international community increase women's participation in peace and recovery efforts, including by adopting and implementing national action plans to further integrate women in peace and security efforts, and investing in peace, justice, and economic inclusion. I had the honour of reinforcing this call during the opening session of the Abu Dhabi Women, Peace and Security Conference – the second of the kind in the Arab region. I was impressed by the level of engagement and investment in this agenda, in the UAE and indeed around the world. Yet accelerated progress is needed, as we seek to engage women at all levels to begin to transform conflicts towards peace.
At the global level, an upcoming opportunity for countries to highlight their advances in engaging women peace builders, is the annual open debate of the UN Security Council on Women, Peace, and Security – to be held this October at UN Headquarters in New York. Previous years have helped bring global attention to aspects such as the importance of women's meaningful participation in peace processes and conflict related sexual violence. Now, with the advent of the Generation Equality Forum Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, momentum is high for member states, civil society organisations, and the private sector to show concrete progress on their commitments by becoming Compact signatories. Generation Equality holds our common aspiration for a more equal future, and by bringing together multi-stakeholder partners can unleash the greatest potential.
The world may be at a high point for conflict, while women’s formal engagement in peace processes continues to be low. We can only tackle these issues if we tackle them together. We cannot remedy the world’s tragic patterns of conflict without women’s inclusion in peacebuilding at every level: community and national, formal and informal.
On our side, at UN Women, we will continue to support the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, and to support peace-building processes that are inclusive and sustainable, as a means of supporting UN member states and partners to bring women to the centre of peace-building. We know we are not alone, and that others will continue to join the effort. In so doing, we will continue to support women to make lasting marks in the most challenged parts of the world – so we can be sure that where peace is achieved, it will be sustained.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The five pillars of Islam
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Poacher
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Pathaan
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QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Six large-scale objects on show
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Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
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- Floor Standing - Dh495
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- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
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Our family matters legal consultant
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