Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan has drawn attention to the importance of women in diplomacy, crisis resolution, and peace-building, during the high-level session on "Women, Peace, and Security" at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF).
The panel pioneered by the Turkish First Lady Erdogan, saw the participation of renowned figures on Saturday including activist Tawakkol Karman, Ivana Zivkovic, Deputy Resident Representative and Regional Director for Türkiye at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bineta Diop, Special Envoy on Women, Peace, and Security for the African Union Commission, alongside Desislava Radeva, the First Lady of Bulgaria, and Tamara Vucic, the First Lady of Serbia.
Activist Karman noted that women have historically been the most affected by the destructive effects of war and conflict, stating, "Women who have experienced wars have also demonstrated leadership in the face of difficulties when conflicts erupt. They have endured unimaginable hardships, displacement, loss of loved ones, sexual violence, and the collapse of essential services."
Referring to Israel's attacks on Gaza, Karman said, "The Israeli occupation, the ongoing genocide war against Palestinians, is a sad example of humanity's degradation. The mechanism of killing and destruction by Israel continues to claim the lives of civilians in Gaza. The Israeli occupation is genocide for the people subjected to death, hunger, and displacement by supporters under the US administration and other Western allies."
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative and Regional Director for Türkiye Zivkovic expressed her honour to participate in the forum, stating that the agenda of women's security is supported by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
"Supporting displaced, refugee women and girls is at the heart of our work in crisis settings like Gaza, Ukraine, and others," Zivkovic said.
"If we do not ensure equality, neither peace nor development can be sustainable. If half of our society is left behind in realising their dreams, rights, and contributions, we cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or fulfil our commitments on women, peace, and security," she added.
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