43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Statement delivered by Minister-Counsellor Karin Bolin.
Mr. Vice-President,
Sweden would like to express its sincere appreciation for the valuable efforts undertaken by you Mr. Forst, as Special Rapporteur, and our full support to the renewal of this important mandate. Sweden will continue to stand up for human rights defenders worldwide.
We welcome the focus of this year's report, which makes clear that human rights defenders operating in conflict and post-conflict situations are paramount for upholding human rights in these contexts.
Supporting women as actors for peace and security, in line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, is a clear priority for Sweden. The influence and meaningful participation of women is both about rights and effectiveness. This is also part of our feminist foreign policy.
As the Special Rapporteur notes in his report, women human rights defenders continue to lead in long-standing international movements seeking truth, accountability and reparations for war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, their full inclusion and participation has yet to be achieved.
We would therefore like to ask Special Rapporteur Forst:
What concrete measures can the UN take to better include women human rights defenders operating in conflict and post-conflict areas?
Thank you.