China Calls for Global Cooperation on Women's Rights in Peace Processes

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, called for coordinated international efforts to safeguard women's rights and enhance their participation in conflict resolution during a UN Security Council debate on women, peace, and security held in New York on May 19, 2026.

Speaking at the open debate titled "Peace is decided with women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation," Fu emphasized that women play an increasingly important role in conflict prevention, resolution, and peacebuilding. He stressed that women represent a critical force in maintaining international peace and security, yet significant barriers remain. According to Fu, 676 million women and girls worldwide currently remain trapped in conflict and instability, facing prolonged periods of fear and despair from conflicts ranging from the war in Gaza to gang violence in Haiti and terrorist activities in the Sahel region of West Africa.

Fu outlined four key priorities for the international community: fully preventing and resolving conflicts to create a peaceful environment for women's survival and development; ensuring equal opportunities for women's participation in peace processes; promoting women's economic empowerment to support their comprehensive development; and strengthening international cooperation to foster balanced global progress for women. He emphasized that women's rights cannot be guaranteed without peace, urging the UN Security Council to fulfill its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security through ceasefire promotion, ending hostilities, and advancing dialogue and reconciliation.

Highlighting China's contributions to global women's development, Fu noted that the country has deployed more than 1,200 female peacekeepers, trained over 200,000 female professionals across more than 180 countries and regions, and implemented women's empowerment projects worth over $40 million in more than 20 countries. These efforts reflect China's commitment to supporting women's comprehensive development and participation in peacebuilding initiatives globally.