UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regretted the lack of progress in the women, peace and security agenda.
"Too often, we gather in rooms like this one -- full of conviction and commitment -- only to fall short when it comes to real change in the lives of women and girls caught in conflict, " he told an annual open debate of the Security Council on women, peace and security, Xinhua news agency reported.
"We speak of inclusion, yet far too frequently women remain absent from negotiating tables. We speak of protection, yet sexual violence persists with impunity. We speak of leadership, yet women peacebuilders are underfunded, under threat, and under-recognized, " he said. "And we all lose -- women and men, girls and boys."
Twenty-five years since Security Council Resolution 1325 on the women, peace and security agenda was adopted, gains are fragile and -- very worryingly -- going in reverse, he warned.