Published: 11:55 PM, 24 September 2026
Shama calls for greater women's role in peacemaking
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has called for greater participation of women in peace processes and decision-making, alongside stronger accountability for violations against women.
She made the call at the annual ministerial meeting of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, according to a Foreign Ministry press release on Thursday.
The Philippines, Italy and UN Women convened the meeting on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session.
It marked 25 years since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, with discussions focused on implementation and accountability.
Recalling Bangladesh's support for the resolution while serving as an elected Security Council member in 2000, Shama reaffirmed the country's commitment to women's meaningful participation in decisions affecting peace and security.
She urged countries to strengthen women-led early warning and mediation efforts, include more women in peace negotiations, and incorporate the WPS agenda into climate and humanitarian action.
The state minister said Bangladesh was developing its second WPS National Action Plan.
She also presented the Dhaka Dialogue, a Bangladesh-led initiative addressing digital harassment and AI-enabled abuse against women, and invited UN member states to join its forthcoming Group of Friends.
Ministers and senior representatives from several countries attended the meeting.
