Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Leonid Kozhara, I would like to welcome all of the participants of the 2013 OSCE-Asian Partners Conference hosted by the Australian Government. Minister Kozhara has asked me to convey his wishes for a successful and mutually enriching discussion.

At the outset, let me also express our gratitude for the warm hospitality of the hosts and appreciation to Australian Global Ambassador for Women and Girls Penny Williams, my Irish colleague as Chair of the OSCE Asian Contact Group as well as to the Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and his team for the work done in preparation of this event.

The OSCE is the largest regional security organization of the world, yet the place of holding this conference shows just how far the area of OSCE cooperation stretches.

Dear participants,

Security of a human being remains at the heart of the comprehensive security approach of the OSCE, and it is also the central issue of this conference. 

The implementation of relevant international documents and OSCE decisions indicate a universal agreement to combat violence against women, to empower women in the economic sphere and to include them better in democratic processes and conflict prevention and resolution. Moreover, global experience has proven that women have the potential to be a significant entrepreneurial force – contributing to the growth of local, national and global economies.

 

Yet, despite all arguments for women’s contributions to economic and political processes, it has been proving hard to make the commitments on non-discrimination and protection of women from violence fully translate into practical changes in our everyday lives.

For this reason, conferences like this are crucial to raise awareness and give a strong political impetus for new initiatives, and are of utmost importance.

International consensus also extends to the particular vulnerability of women and girls with regard to organized crime and human trafficking, as women and girls represent over 50 per cent of total forced labour victims worldwide. Recognizing that human trafficking continues to pose a threat to the safety of our societies and security of the OSCE region and beyond, Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship has decided to attach particular attention to promoting international co-operation in the fight against human trafficking with the aim to address all forms of this terrible crime that violates human dignity and undermines human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Chairmanship will organize an international conference on the issue of combating trafficking in human beings with particular focus on such forms of trafficking as sexual exploitation, forced labour, as well as support for victims of human traffickers that will take place in Kiev in June.

In the context of combating trafficking in human beings, I would like to reaffirm the significance of co-operation between the OSCE and the Asian Partners for Co-operation, be it between the OSCE executive structures and the Partner countries: between the Partners and the OSCE participating States; or indeed “Partner-to-Partner” co-operation, of which we have seen very useful examples involving the support of Thailand and Mongolia to Afghanistan in 2012.

Madam Chairperson, 

As stated in the Ukrainian Chairmanship”s Priorities for Action “it would hardly be possible to promote comprehensive and lasting security in the OSCE region without properly addressing the existing challenges in the economic and environmental sphere”. This I am pleased to note that during our Conference we will address the issue of challenges to security stemming from underrepresented participation of women in economic activities and entrepreneurship. These challenges and threats became even more obvious against the background of current global financial and economic crisis.

Equal women’s participation in the economic sphere could contribute significantly towards economic recovery, sustainable growth and the creation of cohesive societies, and thus is essential to the security and stability of the OSCE region.

In this respect promotion of equal opportunity for women in the economic sphere is a priority set out in the Ministerial Council Decision 14/04 emphasizing the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality. Most recently this was confirmed by the pS in Vilnius by adopting Ministerial Decision on Promoting Equal Opportunities for Women in the Economic Sphere in 2011.

I would also like to highlight that the Ukrainian Chairmanship is currently facilitating the discussions in the framework of the newly launched initiative Helsinki+40, aimed at advancing the work towards a security community in the lead up to the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2015. The overarching goal is to sharpen the tools of the Organization, maintain the engagement and bring us one step further to making real progress towards the vision of a Security Community. In this process, we foresee a role for the OSCE’s Partners, as it is beneficial for us to have your views and contributions to be reflected in the debate.

Dear Colleagues,

Improving the security of women and girls is one of the topical issues in the OSCE, and equally high on the Ukrainian Chairmanship’s agenda, as it touches upon political and military, environmental and economic as well as human security issues. The rich OSCE acquis relating to the theme of the 2013 OSCE-Australia Conference clearly illustrates the importance of this topic in the OSCE region and far beyond.

Several decisions of the OSCE Ministerial Council addressed the security and general situation of women and girls. The participating States, the OSCE Secretariat and the Institutions as well as field operations have been active in implementing these decisions through concrete activities, projects and initiatives.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

We have an excellent agenda in front of us and I trust that this Conference will allow for an exchange of experiences between the OSCE and its Asian Partners on ways to achieve a more effective multilateral security co-operation through concrete and result-oriented actions. I am confident that the conference will mark another step towards our co-operation to ensure a better future which is safe from violence, especially affecting women and girls in the OSCE and beyond.

The various forms of co-operation provide for an active involvement of participating States and Partners for Co-operation to generate synergies and make best use of their comparative advantages. Enhancing security and stability throughout the OSCE region and wider Asia requires common stands and actions against common transnational challenges. The OSCE and the Partners for Co-operation could play a mutually reinforcing role in the establishment of a security community, based on shared values, which go beyond geographic scope, membership or working methods. The Ukrainian OSCE Chairmanship stands ready to promote such co-operation.

Let me conclude by thanking once again the Government of Australia for hosting this important event and for its active participation in the OSCE dialogue and its work as a committed Partner for Co-operation.

We are looking forward to fruitful exchanges during this Conference, and to a productive year of co-operation with all the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Adelaide, Australia, 18-19 March 2013

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