Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland consistently engages at EU and UN level on the issue of humanitarian support and the protection of women and children in conflict. Ireland also works closely with UN agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs to save lives and deliver essential assistance in conflict zones.

Ireland is a global champion of Women, Peace and Security and on the Security Council, we have repeatedly drawn attention to the need to protect women and ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation in peace negotiations in countries around the world. As a committed signatory to the Call for Action on the Protection of Women from Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Conflict, Ireland is a leading voice in ensuring that every humanitarian response from the outset includes the policies, systems and mechanisms necessary to prevent and mitigate GBV. Furthermore, through a Strategic Partnership with the International Rescue Committee, Ireland funds life-saving services for women and girl survivors of GBV in five of the most protracted, underfunded humanitarian settings in Africa – South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Burundi.

Ireland is also actively engaged in the work of the Security Council’s Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, and its efforts to protect children in situations of conflict. President Higgins delivered Ireland’s national statement in the annual Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 28 June, 2021.

In relation to Sudan, at the UN Security Council, Ireland has ensured that protection of civilians and, in particular, women and children, is prioritised both in sanctions discussions, and in the UNITAMS and UNISFA peacekeeping mission mandate renewals. Ireland has also ensured that the voices of Sudan’s leading women’s rights activists are heard in these discussions. Ireland used its platform as president of the Council in September 2021 to call for all UN Member States to enable women and youth to play an active part in the implementation of peace agreements to ensure durability of peace in Sudan and other conflict-affected countries throughout the world. In fact, during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council in September, sixteen of seventeen civil society briefers were women, a new record for women’s participation at the Council. Ireland also supports the work of Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), a coalition of women’s rights activists working to advance the rights of, and address violence against, women and girls in the Horn of Africa.

In relation to Belarus, in 2021, Ireland allocated €100,000 to the IFRC to support the Lithuania Red Cross’ response to the migrant crisis on the Lithuania-Belarus border. In addition, the IFRC launched an operation through their Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to assist refugees in Lithuania. Ireland is a regular contributor to the DREF and contributed €1 million to this fund in 2021. IFRC has been supporting extremely vulnerable people at the border, including women, persons with disabilities and children – many of them without a parent or guardian. In October 2021, my colleague Minister of State Byrne visited the Lithuanian-Belarussian border, accompanied by members of the Lithuanian Government. In November 2021, Ireland requested, along with EU member states France and Estonia, that the UNSC hold an AOB discussion on Belarus, focused on the ongoing migration issue. Ireland expressed concern about the deteriorating situation at the EU-Belarus border and highlighted the need to prevent a humanitarian crisis unfolding. Ireland also co-sponsored the recent package of sanctions against the Lukashenko regime.