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Secure Scotland Welcomes Holyrood Debate on Women, Peace and Security

Secure Scotland

Press Release: 9th January 2020 – for immediate use

Yesterday, Wednesday 8th January the Scottish Parliament debated the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which deals with the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and recognizes the under-valued and under-utilised contributions women make to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding.

The debate was sponsored by Emma Harper MSP but drew positive input from all sides of the chamber.

Secure Scotland1 Organiser Janet Fenton said: “The debate provided a great start to Secure Scotland’s efforts in 2020 to share a more useful understanding of the kind of security that Scotland can offer. In Secure Scotland’s founding seminar, Emma had told us of her commitment to peace and to practical steps towards that through her work as an MSP in finding strong collaberative opportunities for legislative and political action. We saw that in action from the public gallery of our Parliament last night with positive contributions on how Scotland could add to the effect of the resolution. MSPs from the SNP, Green, Labour, Lib dems and Tory parties. All had concrete proposals, or examples of what Scotland already offers to increasing the effectivenness of the Resolution despite not being a UN member state or having a voice in the UK’s National Action Plan for complying with the resolution. Secure Scotland is very grateful for Emma’s commitment to our aims. We look forward to continuing the discussion with her and with equalities minister Christine McKelvie on how Scotland might pull together the ideas proposed in the debate as a step in defining an aspirational national action plan for a wholly Scottish contribution in collaboration with civil society to communciate our approach to our partners in other countries.”

Contact: Janet Fenton 07716948774

Twitter: @SecureScotland

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1 Secure Scotland is inspired by the Rethinking Security network, which seeks security for everyone through addressing the basic needs of people and planet, rather than through Government actions based on force, militarism and patriarchy. The Secure Scotland project aims to build on the capacity this small country has for visioning an accessible model of a sustainable, safe and responsible alternative, and the cultural identity that allows us to project a Scotland that wants to aid international peace and justice, not wage war.