On 1 March 2020, Malta’s Ambassador of Women, Peace and Security H.E. Cecilia Attard Pirotta delivered a keynote address to MEDAC students and faculty on the theme of 'Women, Peace and Security'.
Ambassador Pirotta, a MEDAC alumna, provided a concise historical context of the foundation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and presented an in-depth analysis of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. H.E. Attard Pirotta’s address emphasized how women, although disproportionately impacted by both traditional and emerging security threats, continue to be excluded from participation in peace process and peace building initiatives.
H.E. Attard Pirotta also highlighted the importance of having a National Action Plan to implement the WPS agenda, reiterating that “in order to raise women’s voices internationally, change needs to happen in local communities”.
MEDAC students engaged in a lively exchange with H.E., and had to opportunity to field questions ranging from the ways in which the WPS agenda might be given an orientation of a Mediterranean perspective, the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of the WPS agenda and the introduction of quotas for women participation in parliamentary institutions.