SOME 25 years after a landmark United Nations resolution demanded equal participation for women in all efforts to promote peace, they are still left out far too often, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has said.

At the same time, sexual violence against women and girls is on the rise and 676 million women live within 30 miles of deadly conflicts, which the head of the UN women’s agency says is the highest number since the 1990s.

“Around the globe, we see troubling trends in military spending, more armed conflicts and more shocking brutality against women and girls,” Mr Guterres told a security council meeting marking the anniversary on Monday night.

He said that, since the resolution’s adoption on October 31 2000, women have led local mediation, advanced justice for survivors of gender-based violence and women’s organisations have been instrumental in promoting recovery from conflicts and reconciliation.

“But gains are fragile and, very worryingly, going in reverse,” Mr Guterres warned.

He said that, too often, nations gather in rooms such as the security council chamber but fall far short of the resolution’s demand for equal participation of women in peace negotiations — and protection of women and girls from rape and sexual abuse in conflicts.

UN Women executive Director Sima Bahous said the world today was witnessing “renewed pushback against gender equality and multilateralism.”