Lilit Makunts, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Armenia, attended the closing ceremony of the two-day WDN (Women’s Democracy Network) Europe-Eurasia regional summit on "Women, Peace, and Security," held in Yerevan.

Lilit Makunts delivered a speech and expressed her gratitude to the International Republican Institute and the Women’s Democracy Network for bringing together representatives from the political sphere, public administration, civil society, and expert communities in Yerevan. "Peace is not the responsibility of a single institution. Nor can the 'Women, Peace, and Security' agenda be the sole commitment of a single government agency. Sustainable peace cannot be built through diplomacy alone or solely through security structures. It is shaped by the work of the entire state system—through foreign policy, justice, security, and economic and social policies, as well as the partnership between state institutions and citizens," noted Lilit Makunts.

According to the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, for Armenia, this agenda is closely linked to the Government's priorities regarding peace, democratic governance, and the development of state institutions: "Unfortunately, our region has gone through conflict and uncertainty. That experience reminds us that peace cannot—and must not—remain merely a political goal or a document agreed upon between states. Peace must be tangible in people's daily lives—manifested through greater security, economic opportunities, and the confidence that tomorrow will be better and more stable. And, of course, women must play a real and substantive role in shaping that future."

Lilit Makunts emphasized that Armenia has made significant progress regarding women's representation in state and political decision-making processes. Notably, following the last parliamentary elections, women make up more than 35% of the MPs in Armenia's National Assembly. Addressing the link between economic security and lasting peace, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister noted that peace is more secure when people have a genuine stake in maintaining it: "For women, access to employment, entrepreneurship, financial resources, education, and professional development are not issues separate from the peace and security agenda. Economic independence enhances individual resilience, strengthens communities and families, and expands opportunities for participation in public life."

Lilit Makunts noted that developments in the world and the region in recent years have demonstrated the pivotal role women play—not only in peacebuilding but also in ensuring state governance and societal resilience during crises. "It is important to remember that the work of peacebuilding does not end with agreements, of course. They are followed by long phases of implementation, reconciliation, cooperation, the establishment of economic ties, and the restoration of relations between societies," emphasized the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.

Concluding her remarks, Lilit Makunts underscored that strengthening women's participation and leadership will remain a vital component of building a peaceful, democratic, and resilient state for the Republic of Armenia. 

The summit, which began on September 15, brought together women leaders, parliamentarians, policymakers, civil society representatives, experts, and specialists from 13 countries. Over the course of two days, discussions were held across five thematic areas: reconciliation and community peacebuilding; defense and security sector reform; socio-economic empowerment and economic recovery; networking, youth, and civic resilience; as well as the legislative framework for peace.