Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Spain (Extract 1)

In a majority of cases, they are women and girls who are economically and politically marginalized. This is the case whether we refer to the women and girls of CAR, to those in Kivu, Kasais or Tanganyika in the DRC, to the Yazidis in Iraq, or to the Rohingya in Myanmar, where there has even been talk of ethnic cleansing. We must address the root causes (inequality and lack of women’s empowerment and participation), and we must react to any early warnings. The Council counts on -or can count on if it so decides- the necessary tools: the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security, peace operations’ mandates, the work of women protection counsellors, as well as sanctions, just to name a few.