Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 1)
The Secretary-General in his report this year (S/2018/250) mentions that the past few months have seen positive developments, the most important of which was the release of many women and girls by armed terrorist groups. However, those developments are coupled with challenges, the most important of which is the need to rehabilitate and reintegrate those women and girls into their societies
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 2)
Second, effective development, the eradication of poverty and the economic empowerment of women and girls are factors that can help end sexual exploitation and abuse in armed conflict areas and post-conflict situations.
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 3)
Third, we welcome the work of the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, in cooperation with the United Nations specialized funds, programmes and agencies, particularly with regard to building the capacities of States in armed conflict or post-conflict situations in the areas of investigation, prosecution, military justice, legislative reform, protection of witnesses and reparations.
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 4)
Fourth, we welcome action by the United Nations to address conflict-related sexual violence, including by increasing the number of women protection advisers on the ground. In that regard, we have contributed female staff to the police and military components of United Nations missions in the Sudan and Western Sahara and to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur since 2009.
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 5)
Fifth, we support the efforts of the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse, within her mandate, to address cases of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel or personnel under the United Nations flag. We are committed to the zerotolerance policy of the Secretary-General with regard to sexual exploitation crimes. We continue to work with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to end all forms of violence against women in peace operations.
Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict, April 2018: Egypt (Extract 6)
Seventh, we stress the need for concerted international efforts to build the capacities of local and religious leaders to raise awareness in societies and communities on the need to eliminate the stereotype and stigma of victims of sexual violence and their children. It is the perpetrators who should bear that stigma instead. The victims should not be criminalized. We commend the role of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in rejecting the advisory opinions of terrorist groups on the status of women in conflict areas.