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

The primary responsibility for protecting populations lies with States. It is incumbent upon us to establish robust legal and institutional frameworks with a view to laying a firm foundation for preventing and addressing gaps in the protection of victims, especially women and girls, and to expand the scope of protection measures to the most vulnerable populations, such as ethnic and religious minorities; women in rural areas; women and girls associated with armed groups; the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population; as well as boys and men, who are equally vulnerable to sexual violence, the prevalence of which is increasing.