Statement of Uruguay at the 2016 WPS Debate
SGBV
In spite of the efforts made at the national and international levels, women and girls continue to be subjected to deliberate attacks and are victims of rape, gender-based violence, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, genital mutilation, human trafficking, forced marriages and pregnancies and sexual exploitation and abuse. The victims of sexual violence in conflict situations endure irreversible physical and psychological trauma and, on many occasions, suffer from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/ AIDS. That situation is of particular concern in the case of forced pregnancy, given the impact of such diseases on the health of mother and child and the stigmatization and social exclusion they face and of which they are the primary victims.
Attacks on hospitals and humanitarian personnel are not the only form of violations of international law but they prevent the victims of sexual violence, as well as newborns and pregnant women, from having access to health services and sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion services as well as the medication needed to ensure their survival. I urge parties to armed conflict to comply with their international obligations, in particular with the provisions of resolution 2286 (2016), whose implementation is crucial to alleviating the suffering of the weakest.
Likewise, we must deploy additional efforts to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of women in conflict situations, as well as provide comprehensive, non- discriminatory health-care services and psychological support to victims. Similarly, we deem it crucial to step up the efforts of the United Nations as a whole and of Member States to prevent and respond to sexual violence against women in refugee camps, which currently poses a major challenge.
IMplementation
Similarly, we call for progress in the implementation of the commitments undertaken at the international level to eliminate all forms of human trafficking and discrimination due to race, colour, gender, language, religion, political views or any other characteristic or social condition.
In this respect, Uruguay is considering the holding of an Arria Formula meeting in December to address the possible synergy between the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the women and peace and security agenda.
Human Rights
We are deeply concerned by the impact of armed conflict on the education and in particular the literacy of girls, whose schooling is disproportionately impacted. We are also deeply dismayed at the impact of forced child marriage on the education of girls, who are excluded from formal education and in many cases forced to do domestic work. According to the report of the Secretary-General, in conflict situations girls are 90 per cent more likely not to receive secondary education than in countries that are not so affected. Appropriate access to educational and political systems and the economic empowerment of women must be guaranteed in order to be able to make progress with respect to these goals.
Participation
Women must be part of the solutions to these global challenges. Their inclusion in peacekeeping and peacebuilding as well as in decision-making processes is not only fair but also necessary, and it is crucial to take measures and actions that are sustainable over time and properly reflect the challenges on the ground. Experience has shown that women are relevant players in the prevention and resolution of conflict. They play an important role in the peacebuilding process, the rebuilding of societies and the promotion of new approaches with a gender perspective. In this framework, we believe that it is necessary to provide opportunities that enhance the potential of women in these areas and ensure their planned and equitable access to decision- making posts.
The participation of women in the military and police components of peacekeeping operations has a positive effect on the population, since it reduces the undue use of force and makes it possible to become closer to the local population, in particular when there have been cases of the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls.
Despite all of the foregoing, very often we face serious difficulties in enhancing the participation and action of women in areas related to peace and security. The number of women who participate in peace negotiations is very low, as it is in terms of the personnel deployed in peacekeeping operations, both military and police. According to the report of the Secretary-General, in December 2015 women made up only 4.7 per cent of all deployed military experts, 3.2 per cent of military troops and 16.9 per cent of police officers.
In this context, Uruguay reaffirms its commitment through strengthening measures such as maintaining an above-average percentage of women deployed in peace operations; continuing with the mandatory training of military troops that are to be deployed on issues of the prevention of and response to violence, sexual exploitation and abuse; and continuing with the zero-tolerance policy in cases of misconduct, sexual violence are any other violation of the code of conduct.