Afghanistan
....
The legacy of the long conflict including access to weapons,
difficulty in stabilization efforts and the rampant poverty
is reflected in self-immolation, forced marriage, domestic and
other forms of violence. In order to be successful in our duty
to eradicate these practices, we request the international community
to strengthen our national capacities in ensuring a secure environment,
improving economic and social conditions and implementing human
rights and the rule of law in Afghanistan.
....
Protection of civilians, including women, is highlighted as
an inherent part of the ISM -
NATO led mission operating in Afghanistan, we would like to
emphasize on the need to integrate specific strategies for the
better protection of women from all forms of violence including
sexual violence. We also encourage peacekeeping forces to receive
gender sensitivity pre-deployment training.
Argentina
....
Considering these realities, Argentina is convinced of the need
to adopt urgent and effective steps to prevent and respond to
such acts of sexual violence against the civilian population,
which will significantly contribute to the maintenance of international
peace and security. Such steps must include the protection of
civilians, particularly women and the girl child; training for
military and security personnel; the adoption of adequate legislation
and its effective enforcement; community-based work and care
for the victims; among others.
Australia
....
The role of UN peacekeepers in the protection of civilians from
all violence, including sexual violence, is an important one.
While protection of civilians is specifically included in eight
UN peacekeeping mandates, there is a strong need to develop
clear guidelines to ensure effective implementation of this
task. Australia will continue to advocate that this essential
guidance be provided to missions. Peacekeepers must also have
effective mechanisms, and sufficient resources, at their disposal
to give effect to their mandate.
....
National governments must initiate, promote, and implement strict
behavioral standards for all security personnel. Community education
is also important, especially for those who come into contact
with victims of sexual violence. Removing the stigma, all too
often attached to survivors of sexual violence, and condemning
this violence, are important elements of such education. Australia
recognises, in this regard, the important role played by humanitarian
actors and non-governmental organisations in providing support
services to survivors and facilitating community awareness programs.
....
This is an important issue which requires the full attention
of the international community. We urge the UN system and member
states to lead by example and to redouble their efforts to respond
to the crime of sexual violence in armed conflict.
....
We cannot stand by and allow these egregious violations to continue
- more must be done to ensure that the most vulnerable members
of our societies are protected.
Austria
....
We highly appreciate the important efforts already under way
within the framework of 'Stop Rape Now - UN Action against Sexual
Violence in Conflict". We also strongly support the system-wide
campaign to end violence against women and hope to see significant
progress until 201 5. Also recent measures strengthening the
enforcement of a zero tolerance policy against sexual exploitation
and abuse by UN peacekeepers and related personnel constitute
a major contribution. The UN have to be leading by example -
sexual violence is unacceptable under all circumstances.
Austria has made a financial
contribution of EURO 150.000,-- to the task force to end violence
against women. And we will of course continue contributing to
the UN trust fund on violence against women.
Bangladesh
....
A critical factor in addressing the issue of sexual violence
is high-level commitment in administration, and establishment
of effective accountability mechanism. We believe that protection
of women and girls from gender-based violence and abuse is a
primary and enduring responsibility. There should be zero tolerance
with respect to the perpetrators. Ending impunity is a must.
It is, therefore, crucial to mobilize leadership, secure accountability,
pull adequate resources, identify challenges and address root
cause's in protecting women and girls in war as well as in peace.
Belgium
....
Behind the statistics printed on glossy paper, there are tens
of thousands of women, tens of thousands of young girls, whose
lives have been affected in their very flesh and in their minds
for the rest of their lives. There are families who have been
dismantled, torn apart, torn to pieces by those horrific events.
We have the responsibility to act to meet the medical needs,
the social and psychological needs and the need for legal assistance,
and to provide assistance to families and others to those near
them. We must commit ourselves to reintegrating them into society,
into economic life. Reports from the field lead me to believe
that the extreme urgency of radically improving the coordination
of international aid is a determining factor. We have to get
closer to the victims in the field. We cannot simply content
ourselves with a humanitarian presence in a few major centres.
I believe that this is a very specific and important issue.
Benin
.....
At the same time, we must put an end to the stigmatization of
women who are victims of rape and give them back their dignity
by organizing awareness-raising campaigns and by establishing
structures for psychological rehabilitation. This type of assistance
to victims and to communities affected by armed conflict should
be taken into account in the mandates of peacekeeping and peacebuilding
operations.
In general terms, protection
against sexual violence is an essential aspect of protecting
civilians. United Nations missions should analyse such violence
in order to define the concrete measures that can be taken to
prevent sexual attacks.
....
Care for victims of sexual violence is best provided by women
and by women’s civil society organizations. They should
regard this as a field of action in which they have a clear
comparative advantage.
....
The Security Council’s adoption of this new draft resolution
will give the United Nations the tools to ensure better monitoring
of zones of conflict with a view to better protecting civilians.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
....
We are very much concerned that systematic sexual violence against
women and girls in armed conflicts has been and still is used
as war strategy and remains a direct threat to international
peace and security. Speaking from our own experience from the
'90s, Bosnia and Herzegovina strongly condemns all acts of aggression
and violence against women and girls in armed conflicts and
post conflict situations. Therefore, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
from the beginning, supported and has been one of the cosponsors
of the Resolution 62/134 "Eliminating rape and other forms
of sexual violence in all their manifestations, including in
conflict and related situations", adopted by the General
Assembly on 7 February 2008. Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes
the Secretary General's initiative to launch a multi-year global
campaign that has a goal to bring together the UN, governments
and civil society to end violence against women.
There have been two years since
the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted Five Year Gender
Action Plan. This Plan incorporates the main provisions of the
Resolution 1325. Much has been achieved in the field of adopting
the appropriate legislation on protection of civil victims of
war. This law gives women victims a status of civil victims
of war, and helps them on their path to full recovery into the
community, giving them a chance for professional improvement,
monthly allowances as well as medical and psychosocial assistance.
According to the Plan certain
expert teams have been formed, providing analyses and legal
assistance to the victims, conducting workshops on the basis
learned and shared" etc.
Besides the Government's activities,
non-governmental sector is being successfully involved in improving
the situation regarding the issue. One of the very good examples
is the project conducted by non-governmental sector which has
established the data base of women victims in my country. Despite
the traditional attitude of the society towards the women victims,
3000 women have been inscribed in this data base, which remains
open. The privacy is guaranteed and all women were granted the
long term financial aid.
Brazil
....
In the Americas, Brazil is involved in an initiative of South-South
cooperation carried out within the scope of the Brazilian contribution
to the consolidation of peace in Haiti. This initiative, based
on the Brazilian experience, supports the implementation of
the Haitian national plan to prevent violence against women
and to address the needs of women victims of sexual violence.
It is developed through the exchange of experts and good practices
and has the support of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
and OXFAM.
Burkina Faso
....
Other complementary actions must also be taken at the social
level. We must make sure that in situations of conflict, women
and children, who are usually left to fend for themselves, are
protected by peacekeeping operations.
Canada
....
Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security,
adopted in 2000, calls on all parties to armed conflict to take
special measures to protect women and girls from rape and other
forms of sexual abuse, and emphasizes the need to end impunity
for war crimes, including those relating to sexual and other
violence against women and girls. Eight years later, we have
made progress in implementing these commitments but significant
challenges remain.
China
....
Governments of the states concerned should bear main responsibilities
for protection of women and the international community should
provide extensive assistance.
Democratic Republic
of the Congo
....
I am very happy to report that our child protection code will
be adopted in the Senate next week after it has gone through
the National Assembly, with a view to providing security for
girls.
Sexual violence is leading to
a feminization of poverty and is adding to the growing problem
of food insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Women victims are no longer able to work the land. Women victims
are simply no longer able to work.
The Democratic Republic of the
Congo, under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph
Kabila Kabange, has been resolutely following a multisectoral
approach in fighting violence against women and girls, concentrating
on three priority areas: care, compensation and prevention.
Care involves psychological and medical care in specialized
units. We have the option of renovating existing hospital buildings
rather than building new ones for that purpose. Another element
is socio-economic help for reintegrating victims into society
and providing training on how to become independent. We wish
also to provide more legal aid, to encourage victims to bring
their cases to court by paying their legal fees, and protecting
them from their rapists, who are often extremely threatening.
Care also involves the return to school of girls who have been
victims of sexual violence, and taking care of the orphans,
unwanted children and children who have been abandoned by their
parents.
Compensation involves the application
of the law and the effective implementation of judicial decisions
with a view to compensating victims and ensuring their security.
We plan to establish a compensation fund managed in collaboration
with public and civil society partners.
Ghana
....
Improving the response to the scourge of sexual and other forms
of violence against women poses a great challenge, particularly
to developing countries, which are the major troop contributors.
This challenge calls for fresh thinking aimed at finding more
appropriate measures to enable the United Nations to discharge
its mandate more effectively and with maximum flexibility and
efficiency. As the representative of a major troop-contributing
country, allow me to briefly share my Government’s experiences
and its perspective on ways to improve the response of peacekeeping
personnel to the scourge of sexual and other forms of violence
against women in situations of armed conflict.
....
Gender sensitive protection efforts should be recognized and
rewarded to help ensure that peacekeeping forces accord high-priority
to the protection of women and girls.
....
Bolstering the role and capacity of both the United Nations
and regional security institutions is also essential. Our region,
for example, has benefited from action at the regional level.
The African Union has demonstrated its zeal in helping to end
conflicts on the continent, and cooperation between the United
Nations and the African Union has been positive and should continue
to improve and give meaningful protection for women.
Security Council resolution
1325 (2000) is premised on the twin pillars of protection and
empowerment. National-level responses must ultimately aim at
reducing women’s economic vulnerability and dependence
as well as their exposure to exploitative relationships and
sexual abuse. In that connection, protection should not only
be a reactive, band-aid solution; efforts should be made to
empower women and girls in the long term.
....
We also take note of the provision to strengthen access to justice
and services for survivors of sexual violence as well as the
emphasis on regional cooperation.
Korea
....
We are also of the view that, in addition to ensuring individual's
responsibility through ending impunity, state responsibility
for the situation and for the protection of victims should be
further enhanced as well.
Before concluding my statement,
I'd like to draw the Security Council's attention to the issue
of children in armed conflict. Large numbers of victims of sexual
violence in armed conflict are children. Taking this opportunity,
we would like to recall that the Security Council adopted a
Presidential Statement on children in armed conflict, expressing
its readiness to review the relevant provisions of the Resolution
1612 with a view to further increasing the efficiency of its
action for the protection of children against sexual violence
in armed conflict. We look forward to substantive progress in
this regard.
Liberia
....
In response, the Government of Liberia established a special
unit at the Ministry of Gender to address the increasing incidence
of gender based violence. In her annual message earlier this
year to the National Legislature, President Johnson-Sirleaf
sounded the alarm that the incidences of rape continue at an
alarming rate involving children of young age. Investigations
by the Ministry of Justice on selected cases have shown that
these young women suffered and died from sexual assault. To
use her words, "We must prosecute all such criminals without
mercy. We must name and shame them. We must help parents to
expose them. Thus, the Association of Female Lawyers are working
with us in that regard.
....
The government of Liberia and its partners are fully engaged
in a countrywide anti-rape campaign to stop rape which is yielding
positive results. The government of Liberia in partnership with
the United Nations family have recently signed on 12 June a
2 year UN joint programme to address GBV in the country, using
the multi-dimensional and holistic approach. We will need funding
for its implementation. UNFPA is the lead on this.
Led by Madam Sirleaf and introduced
in the Parliament the rape law was enacted in early 2006. It
adopted in November 2006 a National Plan of Action to Gender
based violence in a holistic and multi-sectoral approach and
outlining strategies for the prevention of SGBV and the care
of survivors - A national Task Force has been set up under the
leadership of the government to oversee the implementation of
the National GBV Plan of Action.
With the support from the United Nation, the government will
soon have a special court in the Temple of Justice that meets
the international standards, dedicated to the prosecution of
sexual offenses including rape, the first country in Africa
to establish such court. This special court will undoubtedly
contribute to responding to backlog of sexual offense cases
including rape while ensuring the protection of the identity
of the witnesses using for the first time in-camera trials.
....
The Government of Liberia, with our partners, has developed
a focused program to address the critical issue of sexual violence
against women. The plan of action includes:
1. A systematic outreach service
which provides psycho-social support such as safe homes and
economic empowerment for survivors of Gender Based Violence
including victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
2. A strengthened health sector for effective and efficient
response to
Gender Based Violence cases which includes diagnosis, documentation
and reporting of clinical/forensic evidence.
3. A strengthened criminal justice system in which cases of
Gender Based
Violence are adjudicated fairly and expeditiously.
4. A strengthened institutional framework for the coordination
and monitoring of the implementation of the National Gender
Based Violence Plan of Action.
....
The need for enhanced protection for women in conflict environments,
including practical measures by UN peacekeeping missions and
humanitarian assistance programs, the integration of gender
concerns into security sector reform, the protection of women
in situations of displacement, and the elimination of impunity
for perpetrators of sexual abuse.
The importance of dedicating
new resources, including financial support, for gender-related
projects, including rapid reaction funding for protection of
women expansion of maternal-child health systems and girls'
education, and tracking of expenditures on these concerns within
donors' conferences, government budgets, and international assistance
programs.
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
....
Resolution 1325 (2000) took up the issue, and in its paragraph
10 it called on all parties to armed conflict “to take
special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based
violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse”.
....
We believe that the Security Council can play a vital role in
taking the measures necessary to protect women and girls from
sexual violence in conflict situations. It can also urge States
to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes, particularly because
impunity can put at risk hard-earned national reconciliation
and peace.
Liechtenstein
....
Protection of civilians must be an inherent task for all peacekeeping
missions. This applies in particular to acts of sexual violence.
Peacekeepers are currently providing protection, including against
sexual violence, only on an ad-hoc basis and under a flexible
interpretation of their vague mandates. Future mandates must
provide clear guidance, in particular to commanders, on how
to protect civilians, including girls and women from sexual
violence.
Myanmar
....
Rape or any forms of sexual violence is unlawful in any circumstance
in all places. It is also an offense against the dignity and
integrity of the victims. The international community, national
governments, and the UN system must all work together so that
all parties to armed conflict heed the call to take special
measures to protect women and girls from gender based violence
particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse.
New Zealand
....
Third, New Zealand attaches priority to promoting women's rights
through the delivery of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Gender-based violence is a core focus area for New Zealand's
development agency, NZAID. NZAID supports a number of initiatives
in the Pacific aimed at empowering women and mitigating their
exposure to violence. For example, New Zealand is currently
involved in the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme,
a joint initiative of NZAID, New Zealand Police and the Pacific
Islands Chief of Police organisation. It seeks to tackle domestic
violence and influence social change.
In addition, NZAID's Conflict
and Peace building policy identifies women and girls in conflict
and post-conflict areas as a priority group for attention and
specifically includes the need to provide support for the full
implementation of SCR 1325. It highlights the gendered impact
of conflict and the role of women in peace building.
Nigeria
....
We are equally worried that eight years after the adoption of
the landmark Security Council Resolution 1325, which serves
both as an action framework and reinforces other existing mechanisms,
such as the CEDAW Convention and the Beijing Declaration, progress
towards its implementation has been slow and uneven. Indeed,
the objectives of the Resolution, including the need to enhance
women's participation in decision-making, integrating gender
perspectives into peacekeeping operations, protecting women
from gender-based violence and mainstreaming gender into UN
programme mechanisms, remain largely unfulfilled.
....
Notwithstanding these modest efforts, the implementation of
Resolution 1325 in Africa's conflict environments remains fitful.
The most critical challenge, as we see it, is how to concretely
implement special measures to protect women and children against
sexual violence, and the prosecution of those responsible for
large-scale violations of women's rights.
....
We also invite the Secretary General to utilize existing regional
and subregional resources like the ECOWAS Early Warning Systems
and security architecture to strengthen the protection of women.
We also call on the UN to take a more strategic view of this
problem, with clear action oriented commitments to ensure measurable
improvements in the lives victims.
Panama
....
[T]he Security Council and the rest of the Organization should
redouble their efforts to provide victimized women and children
with adequate health services — including free and confidential
testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, as
well as the appropriate treatment, psychological care and posttrauma
evaluation, rehabilitation and social reintegration services
and effective and sufficient compensation. Those efforts should
be supported by awareness-raising and education campaigns on
the human rights of women and children and the impact that sexual
violence has both on its victims and on society in general.
Philippines
....
The Philippines continues to regard Resolution 1325 as an important
contribution of the Security Council to address the complex
issues affecting women in countries torn by conflict. Resolution
1325 is an instrument that brings to the fore a United Nations
gender lens to conflict analysis, monitoring and resolution
and this has greatly impacted on the kind of transformative
responses that are needed to address the gender dimension of
conflict.
Russia
....
The issue of women and peace and security should not be reduced
to that of sexual violence alone. That balanced approach is
at the heart of resolution 1325 (2000), which is an important
point of reference in terms of protecting women and ensuring
their rights in conflict situations.
....
The issues of violence and of women in conflict situations must
be discussed in the Security Council as well as in the General
Assembly, the Peacebuilding Commission, the Human Rights Council
and many other bodies. It is a priority for the United Nations
to respond to widespread and systematic violence against women
and children. Those goals are all part of the gender component
in the reports of the Secretary- General to the Security Council
on the subject of today’s meeting, and also of the annual
thematic reports on women and peace and security, the protection
of civilians in armed conflict, children and armed conflict,
and others.
Rwanda
....
Therefore, addressing the specific protection needs of women
in armed conflict remains a critical matter for the UN system.
My delegation, therefore, reiterates our support for the continued
implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women,
Peace and Security and the Protocol to the African Charter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
....
Rwanda as one of the major Troop Contributing Countries to United
Nations Peacekeeping Operations has a vested interest in ensuring
the protection of women in situations of armed conflict.
....
My delegation, therefore calls upon the United Nations System
to take conceited action on addressing the plight of women in
sinned conflict through enforcing Security Council Resolution
1325, rejecting impunity through the support and strengthening
of national jurisdictions and providing support to victims of
sexual violence. We also strongly believe, that in order for
the United Nations System to respond in a more coordinated,
coherent and effective manner, urgent attention needs to be
placed on strengthening the UN System's work on gender.
Slovenia (on behalf of the European Union)
....
Women have always been particularly vulnerable victims during
armed conflicts, but in modern history sexual violence has developed
into a method of warfare. Encouraging though is that in recent
years the international community has become more responsive
to the plight of women in conflict and has acknowledged that
the problem needs urgent attention.
....
Despite this growing awareness, current efforts ere not effective
enough to protect women in conflict situations. The positive
role that women can play in conflict-affected societies is also
not receiving the attention it deserves. We must considerably
strengthen our efforts to guarantee the protection of women
and girls in conflict-affected societies and to ensure their
full and equal participation in peace processes at all levels,
including negotiations and decision-making, insisting that women
be fully engaged in all humanitarian, reconstruction and development
programs.
....
We also have a strong commitment to mainstream gender equality
in the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). For the
EU peacebuilding and reconstruction plans should include comprehensive
victim-protection aid support mechanisms, therefore, particular
emphasis is given on measures against sexual and gender based
violence. All ESDP civilian and military missions now aim to
include a gender advisor. In the EU context this includes the
development of rules of conduct as the Generic Standards of
Behaviour, which are binding on ESDP staff, forbidding involvement
in sexual exploitation, trafficking in women and prostitution.
....
There is a strong need to develop and promote innovative approaches
that turn women as victims of rape into rape-"survivors”.
Such approaches should ensure their safety and support their
access to justice as well as actively support their economic
empowerment through income-generating activities. Furthermore,
they should also ensure adequate care, recognizing their sexual
and reproductive health needs including for obstetric and gynaecological
care, for the physical and psychological damage caused by the
violence.
Determined action and leadership
at the international and national level and resources will be
required to eradicate gender based violence. Strengthening the
protection of women and girls in conflict-affected societies
from rape and other forms of sexual violence should be important
enough to translate the many calls for such a mechanism into
concrete action. In this context the European Union supports
the important efforts of 12 UN entities already undertaken within
the framework of Stop Rape Now - UN Action against Sexual Violence
in Conflict.
....
Every UN peacekeeping mission should include as a priority the
protection of women and the safeguarding of women peace builders
and include information about sexual and gender based violence
in their regular reports to the Security Council.
....
In this regard, the EU welcomes the adoption of the Policy Statement
and Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel.
....
The European Union hopes that the SC will adopt a strong and
action oriented resolution as an outcome of this SC thematic
debate and expresses its support for developing an effective
and comprehensive system-wide approach for addressing the issue
of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict with cear
monitoring and accountability mechanisms. It is imperative for
international organizations, national governments and civil
society to work together to identify priorities and to develop
a practical approach, with particular emphasis on monitoring
and reporting mechanisms, that would put resolution 1325 in
action, ensuring that gender perspective be incorporated from
the earliest stages onwards.
South Africa
....
The deployment of women facilitates engagement with local women
through the setting up of women's desks in IDP and refugee camps
that assists women to talk about their needs and trauma, including
information sharing on sexual harassment, abuse and rape.
....
We are pleased that the UN system has become more coordinated
in its efforts to address all forms of violence, including sexual
violence against women and girls in armed conflict. Initiatives
such as UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, consisting
of UN agencies such as UNDP, WHO, UNIFEM and UNFPA have been
established to improve the quality of the UN'S programming to
better address sexual violence and improve accountability. A
better-coordinated UN system would ensure that adequate information
collection and management systems would be in place in conflict
situations to collect and feed data on sexual violence to the
Secretary-General.
Finally, Madame President, we
note with satisfaction that the resolution reaffirms the primary
responsibility of the international community to ensure that
adequate resources are made available to address the immediate
and long-term needs of women and girls who have endured sexual
violence.
Spain
Almost eight years after Resolution 1325 was adopted by this
Security Council, and in spite of the progress achieved in raising
awareness of the problem of violation of women and girls rights
in armed conflict and in post-conflict situations, improvements
in prevention and the effective protection of women continue
to be a impending task.
....
An integral response to sexual abuse used as a weapon of war
continues to be a challenge for the international community.
Besides, the ad hoc measures adopted in extreme cases - squads
around refugee camps, protection and escort to groups of women
heading to the fields, wells, or markets - it is imperative
that the United Nations, in close coordination with its Programs
and Funds, particularly with UNIFEM, UNICEF and CEDAW, study,
in close consultations with other regional organizations, stakeholders
and the civil society, how to structure and institutionalize
an efficient response of the international community to this
problem.
However, progresses made in
prevention and protection mechanisms might not be enough if
the international community does not articulate a coordinated
and efficient response to impunity, which benefits, far too
often, those responsible of violations against women and girls
rights in conflict situations.
....
The Government of Spain supports the creation of special units,
within the peacekeeping operations, to pay individual attention
to women and girls who have been targets of sexual violence.
These units should be composed of specialized personnel, with
the aim to become centers of coordination of the activities
of the UN system and the donor community as a whole. The implementation
of those measures could serve a double objective: on the one
hand, It will improve the protection of victims, serving at
the same time as a privileged means to gather information on
the gravity of the situation on the ground.
....
Only when those crimes have been committed by the United Nations
peace missions' staff, has the Organization provided a structured
response to the problem. In this regard, we strongly welcome
the recent adoption by the General Assembly of the Strategy
of Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation
and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel. The
Government of Spain firmly supports the "zero" tolerance
policy regarding this matter.
Switzerland
....
Switzerland has adopted a national action plan to implement
Resolution 132.5, and it attaches highest priority to combating
gender-based and sexual violence in the context of armed conflict.
Practical measures are urgently called for in order to strengthen
prevention and protection against sexual violence.
....
Security sector personnel must be able to respond in an appropriate
and timely manner to the different security needs of women and
men. It is therefore crucially important that senior management
personnel be included in gender training programs to ensure
that dealing with sexual violence against women is understood
as an integral part of the protection of civilians in armed
conflict.
Fourthly, the Security Council
may wish to consider the problem of sexual violence against
women and girls as referred to in Resolution 1325 in conjunction
with Resolutions 1265 and 1674 on the Protection of Civilians
in Armed Conflicts and Resolution 161 2 on Children and Armed
conflict.
Tanzania
....
It is high time we recognize sexual violence as a pervasive
criminal act in conflict situation with global manifestations.
These targeted acts of violence add new dimensions to regional
and international peace and security. We call upon all parties
to conflict to end these barbarous acts and to take measures
to protect civilians, including women and girls.
....
It is unfortunate that civilians, and in particular women and
children, are increasingly targeted in the current warfare;
humanitarian law is blatantly being violated and its perpetrators
escape with impunity. There is thus an enormous challenge to
the international community as a whole and to peacekeeping missions
in particular, to ensure that civilians are protected.
....
Sexual violence in conflict situations needs to be addressed
holistically. In this regard, efforts to encourage women to
report when they are attacked, as well as mechanisms to assist
the victims need to be in place. In addition, programs to strengthen
the rule of law need to be implemented, so as, to end impunity
and provide justice to the victims. In the longer term community-based
interventions to address the health, psycho-social and educational
needs of children and adults, including men and boys, affected
by and implicated in the violence need also to be in place.
This means that interventions need to be carried out during
and after the conflict. While we believe that national governments
have the primary responsibility for the protection of their
nationals, the support of the international community as appropriate,
is critical in addressing sexual violence in conflict situations.
UK
....
My government believes that the Security Council should show
leadership on the issue of sexual violence by:
1. ....
2. ....
3. Proposing practical measures that parties to armed conflict
can take to prevent sexual violence, and ensure that those who
commit such crimes are brought to justice. This includes peacekeepers
as well as belligerents.
4. ....
US
....
Finally, we must work together to provide the necessary protection
and assistance for victims of sexual violence. In recent years,
the United States has provided more than $40 million to protect
women and girls in Darfur and to provide for sexual violence
prevention and responses to projects – response projects
worldwide. We have also addressed the issue of sexual violence
by devoting $528 million over the last seven fiscal years to
fighting human trafficking, another grave abuse of human dignity
that is all too frequently committed against women and girls,
especially in conflict situations.
Ladies and gentlemen, one of
the most important ways that we must measure the value of our
international community is by how effective we are in protecting
and providing justice for the most vulnerable of our members.
When women and girls are preyed upon and raped, the international
community cannot be silent or inactive. It is our responsibility
to be their advocates and their defenders. We are taking an
important step today that will enable us better to meet that
goal. And I want to thank you all for being here to show your
strong support.
Vietnam
....
Viet Nam holds the view that the most effective way to protect
women and girls from sexual violence, including sexual violence
in armed conflict, is to empower women and girls, help them
understand their fundamental rights and raise their awareness
and capacity to protect themselves. We fully endorse the women
empowerment and advancement measures inscribed in the Beijing
Platform for Action. As sexual violence, including sexual violence
in armed conflict situations, has been a major topic intensively
debated at other pertinent U.N. bodies, it is important to enhance
the efficiency of those existing mechanisms and improve coordination
and cooperation between the Security Council and these bodies
while avoiding duplication of their work. The inter-agency initiative
"United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict"
should serve as a tool to enhance such coordination.
....
As far as peacekeeping missions are concerned, we support the
recommendation contained in the draft resolution presented for
adoption today by the Council that the Secretary-General, in
consultation with the Security Council, the Special Committee
on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group and relevant
States to develop aid implement appropriate training programs
for all peacekeeping and humanitarian personnel deployed by
the United Nations in the context of missions as mandated by
the Council to help them better prevent, recognize and respond
to sexual violence and other forms of violence against civilians.
This and the empowerment of women and girls are essential measures
of prevention, which is always more effective and less costly
than cure.
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