What more can the Security Council, UN organizations and Member States do? Fi...

What more can the Security Council, UN organizations and Member States do? First, our key goal should be prevention and not mere reaction. To facilitate such an approach, exact and reliable data and early-warning mechanisms, as mentioned in the Secretary General's report, are crucial. Awareness-raising and training, especially for peace-keepers and police-officers should also be high on our agenda. Whenever a peacekeeping mandate is renewed, this Council needs to make sure that it also contains provisions to monitor sexual violence. Another aspect often overlooked when discussing prevention of violence, but mentioned today by the SRSG, are small arms: There is some evidence that, especially after an armed conflict, the ready availability of small arms increases the threat of their use especially against women and children.