STATEMENT OF IRAN, October, 2015

Conflicts in recent years, especially in the Middle East, have assumed new and abhorrent forms and dimensions, and constitute an unprecedented challenge to stability in our region. In some parts of the region, women are grappling with the scourge of terrorism and extremist violence. The spread of violent extremism and takfiri ideology threatens the lives and rights of women and girls in our region in an unprecedented way. News accounts and other reports in the past few years have shown that women and girls have suffered the most at the hands of extremists and terrorists and have been targets for systematic sexual violence, slavery and rape. The international community should make it clear at every step of the way that there will never be leniency for those who subject women and girls to such inhumane acts of violence, physical and mental.