Implementation

We underline the importance of making full use of the mechanisms and tools created by the Security Council to combat and prevent conflict-related sexual violence, and we welcome and encourage further use of the human rights and sexual violence-related criteria in the Council’s sanctions regimes. To date, 18 of the 28 European Union (EU) member States have adopted national action plans in compliance with resolution 1325 (2000). We continue to follow up systematically on the 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict with a comprehensive, multisectoral and multidimensional approach. We have worked to ensure that all our humanitarian assistance systematically tailors its responses to the different and gender-specific needs of women and men of all ages.

I would like to flag a few concrete EU initiatives around the world for preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence. The Madad Fund, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, launched the EU’s biggest-ever response package to the Syrian refugee crisis. Among other components, the programme strengthens access to protection from sexual and gender-based violence to at least 700,000 Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons in neighbouring countries.

In Somalia, we have been funding the International Rescue Committee’s provision of integrated, lifesaving health services to victims of gender-based violence in eight health clinics and one hospital. Furthermore, High Representative Federica Mogherini, who represented the European Union at the Somalia conference held on 11 May in London, has announced an additional €200 million aimed at strengthening our leading role in supporting the country’s development, stability and security, and together with the EU member States we have already allocated more than €460 million in humanitarian development assistance. In that regard, combating gender-based violence is an important part of our humanitarian effort.

For a decade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the European Union has been funding the Panzi hospital, which specializes in treating women who are victims of wartime gang rapes. In 2014 its founder, Dr. Denis Mukwege, was awarded the European Union’s Sakharov Prize for saving the lives of thousands of women. We have also allocated €3.5 million to a project implemented by UN-Women to ensure that transitional justice processes in Kosovo, Colombia and the Philippines are tackling gender-based abuses against women. All in all, more than 84 different projects in countries around the world have reached almost 3.5 million beneficiaries.

In conclusion, in order to accelerate implementation of our commitments, in 2017 we will give priority to specific support to women refugees and victims of violence in the most remote and fragile areas. We are also strengthening efforts to ensure that women and girls arriving in the European Union after fleeing conflict, persecution, instability or poverty have access to medical care, legal support, appropriate trauma counselling and psychosocial care if they are victims of discrimination or any kind of sexual violence. While much has been achieved, we must also acknowledge that much work remains to be done. The European Union will continue to stand by the efforts of the United Nations to combat these violations together, because all women, men, girls and boys all over the world deserve to be able to lead a life free from fear and full of hope.