Implementation

In a war-ravaged country it was nearly impossible to ensure adequate protection, rehabilitation and reintegration for such a large number of victims. The overriding priority was to find custody and shelter for children born of such violence, who were abandoned in most cases. It took us more than four decades to ensure official recognition and compensation for some of the victims who mustered the courage to make themselves known and heard. The work of bringing the perpetrators to account remains an unfinished agenda.

In our modest effort to come to terms with that painful legacy, we took up the issue of women and peace and security as a critical element of our engagement in the United Nations, especially during our membership in the Security Council from 2000 to 2001. We take heart that the suffering experienced by hundreds and thousands of women in Bangladesh and around the world at least paved the way for brave young women like Nadia Mourad and Mina Jaf to appear and eloquently make their cases before the Council.