Justice

Almost a decade has passed since the Security Council recognized sexual violence as a tactic of war. Despite all the efforts of the international community, conflict-related sexual violence remains an acute issue. It is becoming more complex, with ever-increasing violent extremism and terrorism, displacement driven by conflict, mass migration and human trafficking, abduction and rape, forced marriage and pregnancy, enslavement and the use of girls as suicide bombers. These are not isolated crimes, but a tactic of terrorism employed by State and non-State actors alike and aimed at achieving strategic objectives, including financing and recruitment, displacement, destruction and persecution.

In that regard, we greatly value the work of the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict in providing assistance to Governments by strengthening their capacity, including in the areas of criminal investigation and prosecution, military justice, legislative reform, the protection of victims and witnesses and reparations for survivors. We commend the partnership between the Justice Rapid Response initiative and UN-Women. The deployment of justice experts from their joint roster in 50 different missions greatly contributes to ending impunity for perpetrators.