Experience has shown that addressing issues of rule of law and transitional justice in those conflict and post- conflict situations has become an urgent and indispensable prerequisite for achieving sustainable peace and stability. Equally important is the need to address the gender dimension and to find ways to tackle issues of rule of law and transitional justice from a gender perspective.

Despite those notable advances, much more remains to be done on the continent to ensure that justice and accountability for violations, particularly against women, are brought to bear and that redress for the victims is provided in order to ensure that crimes perpetrated against them during conflicts are never repeated.

While transitional justice mechanisms and processes are entrenched at the national level, the African Union and subregional bodies continue to play a pivotal role in influencing the adoption and implementation of transitional justice processes on the continent.

The urgency and timeliness of the resolution adopted today (resolution 2117 (2013)) is reflected in the recent terrorist attack in Kenya, ongoing violence in the Central African Republic, the devastation caused by recent fighting Mali and the daily toll of suffering caused by armed criminals, illegal militias, drug cartels, pirates and others with illegitimate access to such weapons.

Finally, we cannot forget that those weapons are often used to intimidate women, children and men caught up in conflict through rape and other acts of sexual violence. Preventing the proliferation of small weapons is one important way that we can help to stop such horrendous acts. Over 115 States have endorsed the Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Secondly, in order to better protect civilians, particularly women and children, in armed conflicts, the Council's post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, such as programmes for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform, require further improvement.

On 2 April, the General Assembly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty, which more than 100 Member States, including Luxembourg, have already signed. The majority of the members of the Security Council, including now the majority of its permanent members, have signed it. My country resolutely supports that historic instrument and will continue to work towards its rapid entry into force and its full implementation.

We must support the existing regulatory framework and formulate concrete steps to strengthen and maximize the impact of the Council's responses to threats to peace and security caused by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Assistance to States in managing their own weapons— those held by their security forces — will often be the starting point. For States emerging from conflict, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes for former combatants must be carefully designed and implemented, and weapons accounted for. Security sector reform must include effective weapons management.

We emphasize that resolution 2117 (2013), which we have just adopted, recognizes the link between the unregulated circulation of small arms, on the one hand, and sexual violence and violence against children, on the other, in situations of armed conflict, although examples of this link also abound in peacetime.