It is important that the Council reiterate today its most firm condemnation of sexual violence. That abject and cowardly war tactic ruins the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and girls, as well as of many men and boys, who become not only the powerless witnesses of the harm inflicted on their spouses, mothers, daughters and sisters, but also, with greater frequency, direct victims of sexual violence.

Finally, in the fight against impunity and to end sexual violence related to conflict, it is important for the Council to continue to discharge its responsibilities, provide concrete follow-up to its decisions, adopt, if necessary, targeted measures to increase the pressure on perpetrators, and systematically inscribe the alleged perpetrators of sexual violence on sanctions committee lists, taking into account the information provided by the S

But we must be clear — whatever the reason, many countries in post-conflict situations do not have and will not have in the medium term a legal system capable of judging, with all the guarantees of fair justice, the perpetrators of these crimes. In such circumstances, under the principle of complementarity, international criminal justice must fulfill its supplementary role.

Both restorative and punitive, justice can play a prevention role in terms of future conflict by deterring potential perpetrators from committing crimes. By the same token, justice must enable victims to gain recognition for wrongs they have experienced, and thereby facilitate the process of remembrance and reparation, eventually leading to reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Allow me to thank you, Sir, for having organized this important open debate on sexual violence in armed conflict. Its focus on the fight against impunity and on the crucial need to ensure justice for survivors is, in our opinion, particularly appropriate.

We must show iron-clad determination and political will to stamp out impunity for sexual crimes as a tool of war. Statesmen, political and religious leaders, women's groups, community elders and human rights defenders must join forces to generate global consensus on the need to end impunity and pursue accountability at all levels.

To tackle impunity, sustained comprehensive efforts are needed at the national level to guarantee the prosecution of conflict-related sexual violence and support for survivors. The Council could make a major difference by supporting the early establishment of national reparations programmes as well as developing a more robust monitoring and reporting system.

The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform processes, including stringent vetting of personnel, provide an important window of opportunity for effective justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict. Security sector reforms must include provisions on the personal accountability of the police and the military, all the way up to the leadership.

National action plans on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) are an important tool that should be fully utilized. Lithuania's national action plan, adopted in December 2011, contains a variety of measures aimed at women's empowerment through literacy, education, networking and the development of skills. It has direct linkages with Lithuania's development cooperation programmes, which include a strong gender element.

Establishing effective oversight, transparency, and human rights and gender training for security sector personnel is instrumental in countering the culture of impunity. My delegation welcomes the Secretary General's recommendation that blanket amnesties should not be applied where conflict-related sexual violence is in question.