Let me conclude by highlighting one of the challenges facing our world today, namely, climate change. Climate change cuts across all three pillars of the multilateral system and is serving to disempower women, especially as land is being swallowed up by the rise in sea-levels. To date, the Organization's response to disaster-risk management has been directed to sudden- onset events, rather than to the slow-onset events such as climate change.

We also avail ourselves of this opportunity to highlight the importance of the recent adoption of the agreed conclusions on the prevention of sexual violence at the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which, among other goals, seek to ensure that in armed conflict and post-conflict situations the prevention of and response to all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence,

The report also refers to two highly problematic trends that were noticed by the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, namely, the occurrence of sexual violence during house searches and at checkpoints and the perpetration of rape and torture in the context of detention.

The Human Security Network notes the report's recommendation regarding the adoption of sanctions and other targeted measures against individuals and entities by the relevant Sanctions Committees.

Our group remains greatly concerned about certain facts provided in the Secretary-General's report on sexual violence in conflict (S/2013/149) that indicate systematic and widespread sexual violence used to punish, intimidate and subjugate women, men and children. In addition, the report highlights the increased use of sexual violence as a means of displacing populations, which represents a worrying trend.

Noting the Council's creation of several tools with considerable potential for having an impact on the women and peace and security agenda on the ground, we remain concerned over its lack of implementation in some of the already mentioned areas.

Let me briefly touch upon the already mentioned United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse for United Nations personnel. The Network takes note of the failure to include such a policy in the relevant resolutions, and therefore calls upon all the relevant actors to make more use of references to the zero-tolerance policy.

It is my great honour to address the Security Council today on behalf of the Human Security Network, a cross-regional network that consists of Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, Norway, Panama, Switzerland, Thailand, the Republic of South Africa as an observer, and my own country, Slovenia. Let me thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms.

In that regard, the Network believes that applying a more people- or victim-centred lens to the issue would help. Moreover, we support the availability of reparations as a form of transitional gender justice. Reparations can deliver redress and acknowledgement of crimes suffered, and can contribute to the fight against impunity and to post-conflict reconstruction and the reintegration of survivors of sexual violence.

In conclusion, even though it is not at the forefront of our discussion today, I should like to reiterate our group's commitment to promoting and enhancing the role of women in peace processes. While it is crucial to today's agenda that we maintain momentum in the fight against sexual violence, we would again like to underline the importance of women's empowerment as part of the solution.