Security sector reform, and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, are essential to rebuilding communities. Measures against sexual violence must be integral to them. Too often, perpetrators of sexual violence are themselves allowed to assume positions of power in post-conflict settings. We must strengthen efforts to ensure appropriate levels of preventive vetting.

Ms. Keïta Diakité reminded us this morning of the nexus between arms and conflict-related sexual violence. In that connection we welcome the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty, including the requirement that States parties consider, in making their export assessments, the risks of arms being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence.

Supporting women's leadership and participation is essential to addressing, responding to, and indeed ending sexual violence. Women are powerful agents of change, and we must harness that capacity by promoting their far greater participation in conflict resolution and post-conflict transitions.

Women do not become victims by virtue of who they are, or as the result of nature or fate. Women are particularly susceptible to becoming victims of violence in conflict most especially because we are already victims of discrimination during peaceful times.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the work of the Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We commend Ms. Bangura for her efforts since taking up her responsibilities, including the services provided by the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict. We fully support the recommendations contained in the report.

We note that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has introduced a robust policy on women refugees, has prepared action guidelines for the protection of women refugees and will continue to include the gender dimension in its assistance and protection work.

We encourage the training of peacekeepers, both civilian and military and police, and the strengthening of the human rights component, particularly with regard to women's and children's human rights, as well as comprehensively addressing the various forms of violence against women, particularly sexual violence.

We cannot explain why sexual violence against women and sexist and gender-based violence has occurred with growing and overwhelming frequency in armed conflicts, unless we also add to the equation the inequality between men and women, gender stereotypes and the reproduction of hierarchical and discriminatory relationships in which women find themselves materially subordinate and symbolically devalued in various times and cultures.

We can also cite, in that connection, the recommendations made by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women with regard to proactive measures to publicize trials and punishment for sexual violence perpetrated during dictatorships or conflicts.

We are aware that there is much more to do. It is terrible and painful to acknowledge that women and girls have been and remain the main victims of violence in armed conflicts, specifically of sexual and gender-based violence.