“We urgently call on the Security Council and its relevant Sanctions Committees to take tangible steps to systematically impose sanctions and targeted measures to hold perpetrators accountable for committing grave atrocities, such as the killing and rape of girls and boys.”

“Now I will speak in my national capacity…The need for further action is evident when looking at the dire situation of children in Syria, a reality reflected in the annual report. Canada is deeply disturbed by reports of senseless killing, torture, sexual abuse, and the use of children as human shields in this country.”

“First, let me say a few words on behalf of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict…The Friends firmly believe that the Secretary General must continue to provide an annual report on children and armed conflict to the Council, including the two annexes therein which list those parties that recruit or use children, kill or maim them, commit rape or other forms of sexual violence against them, or engage in attacks on sch

“tragically, sexual abuse of children still occurs in all parts of the world including Afghanistan. The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, the Martyred and Disabled (MoLSAMD) has been tasked with designing an effective strategy that will coordinate efforts with national and international organizations, including UNICEF, to combat the sexual abuse of children.”

“Children in Afghanistan suffer from the consequences of the terrorism and violence of the Taliban, al Qaeda, and terrorist groups. These groups are responsible for brutal acts against civilians, such as the Taliban attacks targeting girls' schools in 2012 using poisonous gas.”

Specific measures are necessary to address, in particular, the grave impact of Israel's settlement policies on the Palestinian people and their land, including the violent actions by Israeli settlers against Palestinian property and Palestinian civilians, including women and children, as well as provocations and incitement, including against holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem and the vandalizing of mosques and churches.

I am sure we will hear the same old criticisms of Israeli policies, but very little about the core challenges facing our region. The United Nations Development Programme has sponsored five Arab human development reports since 2002. The reports reveal the crippling deficits of freedom, educational opportunities and women's empowerment that have long afflicted the Arab world.

We encourage the PBC to engage affected communities in shaping peacebuilding priorities and to incorporate the perspectives of youth and women in particular, which will be crucial to post-conflict recovery.

Among the priority actions, Togo believes that there should be emphasis on political dialogue among the various actors in a country, so as to ensure that the settlement of political issues will open a path towards democracy while establishing the rule of law and good governance and reforming the key sector of justice.

While the current trend for a stronger focus by the PBC configurations on security sector reform (SSR) activities is, in our view, a positive development, it is critical to ensure that such focus does not duplicate the work carried out by United Nations missions whose mandates already include SSR assistance as priority tasks.