We welcome the commitments that were made by the Governments of countries of concern during the visit of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in relation to addressing impunity for sexual crimes and the training of security personnel.

We have taken note of the fact that the Secretary-General's report for the past year was prepared and compiled after a broad and extensive consultation with the 13-entity network — a fact greatly appreciated by my delegation, given that it has enriched the report by making it one informed by the conditions and experiences on the ground.

We fully concur with the recommendation that the Security Council should systematically reflect conflict-related sexual violence in the authorization and renewal of peacekeeping mandates and the renewal of special political missions.

We are pleased with the development of a framework of early warning signs specific to conflict related sexual violence by UN-Women, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the broader United Nations system. That will assist a great deal towards preventing those heinous crimes.

The Council has done an outstanding job over the past few years to comprehensively address the challenge of conflict-related sexual violence by adopting landmark resolutions aimed at eradicating it. South Africa welcomes the progress that has been made so far in the preparations of the terms of reference for women protection advisers, and we look forward to their early deployment.

South Africa supports the recommendations of the Secretary-General that the Security Council increase pressure on the perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence, that it utilize all means at its disposal, and that, in this matter, it fully support the use of referrals to the International Criminal Court.

South Africa attaches great significance to the subject matter under consideration, and we wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Secretary-General, the Special Representative and the entire United Nations team that continues to work hard to ensure that this scourge is completely eradicated.

We would like to recall once again that sexual violence is but one of the crimes committed in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. We are convinced that focusing our efforts on combating sexual violence means that we must also pay due attention to other crimes committed in time of conflict.

The very nature of violence during armed conflict requires that due attention be paid to all of its manifestations. The issue of women, peace and security should be addressed through a comprehensive approach, as set out in resolution 1325 (2000). Sexual violence is a particular manifestation of violence that clearly requires firm condemnation and severe punishment.

Women are clearly decisive actors at every stage of the peace building process in the long term. It is therefore necessary to promote their full participation as an integral part of efforts to establish, maintain and strengthen peace.