in addressing questions related to women, peace and security, including sexual violence, there should be a division of labour among the relevant United Nations organs, which should collaborate with each other. In accordance with its Charter mandate, the Security Council should concern itself with situations that constitute a threat to international peace and security.

Governments bear the main responsibility for protecting women and combating sexual violence, as well as for implementing resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1960 (2010) and the relevant presidential statements.

China condemns all violence against women in armed conflicts, including sexual violence. We urge all parties to conflict or intervening parties to abide by international humanitarian law and other relevant international law.

Canada welcomes the Secretary-General's recent report (S/2012/33) and thanks the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict for her presentation today and her efforts to strengthen United Nations mechanisms to prevent and respond to such crimes, including rape and trafficking of women and girls.

Canada urges the Council to consistently address conflict-related sexual violence in its work, including by ensuring that preventing and responding to sexual violence is part of the mandated tasks of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Canada strongly supports the Security Council's recognition of the need to take effective measures to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence, including rape as a weapon of war. In this regard, Canada calls on the Council to ensure the implementation of increased accountability measures for these crimes, including monitoring and reporting arrangements and holding those responsible for sexual violence to account.

Making real progress in our efforts against sexual violence in armed conflict requires greater emphasis on prevention and capacity-building. The only way to ensure that the progress achieved during the presence of a peacekeeping mission is sustainable is by working with national Governments to address their needs in the areas of institution-building, the training of personnel, supporting victims and strengthening the rule of law.

We welcome the progress made on the development of the monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements. For those arrangements to be effective, it is essential that they have the support of the broader United Nations membership and not only of the Security Council. To that end, Brazil encourages Ms.

While recognizing that national justice systems may be significantly weakened in conflict and post conflict situations, we realize that inaction could send a wrong message, namely, that sexual violence is tolerated. We therefore call upon all concerned to refrain from such human rights abuses, and instead to promote respect for international humanitarian law and non-violent forms of conflict resolution, and to cultivate a culture of peace.

Today's deliberations reaffirm the great importance that we individually and collectively attach to the need to address sexual violence in the context of armed conflict, as well as its impact on women and children. Our deliberations also provide an opportunity for us to take stock of what has been achieved and to identify gaps and challenges that still remain in addressing this scourge.