Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

Estonia and Latvia believe that accountability for sexual violence crimes is crucial for deterring and ultimately preventing their commission, and for doing justice by victims

Sexual violence has been used in all recent wars and conflicts to pursue political and military aims, including in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. It has been used to dominate, to terrify and humiliate opponents, to uproot communities and ethnic groups, and thus to contribute to the collapse of entire societies for generations to come.

Finally, we believe that the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict provides a solid framework to step up our efforts in preventing and responding to sexual violence and bringing about justice for millions of victims of sexual violence, not only in conflict but also in post-conflict situations and beyond.

Secondly, in 2013, the year covered by the report, the Colombian Government through its National Council on Economic and Social Policy, which guides all Government policies nationally and locally where conflict generally breaks out, promulgated an inter-institutional strategy to combat impunity and provide comprehensive care to victims of gender-based violence in the framework of armed conflict, in particular victims of sexual violence.

States must uphold their obligations to prosecute those who perpetrate such violence and ensure that the victims of sexual violence enjoy equal protection under the law and access to justice. There can be no place for impunity within frameworks seeking to achieve lasting peace, justice, and national truth and reconciliation.

Canada welcomes the Security Council's resolve to include explicit requests for protection and support for women and children affected by conflict in mission mandates. The missions can play a key role in helping to monitor, investigate and report on violations committed against women and girls, including all forms of sexual violence in conflict, and to contribute to efforts to identify and prosecute perpetrators.

As conflict naturally breeds violence, we recognize the importance of addressing the reported problems of sexual violence that may occur in conflicts. However, incidents committed by unruly individuals cannot be construed as the policy of a given institution. The most important point is to refuse to condone any act of sexual violence.

Belgium is particularly concerned about sexual violence committed by members of the police, the army and some armed groups, in particular in Afghanistan and in Côte d'Ivoire. The climate of impunity, characterized by a lack of disciplinary procedures, sanctions and criminal prosecution, significantly contributes to creating a high-risk environment for women and girls.

We also call upon the members of the Security Council to use all means at their disposal to address sexual violence in armed conflicts, including by making referrals to the International Criminal Court and other relevant actions.

Specific actions to prevent sexual violence must be included in security sector reform, rule of law initiatives and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes. As resolution 2117 (2013) recognized, the misuse of small arms and light weapons exacerbates sexual violence, and we call on all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty.