Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

We must undertake progressive, aggressive prevention measures and challenge societal norms that portray girls as less valuable than boys, causing them to develop low self-esteem and self-worth, thus further contributing to the cycle. We also need to prosecute perpetrators and hold them accountable for their actions in conflict-related sexual violence.

We are already seeing progress in that area with the African Union Mission in Somalia, which already has a policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.

The code of conduct and the zero-tolerance policy will be shared with all troop-contributing countries and integrated into all related training.

We should also recognize the contribution made by the International Criminal Court in various situations, in particular by designating as war crimes acts that involve sexual violence against children, the recruitment of children under 15 years of age, or their use as active participants in armed conflicts.

We must fight against impunity for perpetrators of grave violations against children in armed conflict, including sexual violence, and underscore the importance of national and international accountability mechanisms, in particular the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Security Council should, for example, urgently address the situation in Syria in all its aspects, including on a possible referral to the ICC.

My country welcomes the recent developments in the Security Council discussions on children and armed conflict, such as the focus on sexual violence, in particular on justice and accountability, the increased attention to the issues of child protection when setting up or renewing United Nations mission mandates and the attention of children in fast-changing situations on the Security Council agenda.

My delegation also believes that accountability for ending the impunity of those responsible is a duty under both domestic and international law. We cannot deny the fact that in many conflict situations the most vulnerable members of the population, particularly women and children, are targeted with impunity. My delegation is of the firm conviction that there should be no leniency or amnesty for crimes perpetrated on innocent children.

Croatia fully supports all efforts aimed at the prevention and combating of sexual violence in conflict and at ensuring accountability for crimes committed. Croatia has become one of the global champions of the United Kingdom's initiative entitled Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and has supported a historic declaration aimed towards worldwide efforts to eradicate that war crime.

Under the framework of the fight against sexual violence, my country again calls for the application of the broadest possible definition of sexual violence, as determined by the International Criminal Court.

Belgium remains highly concerned by the impunity surrounding the perpetrators of violence. In that respect, we welcome in particular the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to implement a national plan aimed at preventing and eliminating the recruitment of children in the national armed forces and preventing sexual violence. However, Belgium notes with concern the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of sexual violence.