Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

The Justice, Rule of Law, and Security Sector Reform theme focuses on the application of a gender perspective into the post-conflict process of reforming security and justice institutions, with the aim of ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective services.

Huge gaps remain in area of security sector and justice reform although the United Nations and the Women, Peace and Security resolutions have stressed that Justice and SSR must be gender sensitive throughout planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation phases.

The Women, Peace, and Security resolutions stress the particular need for improved security sector responses to address and prevent SGBV. Member States are urged to undertake comprehensive legal and judicial reform to better protect women from violence (1888, OP6). Reiterating the call for prosecutions to end impunity (1325,OP11), Member States are called upon to investigate and bring perpetrators of sexual violence to justice (1820,OP4; 1888,OP6).

To help strengthen national judicial systems, and identify gaps in national responses to sexual violence, the Security Council requests that a UN team of experts work with national officials to enhance criminal responsibility for crimes of sexual violence (1888,OP8). Vetting armed forces to ensure the exclusion of those associated with past actions of rape and other forms of sexual violence is an essential component of Justice and SSR (1820, OP3; 1888, OP3). Finally, it is critical that access to justice, protection, and redress for survivors of sexual violence is ensured (1820, OP4; 1888,OP6-7).

The resolutions set out specific obligations, in addition to broader guidelines, for transitional justice and justice reform within SSR. Women’s rights must be ensured in the reform and rebuilding of the police and judiciary (1325,OP8), and within peace agreements. To facilitate this, SCR 1820 calls for the inclusion of women and women’s organisations in all UN-assisted reform efforts (OP10). Justice and SSR are crucial components of peacebuilding, and have a direct impact on a country’s ability to achieve sustainable peace. Both gender mainstreaming in policy making, and the participation of women, are integral to successful reform.

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Institutions are not just bricks and mortar. They are also about informal nor...

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Institutions are not just bricks and mortar. They are also about informal norms and values, trust and social cohesion. Public confidence in the police, for example, is required for reformed police forces to be effective and to regain authority. Shared norms are necessary to enable legal systems to apply the law equally to all, including different ethnic groups, minorities and women.

The efforts of the international community should be focused not only on supp...

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The efforts of the international community should be focused not only on supporting institutions in the field of justice and security, as it is also important to enhance the capacity of the institutions in charge of economic revitalization, public administration and the provision of basic services.

We must also shine the international spotlight on the perpetrators and use th...

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We must also shine the international spotlight on the perpetrators and use this mechanism to inform targeted actions by the Council and by Member States. With improved information, the United Nations will be able to assist States in responding more robustly to these crimes.

In her brief tenure so far, Special Representative Wallström has brought...

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In her brief tenure so far, Special Representative Wallström has brought leadership, passion and clarity to efforts to end impunity for the heinous crimes of sexual violence in conflict zones. She is playing a vital role in the United Nations efforts to support the response of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the horrifying mass rapes in Walikale, which has included the arrest of one of the perpetrators.

Finally, we cannot separate the challenge of sexual violence from the broader...

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Finally, we cannot separate the challenge of sexual violence from the broader security issues facing the Council. Resolution 1960 (2010), its predecessors and our follow-up actions must send a clear message. We do not just condemn sexual violence and rape as weapons of war, but we are taking concrete steps to end it. We are working to make clear that rape and sexual violence are unacceptable and that perpetrators will face consequences.

Nowhere is the need for concrete commitments greater than in situations of ar...

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Nowhere is the need for concrete commitments greater than in situations of armed conflict. As resolution 1960 (2010) highlights, sexual violence continues to be a widely used weapon of warfare. It stigmatizes survivors, divides communities, exacerbates and prolongs conflict, and impedes the restoration of peace and security. Impunity for such crimes can prevent a society from recovering from conflict.

I would like to take a moment to highlight the significant steps forward that...

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I would like to take a moment to highlight the significant steps forward that we have taken today with resolution 1960 (2010). First, it contains a new provision to identify parties to armed conflict that is credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for acts of rape and other forms of sexual violence. That will help our efforts to tackle impunity for crimes of sexual violence and conflict.

We thank the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in...

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We thank the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Margot Wallström, for her work. We encourage her to take advantage of the existing legal and policy frameworks, including those in our region, to strengthen support and partnerships to put an end to the vice of sexual violence.

The Government of Uganda is committed to the implementation of United Nations...

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The Government of Uganda is committed to the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), and 1889 (2009), as well as the Goma Declaration on Eradicating Sexual Violence and Ending Impunity in the Great Lakes Region (2008).

We have to redouble our efforts in the fight against impunity, and targeted m...

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We have to redouble our efforts in the fight against impunity, and targeted measures should be imposed against the perpetrators of sexual violence and rape. In that regard, the most significant added value of the resolution we have just adopted derives from its action-oriented nature. It not only condemns those who perpetrate acts of violence against women but also calls for action against them.

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