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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Statement of Switzerland at the Security Council Debate on the Protection of Civilians - May 2017

Switzerland POC 2017.pdf

Statement of Belgium at the Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians - May 2017

Belgium POC 2017.pdf

Statement of Slovenia at the Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians - May 2017

Slovenia POC 2017.pdf

Statement of France at the Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians - May 2017

France POC 2017.pdf

Statement of Sweden at the United Nations Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians - May 2017

Sweden POC 2017.pdf

Statement of Bolivia at Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts - May 2017

Bolivia POC 2017.pdf

Legal Action Worldwide

Website: 
http://www.legalactionworldwide.org

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) is a non-profit network and think tank of human rights lawyers who provide creative legal assistance to individuals and communities who have suffered from human rights violations and abuses in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

Justice

Extract: 

In conclusion, the fight to end sexual violence against women and girls in conflict cannot be achieved unless there is an effective, efficient and credible international legal institution that is able to bring to book those who have perpetrated and continue to perpetrate horrendous crimes against the vulnerable and defenceless, including women, girls and children in conflict situations.

SSR

Extract: 

The Secretary-General’s report notes that sexual violence is used strategically to terrorize populations into compliance, incentivize the recruitment of fighters and generate revenue as part of the shadow economy of conflict and terrorism. Those are troubling developments that cannot be tolerated by the international community.

SSR

Extract: 

Because of the systematic and premeditated nature of acts of sexual violence, there is an urgent need for innovations to counter that scourge. In its firm devotion to international law, Morocco is committed to encouraging an inclusive approach to combating sexual violence that takes into account the complexity of the causes of that scourge, as well as the interests and needs of the persons concerned.

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