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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SSR

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In addition, the Council can serve to bolster other accountability measures, for example, by supporting Special Representative Bangura, by active deployment of women-protection advisers in peacekeeping missions, by referring cases to the International Criminal Court, and by supporting regional and national systems of accountability.

SSR

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Finally, at the national level, we are in the process of completing our legislative arsenal. A bill is currently before Parliament that proposes in particular to punish any client soliciting the services of a sexually exploited victim of human trafficking.

SSR

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Canada commends the comprehensive approach taken by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Zainab Bangura, as well as the work of t the Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, and UN Action.

SGBV SSR

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To that end, demand for trafficking victims should be addressed and suppressed, and protection for victims should be ensured, particularly for women and children, who are mostly subject to forced labour, exploitation, violence and sexual abuse.

SSR

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We cannot accept impunity for this kind of crime. Venezuela is in favour of effective accountability for all forms of sexual violence

SGBV SSR

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It is also an important global institution in the context of resolution 1325 (2000) for its pioneering work on gender justice. By recognizing a range of sexual and gender-based crimes experienced by women in conflict, the ICC also acts to deter the commission of such crimes in the future.

SSR

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But the war has also meant greater involvement by women in the armed forces. Many Ukrainian women voluntarily signed enlistment contracts in order to protect their country against the aggression. We now have 19,892 women in the armed forces of Ukraine, of whom 2,458 are officers and 17,000 are non-commissioned officers or soldiers. Of that group, 266 women were mobilized directly into the ranks of the armed forces.

SSR

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Fourthly, we have welcomed the interesting Canadian initiative to create a network of military and police advisers with regard to women and peace and security. We also attended a ministerial conference of defence ministers in London last month, where we fully committed to uphold the London communiqué adopted there.

SSR

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Slovenia pays particular attention to awareness- raising and training on women and peace and security, including within our national armed forces. It is important that everyone involved in peace and security processes be aware of the roles women play and the advantages they bring to peace-related activites.

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