Implementation

In January I assumed my mandate as Special Envoy of the African Union Commission Chairperson on Women, Peace and Security. With that appointment, I recommitted to continuing to work closely with the women of the African continent. I resolved to amplify their voices and concerns within the African Union and other decision-making bodies, and to ensure that women assume their rightful role in ensuring peace and security in Africa.

If it is agreed that women's rights are human rights and that women are essential to the establishment of peaceful societies, we need, in our approach to tackling conflict-related sexual violence, to enable the full participation of women during peace processes. The African Union and the United Nations should continue to build a critical mass of women mediators and appoint more women as lead mediators.

I am therefore pleased to report that in January of this year the AU Commission signed a cooperation framework, with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, on preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

As we approach 2015, the Common African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda commits us to the eradication of all forms of violence against women and children. The African Union's Agenda 2063, which represents a commitment to build a prosperous and peaceful Africa, puts particular emphasis on the engagement of women and youth in the continent's development.

As long as we take the view that these are problems for women alone to solve, we cannot expect to reverse the high incidence of rape and child abuse. Domestic violence will not be eradicated. We will not defeat this scourge that affects each and every one of us, until we succeed in mobilizing the whole of our society to fight it.

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.

We believe that the “Children, not soldiers” campaign, launched yesterday to end the recruitment and use of children in Government armed forces by 2016, is an important step in the right direction. We believe that openness with respect to that issue will not only lead to tangible results to prevent the recruitment by Government armed forces, but also set an example to be followed forthwith by many armed groups.

While the exploitation of any human being is reprehensible, it is all the more so when children are involved. The use of minors in conflicts by armed organized groups violates ethical standards and international legal principles. Besides being a merciless practice, it is an unforgivable violation of human rights. Innumerable defenceless innocents should not be used as human shields.

Guatemala continues to give the highest priority to addressing the situation of children caught up in armed conflict, as well as to strengthening the provisions for the protection of boys and girls in all the relevant mandates of the United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions, including the deployment of child protection advisers.

The robust system of child protection built by the Security Council has been judiciously implemented in the field by key partners such as UNICEF and others. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNICEF have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and to address the rights and protection of girls and boys affected by armed conflict. Canada commends their efforts.