Implementation

South Africa attaches great significance to the subject matter under consideration, and we wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Secretary-General, the Special Representative and the entire United Nations team that continues to work hard to ensure that this scourge is completely eradicated.

We would like to recall once again that sexual violence is but one of the crimes committed in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. We are convinced that focusing our efforts on combating sexual violence means that we must also pay due attention to other crimes committed in time of conflict.

The very nature of violence during armed conflict requires that due attention be paid to all of its manifestations. The issue of women, peace and security should be addressed through a comprehensive approach, as set out in resolution 1325 (2000). Sexual violence is a particular manifestation of violence that clearly requires firm condemnation and severe punishment.

Women are clearly decisive actors at every stage of the peace building process in the long term. It is therefore necessary to promote their full participation as an integral part of efforts to establish, maintain and strengthen peace.

We agree with the Secretary-General that women are decisive players in the context of the three pillars required for lasting peace: economic recovery, social cohesion and political legitimacy.

We must in no way allow violence against women and sexual violence to be seen as an inevitable part of armed conflicts. In that regard, we are pleased that the Secretary-General has implemented a zero-tolerance policy in peacekeeping operations for all forms of violence against women, gender violence and in particular violence and sexual abuse.

My country also supports the work of UN-Women, and we encourage it to continue to contribute decisively to the implementation of resolutions relating to peace and security.

We are supportive of the work that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General is doing, and would like to encourage her to continue to focus on the core of her mandate, that is, situations of armed conflict or occupation. Having carefully read the report of the Secretary-General (S/2012/33), we have some questions and comments on its specifics.

The report also mentions the development of a framework for early warning indicators specific to conflict-related sexual violence, with the aim of integrating the analyses yielded by the framework into existing and emerging early warning and prevention systems to facilitate a rapid response. It should be ensured that such a mechanism works strictly within the mandate and under the guidance of the Security Council to obviate politicization.

Pakistan's commitment to the United Nations agenda of peace and security needs no elaboration. For more than half a century, Pakistanis have served in United Nations peacekeeping operations in challenging circumstances.