Implementation

Furthermore, we must not forget that in the course of armed conflict, women and children are not subject only to sexual violence; they continue to be victims of killing and maiming, including as a result of terrorist acts, and the indiscriminate or disproportionate use of force. Such crimes in particular often go unpunished or are justified by the inevitability of so-called collateral damage.

For almost six years, the Security Council has constantly paid close attention to issues of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. Any armed conflict is characterized by a high level of violence in various forms. Sexual violence is one such phenomenon, an abhorrent act that calls for resolute condemnation and severe punishment.

Finally, the best way to eliminate conflict-related sexual violence is to prevent and resolve conflicts and address the cross-cutting issues of governance, the rule of law and economic development. The issues of sexual violence and the overall objectives of protecting the rights of women and children need to be pursued by the Council and the United Nations system in a holistic manner within their respective mandates.

At the subregional level in West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also put in place strong mechanisms with regard to the role of women in conflict prevention and management. Those include the protocol on conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security and the supplementary protocol on democracy and good governance.

We strongly encourage the ongoing training of United Nations peacekeepers to protect populations from sexual violence. Peacekeepers can provide a strong line of prevention and response, both in terms of recognizing early warning signs and reporting them, as well as addressing appropriately instances where sexual violence has occurred.

The Security Council must ensure that there is an ongoing systematic focus on prevention, including in all the relevant country-specific resolutions, in peacekeeping mandate authorizations and renewals, and in special political missions. Ensuring strong monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements will help to identify situations of risk early so that they can be addressed.

In the face of those challenges, what can be done? First and foremost, national Governments themselves must show leadership. As an international community, we must support efforts by national Governments and by other actors, including civil society. The Security Council must also continue to focus on the issue.

If lasting progress is to be made, then we must focus on preventing conflict-related sexual violence from occurring in the first place by dealing with root causes.

At the national level, effective accountability requires strong domestic laws, institutions and practical mechanisms that actually enable access to justice. We applaud the engagement so far of United Nations actors, in particular the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, to support national authorities to achieve accountability. New Zealand encourages the continuation and deepening of that support.

Nepal believes that the United Nations system should play the central role in dealing with sexual violence in conflict.