Implementation

We note with appreciation that women, peace and security issues are included in the Secretary-General's country-specific reports under a separate heading. The Security Council could also consistently include the women, peace and security agenda in the terms of reference of its visiting missions.

Another concrete and laudable example is the joint UN-Women/Justice Rapid Response training, roster management, and deployment mechanism established upon a request of the Secretary-General to ensure that each commission of inquiry is provided with expertise on investigations of sexual and gender-based violence.

The International Commission of Inquiry on the Central African Republic should provide all relevant information to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) in order to list the perpetrators and send a strong signal that all offenders will be held accountable.

The inclusion of provisions on sexual violence in the Arms Trade Treaty is just one of the recent encouraging examples of action in that regard.

Security Council resolution 2106 (2013) provided, for the first time, the theme of sexual violence in conflict with a comprehensive prevention framework. We believe that the emphasis on prevention is vital if we are ever to defeat conflict-related sexual violence.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, we are helping the Government expand and consolidate the special police for the protection of women and children. We will also support the activities of the special representative of President Kabila on sexual violence once that post is filled.

Two months ago, Italy released a revision of its national action plan on the women and peace and security agenda with a view to accelerating the implementation of the plan over the next three years. The revised plan not only reports on our progress but also shows the efforts made to adopt a more effective approach.

First, with respect to the lack of information, as the observer of the European Union has stated, we need to enhance data sharing, which can provide critical support for the advancement of the agenda by providing a clearer picture of the reality on the ground and subsequently by exerting political pressure where needed.

Ireland was happy to be associated yesterday with an event on Burma/Myanmar organized by the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security to look at issues around sexual violence in conflict. The Special Representative and a representative of Burmese civil society, Ms. K'nyaw Paw, participated in the event.

Conflict-related sexual violence is a particularly heinous and barbaric crime. It is undoubtedly underreported, yet even so the recent Secretary-General's report (S/2014/181) presents an extensive catalogue of crimes that are ongoing in 20 different country situations in conflict and in post-conflict settings. The victims — women and girls, men and boys — are invariably among the most vulnerable in their societies.