Implementation

I understand that there are many things that are difficult for the Security Council to agree on, but sexual violence in conflict should not be one of them. That it is a crime to rape young children is not something that I imagine anyone in the Chamber would not be able to agree on. The rights and wrongs of the issue are straightforward, and the actions that need to be taken have been identified.

We have an opportunity, unlike at any time in history, to break the back of this age-old evil. We must believe that sexual violence in conflict is not inevitable. To eradicate it is not a “mission impossible”, but will require political leadership and political courage, matched by bold protection initiatives on the ground.

Let us therefore make the commitment around this table today that, in situations where sexual violence is a concern, there will never again be a peace agreement, ceasefire agreement or ceasefire verification mechanism that does not explicitly address sexual violence. That includes the agreements that must eventually be concluded in Mali and Syria to bring an end to those conflicts.

I am pleased today to announce a joint communiqué of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations to strengthen cooperation in a number of critical areas, signed by the Prime Minister at the end of my visit. It reflects the firm commitment that was made to me by President Kabila Kabange to more effectively prosecute crimes of sexual violence.

I also wish to draw the attention of the Council to the visit to Colombia by my predecessor, Margot Wallström, shortly before she left office.

The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also committed to establishing a parliamentary working group on sexual violence, and the Senate and the National Assembly will hold a special session on the issue. The communiqué presents an opportunity for renewed action on sexual violence prevention and the response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Together we must hold the President to his commitments.

The fact that preventing sexual violence will be one of the central issues discussed at that conference is an important commitment in itself. It signals that the issue does not remain on the margins of the discourse on peace consolidation in Somalia. Addressing sexual violence is an essential prerequisite for durable peace and development.

In Somalia, our collective efforts over the past months have freed Luul Ali Osman and those who have dared to speak out in support of her cause. Last week, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking to military cadets in Mogadishu, declared that security forces who raped citizens of Somalia would be fought and defeated like any enemy of the State. I commend the President and his Government for their resolve to address the problem.

I also intend to take up invitations by the authorities in Syria, Mali and South Sudan to visit as soon as possible. Conducting country visits will continue to be a key aspect of the mandate. Through such visits, we can bear witness to the plight of survivors and carry their voices to those in power. They are intended to open space locally for dialogue and action on sexual violence.

As the Council is aware, I also visited the Central African Republic in December 2012. Like all of us around this table, I am distressed by the subsequent outbreaks of conflict that have shredded the Libreville Peace Agreement, costing lives and resulting in sexual violence, child recruitment and other grave human rights violations.