Implementation

The policy of Chile in this area has been strengthened through our participation in a number of international instruments that have allowed us to consolidate our democratic principles and make progress in this direction. In August 2009, Chile published its national action plan pursuant to resolution 1325 (2000), which it structured around the gender perspective, human rights, participation and coordination.

Following the harrowing accounts of sexual violence in Mali reported by the Secretary-General, Canada urges the Council to ensure that the Mali mission mandate specifically addresses sexual violence. The Council should ensure that preventing and addressing conflict-related sexual violence is included in all mission mandates. Perpetrators of sexual violence must be held to account.

Canada's contribution to the prevention of sexual violence in conflict situations includes $18.5 million over the next five years to support victims, as well as to contribute to investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where rape has been used as a weapon of war.

That preventive role requires resources compatible with the magnitude of the tasks involved. Brazil has taken some meaningful steps. We have signed a letter of intent with UN-Women to deepen our cooperation regarding the training of peacekeepers on gender issues and the promotion of South-South cooperation on gender issues involving peacekeeping training centres in Latin America and Africa.

Peacekeeping operations are another important pillar contributing to the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence. Local populations and international public opinion have high expectations concerning the role of United Nations peacekeepers in preventing sexual violence.

With the aim of improving the overall situation of women victims of rape, the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina is finalizing the drafting of the document entitled “Programme for the victims of rape, sexual abuse and torture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2013-2016”, which will seek to improve the position of all the victims.

We underscore the responsibility of States and parties to conflict to observe and uphold their international obligations and respect international humanitarian law, which grants special protection to women and children.

We believe that countries should work on adopting national action plans or strategies in order to integrate issues related to women and peace and security, and gender issues, into their national policies and create a broader basis for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

Bosnia and Herzegovina attaches the utmost importance to confronting the grave issue of sexual violence and is particularly encouraged by the commitment of the Security Council to keep the matter on its agenda. That commitment was unequivocally demonstrated by the adoption of resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1894 (2009), which paved the way for concrete action aimed at preventing sexual violence.

Thirdly, I would like to thank the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict for its determined and courageous work. Belgium supports its efforts to strengthen the capacity of national actors.