Implementation

Action to address sexual violence in conflict cannot occur without adequate and predictable resourcing. Priority should be given to ensuring that key actors, including national institutions, United Nations agencies and civil society groups, have the resources and capacity needed to tackle such issues, ranging from prevention and service provision for survivors to longer-term measures to end impunity.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the work of the Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We commend Ms. Bangura for her efforts since taking up her responsibilities, including the services provided by the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict. We fully support the recommendations contained in the report.

We note that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has introduced a robust policy on women refugees, has prepared action guidelines for the protection of women refugees and will continue to include the gender dimension in its assistance and protection work.

We encourage the training of peacekeepers, both civilian and military and police, and the strengthening of the human rights component, particularly with regard to women's and children's human rights, as well as comprehensively addressing the various forms of violence against women, particularly sexual violence.

We can also cite, in that connection, the recommendations made by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women with regard to proactive measures to publicize trials and punishment for sexual violence perpetrated during dictatorships or conflicts.

That is why we agree with the idea that all peacekeeping mandates should explicitly include the gender perspective in the protection of civilians and incorporate specific guidelines on preventing, eradicating and punishing all forms of violence against women, with a focus on human rights, as well as a full and multidimensional understanding of that scourge.

One can say, without exaggeration, that, during times of conflict, very few women have been able to chronicle the sexual violence of which they were victims. That was clearly seen when the International Criminal Tribunal for your country, Madam President, pointed out in the Akayesu case, that cultural sensitivities have a bearing on the discussion of intimate matters.

In that context, the recommendations issued by the Human Rights Committee to Argentina on bringing the crimes of the recent dictatorship to trial covered gender-based crimes as well.

However, UN-Women recently announced that, of the 585 peace agreements signed between 1990 and 2010, only 16 per cent mentioned women. Seventeen per cent refer to gender equality, and only 3 per cent make any reference at all to gender-based sexual violence.

Allow me to refer to work that has been carried out in my country, known as “Cracks in the Silence”, by the women's organization CLADEM, which has investigated sexual violence against women during the period of State terrorism in my country. The investigation helped to reveal the sexual crimes committed during that cruel and painful period.