Implementation

In Côte d'Ivoire, the Special Representative received a commitment from the President of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that reparations for victims of sexual violence would be part of the Commission's mandate. In Liberia and South Sudan, the Team of Experts has worked with national justice sectors on sentencing guidelines, the training of police, constitution-drafting and a host of other initiatives.

Mr. President, Rape is increasingly used as a tactic of war and the Security Council should be united in condemnation of it and steadfast in support of the crucial work of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence.

It is important that this Council takes into account information on conflict-related sexual violence when considering post-conflict situations and other situations of concern. However, conflict related sexual violence is not confined to countries on the Security Council agenda as we see incidents or patterns occur in other settings.

Firstly I would like to commend SRSG Wallstrom for the good work that she has done to raise the profile of this issue, including fighting against impunity. We welcome her concerted efforts in tackling this issue, leadingto a more co-ordinated response from the UN system as she has set out this morning. UN Action has played an important part in implementing the monitoring analysis and reporting arrangements (MARA).

Finally, we welcome the development of a framework of early-warning signs specific to conflict-related sexual violence, as well as the ambition to integrate this analysis into existing and emerging early-warning andprevention systems. Early-warning and prevention systems are vital tools in both preventing and in tackling conflict related sexual violence.

Tunisia, for its part, has begun to implement a plan of action for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), which, inter alia, encourages the training of women in the area of peacekeeping and peace building, in order to be able to deploy qualified personnel to United Nations missions in the field.

To conclude, I wish to reiterate that my country remains at the disposal of the United Nations in the context of any action relating to the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and of other international instruments aimed at strengthening the full participation of women in the decision-making process and at ensuring a deep-rooted culture of human rights, as a fundamental guarantee of the elimination of all forms of violence against women.

It is clear, however, that despite the progress achieved, violence against women in armed conflict persists, as is reflected in the most recent report (S/2012/33) of the Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence.

It is also clear that Security Council debates have led to significant normative innovations, in particular the appointment of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, the deployment of women's protection advisers within peacekeeping missions, and the operationalization of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict.