Implementation

First, stable institutions cannot be imposed; they must be trusted and accepted by citizens. They have to be built and sustained by the individuals concerned. International institution-building efforts have to involve national actors at the outset in order to better identify and employ available local capacity.

International support in such dynamic and evolving situations is to be based on broad political willingness and adequate and predictable resources. Efforts skewed towards unduly benefiting one group at the expense of others are likely to exacerbate a situation, igniting the causes of conflict.

As a supporting partner, the international community must advance its capacities through institutional, technical, financial, human and other assistance in which it has the capacity to do so. The process must forge the effective participation of all stakeholders, including women, civil society and marginalized groups, so as to address the root causes of conflicts.

Assistance obviously should be extended beyond capitals to the subnational level, civil society and the private sector. We need to strengthen the fabric of stable and prosperous communities through political, security, service delivery and economic institutions.
We must recognize and promote the role of women, who must be empowered to contribute to decision-making and the implementation of institution-building.

In that context, effective institution-building during the different phases of the process requires coordination among the Peacebuilding Commission and all relevant actors, including international financial institutions, United Nations entities, regional organizations and civil society, including women, local experts and other stakeholders.

We must also shine the international spotlight on the perpetrators and use this mechanism to inform targeted actions by the Council and by Member States. With improved information, the United Nations will be able to assist States in responding more robustly to these crimes.

The United States commends the United Nations, especially United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, for its leadership in finding effective ways to address this problem. We have been encouraged by the United Nations response and followup to the appalling August attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the additional steps it has taken to build mission-wide strategies to better protect civilians.

In her brief tenure so far, Special Representative Wallström has brought leadership, passion and clarity to efforts to end impunity for the heinous crimes of sexual violence in conflict zones. She is playing a vital role in the United Nations efforts to support the response of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the horrifying mass rapes in Walikale, which has included the arrest of one of the perpetrators.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United States. Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General, Special Representative Wallström, Under-SecretaryGeneral Le Roy and Lieutenant General Gaye for their very powerful and insightful briefings.

Finally, we cannot separate the challenge of sexual violence from the broader security issues facing the Council. Resolution 1960 (2010), its predecessors and our follow-up actions must send a clear message. We do not just condemn sexual violence and rape as weapons of war, but we are taking concrete steps to end it. We are working to make clear that rape and sexual violence are unacceptable and that perpetrators will face consequences.