Implementation

Our obligation to respect and enforce respect for international humanitarian law requires us not only to make use of the instruments at our disposal to ensure peace, security and international justice, but also to formulate a robust culture of respect that does away with impunity and repairs the harm inflicted on civilians in armed conflict.

We agree with the Secretary-General that accountability mechanisms should first and foremost be established at the national level. This is in line with the principle of complementarity enshrined in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which reaffirms the primary responsibility of States to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes under international law.

To track progress in implementation, the development of indicators for systematic monitoring and reporting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict by the Emergency Relief Coordinator would be helpful. When included in protection benchmarks, such indicators could help us to assess the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions and identify remaining gaps and challenges.

The effective delivery of humanitarian assistance is intrinsically linked to timely access to populations in need, as well as to the safety and security of those who provide assistance. The safety of humanitarian workers remains precarious.

Since the Security Council first took up the issue of protection of civilians, the changing nature of armed conflict has continued to have a profound impact on the situation of civilians in armed conflict. The Council took an important step forward through the adoption of resolution 1894 (2009), with its focus on humanitarian access and protection mandates as well as monitoring and reporting.

During and subsequent to that war, Lebanon suffered greatly from cluster munitions, which are indiscriminate in nature and have a devastating effect on civilians at the time they are used and long after the fighting has come to an end. Today, I am honoured to inform the Council that, earlier this month, my Government submitted its ratification instruments on the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Thirdly, the Council should obtain the most accurate and objective information and then make use of it on the ground in a timely manner, so that the establishment or renewal of a mandate related to the protection of civilians can be considered. For that reason, we should start to communicate with troop- and police-contributing countries at an early stage in United Nations involvement.

Mr. Kazuo Kodama (Japan): I thank the Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Amos, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Le Roy, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Pillay, and the International Committee of the Red Cross Director- General, Mr. Daccord, for their very pertinent briefings. It is clear that civilians in great numbers become victims when conflicts erupt.

Fourthly, the protection of women and children is a priority. Japan appreciates the active discussions at the ministerial open debate on women and peace and security last month (S/PV.6411) and supports the utilization by the United Nations and Member States of a set of indicators in implementing resolution 1325 (2000).

Training is crucial. It should be made standard on the basis of clear operational guidelines regarding the implementation of protection mandates by peacekeeping missions. Such guidelines should be drafted in close cooperation among the United Nations and other organizations involved, such as the African Union and the European Union.