Australia
We support the Secretary-General's impressive recommendations on specific ste...
We support the Secretary-General's impressive recommendations on specific steps that need to be taken to address the remaining challenges in this field. The proposal for the United Nations system to set up a mechanism, on which agreement has now been achieved, to better monitor, report and analyse data on sexual violence and to ensure that information flows effectively to the Security Council is particularly important. We urge the Council's sanctions committees to give due regard to relevant information they receive through this mechanism. We recently witnessed the first listing of an individual by the Council's Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Committee on children-and-armed-conflict grounds.Similar listings of individuals on sexual-violence grounds would be an important deterrent to others.
Of course, information flowing to the Council should be reliable. The Council...
Of course, information flowing to the Council should be reliable. The Council's endorsement in October of the comprehensive set of indicators was a significant achievement in that regard. We look forward to the United Nations system putting those indicators into action to collect data on sexual violence, as well as to inform policy and programmatic responses.
Early warning signs of conflict-related sexual violence are often received. B...
Early warning signs of conflict-related sexual violence are often received. But as the mass rapes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in July and August sadly demonstrated, our coordinated and comprehensive analysis of those signs must be strengthened in order to improve the prospects for preventing attacks on civilians. Sexual violence is not unique in that regard. We encourage all relevant parts of the United Nations system to collaborate in identifying a comprehensive matrix of early warning signs and recommended responses. As we know, the Special Advisers on the prevention of genocide and on the responsibility to protect are also undertaking relevant and important work in this field. A coordinated and comprehensive approach to early warning will enhance the response capacity of peacekeepers on the ground.
The Secretary-General's report (S/2010/604) was particularly valuable because...
The Secretary-General's report (S/2010/604) was particularly valuable because it identified practical, pragmatic ways in which this issue can be tackled. Australia is a firm supporter of tangible, practical solutions. There remains a gap between our collective expectations on what United Nations peacekeeping should be able to do and the actual capacity of peacekeepers on the ground. Operational guidance, training and resources must be provided to mission leadership and peacekeepers so that they are prepared to take action in response to threats against civilians during conflict, including sexual violence.
We were very pleased to support the joint analytical inventory developed by t...
We were very pleased to support the joint analytical inventory developed by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the United Nations Development Fund for Women under the auspices of the inter-agency network United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict. This is a key tool for the Organization to use in improving its ability to protect civilians from conflict-related sexual violence as part of peacekeeping operations. We are supporting our United Nations partners in fully operationalizing this tool, including by incorporating it into predeployment training for peacekeepers. That is the scenario-based training referred to in the Secretary- General's report.
We are also supporting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for...
We are also supporting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in implementing a strategy to combat sexual violence in communities of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in North and South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNHCR's strategy of creating a common framework and actions for all those involved in combating sexual violence in that country could be applied in other situations involving IDPs.
Much more needs to be done to address this vital issue, as we have heard this...
Much more needs to be done to address this vital issue, as we have heard this evening. We look forward to further reporting and briefing on how the United Nations system has gone about translating into action the list of proposals in the Secretary-General's report. Annual reporting is needed. Next year a report could, for example, document action and achievements in addressing conflict-related sexual violence, including the development of terms of reference for the new women's protection advisers and any actions they undertake. Real and effective action to address sexual violence in conflict-related situations requires ongoing dedication to action. We look forward to the Council in particular taking forward that action on behalf not just of the United Nations or States Members, but the entire international community.