It is a broken society that fails to protect its most vulnerable citizens fro...

It is a broken society that fails to protect its most vulnerable citizens from sexual violence. The proliferation of such violence is a sure sign of State failure. As such, any society hoping to move beyond crisis and conflict cannot hope to do so until it has corrected its course with respect to the treatment and prevention of sexual violence. Indeed, Rwanda's experience leads us to believe that healing and reconciliation are possible only when women claim their rightful place at the heart of our communities. The Government of Rwanda therefore welcomes this opportunity to express our unequivocal condemnation of all forms of violence against women and girls, particularly in conflict situations.