National accountability needs to be reinforced, as Member States bear the pri...

National accountability needs to be reinforced, as Member States bear the primary responsibility to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence by strengthening of the capacities of national institutions, in particular health, judicial and social systems. The action of the international community must also be reinforced. The deployment of women protection advisers in the relevant peacekeeping operations, so as to strengthen the prevention of and response to sexual violence, needs to be accelerated in order to ensure that dedicated capacity on sexual violence exists within peacekeeping and political missions. The challenges that have delayed the deployment of such advisers must be overcome. We are encouraged by arrangements that have allowed the deployment of such advisers in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire, but we also note that women protection advisers are urgently needed in Mali, Syria and Libya, as mentioned in the report of the Secretary- General.