When discussing sexual violence, let us not forget the burden borne by victim...

When discussing sexual violence, let us not forget the burden borne by victims. Under the Rome Statue, victims of crime have the opportunity to participate in proceedings before the Court. Victims of sexual violence also require targeted assistance of the sort rendered by the Trust Fund for Victims established by the Statute. To name but one example, a project in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo provides education, day care and basic health-care services to 67 girls who had been abducted by the armed forces and had borne children while in captivity. Whether through multilateral or bilateral development cooperation, it is important that donors remember the special needs of the victims of sexual violence.

Women are the largest group of victims of sexual violence, which is why the fight against impunity must be complemented by efforts to empower women to become actors in peace and security. For this reason, Estonia attaches great importance to implementing and further developing resolution 1325 (2000) and its follow-on resolutions in order to strengthen the role of women in conflict prevention, settlement and peacebuilding.