The Namibian delegation appreciates the fact that, since adopting resolution ...

The Namibian delegation appreciates the fact that, since adopting resolution 1265 (1999), the Security Council has been addressing the issue of the protection of civilians in conflict and has adopted numerous resolutions on that issue. The international community has long had in place instruments of international law that provide the legal framework for the protection of civilian populations in armed conflicts. They notably include the following: international humanitarian law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the two Additional Protocols of 1977, which established basic rules of conduct during hostilities and the need for making a fundamental distinction between the civilian population and combatants. Those instruments include the prohibition of torture. The protection of particularly vulnerable groups, notably women, the elderly, children and internally displaced persons, are essential elements in protecting civilians in armed conflict. It is more often women and girls who are disproportionately affected in conflict because, in many cases, they have been subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence.