We must in no way allow violence against women and sexual violence to be seen...

We must in no way allow violence against women and sexual violence to be seen as an inevitable part of armed conflicts. In that regard, we are pleased that the Secretary-General has implemented a zero-tolerance policy in peacekeeping operations for all forms of violence against women, gender violence and in particular violence and sexual abuse. We also welcome his recent report on the issue that recognizes the important work that has been done jointly by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UN-Women and various actors of the United Nations system with regard to the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategy to combat this scourge, which is essential in order to respond in a timely and adequate manner to situations of sexual violence.