We strongly condemn the systematic and widespread use of sexual violence, ref...

We strongly condemn the systematic and widespread use of sexual violence, referred to in the report, which is used to punish, intimidate and subjugate women and girls in Mali, as well as the use of rape as a tactic of war in rebel-controlled zones. The report also refers to two distinct trends regarding sexual violence identified by the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic in its reports: the occurrence of sexual violence during house searches and at checkpoints and the perpetration of rape and torture in the context of detention. We also note the two major patterns of sexual violence detected by the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of Congo — systematic targeting by armed groups of civilians so as to control areas rich in natural resources, and retaliation against communities, often on the basis of the real or perceived ethnicity of the survivors, for supposed political and economic gain.