Statement by Zainab Bangura, June 2, 2016.

This year, in the case of Burundi which appears in the Secretary-General’s report for the first time, we received information of the targeting of women and girls on the basis of actual or perceived political affiliation or ethnic identity, with rape employed as a tool of political repression by arms bearers, including members of the national security forces. Sexual crimes used as part of the repertoire of violence during contested elections or public demonstrations, is a long-standing concern of this Council, from Kenya in 2007, to Guinea in 2009, and Cote d’Ivoire in 7 2011. It represents another dimension of this agenda that will require continued vigilance and tailored responses.