Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The United Arab Emirates strongly condemns the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war in Syria, and declares its support for all efforts being made to collect data on these crimes in the pursuit of justice at a later stage.

Sexual violence in conflict is a crime that has harmed far too many people for thousands of years. It knows no borders or age limitations and is not related to any specific culture or ethnic group. This crime is perpetrated without punishment and is used as a tactic of war to destroy the fabric of society and deprive it of the ability to heal and rebuild.

Secondly, national authorities must be strengthened in the areas of legislation and security sector reform, to ensure their ability to meet the requirements necessary for preventing a culture of impunity and the promotion of the culture of deterrence, accountability and achieving justice and the rule of law. That should lead to a perception of women as agents in the campaign against sexual violence, not only as victims.

Women and girls continue to be specifically targeted in conflicts and sexual violence is often used as a tactic of war. Women and girls are also vulnerable in post-conflict situations, especially in contested political processes, ceasefires and the early days of the implementation of peace agreements.

Needless to say, the elimination of the root cause of conflicts is the best way to prevent sexual violence and address impunity.

We are deeply concerned over the deteriorating security situation in the camps in neighbouring countries that host Syrian women and girls, who suffer insecurity, human trafficking, rape and false marriages.

My country has spared no effort in providing the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General with data, forensic reports and formal letters documenting the responsibility of the various armed terrorist groups in my country for the sexual assault, rape, abduction and killing of women and girls in Syria. These crimes are part and parecel of the Salafist, Wahabi and takfiri ideology they seek to spread throughout the region.

despite the attempts of the Special Representative and her team to document crimes of sexual violence committed by the armed terrorist groups in Syria, she remains unable to verify them, preferring to keep references to them vague and indirect.

We welcome the Secretary-General's recommendation to emphasize the decisive role of civil society, in particular women's organizations and community leaders, in the many efforts to eliminate sexual violence against women. We need to ensure that women's participation in peace negotiations and processes is conducted on an equal footing with men and that the resulting agreements take gender problems into account.

Three months ago, just before the second Geneva Conference, 50 women from across Syria shared with us their priorities regarding the issue of sexual violence. They stressed that rendering justice was essential. Over a year ago, Switzerland, together with more than 60 other States, called on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.