Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The Secretary-General's report rightly underscores that the slowness of progress made in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of sexual violence, promote a high-risk environment for women and girls

Protecting women against sexual violence in conflict remains a collective responsibility and requires us to act with resolve, coordination and as one to strengthen measures to stop the perpetrators and instigators of the violence and to prevent such violence from recurring.

At the same time, we should not forget that sexual violence in conflict is almost never reported as a result of the risks facing both survivors and witnesses, which complicates the creation of accurate records on the incidence of that crime.

We have made strides in addressing sexual violence in conflict, but we can and must do more to put an end to this scourge. Malaysia therefore reaffirms its strong commitment to efforts to address sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations. We will continue to work with others to advance the agenda and ensure the participation of women is mainstreamed in activities towards securing peace and security.

Violence against women is one of the most widespread violations of human rights and most broadly discussed topics. It is utterly deplorable that one in three women and girls experiences violence in her lifetime. Violence against women, especially sexual violence, has massive repercussions. The incidence of sexual violence in conflict, in particular, often has grave consequences for the security of women and girls during peacetime.

Underlining the importance of ending sexual violence, Malaysia joined many others in endorsing the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, which makes clear the collective view on the need for greater action to address the issue.

My delegation supports the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse in all peacekeeping operations. We believe that it is fundamental to ensuring that the rights and dignity of women are safeguarded. Malaysia, in this regard, welcomes the delivery of scenario-based training for peacekeepers in several training centres to improve their operational readiness to react swiftly to sexual violence.

Ending impunity is crucial to our quest to put an end to sexual violence in conflict. We must move urgently to replace the prevailing culture of impunity with one that promotes the rule of law, justice and accountability.

We commend applaud the efforts of the United Nations campaign against sexual violence conflict, headed by Ms. Bangura, in particular the preparation of early warning indicators for cases of conflict-related sexual violence addressed by United Nations missions in Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

In recent years, the information available to us on cases of sexual violence has increased in both quantity and quality. Procedures for the monitoring, analysis and communication of information on sexual violence have begun to be implemented following the adoption of resolution 1960 (2010). It would be advisable to accelerate the implementation of those procedures, as envisaged in resolution 2106 (2013).