Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The United Nations reports of the 1990s submitted by Ms. Coomaraswamy and Ms. McDougall (E/CN.4/1996/56, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1998/13) stated that the comfort women issue was one of sexual slavery in armed conflicts, requiring the acceptance of legal responsibility, compensation and the punishment of perpetrators.

The Japanese Government has yet to take responsibility for the issue. At the General Assembly last year, the Japanese delegation mentioned Japan's contributions to the victims of sexual violence in armed conflicts. But it said nothing about the comfort women. If their definition of the victims of sexual violence in armed conflicts does not include comfort women, is that a case of double standards or a denial of the past?

A matter that is a serious concern not only for East Asian countries but for the entire international community itself is the so-called comfort women issue. In the United Nations, the issue has been discussed in the context of women's rights, the exploitation of women in conflicts, war crimes and the prevention of torture, among others. Indeed, Sunday, 26 January was a very sad day for the Korean people.

Secondly, we are deeply pained to think of the comfort women who experienced immeasurable pain and suffering. Japan has extended its sincere apologies and remorse to all those women on various occasions. We established the Asian Women's Fund in the 1990s to offer atonement to former comfort women. At this juncture, Japan's position is that this issue should not be politicized or be turned into a diplomatic issue.

The Asian countries and the international community did not hesitate to voice their outrage at and condemnation of the visit. A State Member of the United Nations that has a close alliance with Japan did not hesitate to adopt a resolution on the sexual slavery of Korean women, as well as those of other Asian and European countries.

I want to draw attention to a second principal issue. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea insists that the United Nations should pay due attention to and make every effort with regard to the unresolved issue of crimes against humanity committed during the Second World War.

The conflicts of today have devastating effects on women and children in the form of killings, injuries, imprisonment, detainment against their will by armed groups and their exploitation for various purposes, including as victims of sexual violence and human trafficking. Conflicts tear families apart, destroy social fabrics and deprive States of their resources for a very long time.

Moreover, we have all deplored the horrific sexual crimes being carried out daily in Syria where rape has again become a routine weapon of war. And this Council is just back from Eastern Congo where we met with IDPs, peacekeepers, and civil society, who described a near pandemic of sexual violence associated with the conflict there.

This past year, as we've heard, women were included in every formal peace negotiating process led or co- led by the UN. Gender experts were present in eighty-five percent of delegations and, in each case, representatives of women's civil society groups were consulted. Women are playing a more prominent role in crisis prevention, most notably in Darfur and the Great Lakes Region.

We welcome the fact that the international community has been paying increasing attention to the crime of sexual violence in conflict. The Security Council has hosted many debates on the issue and addressed the crucial issues of transitional justice, capacity-building and the rule of law. International and regional organizations are devoting more attention to thistopic.