Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

In September, all NATO allies fully subscribed to the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. It is highlighted, both in that Declaration and in resolution 2106 (2013), that the collection of data and the documentation of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict can be instrumental in bringing perpetrators to justice and in ensuring justice for survivors.

We would like to draw the Council's attention to the recent resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on the elimination of violence against women that encourages the use of mechanisms such as the UN Women/Justice Rapid Response joint roster of international investigators of sexual and gender based crimes in its efforts to promptly make available the relevant expertise to investigate mass rapes and systematic violence.

We recognize the important role of non-governmental organizations such as Justice Rapid Response in training Member State officials as investigators of gender-based violence and rapidly deploying them to conflict areas. Namibia will continue to support such initiatives, as they can go a long way in assisting the international community in investigating such horrible crimes, which specifically target women and children.

There is a need to combat impunity and bring the perpetrators of sexual violence to justice. Sexual violence must be prosecuted at both the national and international levels. However, we have noticed with great concern that sexual violence is underreported at both the national level and in conflict situations.

From the outset, Namibia has recognized the important role of women in peacebuilding, as enunciated in resolution 1325 (2000), of October 2000, which my delegation, together with many others, successfully negotiated during our presidency of the Security Council.

Mexico welcomes the adoption of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, and commends the initiative taken to formulate an international protocol for investigating and documenting sexual violence in conflict. We assure the Council that we will continue to support such efforts.

Despite some positive steps, including the number of women serving in important and very senior Government positions, women's parliamentary representation in the Pacific is the lowest of any region in the world. The region has recently witnessed and continues to be affected by armed conflict, civil unrest and local-level conflicts over resources, as well as increasingly violent crimes and political crises.

In that regard, there is a need to increase the number of women in high-level decision-making positions in peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations. Malaysia is also supportive of appointing more women protection advisers to monitor and report on sexual violence in all relevant situations.

We strongly believe that the subject of women, peace and security deserves the Security Council's sustained attention. Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to the efforts to address sexual violence in conflict and post- conflict situations. Nonetheless, we must insist that gender equality and efforts to encourage and instill a gender perspective be promoted during times of peace rather than solely during times of conflict.

My delegation is concerned with the often inadequate legal frameworks on women's rights in post-conflict countries. In that matter, we could take a page from the lessons learned through established courts, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia, which offer insightful lessons from the prosecution of sexual and gender-based crimes.