Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

States have the primary obligation to investigate and prosecute crimes of sexual violence. That requires that they criminalize each recognized crime — rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and other forms of sexual violence of comparable gravity. It is not sufficient to just have those crimes on the books.

Obviously, even the most sophisticated criminal justice systems will be of little use if the political will to investigate and prosecute perpetrators is lacking. National authorities must fight stigmas that impede the reporting of incidents of sexual violence to law enforcement authorities. Investigators must be trained to look for evidence of crimes of sexual violence and to gather the evidence necessary to sustain prosecutions.

National capacity must be developed to translate substantive laws into successful investigations and prosecutions. In that context, we commend the work being done by the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, the United Kingdom's own team of experts, Justice Rapid Response and the Institute for International Criminal Investigations, among others.

In conclusion, we have focused today on the victims of sexual violence, who are overwhelmingly female. But women are not just victims. They are critical agents in conf lict prevention, resolution, rebuilding and reconciliation. Just as we must ensure women's full and effective participation in efforts to address sexual violence through both prevention and protection, we must also to utilize their decisive power to bring about peace.

Despite the Council's clear stance against sexual violence in conflict, we also know about the terrible number of women and girls, men and boys, who continue to be affected by it every day. Sexual violence is not just a grave concern, it is even endemic in many current situations on the Council's daily agenda: the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Sudan, South Sudan and Syria.

We continue to witness a disturbing increase in the trend to use sexual violence as a political and military tool, the effects of which are grave and long- lasting, often alienating entire groups, communities and peoples.

It is commendable that the Council continues to focus on how best to achieve effective justice for crimes of sexual violence in conflict in order to end impunity, formally investigate and prosecute persons responsible for such crimes and grave violations, prevent their recurrence and seek justice and peace.

In that context, Armenia also attaches the utmost importance to the promotion of justice and the rule of law, as those values are indispensable for the maintenance of international and regional security and the protection of human rights.

I would also like to emphasize that special attention must be paid to children who are victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence, especially girls, who usually make up the largest group of victims in armed conflict. In addition to the physical damage it causes, sexual violence often leaves other forms of lasting harm and stigma.

However, we cannot address sexual violence simply by naming and punishing offenders. More fundamental changes are needed at the institutional and societal levels. In that context, sexual violence against women will never be adequately addressed without focusing on the empowerment of women and their participation in the political, social and economic spheres.