Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Solomon Islands is contributing to the debate as a country emerging from conflict. While stamping out sexual violence from any conflict is our global responsibility, the primary responsibility, as rightly pointed out by the Secretary-General, rests with States. Solomon Islands continues to tackle the issue of sexual violence in the context of its gender-based violence national framework.

Let me conclude by highlighting one of the challenges facing our world today, namely, climate change. Climate change cuts across all three pillars of the multilateral system and is serving to disempower women, especially as land is being swallowed up by the rise in sea-levels. To date, the Organization's response to disaster-risk management has been directed to sudden- onset events, rather than to the slow-onset events such as climate change.

We also avail ourselves of this opportunity to highlight the importance of the recent adoption of the agreed conclusions on the prevention of sexual violence at the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which, among other goals, seek to ensure that in armed conflict and post-conflict situations the prevention of and response to all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence,

The report also refers to two highly problematic trends that were noticed by the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, namely, the occurrence of sexual violence during house searches and at checkpoints and the perpetration of rape and torture in the context of detention.

The Human Security Network notes the report's recommendation regarding the adoption of sanctions and other targeted measures against individuals and entities by the relevant Sanctions Committees.

Our group remains greatly concerned about certain facts provided in the Secretary-General's report on sexual violence in conflict (S/2013/149) that indicate systematic and widespread sexual violence used to punish, intimidate and subjugate women, men and children. In addition, the report highlights the increased use of sexual violence as a means of displacing populations, which represents a worrying trend.

Let me briefly touch upon the already mentioned United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse for United Nations personnel. The Network takes note of the failure to include such a policy in the relevant resolutions, and therefore calls upon all the relevant actors to make more use of references to the zero-tolerance policy.

In that regard, the Network believes that applying a more people- or victim-centred lens to the issue would help. Moreover, we support the availability of reparations as a form of transitional gender justice. Reparations can deliver redress and acknowledgement of crimes suffered, and can contribute to the fight against impunity and to post-conflict reconstruction and the reintegration of survivors of sexual violence.

In conclusion, even though it is not at the forefront of our discussion today, I should like to reiterate our group's commitment to promoting and enhancing the role of women in peace processes. While it is crucial to today's agenda that we maintain momentum in the fight against sexual violence, we would again like to underline the importance of women's empowerment as part of the solution.

All the necessary steps, including targeted measures, must be taken to protect individuals, hold perpetrators accountable and provide remedy for victims. It is essential that amnesty provisions not be applicable to crimes of sexual violence in the context of conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.