Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Dealing with sexual violence requires that we act on many fronts simultaneously. Over the past few years, the international community has made important normative progress, which has allowed us to reframe the issue of sexual violence in different terms. We must now work more effectively to implement those norms.

As an important element in efforts to achieve justice, the fight against impunity is essential as a means to put an end to sexual violence in conflict. It acts as a deterrent for perpetrators and contributes to righting the wrongs done to victims. Brazil appreciates the work that Ms. Bangura's Office carries out in support of the strengthening of national capacities aimed at bringing perpetrators to justice.

The current report highlights several emerging concerns, including sexual violence against men and boys, particularly in the context of detention, as well as the plight of children born out of rape, sexual slavery and forced marriages by armed groups, as has been documented in countries such as Mali, the Central African Republic, Somalia and others.

Sexual violence in armed conflict represents one of the most serious forms of the violation or abuse of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The prevention of sexual violence in armed conflict is therefore both a matter of upholding universal human rights and of maintaining international peace and security, in keeping with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

In that regard, Botswana welcomes the continued focus by the Council on this thematic area and wishes to emphasize the need for increased and more systemic attention to the agenda women and peace and security in the Council's work.

Ending violations of women's human rights is a moral imperative and one we must collectively commit to if we are to achieve it. In that regard, Botswana strongly supports all efforts aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and children, including sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Botswana strongly supports the involvement of women in peace negotiations, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. We are also supportive of calls for addressing concerns about sexual violence in mediation and peace processes, particularly in the context of security arrangements and transitional justice mechanisms. However, we believe that such efforts should take into consideration the needs and rights of women and children.

With the aim of improving the overall situation of women victims of rape, the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina is finalizing the drafting of the document entitled “Programme for the victims of rape, sexual abuse and torture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2013-2016”, which will seek to improve the position of all the victims.

Finally, we would like to point out that the international community has taken noteworthy steps, including the adoption of the relevant resolutions, to tackle the issue of sexual violence. But more importantly, the time has come to start converting commitments and promises into real actions on the ground to prevent violence, protect individuals, punish perpetrators and provide redress to victims.

Conflict and post-conflict situations are often marked by violence and the deprivation of rights. In armed conflicts, sexual violence represents one of the most serious forms of violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The lack of progress on the issue of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict, in particular against women and girls, remains of great concern for us.