Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The Secretary-General's report is stark. It highlights too much of concern: sexual slavery, forced marriage by armed groups, increasing abuse of boys and men, the plight of children born of rape, the nexus between sexual violence and the illicit extraction of natural resources, and, as we have seen in Syria, the threat and use of sexual violence to forcibly displace entire communities. That must catalyze even stronger action by us.

Security sector reform, and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, are essential to rebuilding communities. Measures against sexual violence must be integral to them. Too often, perpetrators of sexual violence are themselves allowed to assume positions of power in post-conflict settings. We must strengthen efforts to ensure appropriate levels of preventive vetting.

It is essential that survivors' needs be addressed, including through access to multisectoral services. Often, the vast majority of survivors are children, and services must be very specifically tailored to their needs.

In so much of the Council's work, including in Mali, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, we have heard repeatedly over the past few weeks about the widespread use of sexual violence in conflict. It is a brutal, unacceptable but pervasive dimension of conflict today.

In conclusion, sexual violence touches upon the full breadth of the Council's work. While success is very obviously difficult to achieve, it requires of us vigilant and consistent commitment if we are ever to end this devastating, immoral and criminal practice.

Ending impunity is critical to driving change. As a deterrent, it is a critical part of a prevention strategy. We must make the best use of the tools at the Council's disposal to target perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict, whether individuals, armed groups or States, and whether they commit, command or condone violations.

At the national and international levels, criminal justice mechanisms must develop dedicated sexual violence expertise to ensure that crimes are effectively prosecuted, survivors get the support they need, and perpetrators are convicted.

Action to address sexual violence in conflict cannot occur without adequate and predictable resourcing. Priority should be given to ensuring that key actors, including national institutions, United Nations agencies and civil society groups, have the resources and capacity needed to tackle such issues, ranging from prevention and service provision for survivors to longer-term measures to end impunity.

Security sector reform, and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, are essential to rebuilding communities. Measures against sexual violence must be integral to them. Too often, perpetrators of sexual violence are themselves allowed to assume positions of power in post-conflict settings. We must strengthen efforts to ensure appropriate levels of preventive vetting.

Ms. Keïta Diakité reminded us this morning of the nexus between arms and conflict-related sexual violence. In that connection we welcome the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty, including the requirement that States parties consider, in making their export assessments, the risks of arms being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence.