Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The report of the Secretary-General before us (S/2012/732) indicates that women and girls continue to suffer violations of their rights, in particular through sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement and obstructions to humanitarian access, which are serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian and refugee law.

It is therefore important that national legislation incorporate international criminal law, which provides for such acts and punishes their perpetrators. The Council must ensure that impunity is not the rule, but the exception. My country welcomes the fact that measures adopted by the United Nations to protect women and girls include guidelines that have been drawn up by the heads of military and police units in peacekeeping operations.

Another milestone for women in Thailand was the admission of female cadets, in 2009, to the century-old Police Cadet Academy. After graduation, the first batch of female cadets will be assigned the important task of dealing with cases involving violence against women and children.

We also deplore the fact that some people are exploiting the difficult situation that Syrian female refugees are finding themselves in in camps in neighbouring countries — marrying Syrian women under the pretext that they are going to help them escape their difficult situation through what has come to be crudely called sexual jihad.

Unfortunately, in the wake of the events taking place in my country today, armed terrorist groups supported, financed and armed by regional and international Arab sides, are seeking to push my country backwards and negate the social progress that Syria had achieved in terms of gender equality.

The armed groups are continuing to violate women's rights in Syria and are hampering the evacuation of injured and sick people, including women, children and disabled persons, to areas where refuge is being offered, as was the case in the city of Homs, where representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross were present. Furthermore, those armed groups have committed numerous types of sexual violence, targeting women and girls.

Despite all of that, Syria is continuing to deal with the challenges it faces as it seeks, specifically, to liberate the occupied Syrian territories in the Golan Heights by promoting efforts to reach a just and comprehensive peace based on the resolutions of international legitimacy in order to bring an end to the suffering of civilian Syrians resulting from Israeli occupation, in particular, Syrian women.

On security sector reform, gender-based violence can be rooted in traditional values and norms, stereotypes and structures that are transmitted through education and perpetuated by civil society. These stereotypes, values and norms are mirrored in the security sector, which is also one of the key areas to focus on in the fight against discrimination and gender- based violence.

The incorporation of a gender perspective in peace and security efforts is not only necessary, but effective and strategically opportune. Not only women, but whole families and communities will benefit; as will national institutions, the overall security situation and the rule of law, which is strengthened through, for example, measures to address impunity for human rights violations, including sexual violence.

Let me finish by commending UN-Women for its crucial work in leading and coordinating the United Nations system work on women and peace and security. We commend the work of the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Margot Wallström. We also welcome the appointment of her successor, Ms.