Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Canada heartily welcomes the Secretary-General's recognition of the need to take effective measures to address conflict-related sexual violence such as rape as a weapon of war, and calls for the protection of human rights defenders. Governments have the responsibility to deal with the issues of women and peace and security. Civil society can potentially play a constructive role.

We are, however, concerned that despite the normative framework and the wide range of activities spurred by the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), the underrepresentation of women in formal peace processes, as well as violence against women and girls, continues. This situation certainly has to be corrected.

To that end, Botswana reiterates its strong condemnation of all violations committed against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations.

The core message of resolution 1325 (2000) was to ensure women's equal participation at all decision-making levels. In the United Nations context, women's participation should be ensured through achieving a 50/50 gender balance, with a special emphasis on the recruitment of women at higher levels. In general, more female military and police personnel need to be deployed to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Poverty, the struggle and rivalry for resources, socioeconomic injustices and forced occupation lie at the heart of conflicts. They create a breeding ground for such social scourges as conflicts, including violence against women and girls, increase. The impact of that violence not only weakens the safety and security of women and girls but also tears the entire political, economic and social fabric.

In the maintenance of international peace and security, we take pride in our modest contribution of troops and police to United Nations peacekeeping missions. We have made the necessary provisions to recruit women in the police and military. We are pleased that we could deploy two full contingents of all-female formed police units to the United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Haiti.

However, women and girls still suffer violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law, including forced displacement, constraints on humanitarian access and sexual and gender-based violence. Therefore, much needs to be done.

During a recent visit to Mali I saw first-hand some of the acute challenges women face in times of crisis and conflict. My time there left a deep impression on me. I promised the women leaders with whom I met in Bamako that I would convey their message to this Council. They told me disturbing accounts of the abuses women face in the northern part of the country now under extremists' rule and occupation.

As these Council Members well know, extremist groups have started to implement exceedingly harsh interpretation of Sharia law in northern Mali. This has led to the separation of boys and girls at schools, forced marriages for young girls and targeted killing or maiming of women accused of having children out of wedlock.

Azerbaijan reiterates its strong condemnation of all acts of violence committed against women and girls in situations of armed conflict and calls upon all parties to such conflicts to strictly abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. All the necessary measures must be taken to bring perpetrators of such acts to justice and to put an end to impunity.