Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

It is crucial that improvements in human rights and gender equality, which are guaranteed in the Afghan Constitution, not be compromised in the reconciliation process. Finland believes that women's meaningful participation is a key component of a successful transition. The full and equal participation of women at all levels of society is a prerequisite for democracy and human rights.

Among the most notable successes in Afghanistan of the past decade are the tremendous gains made by Afghan women and girls. Those gains must not be lost. Canada views the status and role of women as a key barometer by which the success of Afghanistan's progress will be measured. The recent Ulema Council statement, as well as cases of heinous abuse of Afghan women, represents a dramatic step backwards for Afghan women.

For example, the United States believes that it is crucial to increase women's participation in security forces involved in preventing conflict and building peace as one way to reduce conflict-related sexual violence. The United States funds and implements the Global Peace Operations Initiative, which has facilitated the training of 2,451 female peacekeepers worldwide.

Firstly I would like to commend SRSG Wallstrom for the good work that she has done to raise the profile of this issue, including fighting against impunity. We welcome her concerted efforts in tackling this issue, leadingto a more co-ordinated response from the UN system as she has set out this morning. UN Action has played an important part in implementing the monitoring analysis and reporting arrangements (MARA).

Finally, we welcome the development of a framework of early-warning signs specific to conflict-related sexual violence, as well as the ambition to integrate this analysis into existing and emerging early-warning andprevention systems. Early-warning and prevention systems are vital tools in both preventing and in tackling conflict related sexual violence.

Dealing with this issue is a reminder to us of the tragic situations facing women in many conflicts and crises around the world. Women are the first to be caught up in the turmoil of flight and internal displacement and confined, usually with their children, to refugee camps, where their situation is most precarious.

United Nations efforts to eradicate sexual violence in armed conflict deserve recognition, as they make an important contribution to restoring peace and security in countries in conflict and to the essential process of reconciliation. Indeed, the suffering inflicted on women and girls in armed conflict and post-conflict situations remains a source of serious concern insofar as it undermines the process of reconciliation.

The Special Representative mentioned my country in the report before us in the context of what she called sexual violence and in the context of elections, political strife an civil unrest, thereby exceeding the mandate entrusted to her by resolutions 1888 (2009) and 1960 (2010).

Syria stresses the importance of the item under consideration and condemns all forms of sexual violence, particularly in armed conflict. It stresses also the need to put an end to such acts and to bring their perpetrators to justice while avoiding selectivity.

My delegation addressed many official letters to the Special Representative, including documented information on the responsibility of armed terrorist groups for acts of rape and sexual abuse as well as the killing of Syrian women and girls. We also sent the Representative a DVD including the documented confessions of members of those groups, proving their responsibility for those crimes.