Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Third, we must be persistent in denouncing violence directed against women and girls such as sexual violence, including rape as a weapon of war, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and enforced sterilization. We will continue to promote the empowerment of women and girls.

Let me use this opportunity to thank OCHA and DPKO for their consistent work and support in enhancing the implementation of protection mandates. The training modules on the protection of civilians as well as on sexual violence will be crucial for better preparing UN peacekeeping personnel for these tasks. Furthermore, we look forward to the guidance on reporting on the protection of civilians for UN peacekeeping and other relevant missions.

Over the past several years, the United Nations and its member states have taken important steps to increase women's participation in issues related to peace and security. We established UN Women and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sexual Violence in Conflict. Through this Council's work, we defined what we expect of parties to conflict with respect to the protection of women.

More can be done to ensure that personnel of UN missions are adequately prepared to implement resolution 1325 and supported in their efforts. Both pre-deployment training and mission-wide strategies on the protection of civilians, including the needs of vulnerable groups such as women and girls, need to be improved.

In the Prevention Pillar, the U.S. has developed multiple programs that seek to address the root causes of conflict, including a $26 million annual Reconciliation Program that supports innovative programming in conflict-affected countries and includes gender analysis. In the Relief and Recovery Pillar, the U.S. has provided significant funding to improve water and sanitation in situations in which women's safety and security are at risk.

In the Participation Pillar, the U.S. supported Afghan women's inclusion in the High Peace Council and in follow-on shuras and negotiations, in the reintegration and reconciliation process at the local level. We've also awarded $16.9 million in direct grants to Afghan women-focused NGOs. In the Protection Pillar, the U.S.

Since taking up her position as Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet has passionately and effectively promoted the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Supported by Special Representatives Radhika Coomaraswamy and Margot Wallstrom, UN Women plays a vital role coordinating wider international efforts to implement the full suite of UN resolutions on Women Peace and Security.

In Afghanistan, the UK has funded a full range of measures undertaken by the Criminal Justice Task Force to minimise gender-related barriers to working in a high profile law enforcement environment. And we supported the Government of Nepal's efforts to develop its own National Action Plan to generate, among many other things, work to provide support for women and girls who have been the victims of sexual violence.

I have three points to make in today's debate: first, support for the role of UN Women and Special Representatives of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict; second, the need to do more on conflict prevention and early warning; and finally, the work that the United Kingdom has taken forward through our National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

Despite all international efforts, women and girls continue to be the most vulnerable victims of armed conflicts, targeted with sexual violence, sexual exploitation and other forms of gender-based violence. Eliminating impunity is critical for preventing gender- based crimes. In 2010 Ukraine became a co-sponsor of Council resolution 1960 (2010), which concerned sexual violence in armed conflict.