Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

National ownership of resolution 1325 (2000) is the best way to ensure its effective implementation, given that primary responsibility for combating rape as a weapon of war falls to Member States, whose duty it is to urgently take measures to deal with this phenomenon, measures that educate as well as enforce. Tunisia has already launched a national action plan for implementation of resolution 1325 (2000).

It is also important to recognize that there is now great awareness of the many types of violence inflicted on women in conflict, and that significant attempts have been made to address them.

According to the World Bank, women and girls with disabilities are three times more likely to be victims of gender-based violence. Periods of conflict increase the number of those afflicted with long-term physical, mental or sensory impairments, leaving a larger group of women and children who are disabled and often targeted by abuse and violence.

Concerning the issue of violence against women, the Government of the Sudan in 2007 adopted a national strategy elaborated at both the official and the popular levels. The strategy includes six principles on strengthening and revitalizing the participation of women in the maintenance of peace, and on their right to participate in terms of decision-making, economic development, education, health, the environment and the settlement of disputes.

While welcoming the zero tolerance policy on sexual violence of the Secretary-General, we must, in addition, insist on the need to bolster the role of women in conflict-prevention and resolution. Nevertheless, the poor results in that area have undoubtedly been due to the continuing low participation of women in the drafting of implementation strategies.

My delegation has a special interest in the topic, because resolution 1325 (2000) represented an enormous step forward in the protection of women and highlighted the importance of their role in all aspects of United Nations peacekeeping.

We have carefully studied the report of the Secretary-General (S/2011/598*) prepared for this meeting. We suggest that it would be proper to ensure that future reports reflect the multifaceted nature of violence against women, as is required by resolution 1325 (2000) itself.

In terms of the Security Council's Charter-based functions, its attention should be given only to those situations that represent a threat to international peace and security. Issues ofviolence against women should be considered in the Council only as they relate to themes of maintaining peace and security and in strict relation to those situations that are on the Council's agenda.

Thirdly, we need to pay greater attention to the vulnerability of displaced women and girls, given their particular risk of sexual and gender-based violence.