Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Côte d'Ivoire and in Libya, as well as other crises, has shown that the vulnerability of civilians in crises continues to be marked by violence of increasing intensity as a result of clashes and confrontations between armed groups.

The European Union commends the work conducted within the United Nations in recent years to foster and strengthen a common understanding of protection of civilians in armed conflicts. The joint efforts in the United Nations have, in addition to increasing the understanding of the concept of the protection of civilians, also resulted in the establishment of a platform for action.

In our opinion, the question of the protection of civilians in armed conflict deserves more consistent attention from the Council. Statistics over the past 20 to 30 years clearly show that civilian casualties in conflict areas have consistently outnumbered military casualties and continue to do so.

In recent years, the United Nations has made significant progress in the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The Council has adopted a number of important resolutions, including resolution 1325 (2000) on the protection of women in armed conflict, the significance of which marked a milestone in efforts to address that issue. My country has developed its own national plan in that regard.

It is also important that protection strategies be clear, concrete and measurable. That can be ensured by drawing on clear indicators and benchmarks, which can help demonstrate where progress is being made and where additional efforts are required.

It is reprehensible to resort to armed conflict whenever there is a small difference of opinion between contending parties, each claiming exclusive rights and control over the other.

Civilians are still, and too often, targets in armed attacks and atrocities and are victims of human rights abuses, in particular rape and other sexual violence. It is the unfortunate and unacceptable reality of our times that civilians continue to be a main target for armed attacks and account for a high number of casualties in conflicts.

With regard to the situation in the Ivory Coast, we also reiterate our deep concern over the reported serious violations of human rights and the use of disproportionate force. We are alarmed by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, where more than a million people have reportedly been internally displaced and more than 100,000 had to flee the country and find shelter in Liberia.

The events in Walikale in August 2010 and other incidents of widespread sexual violence in situations of armed conflict show that peacekeepers need to have the capacity to interact closely and communicate effectively with local communities and the host Government in order to carry out their mandate and prevent an escalation of violence.

In turn, the need for security as a prerequisite for development is well established. In post-conflict situations, national capacity-building in the area of security in keeping with norms for the rule of law is essential in order to establish favourable conditions for development. For example, in a number of countries where the economy relies almost entirely on the work of women, there is a direct link between security and development.