Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Finally, let me reassure the Council that Georgia supports the efforts of the entire United Nations family to prevent, and eventually eradicate, violence against women.

Due to the sensitive nature of the crime, rapes are frequently underreported, especially in war. Nonetheless, the rape, torture and mutilation of ethnic Georgian women were by registered by various international and non-governmental organizations, including the independent fact-finding mission headed by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini.

With regard to strengthening provisions to combat impunity, my delegation believes that it is essential to make that concern part of the system for comprehensive protection against sexual violence in armed conflict. In that regard, we should welcome the progress made in international criminal law in this area.

The fight against sexual violence in armed conflicts requires prevention first and foremost. From that angle, the Member States, the United Nations, donors and civil society must resolutely take that approach. Raising awareness regarding the serious danger that sexual violence can create in society should guide their actions.

Sexual violence against women and girls is simultaneously a war crime, a crime against humanity and a grave threat to peace and security. In spite of the enormous efforts made by the international community on the ground to bring it to an end — in implementation of resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009) — too many women and girls continue to be victims of rape, sexual slavery and every other sort of sexual violence.

My delegation welcomes the holding of this meeting under your presidency Madam, devoted to sexual violence in armed conflict. We also welcome the participation in this debate of His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whom we thank for his introduction of his report (S/2010/604) on the follow-up to the implementation of resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009).

In the same vein, we are convinced that the Secretary-General' proposal to annex to his reports on this issue a list of the names of those who carry out sexual violence should serve as a effective instrument for deterrence. However, as we noted during the last debate on the protection of civilians (S/PV.6427), combating impunity is chiefly the responsibility of States.

In that regard, we support the Secretary-General's recommendation underscoring the need for better analysis of information and reporting of sexual violence committed during armed conflict, with a view to better coordination in the field. We should also improve our rapid-deployment capacity in affected regions, as recommended in paragraph 26 of resolution 1888 (2009).

However, the incidents of widespread systematic rape in the Walikale region in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo illustrate both the limits of our ability and the scope of the challenge to overcome. This is a huge and complicated undertaking that demands that we bolster our monitoring and communications capabilities in order to provide better information about reality on the ground.

However, our efforts will not produce the desired results without more sustained dialogue with all parties to a conflict. Among other things, such a dialogue come about by providing psychological support for victims and carrying out awareness-raising efforts among those involved. It is our belief that women themselves could play such roles.