Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Let me also thank and give further encouragement to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Margot Wallström and to United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Justice should always be sought with the perspective of survivors in mind. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recently convened a panel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where survivors of sexual violence gave their views on justice and reparations.

Investigating and prosecuting all acts of conflict- related sexual violence are both legal obligations and powerful deterrents. This includes holding commanders accountable for ordering, condoning or failing to prevent acts of sexual violence committed by troops under their control. We must find ways to strengthen national judicial systems and processes, including through the deployment of the teams of experts on the rule of law.

Better monitoring and reporting, effective measures against impunity and comprehensive reparations for victims all contribute to prevention, and that is why I am focusing on these aspects today.

At the outset, let me thank the United States for leading the Council's work in its efforts to address the scourge of sexual violence in conflict. Sexual violence is a grave violation of human rights and a threat to the health and lives of the victims and of their communities. And let me be clear: sexual violence is a serious impediment to peace, security and development.

All of those provisions together build a long-awaited mechanism for accountability for sexual violence, and we congratulate the Council for its decision.

The Security Council should also reaffirm its commitment to integrating the gender equality dimension and the protection of civilians from sexual and gender-based violence into the mandates of peacekeeping operations. The connections between violence against women and the ability of women to participate in conflict prevention and management, as well as in peacebuilding and development, must be better understood.

The Security Council should adopt a zero- tolerance approach by including issues of sexual violence as a priority element in resolutions establishing the mandates for its sanctions committees, and the mandates should explicitly include sexual violence as a criterion for the designation of political and military leaders for targeted measures.

The European Union would like to thank the Secretary-General for his presence yesterday at the open debate.

The European Union warmly welcomes the adoption yesterday of resolution 1960 (2010) on sexual violence in situations in armed conflict. We urge the Security Council to build on its strong commitment to that issue and to ensure the full implementation of that and all other relevant resolutions.