Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The adoption of resolution 1960 (2010) today, which Brazil is pleased to have co-sponsored, sends a clear message that the Council is ready to continue to fight impunity by focusing on parties that engage in conflict-related sexual violence. It has strengthened the tools and arrangements available to the Council and to the United Nations as a whole.

Recent events have shown that contacts with local populations are critical to ensuring protection. The role of civil affairs and public information components is therefore key. They should have the necessary resources — especially guidance and trained personnel — to be able to help avoid outrageous violence such as that witnessed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In situations where peacekeeping operations are deployed, the United Nations role in prevention becomes one of particular relevance, as the enhanced resources at its disposal create higher expectations among local populations and in international public opinion.

Dealing with sexual violence requires different parts of the United Nations system to act on many fronts. Today we have made progress in that direction and concluded, on a very high note, a remarkable effort that we began his year to provide an effective response by the Security Council to the scourge of sexual violence.

As we focus on bringing perpetrators to justice or to face opprobrium, we cannot shirk our duty to ensure proper support to victims. While this is fundamentally the responsibility of States, there are several ways by which the international community can support national efforts in that regard.

Support to national awareness-raising activities and information campaigns that seek to break taboos and misperceptions around the issue are particularly important to preventive efforts. For example, as the Secretary-General's report (S/2010/604) highlights, the myth that rape is an inevitable by-product of war is persistent and dangerously self-fulfilling.

We reiterate the need for adequate capabilities and clear and appropriate guidelines to enable peacekeeping missions to carry out their mandated tasks, including preventing and responding to sexual violence. Recruiting women in civil, military and police components of peacekeeping missions can encourage local women to report incidents of sexual violence.

The United Nations and the international community have demonstrated their firm commitment and political will to prevent sexual violence against women, combat impunity and enforce accountability. On the other hand, it is equally crucial that national authorities make every effort to ensure that perpetrators of sexual crimes be brought to justice and not go unpunished.

Furthermore, we consider it crucial that the Security Council continue the practice of including, where applicable, designation criteria pertaining to acts of rape and other forms of sexual violence when adopting or renewing targeted sanctions pursuant to resolution 1888 (2009).

Finally, we would like to point out that the international community has taken noteworthy steps, including the adoption of relevant resolutions, to tackle the issue of sexual violence. But, more importantly, the time has come to start converting commitments and promises into real actions on the ground to prevent violence, protect individuals, punish perpetrators and provide redress to victims.