Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Recent mass rapes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo highlight the urgent need for enhanced civilian protection in the east of the country. The primary responsibility for the protection of civilians, as in other host Governments, rests with the Democratic Republic of the Congo authorities.

However, the situation of civilians in armed conflicts around the world remains alarming. As outlined in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2010/579), civilians continue to account for the majority of casualties in conflicts and are often the deliberate targets of different forms of violence by all parties to conflict.

Women and girls deserve special attention. As recent tragic incidents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo show, there are still many cases in which armed groups, operating in massive and widely dispersed areas, employ horrific sexual and other violence against women and girls.

Recently, United Nations peacekeeping operations are taking on more responsibilities in the protection of civilians. While recognizing that the primary responsibility for civilian protection rests with the nations and parties involved in conflicts, situations of armed conflict often make it extremely difficult for nations and parties in conflict to provide adequate protection measures to civilians.

My Office's efforts to enhance accountability are multifaceted. As Council members will be aware, my Office has recently concluded a mapping report of the most serious violations of human rights committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1993 and 2003.

Human rights officers work closely with national authorities and civil society to support national judicial institutions and other accountability mechanisms.

Effective prevention begins with the facts. Through human rights monitoring and reporting, we are able to build up a detailed picture of the situation on the ground, anticipate emerging threats and take appropriate preventive action in a timely manner.

Secondly, with regard to protection by United Nations peacekeeping operations, Norway welcomes the publication of Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence — An Analytical Inventory of Peacekeeping Practice. We also attach great importance to the ongoing work to develop training modules and scenario-based exercises to strengthen missions' protection capacity.

The acts of rape perpetrated by rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in August and the recent assault on civilians in Western Sahara illustrate the magnitude of the task of civilian protection. Difficult protection challenges remain in Afghanistan and Somalia.

Despite those notable developments, the grim reality of today is that civilians are still casualties of conflicts and the direct targets of abduction, sexual violence and the denial of humanitarian access. Recent developments underscore the increasing difficulty that we face in addressing the five core challenges articulated in the Secretary-General's report, contained in document S/2009/277.