Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Including the civil society in implementation of 1325 is vital. For its own part, Finland actively seeks advice and forms partnerships with NGOs in implementing its National Action Plan. For example in our National Anniversary Seminar, held in Helsinki last Friday, our President, Foreign Minister and myself were honoured to hear from Special Representative Margot Wallstrom and also from representatives of the civil society.

Finally, a few words on the centrality of the work against impunity and due attention to the victims of human rights violations and serious crimes. Justice for victims is essential in restoring the confidence of the people in their government and in promoting sustainable peace. There should never be amnesties for the most serious crimes, including sexual and gender based violence, which can constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Violence against women and girls in conflicts, and in particular sexual and gender based violence, continues to devastate the lives of many and too often perpetrators enjoy impunity, as events in eastern-DRC remind us.

The EU asks the Security Council to redouble its efforts in the fight against impunity; targeted and graduated measures should be imposed against all parties to conflict responsible for grave violations of women's rights. Perpetrators of sexual violence, including commanders who commission or condone the use of sexual violence, should be held accountable.

In 2008, the EU adopted a comprehensive approach to the implementation of resolutions 1325 and 1820, encompassing humanitarian, development, security and foreign policies measures.

Estonia strongly condemns grave violations of the rights of women and girls, including targeted sexual violence and supports measures to combat impunity for these crimes. We support the call to include sexual violence as a priority element in resolutions mandating the SC Sanctions Committees, which should include sexual violence as a criterion for the designation of individuals for targeted measures.

In addition, through the El Salvador Institute for the Advancement of Women, we are promoting a strategic re-alignment, as of 1 June 2009, to bring about a society with full gender equality by reducing the gender gap and by combating all forms of violence against women.

El Salvador welcomes the evolution of this historic resolution and the subsequent adoption by the Council of resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1882 (2009) on the prevention and response to sexual violence in conflicts an resolution 1888 (2009) on the participation of women in peacebuilding.

Violence against women in conflict and postconflict situations is both a development and a security challenge that calls for action on a common front by United Nations Charter and other intergovernmental bodies. Violence against women profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women but also the political, economic and social stability of their nations.

I therefore wish to suggest a sharing of tasks among these various bodies in order to accelerate mutually reinforcing efforts in this crucial field. For example, the Economic and Social Council could ensure follow-up and monitoring of the indicators developed by its Statistical Commission on violence against women.