Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

There is no greater need for accountability than for those sexually exploited and abused by peacekeepers — those who have been betrayed by the people sent to protect them.

Sexual violence destroys the lives of women and girls and young men.

Displaced populations and ethnic and religious minorities are at particular risk of violence, while women and children all too often suffer from gender-based violence and are victims of recruitment by armed groups.

We all recognize that States have the primary responsibility to put an end to impunity and to prosecute perpetrators responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including those relating to sexual violence against women and girls.

Portugal reiterates its commitment to continue to conduct training programmes for members of its national security and armed forces who have been deployed to international peacekeeping missions. Such training programmes cover such issues as gender equality, violence against women and girls, including all forms of sexual violence and gender-based violence, as well as trafficking in human beings.

The report confirms our worst fears about conflict-related sexual violence. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable, especially when they are displaced and seek refuge in another country. They can fall victim to human trafficking, abuse and forced prostitution. That includes women and girls in Europe.

The specific protection needs of women and children require special attention. Similar attention should also be paid to the phenomenon of sexual violence and the use of rape as tactics of warfare, affecting women, children, but also men.

The horrors of conflict became even more gruesome when women and girls became targets of terror groups like Da’esh and Boko Haram and were sold into sexual slavery or were used as objects for recruitment or ransom. We have seen too many deaths and the numbers presented to us represent our fellow human beings — human faces that we must not ignore. They include those suffering from sexual abuse.

The protection of civilians cannot be limited to physical defence; it must also protect the human dignity of women and children. The behaviour of peacekeepers must be impeccable with zero tolerance with regard to sexual exploitation and abuse, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Secretary-General.

To that end, Japan has provided financial support to the United Nations training-the-trainers course on the protection of civilians, in which Japanese trainers also participate. Furthermore, Japan assists in the development of training materials for women’s protection advisers in missions, who play a critical role in protecting women.