Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) theme focuses on the incidence and prevalence of violence against women in conflict and post-conflict settings. Polarisation of gender roles, proliferation of weapons, militarisation, and the breakdown of law influence SGBV.

The risk of SGBV is heightened during conflict by aggravating factors, including the polarization of gender roles, the proliferation of arms, the militarization of society, and the breakdown of law and order. The subsequent long-term and complex impacts of SGBV continue to affect individuals and communities after conflict ends.

SGBV is addressed in all five resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. In SCR 1888, the Security Council expresses its intention to ensure peacekeeping mandate resolutions contain provisions on the prevention of, and response to, sexual violence, with corresponding reporting requirements to the Council (OP11). The resolutions deal with protecting women from violence (1820,OP3, 8-10; 1888,OP3,12); strengthening local and national institutions to assist victims of sexual violence (1820,OP13; 1888,OP13); and including strategies to address sexual violence in post-conflict peacebuilding processes (1820,OP11). SCR 1820 also calls for the participation of women in the development of mechanisms intended to protect women from violence (OP10).

Lastly, SCR 1960 creates institutional tools and teeth to combat impunity and outlines specific steps needed for both the prevention of and protection from conflict-related sexual violence. The new “naming and shaming,” listing mechanism mandated in the Resolution is a step forward in bringing justice for victims and a recognition that sexual violence is a serious violation of human rights and international law.

Addressing SGBV is an integral aspect of the overall Women, Peace and Security agenda. SGBV affects the health and safety of women, and also has significant impact on economic and social stability. The Security Council recognises that sexual violence can threaten international peace and security, and that it is frequently used as a tactic of war to dominate, humiliate, terrorise, and displace.

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SGBV

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As the Secretary-General has made clear, the trafficking of women and girls and their sexual enslavement are a source of financing for the Islamic State and a recruitment tool.

SGBV general

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In connection to this, the nexus between conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking needs to be better understood.

We welcome the strong condemnation in today’s resolution of the activities of Da’esh related to human trafficking and sexual and gender-based violence.

SGBV

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First, at the United Nations level, we must strengthen the link between combating human trafficking and the implementation of efforts to end sexual violence and grave violations of children’s rights in conflict situations.

SGBV

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Trafficking for forced labour or sexual exploitation or for harvesting tissue, cells and organs represents the cruellest type of international organized crime and is well fuelled by poverty or conflict.

SGBV

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That system must also take into account mechanisms for dealing with and combating the trafficking in persons and sexual violence in its broadest sense, as well as violent extremism in relation to situations of armed conflict.

SGBV

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During conflict, traffickers take advantage of the lack of normalcy and the rule of law to exploit the existing vulnerabilities of people and act with impunity to finance war, provide sexual services and reduce, if not eliminate, ethnic or religious minorities.

SGBV PK

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 Asustained, coordinated and coherent response by the international, regional and national entities concerned is required to effectively pre-empt and disrupt that nexus, especially when it involves women and children.

Any possible linkage with trafficking in case of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers must be based on credible information and evidence.

SGBV

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The executive committee develops and implements awareness-raising campaigns and is in charge of training civil servants to address the problem of trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation and related crimes in order to understand the complexity of the crime and its direct links to drug trafficking and organized crime.

SGBV

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We must condemn those acts and demand that the Syrian Government uphold its international obligations by refraining from using child soldiers, protecting women who have been sold as sex slaves and prosecuting traffickers, whether they are Government officials or terrorists. We must be the voice of women such as Marwa and Nadia and so many others.

SGBV

Extract: 

It is well known that internally displaced and refugee women and girls in areas controlled by Da’esh have been sold or forcibly married to fighters in armed groups. The horrendous crimes committed against Yazidi women and girls in particular have generated deep sympathy worldwide.

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