Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Reaffirming that all parties, including armed groups and militias, must respect human rights and abide by all applicable obligations under international humanitarian law, including those to protect the civilian population, including civilians displaced from and returning to areas liberated from ISIL (Da’esh), by which both official Iraqi forces and Member States that assist them must also abide, and while acknowledging legitimate security measures to identify members of ISIL (Da’esh), calling on all parties to immediately release any arbitrarily or unlawfully detained persons, emphasizing that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, including those involving sexual and gender-based violence, must be held accountable, welcoming the establishment by Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi of a committee to investigate reported violations and abuses, including the reports of missing men and boys from Fallujah, and stressing the need for all such allegations, wherever they occur, to be immediately and comprehensively investigated and, as appropriate, prosecuted.

Stressing the importance of the United Nations, in particular UNAMI, in advising, supporting and assisting the Iraqi people, including civil society, and the Government of Iraq to strengthen democratic institutions, advance inclusive political dialogue and national reconciliation according to the Constitution, ensure reconciliation efforts are coordinated, facilitate regional dialogue, develop processes acceptable to the Government of Iraq to resolve disputed internal boundaries, aid youth and vulnerable groups, including refugees and internally displaced persons, and promote the full participation of women in political and peace processes and institutions, gender equality and the protection of human rights, children and youth, and vulnerable groups, highlighting the need for specific information and practical recommendations related to the gender dimensions of the conflict and on the implementation of women, peace and security agenda in Iraq, and the swift deployment of dedicated expertise such as Women Protection Advisors to accelerate the coordinated implementation of monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations, and emphasizing the importance of the United Nations, in particular UNAMI, in prioritizing advice, support, and assistance to the Iraqi people, including civil society, and the Government of Iraq to achieve these goals.