Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict - Canada National Statement

Madam/Mister President,

Please allow me to make a few additional remarks as Canada’s representative.

Today’s debate is of key importance to my country.

Canada’s feminist foreign policy places gender considerations are at the core of our global engagement. The reason is simple, the evidence is conclusive: supporting gender equality is the best way to build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world. 

Sadly, the Council’s briefers today confirmed that which we already knew. Sexual and gender-based violence is widespread. Women, girls, LGBTI persons and others belonging to marginalized groups are targets. This will not change absent concerted effort.

Canada is not immune. Intersecting forms of discrimination have resulted in elevated levels of sexual and gender-based violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada.

In the context of this week’s UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, I wish to reaffirm my government’s strong commitment to addressing this issue.

And just as we seek to prevent sexual and gender-based violence at home, we support efforts around the world. In Myanmar, we are working with UNICEF and UNFPA to address systemic barriers to sexual and reproductive health and rights. In the DRC, we are supporting UNDP’s work in providing all survivors with legal, medical and psycho-social support. For the next two years, Canada is leading the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies.

We are also working to strengthen accountability worldwide. Laws are in fact changing, albeit not quickly enough. In the interim, the inability of existing national legal frameworks to deal with such crimes in no way diminishes their gravity. In such cases, it is Canada’s strong view that we have a collective legal and moral responsibility to act.

A lack of political will, including in this Council, should similarly not enable impunity. The shortcomings of the systems already in place should be recognized and addressed. Alternative approaches should be pursued.

Canada is for example supporting the deployment of experts through UN Women to secure accountability for sexual and gender-based crimes in Myanmar, Syria, DRC, South Sudan, Burundi, Yemen, and Mali. Such deployments make a difference. The SGBV experts deployed with Canadian support to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar directly contributed to a finding that sexual and gender-based violence in Myanmar’s Kachin, Shan and Rakhine States amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

While critical, we know this work is not easy.

Canada’s support for the collection of evidence of Daesh crimes in Iraq and Syria has encountered a number of challenges. Survivors and witnesses legitimately express a growing frustration about the delays in obtaining justice, as well as a sense of psychological fatigue from repeatedly sharing experiences with numerous media and NGOs.

International support to investigatory bodies to document sexual violence is key, but we need to own up to our responsibilities to prevent the re-victimization of survivors.

We must all continue to ensure that the voices of victims and their families are fully reflected in our efforts.

All victims of sexual and gender based violence expect action. They expect justice and accountability. And they expect better efforts towards prevention. They are right to. I would, and I suspect you would too.

Today’s resolution includes many important elements. We commend Germany for its tireless efforts. But we are disappointed that it is silent on at least two counts.

We urge the Council to explicitly recognize that LGBTI individuals are targets of sexual violence in conflict specifically because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This persecution is nothing new. Homosexuals, branded with pink triangles by the Nazis and pushed off of buildings by Daesh, have always been targeted. Situations of armed conflict magnify underlying discrimination against LGBTI individuals, which can be manifest through sexual violence.

What’s new now is the growing expectation for concrete action. Greater efforts are needed to monitor and report on such violence and to ensure that Member States strengthen national legislation to protect LGBTI victims.

Moreover, Canada very much regrets that consensus could not be reached on a reference in the resolution to SRHR. The Security Council shouldn’t be backtracking on progress made in recent years. One step forward cannot involve two steps back. To be clear: SRHR is essential to women’s autonomy and human rights. This was as true when the council considered this issue previously as it is now. We cannot promote gender equality, address sexual violence in conflict or implement a survivor centred approach without ensuring SRHR.

Should Canada be elected to serve on this Council in 2021-22, we will be highly committed to continuing to advance this agenda.

Thank you.