UNSC Open Debate on “Accountability as Prevention: Ending Cycles of Sexual Violence in Conflict”

Statement on behalf of 64 Member States of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security

New York, 13 April 2022

Statement on behalf of 64 Member States of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security

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Mr. President,

I am pleased to speak on behalf of 64 Member States of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace, and Security, an informal network, representing all five regional groups of the UN, and the European Union^{Footnote 1}.

The Group is profoundly concerned by the persistent and widespread use of sexual violence with impunity by state and non-state actors in many conflicts. As the Secretary-General has highlighted, in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, the Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen, sexual and gender-based violence has been employed as a tactic of war, inflicting terrible suffering and humiliation upon survivors and their families. There are a growing number of horrific reports of sexual violence in Ukraine with a distinct impact on women and children. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken of possible war crimes, grave breaches of international humanitarian law and serious violations of international human rights law. We support the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate independent investigation.

We call on all parties, in all conflict situations, to immediately cease all forms of sexual violence consistent with international law and Security Council resolutions. Those responsible for such heinous acts must be held to account by national justice or, where applicable, international justice.

Regrettably, for many victims and survivors, access to justice, remedies and reparation is non-existent or painfully slow. UN Member States must fight impunity through strengthening the rule of law and enhancing protection, investigation and prosecution undertaken by gender-responsive and independent judicial systems. We continue to strongly encourage the Security Council to incorporate and apply sexual violence as a designation criterion in UN sanction regimes.

We must redouble our efforts to dismantle all structural and institutional barriers -- including inequality, stigma, discrimination, intimidation, and fear of retaliation -- that hinder survivors from safely reporting conflict-related sexual violence and from accessing essential services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare services, in line with the survivor-centered and human rights-based approaches, trauma-informed victim advocacy, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as counselling and legal services. We reiterate the importance of ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences. We also call on all parties to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society, including women peacebuilders and women human rights defenders, to carry out their important work, free of intimidation, violence or reprisals.

Mr. President,

Member States must take concerted action and invest in tackling the root causes of conflict-related sexual violence. Prevention starts with a commitment to gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, the protection and promotion of human rights, and women’s full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership at all levels of decision-making. We encourage the Security Council to ensure that country mandates emphasize the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence and strengthen early-warning systems through the deployment of women’s protection advisors in all relevant situations of concern, as well as ensure the provision of assistance to survivors.

Finally, it is critical that survivors remain at the heart of all efforts to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence in line with UN Security Council resolution 2467 (2019) and international law. We must recognize that survivors have different needs and perspectives and may face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. We must ensure that their rights are protected and promoted, they are treated with dignity, are able to obtain access to justice, and safely, fully and meaningfully participate in decision-making at all levels.

Thank you.