WOMEN’S FULL SECURITY SECTOR PARTICIPATION WILL ENSURE SECURITY SERVICES RESPOND

EFFECTIVELY TO THEIR NEEDS, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

Following are Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks to the Security Council during its meeting on women, peace and security, in New York, on 19 June:

Let me join the Secretary-General in commending the United States for its initiative to convene this very important meeting.  I want to pay tribute to you, Madam President, for your personal commitment.

Under the leadership of the Secretary-General, the United Nations has been vigorously working to prevent sexual violence in situations of armed conflict.

Just last month, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Department of Peacekeeping Operations, on behalf of United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, which the Secretary-General has referred to, hosted a high-level conference on the role of military peacekeepers and others in responding to this scourge.

A number of ex-Force Commanders participating in the Conference conceded that more needs to be done to protect women and children from widespread and systematic sexual violence in conflict situations.  We are taking measures, conscious of the challenge we are facing in addressing the problem.

The Conference agreed that the credibility of peacekeeping operations ought to be measured by how successful they are in this respect.  And it reached broad agreement on the fact that the profound insecurity perpetuated by sexual violence must be addressed at the political and tactical level.

The adoption in 2000 of Security Council resolution 1325 demonstrated that sexual violence in conflict is not just a gender issue -- it is a fundamental security concern.  And the fact that you are holding this meeting today sends another clear signal that sexual and gender-based violence in conflict is in the remit of the Security Council.

This is critical to improving our operational approach.  When the Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last December, it adopted strong language setting a precedent for requiring specific responses to -- and reporting on -- sexual violence.

Gender units inmost Peacekeeping Operations are working with key stakeholders, including uniformed peacekeeping personnel, national authorities, women’s organizations and other sectors of civil society in efforts to combat sexual gender-based violence.

All Missions have underlined training as an important strategy to mobilize priority attention to this problem among peacekeeping personnel and national partners.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is undertaking numerous measures as well, including monitoring, investigating and documenting sexual and gender-based violence as a human rights issue.

These critical activities are part of our broader efforts to change attitudes to sexual and gender-based violence.  This will require re-evaluating cultural practices and judicial systems to ensure that they are fully inclusive and guarantee the protection of women against all forms of abuse.

Sexual violence has not only grave physical, psychological and health consequences for its victims, but also direct social consequences for communities and entire societies.  Impunity for sexual violence committed during conflict perpetuates a tolerance of abuse against women and girls and leaves a damaging legacy by hindering national reconciliation.

Tackling this complex problem on all fronts will require the combined effort of all, including Governments, the United Nations system, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations.  In this, regard, one of our greatest assets are women themselves.  If we promote the full and equal participation of women in the security sector, we can ensure that security services effectively identify and respond to their needs.

The road ahead is long, but today’s Council meeting is a crucial step forward.  Let’s maintain this forward momentum not only to protect women in conflict situations, but to secure lasting peace for all.

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For information media • not an official record