Zainab Bangura calls on Security Council for support for MENA response strategy on sexual violence

November 17, 2015 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU News Extra, Uncategorized 0

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(New York, 16 November 2015) Sexual violence has been a characteristic of the Syrian conflict, and has been perpetrated by most of the belligerent parties as aย tactic of war and a tactic of terrorism, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Zainab Hawa Bangura, today told the UN Security Council, calling for political and financial support to strengthen the current response for communities affected by conflict-related sexual violence.

โ€œOur response has to be beyond security and military considerations,โ€ Special Representative Bangura said in her briefing to the Council.

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In seven key points, she highlighted a range of interventions that will be required to aid survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and aim to prevent new attacks:

  1. Mobilize political commitment, support and resources;
  2. Ensure that protection and empowerment of women is consistently included as a central consideration in all efforts to prevent violent extremism and countering terrorism;
  3. Enhance protection, early-warning and risk mitigation;
  4. Strengthen the support and services to survivors of sexual violence;
  5. Invest in deepening information, analysis and documentation on sexual violence;
  6. Pursue accountability through investigation and prosecution of sexual violence crimes;
  7. Ensure womenโ€™s participation in peace and mediation processes and the explicit inclusion of conflict-related sexual violence concerns.

These points form a response strategy that is being developed under the auspices of the Special Representativeโ€™s Office, the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law/Sexual Violence in Conflict,ย and UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action).

โ€œYou political and financial support, and that of other Member States and donors, will be absolutely crucial,โ€ said Special Representative Bangura. โ€œI look forward in the coming weeks and months to share more details about the strategy, and will rely on your steadfast commitment.โ€

The Special Representative also stressed the importance of community, religious and traditional leaders in breaking the prevailing silence around the issues of conflict-related sexual violence, and in ensuring that survivors are embraced by their families and communities, rather than stigmatized and shunned.

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