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At the UN Security Council open debate on Women, Peace and Security Lithuanian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Mrs. Rita Kazragienė stressed that greater attention must be paid to providing better support for victims, including by ensured witnesses’, victims’, and justice officials’ protection, reparation mechanisms, and women’s systematic inclusion in all aspect of conflict resolution.

She also pointed out that strengthening of international and national justice responses to conflict related violence against women is crucial. Developing of transitional justice mechanisms and institutions, rebuilding the rule of law is crucial in protecting women’s rights in the aftermath of conflicts. She reiterated that transitional justice cannot be a substitute for accountability and blanket amnesties cannot be extended to conflict related sexual violence.

The Lithuanian diplomat confirmed that Lithuania supports wider Council’s practice to include sexual violence in the designation criteria for targeted sanctions. "Without monitoring and reporting tackling impunity is hard to imagine. We welcome the Council’s decision today: the UN entities should do more systematic reporting to the Council, including analysis”, said Mrs. Kazgarienė.

Draft statement 

United Nations Security Council Open Debate

on Women, Rule of Law and Transitional Justice in Conflict-Affected Situations

18 October 2013, New York

Mr. President,

My delegation welcomes Azerbaijan as the President of the Security Council for the month of October for convening an open debate on Women, Peace and Security.

Lithuania welcomes the adoption of the resolution on Women, Peace and Security today, which aims at streamlining the action, within the UN system, to implement Resolution 1325 and other related decisions. It is important that in the resolution the role of regional organizations and civil society is clearly underlined.

We appreciate the recommendations of the Secretary-General that provide a strategic look and guidance on the implementation of existing commitments. We also commend the work of Madame Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women, and her first briefing to the Council.

Mr. President,

Lithuania associates itself with the statement made by a representative of the European Union. I will limit myself to a few points relating to the rule of law and women’s participation agenda.

Strengthening international and national justice responses to conflict related violence against women is crucial. Developing of transitional justice mechanisms and institutions, rebuilding the rule of law is crucial in protecting women’s rights in the aftermath of conflict. 

Greater attention must be paid to providing better support for victims, including by ensured witnesses’, victims’, and justice officials’ protection, reparation mechanisms, and women’s systematic inclusion in all aspect of conflict resolution. UN special representatives, peace keeping and political missions, UN agencies have a much greater role to play.

In recent years the UN has augmented its involvement in establishing and supporting transitional justice measures furthering women’s rights in post conflict societies. The UN-supported truth commissions in Mali, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire have addressed gender-based crimes.

Yet, more must be done to ensure that transitional justice addresses a full range of gender-specific crimes, including human trafficking, early marriages or forced marriages by armed groups, tackles links between sexual violence and natural resources extraction, withholding of humanitarian assistance, enforced disappearances, forced displacement.

Transitional justice cannot be a substitute for accountability. It should not limit victims’ access to reparations. Blanket amnesties cannot be extended to conflict related sexual violence. Greater attention must be paid to the delivery of reparations programmes and funding. We continue to support wider Council’s practice of including sexual violence in the designation criteria for targeted sanctions.

Without monitoring and reporting tackling impunity is hard to imagine. We welcome the Council’s decision today: the UN entities should do more systematic reporting to the Council, including analysis.

Lithuania has co-sponsored the Council resolution on small arms and light weapons that links illicit transfers and misuse of small arms to disproportionate impact on violence perpetrated against women and girls.

Mr. President,

In previous statements my delegation has already spoken about the importance of ensuring women’s empowerment. Women’s participation at all levels of economic, political and social life is as much crucial to sustainable peace as to poverty reduction, economic recovery, and sustainable development. We welcome the Declaration by the Peacebuilding Commission on Women’s economic empowerment for peacebuilding.

Latest decrease in the women’s share of senior positions in UN field operations should be reversed. UN efforts to retain, attract and support women staff should be complemented by Member States’ efforts to consistently nominate more female candidates.

Notable greater involvement of women – from mediation, restoring the rule of law and governance to participation in post-conflict electoral processes – continues to require commitment and attention.  It also needs greater dedicated resourcing, particularly for civil society working on the ground, as well as structured data on funding.

I thank you.