AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL LITHUANIA CALLS TO PROSECUTE CONFLICT-RELATED SEXUAL VIOLENCE
“To tackle impunity, sustained comprehensive efforts are needed at the national level to guarantee the prosecution of conflict-related sexual violence and support for the survivors” said Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Neris Germanas while addressing the UN Security Council at the debate on effective justice for crimes of sexual violence in conflict. He stressed that the Security Council could make a major difference by supporting early establishment of national reparation programmes as well as developing a more robust monitoring and reporting system.
Vice-Minister Germanas referred to national action plans on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Lithuania’s national action plan, adopted in December 2011, contains a series of measures aimed at women’s empowerment through education, networking, and development of skills. It has direct linkages with Lithuania’s development co-operation programmes, which include a strong gender element.
All pre-deployment training for Lithuanian military and police personnel participating in international missions includes specific training on gender issues, reminded Vice-Minister Germanas. Lithuania strongly supported the inclusion of gender-based violence and violence against women and children among the mandatory assessment criteria for arms exports in the Arms Trade Treaty.
To combat impunity for sexual violence Vice-Minister called on the Security Council to use the tools at its disposal in a more systematic way, including the setting up of commissions of inquiry, individual targeted sanctions and referrals to the International Criminal Court.
The Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court recognized sexual violence in conflicts as crimes against humanity. The UN Security Council in its resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1960 recognized that rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute a war crime. In September 2012 UN Secretary General appointed Ms. Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura as his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Lithuania is running for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2014-2015. It is the only candidate from the Eastern European Group of States at the elections that will be held in October 2013 at the UN General Assembly.
