Statement by the Delegation of Brazil at the UNSC Open Debate on Women Peace and Security: Accountability as Prevention: Ending Cycles of Sexual Violence in conflict - April 13th, 2022

Mister President,

It is highly regrettable to be here today calling one more time for an end to an utterly unacceptable crime, committed mostly against women and girls, but also against men and boys. Sexual violence in conflict destroys the social fabric of communities and inflicts long-lasting psychological trauma, having a direct bearing on the resilience of peace and on the prospects for sustainable development.

Perpetrators, be they state or non-state actors, terrorist or mercenaries, should now be thinking twice before committing such crimes. But they do not stop, they continue because they know that most probably their actions will go unpunished even though they are committing well-known violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, abhorrent acts prohibited both in times of war and peace.

Today’s briefings and the latest report of the Secretary-General serve as stark reminders that the fight to end sexual violence as a weapon of war, as a tool of intimidation and social control in conflict and post-conflict situations is very far from over.

Mister President,

I thank the United Kingdom for organizing today’s debate and the briefers for their comprehensive presentations. In addition to that, Brazil takes this opportunity to commend Special Representative Pramila Patten for her work and her Office for the crucial role they play in international efforts to combat sexual violence in conflict. We also thank Ms. Nadia Murad, Ms. Mariana Karkoutly and Ms. Hilina Berhanuand for their testimonials. They show us the strength of the committed work of victims themselves and of their organizations on the ground.

Addressing the prevailing culture of impunity for the crime of sexual violence in conflict is paramount not just as a means of reparation but also of delivering justice by making perpetrators accountable for their crimes. It is also, as experience shows, an important tool to prevent the horrific scenarios described by the aforementioned reports and many other accounts.

As Ms. Simas Bauhaus told us on Monday and Ms. Pramila confirmed today, red flags are now flying all over as allegations of sexual violence are reported in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.

Brazil reiterates its calls for urgent independent investigations of such allegations and welcomes the participation of UN Women experts, skilled and experienced to investigate sexual violence, abuse and exploitation in the works of the Commission of Inquiry of the Human Rights Council.

This Council should respond appropriately to all allegations of sexual violence in conflicts under its agenda. This response must recognize the problem and strengthen, whenever appropriate, the mandates of peacekeeping operations and special political missions as to promote real changes on the ground.

Recent reports on South Sudan offer a horrific account of sexual violence being used as a weapon of war and remind us of the grave consequences of widespread impunity for sexual violence in conflict.

The recently approved resolution 2625 on South Sudan, which renews the mandate of UNMISS, expresses serious concern at those ongoing reports and underlines the urgency of timely investigations not only to support accountability but also to provide assistance and protection to survivors. It enables UNMISS to curb sexual violence within its core directive for the protection of civilians. In effect, UNMISS may use a variety of means and areas of deployment to deter, prevent, and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, including by facilitating access to organizations that provide services and support to survivors.

But having such provisions in the Council’s resolutions is not enough. This Council must urgently address the funding shortfalls that prevent it from delivering a satisfactory response. And that includes having the resources, for instance, to continue to deploy women’s protection advisers to bring behavioral change through engagement with the parties to the conflict.

It is also essential to guarantee that pre-deployment training of UN troops and personnel includes capacity building to recognize and respond to sexual violence in conflict, including on early warning and risk mitigation. Troops should be trained to help foster an enabling environment for surviving victims to seek support and for perpetrators to be persecuted for their crimes.

Peace agreements and post-conflict arrangements hardly ever deal with the situation of those who have been subjected to violence during conflict and its aftermath. With the support of the Peacebuilding Commission, this Council should continue to advocate for the inclusion of references in peace agreements considering the imperative to -- ideally -- eradicate all forms of sexual violence, especially against all women and girls and of provisions related to accountability for gender-based violence.

Promoting full, equal and meaningful participation of women in decision-making processes and peace talks also means tackling the root causes of sexual violence in conflict, including structural gender inequality and harmful social norms that lead to the stigmatization and discrimination of survivors.

Any and every step towards the implementation of women and peace and security resolutions is welcome.

I thank you.