UN Security Council adopts resolution against sexual violence News
UN Security Council adopts resolution against sexual violence
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[JURIST] The UN Security Council (UNSC) [official website] on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution [Resolution 2106, PDF] to strengthen efforts to end impunity for sexual violence affecting not only large numbers of women and girls, but also men and boys. The resolution emphasizes more consistent and rigorous investigation and prosecution [press release] of sexual violence crimes as a central aspect of deterrence, and ultimately prevention. The resolution also calls for the further deployment of Women Protection Advisers (WPA) in accordance with an earlier resolution [Resolution 1888, PDF] to facilitate the implementation of Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security, and for the systematic assessment of the number and roles of WPAs during the planning and review of each UN peacekeeping and political mission. In an e-mailed statement, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) [advocacy website] lauded the resolution, but called on the UNSC to use its leadership to ensure that governments, UN bodies and all who can play a decisive part in the arrest and surrender of alleged perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence, fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website].

The UN has recently focused on the issue of violence against women in a variety of contexts and countries.
Last month the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women urged [JURIST report] the government of Bangladesh [official website] to address the prevalent acts of violence against women occurring in the country. In March more than 130 UN member states agreed to adopt new measures [JURIST report] to prevent and eliminate violence against women. This agreement came as a result of the UN urging [JURIST report] governments to take decisive measures to protect women’s rights. In December the UN released a report [JURIST report] declaring that women in Afghanistan are still suffering abuse at the hands of men. In November the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly approved a resolution [JURIST report] that called for a global ban on female genital mutilation.