President, 

I welcome you to New York to preside over this debate. I thank Special Representative Pramilla Patten and other briefers for the briefings.

Women are one of the most vulnerable groups. Their rights and interests are most easily violated. They are most in need of protection. China firmly opposes the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war and terrorism, strongly condemns all sexual violence against women and girls, and calls on the international community to adopt a comprehensive approach as a response. I wish to emphasize the following points.

First, we must resolutely combat all forms of sexual violence. Without effective punishments for criminal acts, it will be difficult to deter and prevent new violations. All countries should strengthen the rule of law, punish perpetrators of violence with zero tolerance in accordance with law, and seek justice for the victims. Recently, Haiti has seen a surge in gang violence, resulting in horrific incidents of sexual violence, which pose a serious threat to local women and girls and generate fear among the population. China calls upon all parties to support the efforts by the Haitian police in maintaining law and order, strictly implement the arms embargo, shut down at the source the channels through which the gangs illegally obtain weapons and ammunition, and stabilize the situation on the ground as soon as possible.

Second, we must make every effort to suppress terrorist activities. In recent years, the problems of kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual violence committed by terrorist groups in West Africa, the Middle East, and other regions have become increasingly pronounced. Many of the actors listed in the SG’s report as suspects of committing sexual violence are terrorist groups listed by the Security Council. It is incumbent upon all parties to abide by the purpose and principles of the UN Charter, respect the sovereignty, independence, and the territorial integrity of the countries concerned, give full play to the leading role of the UN and its Security Council, put an end to double standards in fighting terrorism, strengthen international counter-terrorism cooperation, and resolutely combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Third, we must promote comprehensive development of women. The issue of sexual violence does not arise out of a vacuum. Rather, it is closely related to the issue of development. The international community should focus on the long term, scale up assistance to developing countries, accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, strengthen women empowerment, and promote gender equality. It is important to pay attention to the special needs of victims of sexual violence, provide timely and urgent medical care, and psychological counseling services, and help them heal the trauma and reintegrate into society at an early date. China welcomes the adoption of laws and action plans for the protection of women and children by Sri Lanka, Somalia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

President, 

The ultimate goal of the CRSV agenda is not just to make the conflict free of sexual violence. The ultimate goal is to make the world free of war. The most fundamental way for us to address CRSV is to stop and prevent war itself. 

As we speak, the conflict in the Gaza Strip has lasted more than six months now, where more than 10,000 women have been killed. More than one million Palestinian women and girls are facing starvation. This man-made humanitarian disaster must end. It is imperative to promote the full and effective implementation of Council Resolution 2728 to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and stop all actions that harm civilians. China has taken note of the report issued by SRSG Patten’s office following her visit in February this year to Israel upon the invitation, during which she also traveled to the occupied West Bank. It is our hope that the relevant parties will take the recommendations contained in the report seriously and respond positively.

China stands ready to continue to work with the international community to create an environment of peace, security, and stability around the world and make positive contributions to the eradication of CRSV and the advancement of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Thank you, President.