President.

I thank Special Representative Pramila Patten for her briefing. I have also listened carefully to the statement made by Ms. Ikhlass Ahmed. 

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Council’s adoption of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. However, we note with concern that sexual violence continues to be used as a tactic of war and terrorism. According to the Secretary-General’s report, the incidence of sexual violence in 2024 increased by 25% over the previous year, with 92% of the victims being women. This is indeed a disturbing trend. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes all sexual violence against women and girls, and calls on the international community to step up its efforts in the following areas. 

First, it is important to enhance efforts to prevent and address conflicts. The ultimate goal of combating conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is not only to make conflicts free of sexual violence, but to make the world free of war. To achieve peace, we must abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, insist on peaceful settlement of disputes, and promote political settlement of hotspot issues. The Gaza conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 61,000 Gazans, including women and girls. More than a million Palestinian women and girls are facing famine. In Haiti, gang violence is rampant. Nearly 700 women and girls there suffered sexual violence in 2024. The international community must act to promote ceasefires and deter violent crimes, so as to fundamentally avoid harming women and girls. 

Second, it is important to uphold the principle of ownership by the country concerned. The country concerned bears the primary responsibility for preventing and addressing CRSV and protecting women and children in its country. The international community should, on the basis of respecting the sovereignty and ownership of the country concerned, support it in strengthening security and judicial capacity-building, bringing perpetrators to justice, and seeking justice for victims. The relevant UN agencies should perform their respective roles and strengthen coordination. Currently, the global humanitarian funding is decreasing. Victims of sexual violence, including women and girls, find it harder to access medical and psychological services. Traditional donors should step up their assistance to help victims of sexual violence heal their wounds and integrate into society. 

Third, it is important to support women’s development and empowerment. CRSV often reflects deep-rooted conflicts such as gender inequality and underdevelopment. In addition to the peace perspective, the international community should also see and address CRSV from the perspective of women’s empowerment and sustainable development, commit to eliminating gender discrimination and differential treatment, alleviate the difficulties faced by women in their livelihoods, address their development gap, and fully unlock women’s potential, so that they can have in-depth participation in the peace process, engage in broader economic and social activities, and enjoy the dividends of development to a fuller extent. 

President, 

As the host country of the Fourth World Conference on Women, China has always been actively advocating and resolutely working for the global cause of women. China has sent more than 50,000 people cumulatively to UN peacekeeping operations, including more than 1,000 Chinese women peacekeepers who have been working diligently on their various jobs, bringing the hope of peace to people in conflict zones. We actively support developing countries in promoting women’s livelihood and their advancement. We have helped implement maternal and infant health programs and happy school projects to develop female talents. We have supported UN Women and other UN agencies in helping women in developing countries, especially in conflict zones, effectively address poverty and bridge their gender digital divide. This year, China will host the World Conference on Women again to jointly discuss important strategies to advance the women’s cause. We are ready to work with the international community to promote a world of lasting peace and universal security and make our greater contributions to the early elimination of CRSV and to the advancement of the cause of women. 

Thank you. President.