A screenshot from the online virtual meeting on sexual violence in war-torn regions. /China Central Television
A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to adopt an integrated approach to eliminate conflict-related sexual violence.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped armed conflicts and terrorist activities, with sexual violence still being used as a means of war and terrorism, and women in conflict are bearing the brunt and suffering the most, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations during a UN meeting themed "Women, Peace and Security."
He said that China firmly opposes the use of sexual violence as a means of war, and strongly condemns any acts of sexual violence against women and girls. China calls on the international community to attach great importance to this issue and implement integrated policies to eliminate conflict-related sexual violence.
According to War Child UK, a charity that supports children and young people affected by armed conflict and war, sexual violence including rape is often designed to humiliate victims and spread fear among communities. Perpetrators can be military officers, militants, civilians or workers in displacement camps.
Whenever conflict erupts, sexual violence is present. For example, 2,300 cases of sexual violence including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery were reported in South Sudan by middle 2018, and the number will ever depict the true scale of the problem as sexual violence often go unreported, according to the UN.
After experienced sexual violence like rape, girl victims can face immense stigma because of the cultural significance of losing one's virginity. Then there's the risk of sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS. Besides, most survivors don't get appropriate treatment, counseling or justice. Children born of rape face multiple problems including stigmatization, abandonment and rejection by their community.
Zhang stressed that the world needs to focus on tackling the root causes of sexual violence and increase inputs into conflict prevention and maintaining peace.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had emphasized that the ultimate goal of the agenda to combat conflict-related sexual violence is not to make conflicts free of sexual violence, but rather to make the world free of wars. "As long as conflicts and wars continue, there will be the possibility of sexual violence being used as a means of war and terrorism," he said.
Yemeni women and girls from families who were affected by the war and blockade, wait to receive a lunch meal from a charitable center in Sana'a, Yemen, April 12, 2021. /CFP
The international community should focus on resolving the root causes to eradicate the breeding grounds for sexual violence, follow principles like non-interference in internal affairs, and non-use of force, and stay committed to settling disputes through peaceful means, like dialogue and consultation, Zhang said.
He called for efforts to promote gender equality and women's empowerment and support women in playing a greater role in economic and social development and peace and security.
He said that the problem of sexual violence does not occur in a vacuum and it often reflects deep-seated frictions due to gender inequality and insufficient development, among others. Under the framework of women's empowerment and development, the international community must endeavor to eliminate gender-based discrimination and differential treatment, advance women's development and overall socio-economic development simultaneously, he said.
It is necessary to continue to support women's broader and deeper participation in peace processes and in carrying out mediation, while giving women more opportunities to participate in decision-making with enhanced capacity and voice, he added.
He also called on the international community to support and help the countries concerned in advancing the women, peace and security agenda according to their national conditions and on the basis of respect for their sovereignty and jurisdiction.
Women and armed conflict is one of the 12 key areas listed in the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action. As the host country of the Fourth World Conference on Women and an advocate for gender equality and women's empowerment, China will continue to work with the international community to make greater contributions to the elimination of conflict-related sexual violence and the advancement of global women's development, the Chinese envoy said.
(With input from Xinhua)