Affirming the Role of the United States in Eliminating Sexual Violence in Conflict

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Affirming the Role of the United States in Eliminating Sexual Violence in Conflict

RESOLUTION

    Affirming the role of the United States in eliminating sexual violence in conflict.
Whereas sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war throughout history, whether to subjugate, terrorize, or ethnically cleanse populations;
Whereas the term ‘‘conflict-related sexual violence’’ refers to any form of sexual violence perpetrated against an individual that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict, such as rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage;
Whereas the occurrence of conflict-related sexual violence directly correlates with the resurgence of hostilities, militarization, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, mass population displacement, the rise of violent extremism, the collapse of the rule of law and social support systems, and a climate of impunity;
...

Whereas conflict-related sexual violence has been considered a war crime, crime against humanity, and an act of genocide and torture under international jurisprudence;

Despite the numerous international resolutions, conventions, and treaties, sexual violence continues to occur in many conflicts across the world with almost total impunity.

The Need for Action

Addressing the substantial gaps in the areas of prevention, accountability, and compliance, are critical to promoting sustainable peace;
Prevention measures should be considered a peace and security imperative that can help reduce the occurrence and reoccurrence of armed conflicts;
Access to safe and effective health care, protection, shelters, reporting mechanisms, are essential to meeting the needs of survivors, and preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence;

A Call to Action

The United States recognizes that successfully preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence requires meaningful participation of women in peace and security processes.

Key Resolutions

Now, therefore, be it

affirms the leadership and commitment of
the United States Government in efforts to prevent
and respond to conflict-related sexual violence and to
support and protect all survivors of conflict-related
sexual violence;
recognizes that accountability for the perpetration
of conflict-related sexual violence is impor-2
tant for comprehensive and lasting peace agree-
ments;
calls on the United States to ensure mecha-
nisms to hold perpetrators of sexual violence ac-
countable are included in peacebuilding resolutions
and processes, and that women participate in such
peace processes in accordance with the Women,
Peace, and Security Act of 2017 (Public Law
115–10 68);