YouSaid · the spoken record

Baeriswyl

lines on the record: 694
first: 2013-06-24
most recent: 2023-12-22
sittings or episodes: 128
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, I deliver this statement with deep sorrow in my heart, thinking of all the women who today are fleeing, threatened by cold, hunger, war and violence, in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar or elsewhere. And yet, women are actors, driving forces and indispensable peacebuilders, and despite the fact that they pay too high a price, they must not be confined to the role of potential victims of conflict. In 2009, in its resolution 1889 (2009), adopted under the presidency of Viet Nam, the Security Council was visionary in placing for the first time a decisive emphasis on the role of women in reconstruction. The full, equal and meaningful participation of women in emergency relief, reconstruction and peacebuilding remains fundamental to this day.”
2022-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8989 (2022) · source
“As a candidate for the Security Council, my country is committed to the protection of civilians in armed conflict and the full implementation of international humanitarian law. We work for human dignity in war.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Comprehensive approaches by humanitarian and development actors, including preventing further negative impacts of armed conflict, are highly important, especially in addressing protracted armed conflict in urban areas. Allow me to add the following in my national capacity. “Boredom, shooting, shelling, people being killed, despair, hunger, misery — that’s my life”. Those were the words of author Zlata Filipović, who, as a girl, was trapped in the siege of Sarajevo. Almost 30 years later, too many girls, boys, women and men still find themselves in that reality in conflict zones around the world. We must strive to ensure that cities remain spaces of life and hope, even during armed conflict. Strict respect for international humanitarian law is key to achieving that.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Fourthly, war in cities has altered and shrunk the humanitarian space. Those complex security environments lead to access restrictions and impede humanitarian assistance and protection, in particular for women and children. Therefore, it remains all the more important for all parties to armed conflicts to allow and facilitate humanitarian activities. It is equally essential to ensure the participation and leadership of women and girls in humanitarian processes and initiatives. Furthermore, even when parties comply with international humanitarian law, warfare often leads to civilian losses and destruction, which must be addressed.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Military doctrine and practice should provide the basis for the development of military competence in protecting civilians during military operations in cities. That should include specific training and the development of good practices in planning and conducting military operations in cities during armed conflict. Thirdly, respect for the rules and principles governing the conduct of hostilities, in particular the prohibition of direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects, is eroding, including in situations on the Council’s agenda. The dissemination of international humanitarian law to all parties to a conflict is therefore important to increase compliance and generate better protection of civilians. Engaging armed groups is also essential, and contacts for such purposes should not be criminalized.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“The Group of Friends emphasizes that only full respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law and a reduction in hostilities can protect the civilian population, including in cities. The Group of Friends echoes its constant calls for ensuring strict compliance with international humanitarian law in all circumstances and for the political settlement of armed conflicts. We welcome the adoption of the landmark resolution 2573 (2021), on attacks on critical infrastructure, and emphasize the call to avoid, to the extent possible, establishing military positions within or near densely populated areas. Secondly, the implementation of international humanitarian law at the national level is key, and it requires both legal and practical measures in times of peace and of armed conflict.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“The Group of Friends therefore stresses the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and the need to enhance the protection of civilians, including from the humanitarian impacts that could arise when explosive weapons are used in populated areas. The Group of Friends takes note of the ongoing consultations led by Ireland. I will concentrate my remarks today on actions that the Security Council and Member States should take to remedy that tragedy. First, the strict application of the rules and principles of international humanitarian law, including those of distinction and proportionality, as well as precautions, are required by all parties to armed conflict.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“I am honoured to take the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends on the protection of civilians in armed conflict — a cross- regional network of 27 Member States. We thank Norway for organizing this important debate. I would also like to thank the briefers, the Secretary-General, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the civil-society representative for their important insights. According to the Secretary-General’s 2021 report (S/2021/423), a large majority of casualties in armed conflicts in urban settings are civilians. Ample evidence of the devastating impact of war in cities has been collected, including the negative long-term and systemic consequences on basic health and education services.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“In my national capacity, let me add that Switzerland works for greater inclusion and protection for women and civil society in all our peacebuilding efforts and human rights policies. As this year’s co-Chair of the Women and Peace and Security Focal Points Network, we will stand for women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and security processes.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“Such a clear stance will also help prevent the growing self-censorship by actors who decide not to engage with the United Nations out of fear. Fourthly, the Caucus welcomes the work of the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights as the focal point for reprisals within the United Nations system and will support her in that endeavour. The work of the focal point is underfunded, and we request all Member States to support it. As a cross-regional group of Member States, the Caucus stands ready to work with all Member States, civil society and the entire United Nations system to protect the invaluable contribution of women to peace and security processes and to prevent them from becoming targets of all forms of violence and intimidation.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“We encourage the Peacebuilding Commission to make use of its advisory, bridging and convening roles in order to strengthen system-wide responses and preventive measures to that effect. We further commend the Secretary-General’s focus on putting human rights and gender equality at the core of the United Nations work, as most recently expressed in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). Thirdly, the Caucus calls upon the Security Council to publicly condemn intimidation, threats and reprisals against those who engage with it, in particular women. Civil society must be able to carry out its work independently and without interference. A resolute position by the Council on the need to create safe and enabling environments will send an important message: reprisals are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“We encourage the presentation by the Secretary-General of his annual report on reprisals to the General Assembly from its seventy-seventh session onward. Secondly, the wider United Nations system has a duty to prevent and respond to alleged cases of intimidation and reprisals against those who provide information or seek to engage with it, and to ensure accountability when such acts occur. Coordination and collaboration among different bodies and mechanisms are crucial. The United Nations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and treaty bodies, should hold regular and systematic exchanges with civil society on identifying specific protection needs.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“It is of the utmost importance to create a safe and enabling environment — online and offline — for women to lead and contribute in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, without fear of any kind of intimidation or violence. We propose the following areas of action. First, we urge all Member States to prevent and ensure adequate protection against any acts of intimidation and reprisals and to strengthen their response if they occur. We must engage in preventive measures and awareness-raising, as well as ensure accountability through robust investigations. We call for the full implementation of all Security Council resolutions on women and peace and security, as well as all resolutions on human rights defenders and resolutions addressing intimidation and reprisals against those who cooperate with the United Nations.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“The Caucus recognizes the essential and meaningful contribution of women human rights defenders, women peacebuilders and gender equality advocates to defending and advancing peace and human rights across the globe. They provide the United Nations system in general and the Human Right Council and Security Council in particular with crucial insights for informed decision-making. Reprisals against them undermine the Security Council’s work and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We strongly condemn all threats, intimidations, violence and reprisals against any representatives of civil society, including while engaging with the United Nations.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“I deliver these remarks on behalf of the Human Rights and Conflict Prevention Caucus, which is co-chaired by Germany and Switzerland, and its members Albania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Gabon, Guatemala, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. We thank Norway for organizing this important debate and the briefers for their precious contributions. We commend Norway — together with Albania, the Niger and the United Arab Emirates — for their shared commitments on women and peace and security, including a zero-tolerance approach to reprisals against briefers.”
2022-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8949 (2022) · source
“The peace and security agenda of the African Union, for example, takes into account climate-related security risks. Thirdly, the Council has a role to play in breaking the vicious cycle of conflict and the emergence of terrorism and violent extremism. Switzerland strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms. It is crucial that measures to combat terrorism be developed and implemented in strict compliance with international law, in particular international human rights law and international humanitarian law. When developing such measures, the Council must ensure in particular that they do not have a negative impact on humanitarian activities. As a candidate for the Security Council, Switzerland remains firmly committed to combating the adverse effects of climate change on peace and security.”
2021-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8923Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Secondly, climate change acts as a risk multiplier. Switzerland welcomes the fact that several peacekeeping and special political missions, including in the Sahel, have incorporated the effects of climate change into their mandates. Climate change-related security risks should be sufficiently and more systematically incorporated into peacekeeping operation mandates, as well as in the context of transitions and withdrawals of operations. In order to achieve that, the Council should further leverage the resources available within the United Nations system, as well as the advisory role of the Peacebuilding Commission. Working with academia, civil society and regional organizations fosters new approaches that can steer the work of Council.”
2021-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8923Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Switzerland associates itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the Group of Friends on Climate and Security. In addition, we would like to highlight three areas of action for the Council. First, natural disasters exacerbated by climate change are already causing a great deal of turmoil, including the displacement of persons, which can cause tension and conflict. Their impacts are disproportionately felt by women, children and those who are most vulnerable. The Security Council should take action based on international law and the rule of law to address the security implications of climate change. Broadly speaking, it remains important to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C to reduce the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and enable peoples to adapt to climate change.”
2021-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8923Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland thanks you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate, and we commend the Niger on its important contribution to the work of the Security Council over the past two years. The challenges of the fight against terrorism and the impact of climate change on peace and security in the Sahel are complex and require a concerted response. The Council’s recent visit to Mali and the Niger underlined that. Climate-related disasters have affected nearly 4 billion people around the world over the past decade. That devastation will only continue to spread. The Council could create a coherent framework for action in that regard by adopting a thematic draft resolution, which Switzerland would welcome.”
2021-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8923Resumption1 (2021) · source
“As a candidate for the Security Council and a member of the Peacebuilding Commission, my country remains committed to prevention, early warning and synergies between United Nations bodies.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906Resumption1 (2021) · source
“The Peacebuilding Commission helps to strengthen the participation of women working for peace, civil society and youth. An expanded role for the Commission could strengthen coherence within the United Nations system to unlock its prevention potential. We encourage the Commission to fully assume, according to its mandate, its role as a bridge-builder and to engage with all entities that contribute to sustaining peace, including the Human Rights Council and regional organizations. The peace puzzle will never be complete without the central role of the Security Council. A lack of unity will lead to more suffering, lost lives and missed opportunities for a better future. By speaking with one voice, the Council can strengthen the common political will to respond to the warning signs of violence and armed conflict.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Secondly, respect for human rights helps to prevent conflict and promote sustainable peace. The new agenda for peace outlined by the Secretary-General in Our Common Agenda makes reference to that. Switzerland is working to anchor human rights more systematically in peace and security efforts, for example through the Human Rights and Conflict Prevention Caucus, a cross- regional group we chair together with Germany. Digital cooperation can strengthen predictive analysis of root causes of conflict, including human rights violations. The flow of information between New York and Geneva, including between the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, should be continuously strengthened. Thirdly, coherent action by the United Nations, its Member States and partners must build on national priorities and strengthen local initiatives.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906Resumption1 (2021) · source
“First, to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of solutions to situations of crisis and violent conflict, development and humanitarian actors must work in partnership. Switzerland has made this the guiding topic during our chairmanship of the Humanitarian Liaison Working Group for the period 2020–2021. The humanitarian affairs segment of the Economic and Social Council has identified increased collaboration among humanitarian, development and peace actors in addressing food insecurity. That will not only save lives in the short term, but also reduce vulnerabilities and prevent the re-emergence of needs in the future. A joint approach should be applied in specific contexts, such as Afghanistan, to address the dramatic increase in food insecurity.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland thanks Mexico for convening this important debate. Without inclusion, the puzzle of peace remains incomplete, with many gaps to be filled. The Secretary- General pointed that out last week. Similarly, preventive diplomacy draws its strength from the linkages among the different pillars of the United Nations, namely, peace and security, development and human rights. Strengthening cooperation among all United Nations agencies and bodies is key to better preventing conflict and building more equal and inclusive societies. We have important instruments to prevent crises and maintain peace and security. Let us use them in a systematic and innovative way. Let me illustrate that with three examples.”
2021-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8906Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Switzerland welcomes the emphasis placed on the links between peace, security and development, and calls for a more systematic consideration of these interconnections in all the themes and situations dealt with by the Council. As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission and as a candidate for the Security Council, Switzerland will continue to commit to a coherent United Nations system.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900Resumption1 (2021) · source
“The lack of an explicit mandate for peacekeeping missions to support the rule of law hinders the achievement of their objectives. As recent failures have underlined, it is essential that the Security Council specifies support for the rule of law in the mandates of peace missions and, for the sake of coherence, that the General Assembly makes the necessary resources available to achieve these objectives. For its part, Switzerland supports the strengthening of the rule of law, in particular by making police officers, demining experts and experts in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration available to missions and at the Secretariat level.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Secondly, violent conflicts and the inequalities that arise from them can only be avoided in resilient and inclusive societies where everyone, especially the most vulnerable, is protected. To this end, the United Nations human rights system plays a key role. It is an important early-warning mechanism. For example, the Human Rights Council reacted swiftly to recent developments in the Sudan by organizing a special session, calling on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to appoint an expert to the country. Switzerland encourages the Security Council to integrate such analyses and cooperate more with human rights bodies, in particular with the Human Rights Council and its instruments, and treaty bodies. Thirdly, strengthening the rule of law is a key element in promoting peace.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900Resumption1 (2021) · source
“While the Security Council has peace and security as its primary mission, it can and should also support the United Nations system as a whole in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with particular attention to the following. First, the review of the peacebuilding architecture reaffirmed that the three-pillar United Nations approach to peacebuilding is relevant and essential. What does this mean in practice? In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, Switzerland supports the Government’s efforts aimed at fighting impunity. This dissuasive element helps to prevent violence and improve confidence in institutions. In its decisions, the Security Council should rely more on an integrated approach and strengthen cooperation, collaboration and coordination among the three pillars.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland thanks Mexico for today’s important debate, which reflects the Security Council’s increased attention given to contemporary factors of conflict and their complex interactions. Inequality and exclusion are both causes and consequences of violent conflict. “There can be no peace without development, no development without peace, and no peace or sustainable development without respect for human rights and the rule of law.” These words of Jan Eliasson, inspired by Kofi Annan, have been echoed in many speeches, including those of our colleagues from Ireland this morning (see S/PV.8900). They remind us that conflict undermines sustainable development and that no goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be achieved in isolation.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900Resumption1 (2021) · source
“The third area is the most innovative. We continue to invest in the link between women and peace and security and digitalization, taking into account the significant opportunities, as well as the many risks, that can arise. In particular, Switzerland supported a study on the challenges and opportunities of digitalization for women peacebuilders. The study was conducted by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and the ICT for Peace Foundation, based in Geneva. In addition, this week we have just relaunched a digital application, together with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. We are convinced that it will also benefit Council members. As a candidate for the Security Council in 2023 and 2024, Switzerland will maintain and strengthen its commitment to implementing the women and peace and security agenda.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886Resumption1 (2021) · source
“However, there is a need to better link local processes with multilateral engagement. We welcome the record number of women from civil society who briefed the Security Council last month. The Council should consider a more systematic follow- up to the briefers’ recommendations. Secondly, in 2022 South Africa and Switzerland will co-chair the Women and Peace and Security Focal Points Network. We will work towards the systematic implementation of existing tools, such as national action plans. In addition, Switzerland will also give priority to strengthening its activities in support of women’s participation, cooperation with civil society and protection against sexual and gender-based violence. We are therefore also pleased to be a signatory to the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Indeed, many disparities between the normative framework and the reality on the ground persist. As the topic of today’s open debate emphasizes, investing in women peacebuilders is essential to achieving this long-term task. We would like to highlight three areas in which Switzerland is making, and will continue to make, a particular contribution. First, Switzerland is dedicated to bringing more women to the negotiating table. The full, equal and meaningful participation of women in political and peace processes is one of the key points of our foreign policy strategy. In Lebanon, for example, we are supporting a dialogue process between women from various political parties and women active in opposition movements. Likewise, in Switzerland, we recently launched a network of women mediators and peacebuilders.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland would like to thank Kenya for organizing this open debate in an inclusive manner by achieving the return to the direct participation of all Member States in the Chamber. We would also like to congratulate both the United Nations and civil-society briefers for their valuable contributions. We congratulate Kenya, together with Ireland and Mexico, on making women and peace and security a priority of their respective presidencies. Such leadership serves as a good example. The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing. Those are the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, a great defender of human rights. The same applies to the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8886Resumption1 (2021) · source
“Over the past few years, for example, we have rehabilitated 128 schools in the Middle East, thereby facilitating access to schooling for around 86,000 young people, among them many Syrian refugee children. An estimated 408 million young people aged between 15 and 29 are living in contexts of organized violence or armed conflict throughout the world. We need to intensify our efforts to allow this generation to have a future and to enjoy peace, security and prosperity. There are great challenges ahead, and it is difficult to predict how long it will take to overcome them. But as the saying goes, the best way to predict the future is to create it. I suggest we do exactly that, together with our young people. Today's debate and the resolution to be adopted are a further step in the right direction and for this, Mr.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“All young people should have access to inclusive and equitable quality education, as called for in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, violent conflict and persecution have uprooted many young women and men, with displacement reaching record levels. Half of refugees today are under 18 years of age and spend more time in displacement and exile than in school. That is the seed of future lost generations. A small minority may even embrace alternatives with regard to their sense of belonging, status and power, and the risk of violence is thus exacerbated. This is where we have to step in to break the vicious circle of misery, radicalization and conflict. Switzerland has therefore increased its budget for education activities in fragile contexts by 50 per cent.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Youth inclusivity is particularly important in conflict situations. In Syria, young people will play an instrumental role in the search for a sustainable solution. It is for this reason that Switzerland has supported the Civil Society Support Room in Geneva since 2016. More than 1,000 participants, most of whom are under 30 and represent over 400 Syrian non-governmental organizations, have participated in these negotiations under United Nations auspices. They have played a constructive role in identifying priorities for the future of Syria's young people. We shall continue to support them as much as we can. Secondly, I turn to education, defined by the poet William Butler Yeats as "the lighting of a fire". It is by educating young minds that great change becomes possible. We need a great change.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“That is not only an ethical imperative; it is also in the interests of an international community that is serious about its future. preace is to be successfully sustained, it has to be supported, embraced and implemented by the youth - women and men. There are numerous initiatives on political participation, some of which we have heard and admired today. I would also mention the African Youth Parliament and the European Youth Parliament. They are proof that young people want to take an active part in shaping the future of our countries. We should encourage them so that they also inspire those who so far have chosen not to participate in referendums and elections. Democracy is a work in progress and has to be constantly worked on and defended, in my country as well as in all others.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Ms. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): As Mahatma Gandhi once said, ifwe are to reach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with the children. Given that nearly half of the world's population is under the age of 24, it is crucial to address their needs and vulnerabilities and, even more, to harness the great potential of young people when it comes to building a peaceful and safe society. Iwould like to focus on two areas that the Secretary- General recommended in his progress study on youth and peace and security (see S/2018/86): inclusivity and education. First, young people will have to live tomorrow with the choices that we make today. It is therefore essential that we include them in today's decision-making.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“As John Lennon sang, (spoke in English) "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only a) one . (spoke in French) All around the world, men and women, communities, civil society organizations, United Nations staff and representatives and country representatives are working hard to prevent and abolish war. Switzerland is steadfastly committed to joining in those efforts.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“The zero- tolerance policy must be urgently implemented, and everyone must be resolutely committed to bringing perpetrators to justice. International humanitarian law prohibits rape and other forms of sexual violence. Such crimes can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide. International tribunals, especially the International Criminal Court, play a key role in punishing and preventing such crimes. For that reason, it is crucial that all States lend their full support to those institutions, not forgetting that the fight against impunity for perpetrators of sexual Violence must primarily be carried out at the national level. Let us never forget that the very raison d'etre of the United Nations, as set out in its visionary Charter, is the abolition of war and all related crimes.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“I would also like to voice a particularly serious concern about the fact that the risk of systematic sexual violence often increases considerably after or around high-level visits. It is therefore imperative to ensure careful follow- up and to prevent acts of revenge by strengthening local capacities. In his latest report (S/2013/149) the Secretary- General encourages Member States to include specific training courses for their peacekeeping troops. Nevertheless, our methods have not been sufficiently successful in fighting these crimes. That scourge continues to undermine the credibility of United Nations peacekeeping missions - not to mention the immense harm done to the individuals and communities affected by the behaviour of those who were deployed in the field to protect them and ensure peace.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“With our partners from Liechtenstein, Switzerland has supported the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, PeaceWomen and the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders in making available to Council members a bulletin of monthly action points, a handbook and even an iPhone app, and in ensuring close ties between policymaking levels in New York and the realities on the ground. All these instruments and resources should be utilized in order to implement the framework based on resolution 1325 (2000) without further delay. We therefore gratefully welcome today's resolution 2106 (2013), which will support those efforts. First and foremost, however, prevention is essential. We must break the cycles of violence. All parties to a conflict must make specific commitments to combat sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“We hope that today we can together generate a strong political will that can enable us to improve the implementation of the existing Security Council instruments, strengthen the mechanisms of national and international law and increase assistance to the victims. In an unprecedented partnership, civil society organizations, the Council and the United Nations as a whole have put in place a visionary framework based on five resolutions on women and peace and security. That framework not only asks us to fight sexual violence effectively in times of conflict, it also commits us to supporting women as active agents for change. The United Nations has developed indicators; the Security Council has created a mandate for a Special Representative and made the decision to establish the monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements mechanism.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source
“Ms. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Sexual violence is one of the most devastating weapons of war. It wreaks intense destruction on the bodies and souls of the victims. It disrupts families, displaces communities and destroys entire societies' basis for reconciliation. That is why Switzerland would like to thank the delegation of the United Kingdom for organizing this debate and for making conflict- related sexual violence a priority for both the Security Council and the Group of Eight. We would also like to thank the Secretary-General and the other briefers for their valuable contributions.”
2013-06-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6984 (2013) · source