YouSaid · the spoken record

Bolafios Perez

lines on the record: 148
first: 2013-05-10
most recent: 2015-07-23
sittings or episodes: 21
sources: un-security-council

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“But the burden they have shouldered is too great and it is crucial that the international community support them in their development goals so that they can maintain their domestic stability, given that this is a cornerstone for guaranteeing peace in the region. We are aware of the huge challenges that the quest for a political solution, both at the national and international level, might pose to the parties. But this is the only path open to us. It is our political and historical responsibility as member States of the international community to support those measures that might allow us to achieve such a solution.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“Very briefly, I should like to refer to the very serious humanitarian situation and the risks posed to economic and social development caused by the various conflicts in the Middle East region. Over the last few years, we have borne witness to the havoc caused by war and the rise in violence in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, as well as the poverty into which the civilian population has been thrown. We would like to point to the invaluable support extended by peoples and Governments of countries neighbouring Syria, in particular Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt, which have sought to alleviate somewhat the circumstances of these persons.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“We see the parties as being those who are principally interested in making a genuine and renewed effort, which would include, inter alia, the total lifting of the blockade, a halt in the construction of illegal settlements, a halt in the carrying out of provocative acts and the cessation of the launching of rockets, all ofwhich should be done in order to guarantee the legitimate security concerns ofIsrael. It is essential that parties continue to build trust between themselves and that they commit to the option of peace talks and the two-State solution, Israel and Palestine coexisting side by side in conditions of peace and security, and both adopting measures aimed at rebuilding mutual trust.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“We recognize the value of the principle of shared responsibility, and therefore believe that the active participation of both the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East and the Security Council in the peace process can, and should, serve to revitalize the process so that the parties are able to take responsible steps towards a broad, just and lasting peace. We urge the Council to debate the Arab Peace Initiative, which sets out a vision for a global solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict, as well as the key role that can be played by countries in the region and the Security Council. Parties should avoid adopting measures that will hinder still further perspectives for a renewal of meaningful talks.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The situation in the West Bank has been further complicated by the increasing number of clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli security forces, alongside the expansion in settlements and the forced displacement of Palestinians from Area C in East Jerusalem. In a similar vein, following a period of relative calm, the number of sporadic rocket attacks launched from Gaza targeting Israel has also increased. For all those reasons, it is essential that we establish a political time line that responds to the legitimate needs of both peoples that would allow us to arrive at a lasting and just agreement. It is for that reason, and to avoid a repetition of the conflict that we saw a year ago, that the international community has to play a key role in supporting and driving forward the peace process in the region.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“Moreover, in one of the most alarming reports, the report (S/2015/409) ofthe Secretary-General on children and armed conflict, we are confronted with the statistic of the number of Palestinian children murdered in 2014, a number higher than the number of children who died in the Syrian Arab Republic and in Darfur. There can be no doubt that the situation is unsustainable. In addition to all that I have just detailed, we need to add the precarious economic situation that persists in Gaza, an area in which the unemployment rate is the highest in the world, standing at 44 per cent. Although it could be said that some progress has been made in the reconstruction of Gaza following the lifting of some restrictions, the blockade imposed by Israel continues to heavily impact upon the viability of this people.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“For example, in the report published by the Independent Commission of Inquiry established by the Human Rights Council, we saw underscored the unprecedented devastation as well as the serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law caused by Israel and Palestinian armed groups, actions which in some cases could be equated to war crimes. In addition, in the Secretary-General's summary of the report of the United Nations Headquarters Board of Inquiry on various incidents that had occurred in Gaza which affected schools administered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, we see clear evidence of the attacks and abuses committed against United Nations schools that were being used as emergency shelters.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“A year ago, we witnessed the beginning of what turned out to be the latest round of conflict between Palestinian armed groups and the Israel security forces. We also saw the launching of Operation Protective Edge in Gaza by Israel. Those actions led to some ofthe worst fighting seen in Gaza since 1967. Still today, we continue to see the aftermath of those acts, particularly the suffering and pain that they have caused to the civilian population. The various reports published by the United Nations clearly spell out to the reader the levels of violence that were reached during the conflict.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bolafios Perez (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation would like to welcome the presence among us earlier today at this important debate of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, Mr. Murray McCully, We would also like to congratulate the delegation of New Zealand on its very able leadership of the Council and all the work that it has been doing throughout the month of July while exercising its presidency of the Security Council. We also are grateful for the briefing made by the United Nations Special Coordinator and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, on recent events in the Middle East. We have taken due note of the content of his briefing.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“We welcomed the announcement that the trial in the Ntaganda case will be held in Bunia, since that is likely to have a major impact on the affected communities and their victims, showing that justice is being done and thus helping them to close that horrific chapter in their lives.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We must make better and more consistent use of the tools available to the Council in order to bring to justice those who commit or order sexual violence, or who tolerate it by not preventing or punishing it, in accordance with responsibility as it is defined in international criminal law. We should also redouble our efforts to strengthen national judicial capacities and the framework of international justice, including by referring those responsible to the International Criminal Court, and we support intensifying dialogue with the Court. The Court's 2012 conviction of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and the referral to it in 2013 of the case concerning Bosco Ntaganda have sent a clear message about the legal consequences of child recruitment, which is considered a war crime.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“In recent years we have enacted laws prohibiting femicide and other forms of violence against women, as well as sexual Violence, exploitation and trafficking, enabling us to reform the characterization of various crimes in our penal code. In a measure designed to improve the access of women Victims of violence to justice, we have established several programmes in the executive branch of the judiciary aimed at eliminating impunity as it affects women. Combating impunity must continue to be a fundamental aspect of our efforts not just to respond to sexual violence but also to prevent it. In that regard, we support the policy on gender-based and sexual violence crimes established by Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We reiterate that protecting the human rights of women and girls is not negotiable. We must pool our efforts if we are to ensure true empowerment and the effective implementation of the activities that can help us achieve full respect for international humanitarian and human-rights law. We also stress how important it is that gender equality and the empowerment of women occupy a central place on the post-2015 development agenda and that this goal should emphasize the creation of peaceful societies and institutions, both of which are fundamental to fulfilling our commitments regarding women and peace and security. Guatemala has taken very concrete action to address sexual Violence and strengthen its own national institutions.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We reiterate that it is the responsibility of Member States to protect their own populations, particularly women and girls, the most vulnerable, and we urge everyone to continue making their worthy contributions to dealing with the challenges presented by reality. The Council should insist that States in conflict or post-conflict situations adopt codes of conduct and action plans for their military forces and work on collecting and preserving evidence, instituting criminal prosecutions and protecting the Victims, witnesses and even justice officials themselves, as well as achieving a genuine zero-tolerance policy. At the same time, it is essential that they involve non-governmental organizations and women's organizations dealing with this issue in order to obtain the necessary support.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Despite those achievements, however, the problem persists, as we have recently observed, sadly, in Nigeria, Iraq, South Sudan, Darfur, Syria, Mali, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to name only a few. We should not rest until we see the special needs of women and girls on the ground receive the special attention they deserve. We should improve our collection of data disaggregated by gender and age, and ensure gender mainstreaming in all mission activities in the field, particularly in the context of humanitarian assistance and care for displaced persons. The chief challenge for Member States, United Nations and humanitarian actors is the imperative of ensuring and improving a protective environment.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We are concerned about the recent cases of sexual slavery, forced marriage and rape by extremist groups that demonstrate that sexual Violence has become a terrorist tactic. Every new report from the Secretary-General describes horrendous situations created by offenders, especially those systematic Violators identified in the annex to his most recent report (S/2015/203). The United Nations has adopted specific policies in this area, including creating the office of Special Representative Bangura, implementing provisions for monitoring, analysis and briefings on reports, and deploying women protection advisers in some peacekeeping operations.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bolafios Perez (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): 1 would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate on conflict-related sexual violence, a subject that my country has been very active on, based on our firm conviction that we must keep fighting violence against women and girls in every form. I would also like to thank Ms. Zainab Bangura, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, for her briefing, and Ms. Hamsatu Allamin, the representative of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, speaking on behalf of civil society. Sexual violence is a deplorable phenomenon, related to insecurity, to incomplete disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, and to the impunity that is associated with weak rule-of- law institutions.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“In conclusion, we are aware of the enormous challenges involved in stopping the threat that radicalization and violence pose to ethnic and religious groups. However, it is our political and historical responsibility, as Member States of the international community, to support every possible means of achieving that goal. We also have an obligation to promote truth, enlightenment and responsibility to all those responsible for such violations and above all to do our utmost to prevent further atrocities.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“In that regard, my delegation believes that the Security Council must be willing to assign responsibility in a consistent manner and to afford justice to all the innocent people affected by the actions of groups fuelled by hatred and violence. At the same time, the international community must do everything it can to eliminate the threat posed by such groups. We must be steadfast in our commitment to supporting the advancement of existing political processes, while emphasizing the importance of suppressing ethnic and religious hatred that demonizes and excludes the other and instead supporting tolerance and mutual respect among different racial and religious groups. That is why we reacted positively to the Secretary-General's announcement this morning that he would be establishing an advisory panel on these issues.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“We call for an end to the destruction of Iraq and Syria's cultural heritage, including the selective destruction of religious sites and objects, as well as the looting and illicit trafficking in such assets, which generates income for the groups, particularly since the proceeds obtained are then used for recruitment and to strengthen their operational capacity. Combating impunity must continue to be a fundamental aspect of our efforts not just to respond to serious violations based on ethnic and religious motives but also to prevent them. The International Criminal Court can help in our efforts to counter impunity.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Against this background, the international community is now faced with the atrocity and brutality of the crimes committed by ISIL and other associated groups. The killing of civilians, abductions, rapes, torture, trafficking in women and children and the forced recruitment of children are but a few of the serious Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that have been committed intentionally and systematically against ethnic and religious minorities. We reaffirm these people's inalienable right to continue to live in their own country in peace, freedom, equality and dignity. We also condemn such groups' deliberate destruction of irreplaceable religious and cultural objects.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“For almost four years now, we have seen an ever- increasing number of reports of violence perpetrated by non-State actors and terrorist groups, especially the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other associated groups against civilian populations in the Middle East. These groups are committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly genocide against ethnic and religious minorities in the region. The Christian, Yazidi, Kurd, Turkmen, Shabaki and even Sunni and Shiite communities suffer brutal persecution at the hands of these groups, which threaten their future and right to remain in the region. This is in addition to the already precarious conditions that these communities live in, after years ofliving in areas where political conflicts are being waged, as we see in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“However, we must be aware that the conflicts in the region are now more complex, most of the time involving non-State actors, which leads to varied and complex situations. Over time, the clashes, battles and killings taking place in the streets of various cities in the Middle East have ushered in a reign of terror among the civilian population. Each day we see even more disregard for the basic elements of the human condition. We are deeply moved by each unnecessary death, especially those of women and Children, as well as the ethnic and religious violence being experienced in the region. My country firmly condemns all acts of violence.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bolafios Perez (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): I should like to begin by expressing our appreciation for the participation of France's Minister for Foreign Affairs in this open debate, which tackles an issue that affects the entire international community: the persecution of minorities and the need to preserve cultural diversity, in this case focusing on the Middle East. We are also grateful to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and to the other keynote speakers for their important statements earlier in this debate. Guatemala is of the firm conviction that diplomacy and dialogue are the best means to achieve a long-term solution to each of the conflicts affecting the Middle East region. We are convinced that a political solution to the differences that for years have divided this region is the only path to lasting stability and security.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Finally, we call on the Secretary-General and his Special Representative to ensure that armed groups listed in the annexes to his annual reports are informed of these listings and guarantee that action plans to put a stop to these violations are implemented. In addition, strategies should be developed to ensure that armed groups are informed of the conclusions reached by the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We must make better use of tools available to the Council - and use them consistently - to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted, include them in sanctions regimes, redouble efforts to strengthen national capacity in the judicial sector and strengthen the framework of international justice by, inter alia, referring those responsible to the International Criminal Court. The conviction in 2012 of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and the referral to the Court in 2013 of the Bosco Ntaganda case have sent a clear message about the legal consequences of child recruitment, which is considered a war crime. We are in favour of a closer dialogue with the International Criminal Court.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We would like to highlight the importance of Member States improve their subregional, regional and international cooperation, including through exchange of intelligence and information, coordinated action and the development of best practices to prevent, document and address violations against children in armed conflict. The fight against impunity must remain one of the fundamental aspects of our efforts not only to react to grave violations against children but also to prevent them.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We categorically condemn the deplorable acts committed by extremist groups, including the use of children in suicide attacks. We are dismayed at the mass kidnapping of children by these non-State armed groups. Who can forget the 276 girls abducted in Nigeria by Boko Haram, the 153 Kurdish boys abducted by ISIL in Syria and the case of hundreds of Yazidi children who were also kidnapped by ISIL in western Iraq? We call for the immediate release of these children. These cases, among others, show the need to broaden the criteria for inclusion of other parties to armed conflict in the annexes of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We therefore have supported initiatives to combat the problem, such as the Lucens Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict, which we consider to provide a good framework for calling both State and non-State actors to immediately cease attacking and threatening schools, students and teachers and refrain from actions that impede the access of children to education. We are concerned about the emergence of new and more radical armed groups, the fragmentation of armed forces and the expansion of other, harsher groups, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Boko Haram, which have changed the landscape of armed conflict by forging alliances, as well as the emergence of other structures, some in opposition to Governments and others associated with them.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We urge Governments and the international community to ensure that disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes receive the necessary resources and funding to operate in the affected communities. We consider it necessary to reiterate the provisions of resolutions 1998 (2011) and 2143 (2014) in which the Council called upon the parties to conflict to refrain from actions that impede children's access to education. We once again call on Member States to consider concrete measures to stop the military use of schools by armed groups. We underline the civilian nature of schools in accordance with international humanitarian law and strongly condemn the attacks in recent months in C6te d'Ivoire, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We must devote special attention to the protection of children, who are unquestionably most at risk in armed conflict. They are recruited by armed groups and are the victims of rape, sexual exploitation and abuse. As if that were not enough, they are then stigmatized within their own communities. We would like to highlight here the "Children, Not Soldiers" campaign and the progress achieved to date in the six countries committed to that campaign. As the Secretary-General noted in his briefing this morning and suggested in his most recent report on children and armed conflict (S/2014/339), the world's children should be students, not soldiers. That is why the necessary assistance and support for the rehabilitation of these children and their proper reintegration into their communities should be ensured.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We thank the delegation of France for organizing this very timely open debate, which allows us to address violations against the most vulnerable people - children - and the comprehensive concept note (S/2015/168, annex) that it circulated to all delegations. We also thank the main speakers, especially Junior Nzita, former child soldier from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and goodwill ambassador for the action plan in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for his striking statement. The abuses committed against children by non-State armed groups constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law and are an affront to our humanity, as they deprive our children of a better world. They can have devastating long-term consequences for victims, their families and the communities where they reside.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“In many situations, they can create conflicts that are larger than those they are trying to prevent. In evaluating a potential course of action and its possible consequences, two fundamental requirements must be met. On the one hand, timely action is important; on the other, a precautionary approach to the measures to be implemented is also needed. Guatemala, as a founding Member of the United Nations and champion of democracy and the rule of law, is committed to finding lasting solutions to the scourge of the war. However, in order to ensure that peace is lasting, we need action not only from the Security Council, but from all the main organs of the United Nations and from Member States to build true multilateralism under equal conditions and in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“At this time, when an agreement on proposed reforms seems distant, the permanent members can act boldly and make a commitment to the French proposal to regulate the use of the veto in situations involving mass atrocities. The use of the veto must be limited because it has sometimes blocked the prevention or resolution of conflicts, or even fostered impunity. The five permanent members must always provide detailed reasons and motivations behind the use of the veto. This justification should respect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Fourthly, in a world that is constantly changing, and given the need for rapid and effective solutions, we cannot lose sight of the notion of balance or the value of that concept. Extreme positions have been shown not to work effectively or efficiently to resolve conflict.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“We cannot forget that sovereignty equals responsibility. Thirdly, maintaining international peace and security also requires strengthening the sole global body responsible for defending them. The Security Council must respect and fulfil the purposes and principles that should guide its work. The international community needs and has the right to an effective and efficient Security Council. All Members of this Organization have given a mandate to this body to act in our name. However, on a number of occasions - for example, the inaction in Syria and on the question of Palestine - the purposes and principles of the Charter and its obligations to the international community have been diminished.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Secondly, we will not find the road to world peace in the twenty-first century in the principles of non-intervention and by invoking absolute sovereignty. The concept note presents as opposing ideas interfering only when peace and security are truly threatened, and non-interference in internal affairs. Guatemala has experienced both sides ofthe argument. Onthe one hand, we strongly defend the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States. Nevertheless, we lived through a 36-year internal armed conflict in which mass atrocities were committed. That is why the phrase "Never again!" is especially resonant for us. The principles of sovereignty and non-intervention should not be used as an excuse for non-compliance with international obligations. Rather, Governments have the responsibility to protect their own people.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“We would like to make the following comments in that regard. First, Guatemala attaches the highest importance to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. This is not a mere listing of values and general goals. It is the part of the founding instrument of the Organization that justifies its existence and to which we should refer to validate the interpretation of its Articles and to reach a correct political assessment of the actions taken by its Members. The purposes and principles of the Charter also show that international peace and security can be achieved not only through measures of a political nature, such as diplomacy, military means or legal measures designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate conflict. In addition to those, we must adopt measures to empower cooperative and unifying relationships among States.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bolafios Perez (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): Guatemala welcomes China's initiative to hold this important open debate, and we appreciate that Foreign Minister Wang Yi has personally presided over it. We are grateful for the concept note (S/2015/87, annex) that was prepared for this meeting, which certainly invites reflection. We thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his statement. We are pleased to take part in this debate, particularly as historical events linked to the creation of the United Nations are being commemorated. Given the loss of so many human lives in conflicts at the global level and the new threats, it is timely for Member States to ask ourselves whether we are realizing the founding promise of the Organization to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”
2015-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7389 (2015) · source
“We must ensure that the special needs of women and girls in the field receive the special and privileged attention they deserve in the framework of the active cooperation of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes that relate to the issue and Member States with the support of non-governmental organizations and civil society. We call on them to continue their valuable contribution in response to the challenges that reality presents.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“In order to protect and strengthen the rights of civilians and displaced people and integrate the rights- based orientation of governmental structures, we must increase the capacities of public institutions, which tend to be dismantled or weakened after a conflict. This requires ensuring that the practice of protection be made more coherent and effective through training and awareness-raising among members of the national security forces; supporting local civil society groups working in the field of human rights and the protection of displaced women; and conducting awareness- building activities for the rights of displaced women with relevant stakeholders. Like others, we believe it is important for the United Nations to redouble its efforts in training peacekeepers in multidimensional United Nations mandates.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“We must redouble our efforts to ensure that justice is served and put an end to impunity for crimes committed against innocent civilians. The protection of civilians is a legal obligation. We must ensure that members of the security forces, local militias and other armed groups who have committed violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law be held accountable. It bears repeating again that United Nations troops cannot be a substitute for the State in fulfilling its basic commitment to protect its civilian population. When States are unable or unwilling to honour that commitment, we face major humanitarian disasters, as we have seen repeatedly in recent years and even in recent weeks in Iraq, Syria, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other countries.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“We believe that in societies with greater gender equality, extremism is less likely to take root and women are less vulnerable to its effects. We must ensure that all the instruments at the Council's disposal are adequately adapted to combat crimes against civilians, particularly women and children, and contain solid elements of deterrence, accountability and justice. The lessons learned from conflicts - from the worst failures to best practices - should serve as a useful guide. All these instruments available to the Council should be used consistently to impose sanctions, including in cooperation with the International Criminal Court and special tribunals, fact-finding missions and commissions ofinquiry.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“Furthermore, we are concerned with the emergence of new and more radical armed groups; the fragmentation of the armed forces and the increase of other crueller groups, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Boko Haram, which use sexual violence as a weapon of war and which have been changing the landscape of armed conflicts by forming alliances; and the emergence of other structures - some in opposition to their Governments and others in association with them. In that connection, I would like to stress Guatemala's support for the United Kingdom's initiative on the prevention of sexual violence in conflict. Ending that scourge is a global responsibility. For this reason, we believe that the focus on the protection of civilians should develop in accordance with changing circumstances.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“They have a fundamental role to play in ensuring the survival of their families in the midst of chaos and destruction and actively participate in the movement for peace at a community level and promote peace within their communities. However, the absence of women at the negotiating table and in the roles of mediators, negotiators and technical experts in peace processes is undeniable.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“However, the road to recovery also involves the attempt to restore some kind of normalcy to their lives, including through employment, which brings with it the dignity of earning their own money and the freedom of spending it themselves, and providing an education for their children because that engenders hope for a better future. Similarly, for a girl, going to school, even though it may be in a bombed building or in a refugee camp, symbolizes a system, a routine and a path to normalcy, recovery from trauma and overcoming it. The empowerment of women starts in childhood with access to education, the certainty that women's rights are protected and promoted and the conviction that they are part of all the processes that affect their well-being and their future. Despite all this, women should not be considered only as victims of war.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“It is undeniable that women and girls suffer the most devastating effects, in addition to the effects that are already part of an armed conflict, particularly because of the increasingly widespread use of gender- based violence, rape, sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, the unwanted pregnancies resulting from these deplorable acts and their stigmatization in their own communities - all of which affect their mental and emotional stability and even put them at risk of losing their lives. Any response that addresses these women and girls must take into account the trauma they have suffered and continue to suffer as displaced women, through flashbacks, constant rejection and prolonged separation from their families. They therefore require assistance and counselling for rehabilitation on a massive scale.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bolafios Perez (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): We thank the delegation of Chile for organizing this open debate on the eve of the 2015 high-level review by the Security Council to assess progress in implementing resolution 1325 (2000). In that regard, we believe that addressing this issue is very timely. We are also grateful to Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Ms. Helen Durham and Ms. Ilwad Elman for their respective statements. We are also grateful for the concept note (S/2015/32, annex), which the presidency circulated among all delegations and which contains valuable guidance to focus our debate.”
2015-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7374 (2015) · source
“We believe that the Security Council must continue to work in support of inclusive political dialogue and must continue to cooperate with all the relevant actors to implement the lessons learned and knowledge gained to promote peace and human well-being.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“States that do not respect this basic commitment must understand that they will face consequences. It was our own Heads of State who jointly accepted this concept in 2005. The least we can do now, 10 years on, is to ensure that this agenda continues to evolve in its practical application. Finally, to achieve inclusive development we must also promote the rule of law. This provides the necessary environment for sustainable development, inclusiveness and economic growth. As we know, the rule of law has a special place in the agenda of the United Nations. Upholding and promoting the rule of law and justice must guide all of its activities, thereby conferring predictability and legitimacy on its work.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Broad-based sustainable development can help tackle the root causes of conflict. By definition, this means including women, who can play a key role in negotiations and peace processes, and young people, who have immense potential to contribute to the development of their societies. Fourthly, I would like briefly to mention the wide range of preventive diplomacy tools our disposal. We recall that the Secretary-General's five-year action agenda include advancing the responsibility to protect agenda. My delegation fully supports that priority, which in turn contributes to the progress on the topic of today's debate. The responsibility to protect implies that all members of the international community must uphold a code of conduct regarding the treatment of their own people.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source