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Drobnjak

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486

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1993-04-19

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2019-07-23

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un-security-council

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1. “Those words are as relevant today as they were more than four years ago. Croatia, sharing a 1,000-kilometre-long land border with our neighbour, considers the territorial integrity, stability, functionality and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina to be of paramount importance for that country, and in Croatia's national interest as well. It is also a principal matter of regional and European peace and prosperity. We fully support the European and Euro-Atlantic orientation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and offer our partnership in achieving that goal. Who else but its neighbours would know best the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's integration into the European Union, in particular its neighbour that not long ago went through the same long and highly demanding accession process?”

   2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source

2. “I would like to join other speakers in welcoming High Representative Valentin Inzko and expressing our gratitude for his briefing and the report (S/2014/777, annex). I would also like to express our appreciation for the personal efforts he has been making in carrying out his difficult and important mandate. Croatia aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, and I would like to add several remarks in my national capacity. I would like to start by quoting Croatian President Ivo Josipovic', who, as the first President of Croatia ever invited to speak before the Parliamentary Assembly ofBosnia and Herzegovina, told the Assembly on 14 April 2010: "Croatia is not merely a neighbour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it is also its sincere friend, partner and ally".”

   2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source

3. “Let me conclude by stressing once again that Croatia strongly supports any effort aimed at increasing the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, promoting women's equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and ending impunity for sexual violence in conflict, preventing and punishing acts of sexual violence, as well as bringing justice, services and reparations to victims. We wholeheartedly advocate the advancement of the women and peace and security agenda because we strongly believe that if peace and security are to be sustained, women must be empowered, their voices heard and their participation guaranteed.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

4. “Resolution 1325 (2000) and the subsequent resolutions on women and peace and security set out a visionary agenda for achieving gender equality as a prerequisite for peaceful, inclusive and just societies. What we need now is to translate the existing commitments into concrete actions that will bring tangible benefits for the advancement of women and girls with regard to their political and economic empowerment, as well as the full realization of their human rights, both in times of conflict and in times of peace.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

5. “At the ministerial side event that Croatia organized on the margins of the General Assembly's sixty-ninth session this autumn, as a sort of follow-up to the Peacebuilding Commission ministerial meeting held a year ago - a meeting chaired by the Croatian Foreign Minister - we had the privilege to hear inspirational stories of women from Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Africa and Croatia who help bring about peace, development and reconciliation in their communities. We believe that it is very important that the post- 2015 sustainable development framework contributes to achieving gender equality, women's empowerment and women's rights. We particularly stress the importance of providing women and girls with equal access to education - but also of educating boys and men.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

6. “They are also agents ofpeace and should be an integral part of decision-making in the process of restoring and maintaining peace and rebuilding their societies. Still, the sad fact is that women continue to face significant barriers to successfully participating and playing roles in those processes. To ensure their equal participation and to guarantee the protection of their rights remains one of the major challenges. Crises and conflicts increase the economic and social vulnerability of women and girls. Nevertheless, the post-conflict period also offers opportunities to transform societies in order to change the entrenched patriarchal norms, including by addressing long- standing inequalities, empowering women and ensuring their roles as leaders and agents of democratic changes in their respective communities.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

7. “Our own experience teaches us the importance of adequately addressing conflict-related violations of women's rights, including sexual violence, and of providing necessary assistance, health care, psychological counselling and financial support for those women. Displaced women and girls are among the most vulnerable groups in the world. The reasons often lie in the entrenched gender-based stereotypes and discriminatory legal frameworks and practices, including gender-based discrimination in access to documents and resources, education and employment, poor reproductive health care and exclusion from decision-making processes. However, women should not be seen only as victims of conflict.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

8. “One of the reasons why my country pays so much attention to that matter is the fact that Croatia itself experienced war and a long and painful refugee crisis. In the 1990s we provided protection and assistance for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, as well as for refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, most of whom were women and children. We know from our own experience how war can affect women and girls. Women suffered violations of their human rights, including rape and maltreatment. Rape was used as a tactic of war and an instrument of ethnic cleansing. We have seen the impact of the violations on women's human rights, on their lives and on their physical and mental health.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

9. “Today's debate comes at a timely juncture, in light of the forthcoming 2015 high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), as well as a massive increase in global forced displacement. For the first time since the Second World War the number of refugees and internally displaced persons has exceeded 50 million people worldwide. Half ofthat population are women and girls. That is not only a reason for our deep concern; it is also an incentive for concrete actions. Croatia is particularly worried about the recent rise of radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism that leads to new mass displacements, increased incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, targeted attacks on women and girls and those defending their rights, and other atrocities and human rights violations.”

   2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

10. “Croatia thanks the Argentine presidency for convening this annual debate on women and peace and security, because it is an important issue that requires our full and constant attention. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the observer of the European Union. I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity. Croatia welcomes the focus of today's debate on refugee and internally displaced women and girls, in particular the women's role as leaders in displacement and refugee settings and, in the broader context, their role in addressing the root causes of the conflicts that resulted in the displacement. We also welcome the report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/693), as well as the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/21) adopted earlier today.”

    2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source

11. “We are approaching a crucial year in 2015, where we can collectively help shape the future socioeconomic and peacebuilding agenda of the United Nations. These efforts must come together and must be mutually reinforcing.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

12. “The outcome of this informal preparation will be transmitted to the General Assembly and the Security Council in the context of the next annual report for consideration. I wish to acknowledge the role of the Peacebuilding Support Office and Assistant Secretary-General Judy Cheng-Hopkins and her team in support of the Commission's work and activities during the reporting period. I can only highly praise their contributions. In conclusion, I must emphasize that the past year has witnessed a number of positive and worrying developments that call for further intensified efforts both to seize opportunities and to address threats to sustaining peace. While we continue to face systemic challenges, we must commit to facing these challenges with the requisite resolve and determination.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

13. “The first annual session demonstrated the Commission's unique power to convene Member States, United Nations entities, international financial institutions, regional development banks and civil society. It also confirmed that the Commission is a unique platform for exploring the multidimensional nature of peacebuilding and the policy-related opportunities and challenges. This year will mark the end of the second five-year review cycle for the peacebuilding architecture. A second comprehensive review by the General Assembly and the Security Council will take place in 2015. The Commission has initiated advance informal preparation that is currently exploring the potential scope and suggested terms of reference of the review.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

14. “The event resulted in a political declaration that affirmed the commitment of the Commission's members to women's economic empowerment for peacebuilding. A meeting of the Working Group on Lessons Learned in December 2013 also reaffirmed the importance of gender mainstreaming in the planning, priority setting, design and delivery of national reconciliation processes. The Commission convened it first-ever annual substantive session on 23 June. The decision to convene annual sessions was taken during the reporting period withaviewtopotentiallystrengtheningtheCommission's contribution to the development of intergovernmental policy in areas that can improve outcomes for the people in countries emerging from conflict.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

15. “The Working Group on Lessons Learned decided to dedicate its work in 2014 to identifying areas where the Commission can effectively deploy the appropriate combination of its three core functions in support of transitions of Security Council-mandated missions. Recognizing the important contribution of women to peacebuilding efforts, the Commission approached its thematic focus on economic revitalization and national reconciliation during the reporting period by considering the gender dimension of both themes. A partnership with UN-Women has enabled the Commission to explore the transformative role of women in post-conflict societies. A high-level event on women's economic empowerment for peacebuilding was convened in September 2013 and was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

16. “The transition from security and politically focused United Nations missions to development- oriented United Nations country teams highlights the interlinkage between the Commission's three core functions. In 2013, the Commission positioned itself to support the Security Council's decision to draw down and subsequently close the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone. The transition of the United Nations presence to a United Nations country team has ushered Sierra Leone into a new phase of its transformation towards socioeconomic development. The Council has also requested the Commission to support the planned transition of the United Nations Office in Burundi, where the dynamics and needs are quite different from those that prevailed in Sierra Leone.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

17. “Thirdly, addressing the challenge of competing agendas and the fragmentation of peacebuilding activities remains a central objective ofthe Commission. The Commission undertakes its function of forging coherence by promoting greater focus on strategic opportunities that must be seized and by pointing to strategic gaps in response to peacebuilding priorities in the countries on its agenda. The complementarity between the roles of the Commission and the United Nations senior leadership in the field is a key factor for fostering the coherence of messages and actions. This was increasingly manifest last year in the Commission's engagement with Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

18. “The Commission therefore continues to advocate for mutual accountability and commitments between the countries on the agenda and their main partners. Secondly, while it will continue to prioritize its resource mobilization function, the Commission has repeatedly confirmed that it is not a viable fundraising mechanism. Instead and as an intergovernmental body, the Commission provides a platform for highlighting the imperative for the timely deployment of targeted resources, especially in crisis situations such as in the Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau, or as countries approach critical milestones, such as the elections that took place in Guinea last year and in Guinea-Bissau this year. The enhanced synergy with the Peacebuilding Fund has made these timely interventions possible.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

19. “Thirdly, through its engagement with Burundi, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Commission is constantly reminded that peacebuilding is a process fraught with challenges that are typically context-specific. Our engagement therefore takes various forms at different stages of the peacebuilding efforts. I would like to highlight the following points in relation to the three functions of the Commission. First, the Commission's country-specific engagement over the past year has confirmed that its accompaniment function depends first and foremost on the level of commitment demonstrated by national interlocutors and on the quality of the international response in support of such commitment.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

20. “The evolving practice of aligning the Commission's calendar of field visits with the Council's periodic consideration of mission mandates has proven to be particularly useful. At the same time, there is room for further improvement. In View of the Commission' s engagement in a variety ofpost-conflict contexts, there is a particular need for greater clarity in the Council with respect to the Commission's areas of strength and limitations in each specific context. The members of the Commission that are also members of the Security Council can play a central role in ensuring that the Council is able to draw more effectively on the Commission's unique membership structure and outreach.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

21. “That was a key conclusion of the 2010 review. During the reporting period, additional emphasis was placed on engaging members from the region and subregion in support of the peacebuilding process in Burundi, the Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau. That will continue to be a major priority for the Commission. Secondly, the Commission continues to recognize that its membership structure should also shape the nature and scope of its advisory role to the principal organs of the United Nations. I am pleased to note that, thanks to Rwanda's efforts and commitment over the past year, the reporting period witnessed significant progress in identifying practical modalities for informal interaction between the Commission and the Security Council.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

22. “On behalf of the members of the Peacebuilding Commission, I am pleased to present the report of the Commission on its seventh session, as contained in document S/2014/67. The report presents the progress made in taking forward the recommendations of the 2010 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture (8/2010/393, annex). It is organized around the three main functions of the Commission, namely, advocacy and sustained attention, resource mobilization and forging coherence. Allow me to highlight a number ofissues from the report that deserve the particular attention of the Council. First, the Commission continues to place particular emphasis on ways to capitalize on the wealth of experience and diverse capacities that its membership can offer in support of peacebuilding objectives for the countries on its agenda.”

    2014-07-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7217 (2014) · source

23. “Unfortunately, the establishment of the Tribunal did not stop or prevent future war crimes, including the genocide in Srebrenica, the worst massacre to occur on European soil since the Second World War. However, due to the existence of the Tribunal, some of those responsible for the crimes have been brought to justice. The voices of the victims are being heard and historical records established. That is not a small achievement. In conclusion, Croatia welcomes the results achieved by the ICTY to date, especially the fact that all those indicted by the Tribunal have been arrested and transferred to its custody. However, the work of the Tribunal is not over yet. Some of those most responsible for the carnage, deaths and suffering are still waiting for the verdicts to be rendered. We hope that that will happen soon.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

24. “We believed then, as we believe today, that it is of the utmost importance to put an end to the culture of impunity and to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes, wherever they have been committed. It is precisely because of our own difficult experience that we believe that accountability should be ensured for the most serious crimes under international law, which are now being committed in ongoing conflicts, especially in Syria. That is why we rendered our support to the initiative for the referral of that situation in Syria to the ICC. One must always keep in mind that the Tribunal provided the victims the opportunity for their voice to be heard and their suffering to be recognized, respected and eased.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

25. “The Tribunal was created because it was the right thing to do, and there was sufficient political will on the part of the international community. Can we say today that the same will is present in 2014 when we deal with war crimes and crimes against humanity in other parts of the world? Croatia advocated for the establishment of the ICTY from the very beginning. We strongly supported the main purpose of the ICTY - the prosecution and punishment of individuals responsible for acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as the delivery of justice for the victims of those crimes. Croatia also supported the Tribunal's more global functions aimed at the restoration and maintenance of peace and stability in the region as well as the promotion of justice.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

26. “The ICTY has played an important part in establishing a judicial network for dealing with war- Crime cases in the States that emerged from the former Yugoslavia. It was a paramount instrument against the culture of impunity, setting high standards of responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. That has not only helped national courts to increase the quality of war-crime proceedings, but has also led to a general rise in legal awareness and the quality of the judiciary. Last, but not least, let us not forget that the ICTY was established under resolution 877 (1993), unanimously adopted by the Security Council, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, as a response to gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law and the horrendous scale of atrocities and human suffering.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

27. “It has made valuable progress in the last two decades in improving international criminal procedures and in narrowing the impunity gap for international crimes. The experiences of the ICTY and ICTR were the starting point for the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the work of which Croatia strongly supports. The practice of the ICTY is important for the interpretation of international humanitarian law. In that respect, we would like to particularly emphasize the contribution to international jurisprudence on sexual violence, as mentioned today by Prosecutor Brammertz. Before the establishment of the ICTY and the ICTR, sexual Violence was a marginalized issue in international law. The ICTY established case precedents for the prosecution of rape as a crime against humanity, a war crime and an act of torture.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

28. “So, it could be said that the important legacy of the Tribunal is still being scrutinized and is not entirely without flaws. However, that should in no way tarnish the historical record of the Tribunal, but should rather serve as an important lesson learned for the benefit of international criminal justice. Croatia has been among those who have occasionally voiced criticism of the Tribunal. Nevertheless, we strongly believe that the ICTY has played an important historical role in the region and beyond, and we praise its work. In that context, I would like to point out the following matters. The establishment of the ICTY represented a breakthrough in the development of international criminal law.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

29. “At the outset, I would like to welcome the Presidents of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Judges Meron and Joensen, as well as Prosecutors Brammertz and Jallow, and to commend them for their important work. We appreciate their briefings and comprehensive reports (S/2014/343, S/2014/350 and S/2014/351) on the work of the Tribunals and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals for the reporting period. In the course of the 21 years since it was established, the ICTY has been highly praised for its remarkable achievements, as well as criticized, more than once, justifiably or not, with occasionally even its very existence put under question.”

    2014-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7192 (2014) · source

30. “That is a small but telling example of how Bosnia and Herzegovina can be successful on the world stage when it gets its act together.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

31. “Bosnia and Herzegovina's troubled history is, at present, unfortunately often much more a source of tensions and disputes than the springboard for a better future. That is all the more reason to intensify our joint efforts in extending to Bosnia and Herzegovina all the support and assistance required. On a positive note, just a few days ago, we witnessed the return of the famous Sarajevo City Hall to its old glory, after it was devastated during the siege of the city in the 1990s. The restoration of that iconic building, which is the symbol of Sarajevo, should be a harbinger of the better days that await that important European country. Finally, on a much more informal note ~ and a positive one as well - I would like to wish Bosnia and Herzegovina every success in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

32. “We support all initiatives aimed at improving economic and social cohesion, the active engagement of civil society and youth, and institution-building capacities and their functionality and efficiency. Let me conclude by reiterating the readiness of Croatia, as the only European Union member State that directly borders Bosnia and Herzegovina, to continue to cooperate closely with our neighbour on all issues and to provide Bosnia and Herzegovina with strong and continuous political and technical support in the process of its European Union integration. We remain conscious of all the legitimate needs and rights ofCroats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are the smallest of the three constituent people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but of course they remain equally important. We will continue to extend our support to them.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

33. “The pace and progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina's integration in the European Union should be directly linked to the pace and progress of its political, legal and administrative reforms, and every substantial bit of progress should be equally rewarded. Croatia stresses the importance of the continuous high-level engagement on behalf of the European Union and the international community. At the same time, we expect to see the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina engage constructively in the recent initiatives by the European Commission, the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and some member States, the aim of which is to give impetus to the European Union integration process, which is now lagging behind.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

34. “We encourage the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to find the necessary political will to implement the Sejdic-Finci ruling and to pursue other reforms, including those in the military sector. Envisioning a tailor-made approach for Bosnia and Herzegovina's European integration process is essential. We should consider identifying concrete deliverables, beyond the Sejdic-Finci ruling, that would keep the country's integration process tangible and feasible. That should not mean lowering the criteria, but helping Bosnia and Herzegovina meet all of them. The fundamental logic of such an approach is in its conditionality.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

35. “The secessionist and divisive rhetoric by the President and other high officials of Republika Srpska is completely unacceptable. In order to achieve our common goal - a stable, functioningandprosperousBosniaandHerzegovina-we need to come up with a realistic strategy that takes into account the situation on the ground. The clear prospect of European Union membership constitutes beyond doubt the best stability and security framework within which Bosnia and Herzegovina can achieve steady progress. The European Union accession process serves as the best blueprint for State-building reforms, strengthened administrative capacities and good governance - all of which Bosnia and Herzegovina is in dire need of.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

36. “These events were a direct consequence of the lack of progressive steps taken by political elites and an indication that Bosnia and Herzegovina must embark on the reform processes in order to ensure stability and prosperity. Otherwise, the country might face further destabilization, including along ethnic lines. We encourage the political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to rise above their narrow ethnic interests in the upcoming election campaign. The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve a fresh perspective that incorporates the recognition and fulfilment of their social and economic needs. We share the High Representative's concern and condemnation of those in Republika Srpska who continue to challenge the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

37. “The Dayton Peace Agreement created a specific political system based primarily on ethnic representation, which rests on genuine equality between three constitutive peoples. This equality is a prerequisite for the stability ofBosnia and Herzegovina. However, a complicated institutional set-up created by Dayton is often exploited by political elites, resulting in the present political and institutional stalemate. The protests in Sarajevo and other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this year were a clear expression of citizens' frustration with the disfunctionality of the system and the deteriorating socioeconomic situation in the country.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

38. “I would like to join other speakers in welcoming High Representative Inzko and express our thanks for his briefing and report (S/2014/314). I would also like to extend our appreciation for the personal efforts he has been investing in carrying out his difficult mandate. Croatia aligns itselfwith the statementjust delivered by the observer of the European Union, but I would like to add several remarks in my national capacity. The importance Croatia attaches to the territorial integrity, stability and functionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina is ofthe highest degree. We firmly believe that a stable and functional Bosnia and Herzegovina is essential for the stability and prosperity of South- East Europe and beyond.”

    2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source

39. “As a member of the group of global champions of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, Croatia will spare no effort to take a more prominent role in preventing and combating sexual violence in war and conflict and to continue to give its firm support to all areas of the women and peace and security agenda.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

40. “We have to build on that positive momentum and take concrete action to address impunity and strengthen specific goals - comprehensive reform oflegislation on wartime sexual violence and reparation for victims, speeding up the processing of war crimes, implementing the witness-protection programme, changing the societal mentality, and severe punishment for perpetrators, not victims. Finally, we believe that the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict provides a solid framework to step up our efforts in preventing and responding to sexual violence and bringing about justice for millions of victims of sexual violence, not only in conflict but also in post-conflict situations and beyond.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

41. “A book entitled Suncica - which means "sunny" in English ~published in Croatia in 2011, contains the testimonies of imprisoned women against whom the crime ofrape was committed during the war in Croatia. Sunny has also become a strong civil movement in Croatia during recent years, with courageous women finally breaking the social and intimacy barriers that occur in cases of war-time rape. Based on the book, the movie Sunny was filmed, with the support of the Croatian Ministry for Veterans Affairs, and was recently premiered in Zagreb. It is the first documentary film in which the victims of sexual violence in war, including male victims, have come out to speak of their suffering. At the global level, there is now increased awareness on the part of the international community about the problem of wartime sexual violence.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

42. “Croatia is of the opinion that more can and must be done to combat the issue of sexual violence in conflict, and particularly to address the prevailing culture of impunity for such crimes. The non-reporting of sexual violence in war and conflict is another key problem, since it affects not only social perceptions of what is in fact a widespread problem, but also the work of all the relevant bodies and institutions. We fully recognize the importance of breaking the silence surrounding sexual violence in conflicts and changing the public consciousness so that the shame and embarrassment become that of the perpetrator. Civil society organizations can play a very important and vital role in that regard.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

43. “In that regard, I am pleased to announce that an International Conference on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict will be held in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, from 29 to 30 May, jointly organized by the Croatian Ministry of Veterans' Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme. The Conference will be titled "Delivering Justice for the Past, Preventing Abuse in the Future", with its main purpose that of sharing lessons learned in addressing the rights of victims of sexual violence in Croatia and other countries of the former Yugoslavia, and of disseminating those lessons around the world through the United Nations and other systems. The Conference can also be seen as a building block for the upcoming Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, to be held in London.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

44. “Based on our own tragic experiences of the aggression to which Croatia was exposed at the beginning of the '90s, in which rape was also used as a method of intimidation and terror, we are convinced that the issue of sexual violence in conflict can be adequately addressed only through a comprehensive approach. The Croatian Government has therefore proposed a new law for the protection of victims of sexual violence in war, with the aim of legislating the rights of such victims, together with an accompanying system of compensation and rehabilitation. Through the extensive experience of war and post- conflict management that Croatia unfortunately gained on its own territory, we may be able to make a significant contribution to wider global efforts to prevent and combat sexual violence in war and conflict.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

45. “Peace and reconciliation require a firm and consistent process and a lot of determination and patience in order to ascertain the truth, something that is particularly difficult when rape is used as a tool of war against women, children and men. Sexual violence has been used in all recent wars and conflicts to pursue political and military aims, including in the former Yugoslavia in the 19905. It has been used to dominate, to terrify and humiliate opponents, to uproot communities and ethnic groups, and thus to contribute to the collapse of entire societies for generations to come.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

46. “Viewed in the broader context, sexual violence is one of the symptoms of a distorted social order characterized by conflict, injustice and insecurity. Sexual violence adds to ethnic and other divisions, reinforcing insecurity and instability, and leaves its victims with terrible physical and psychological wounds, pain and humiliation. There is no doubt whatever that the use of rape and sexual violence exacerbates conflicts and perpetuates them long after active hostilities are over. Crimes of sexual violence in conflict inflict lasting scars on individuals, families and societies, making reconciliation and peacebuilding much more difficult.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

47. “Croatia is grateful to the Nigerian presidency for convening this important meeting on an issue that Croatia considers very significant. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union, and I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity. We strongly advocate further support for the agenda on women and peace and security at all levels, national, regional and global, and today's debate is a good and valuable step in that direction. As indicated in the Secretary-General's latest report (S/2014/181), sexual violence in conflict is one of the greatest and most persistent injustices in the world today. It is also one of the most neglected.”

    2014-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7160 (2014) · source

48. “Finally, as one of the sponsors of today's resolution (resolution 2143 (2014)), we highly commend its unanimous adoption.”

    2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source

49. “Croatia firmly supports the inclusion of child protection advisers in peacekeeping operations and the organization of predeployment targeted training for child protection for peacekeepers. It is of paramount importance that all the relevant peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations properly address the impact of conflict on children, especially girls. We also advocate that this aspect be given even greater prominence in the relevant reports submitted to the Security Council. Croatia ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and calls for its universal ratification. We also consider the Paris Principles and Commitments a useful guide in our common efforts to respond to the plight of children affected by armed conflicts worldwide.”

    2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source

50. “This and all other forms of war crimes and crimes against humanity must be prosecuted and brought to justice, primarily before national courts but ultimately, in the absence of capacity of States to do so, before the International Criminal Court (ICC). With the aim of strengthening this important principle of subsidiarity, Croatia fully supports deepening the dialogue between the Security Council and the ICC. We must all increase the pressure on those who have no heart, no shame and no conscience. Listing violations against children as clear designation criteria for sanctions, and making concerted efforts to sanction responsible individuals is one way to do so. We should spare no effort to protect those who are the most vulnerable and those unable to protect themselves.”

    2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source