YouSaid · the spoken record

Power

lines on the record: 1,841
first: 2013-08-06
most recent: 2019-07-09
sittings or episodes: 165
sources: un-security-council

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“Let us be clear: ifinspectors can obtain access to East Ghouta, so too should the providers of medicine and food. Yarmouk provides another tragic example. It has been under constant siege since July 2013. Recent reports of more than a dozen malnutrition-related deaths among children and other Palestinian residents are horrifying and should shock the conscience of all of us. We received reports from the United Nations in recent days that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was finally able to carry in a small amount of food parcels - 200 parcels, which will feed 1,000 people for one month. There are 18,000 people in Yarmouk who are under siege, lacking food and medicine. It is devastating to imagine how starving people will divide up the food parcels.”
2014-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7096 (2014) · source
“On the very rare occasions that evacuations from besieged areas have been organized, the regime has taken inhabitants away to be screened. In many cases, the whereabouts of those individuals are unknown and remain unknown today. East Ghouta is an egregious example of Syrian obstruction. It is an area where international chemical weapons inspectors were allowed access but where 160,000 civilians remain cut off from humanitarian aid. Pro-Al-Assad snipers regularly target residents attempting to travel through checkpoints. The Government has blockaded fuel supplies, and residents have electricity for only a couple of hours per day. A young child even died of carbon monoxide poisoning because his family had been compelled to burn firewood inside their house to keep warm.”
2014-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7096 (2014) · source
“That is why we are so focused on a negotiated political transition of the type to be discussed in Geneva. The urgency of diplomatic progress is highlighted by the deepening of the humanitarian crisis created by the war and by the Syrian Government's failure to implement the Council's presidential statement of 2 October 2013 (S/PRST/2013/15). In recent days, the Syrian regime has seemingly agreed to improve humanitarian access to besieged areas, but we have not seen evidence of meaningful implementation onthe ground. Formonths, communities, including Yarmouk, East Ghouta, Daraya, the Old City of Horns and Moadamiya, have been besieged and cut off from food and medical supplies. It is not just the case that food cannot get in; people - starving people, desperate people - cannot get out.”
2014-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7096 (2014) · source
“That document calls for the establishment, based on mutual consent, of a transitional governing body with full executive authority, including over military and security entities. It is vital that all participants in the opening ministerial meeting and in subsequent talks support that core goal. As of this morning, however, Iran has yet to demonstrate its willingness to subscribe to the full implementation of the Geneva communique, which is a minimum requirement for participation in the peace process. The Syrian Government's recent and deadly bombing campaign, including the use of Scud missiles and barrel bombs in the Aleppo and Damascus suburbs, provides further demonstration of the Al-Assad regime's cruelty and of the fact that there is no military solution to the conflict.”
2014-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7096 (2014) · source
“The Middle East has often been prey to the turbulence of conflicting forces, but rarely have we seen efforts towards peace and the staggering human costs of war so vividly and so simultaneously evident. That contrast is especially striking in Syria, where diplomatic initiatives have intensified against the backdrop of an ever-more brutal civil war. The best way to begin to bring that war to an end is through the second Geneva Conference on Syria, scheduled to start in Switzerland on Wednesday. My Government has been working closely with the international community and the Syrian opposition coalition to prepare for that Conference. We welcome the coalition's courageous decision this past weekend to participate in the talks, the purpose of which is to ensure the implementation of the Geneva Action Group communique (S/2012/523, annex).”
2014-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7096 (2014) · source
“Many African countries are deeply engaged in combating terrorism, brokering peace and fostering their critical economic and social gains. Looking ahead, we must continue to respect the leadership, ownership and entrepreneurship of our African partners. We are hopeful for the future because we know that the goals of improved governance, greater security and more resilience that we seek respond to a yearning that exists among people throughout the Sahel region, for a chance to live in larger freedom, with greater prosperity, greater security and more peace. With those goals in mind, let us move ahead to implement our integrated strategy in full cooperation with one another.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“By coordinating our efforts to build resilience, we are enhancing the capacities of individuals, families, communities and entire countries to prevent, adapt to and recover from civil strife, natural disasters and similarly disruptive events. To the extent that those initiatives succeed, people in the region will be less vulnerable to stress of all kinds and better equipped to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth. The United States commends the United Nations for making resilience a core pillar of its regional strategy, and the World Bank for its recent investment pledges aimed at improving infrastructure and supporting economic development in rural areas, where the most vulnerable populations live. Although the challenges facing the Sahel remain daunting, we are seeing progress.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“Strategies to improve security and extend the rule of law are more likely to achieve their goals where citizens have reason to hope and are integrated into communities that are becoming stronger and more cohesive. In a parallel effort, the United States is also working closely with Germany, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, and other allies and partners to prevent illegal trafficking in ammunition and arms. Through the Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative in the Sahel, my Government is engaged with States in the region, the World Bank, the United Nations and other stakeholders in a vital initiative to reduce what has become a chronic need for emergency assistance.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“Building security capacity, especially in States where the political institutions are fragile is difficult, but essential. Working through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, the United States is helping to enhance the ability of 10 countries in the Sahel and the Maghreb to combat terrorism, strengthen regional security cooperation, discredit radical ideologies and assist communities that are most at risk. The Partnership is an ongoing effort that is informed by local experience and supported by many leaders in the region. It recognizes the value of development aid in responding to the political grievances and day-to-day needs of people who might otherwise be tempted, in their desperation, to join or support extremist groups.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“To that end, the United States has been and will remain an active partner in trying to advance the three goals of the strategy: to strengthen governance, to improve regional security capabilities and to develop long-term plans for resilience. In many respects, better governance is the starting point for progress in every other arena, including economic development, public safety and the peaceful resolution of debilitating conflicts. Recognizing that, the United States is currently examining ways to step up its efforts across the Sahel-Maghreb region to bolster democratic institutions. We believe that in the Sahel, as elsewhere, an open and inclusive political system can provide a foundation for problem-solving, while simultaneously reducing the appeal of violent extremist groups.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“Accordingly, we commend the European Union and World Bank pledge of $8 billion in new assistance over the next five years to advance the strategic goals laid out in the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel. We urge partners and Governments to lend additional backing to that and associated measures. I would also like to recognize the efforts of Special Envoy Prodi to emphasize how critical it is that regional Governments take the lead in identifying and designing solutions to the diverse and interrelated dilemmas that they confront. We encourage the entire United Nations system to embrace those efforts and to push ahead vigorously in implementing the integrated strategy.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“Porous borders and ungoverned and undergoverned spaces across the vast region facilitate the flow of illicit arms and narcotics, while also providing terrorist groups with safe havens within which they can train and plan future attacks. Civil strife and other social disruptions contribute to widespread food insecurity. The result is chronic suffering, giving way at regular intervals to large-scale humanitarian crises. The visit of the Secretary-General last month to the region - joined by Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ms. Dlamini-Zuma, European Union Commissioner Piebalgs and African Development Bank President Kaberuka - underscored the area's importance and the need to build on prior initiatives that respond to its many overlapping problems.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“I thank the President, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, World Bank President Kim, Special Envoy Prodi, Ambassador Antonio and Special Representative Reveyrand De Menthon for their briefings and for calling the Council's attention to the challenges and opportunities we face in the Sahel. My Government welcomes the United Nations and the World Bank's joint commitment to acting as partners in the region, as they are also doing in the Great Lakes. We hope that the partnership will succeed in mobilizing both internal and international efforts to achieve political and economic progress. As the briefings make clear, countries in the Sahel continue to be plagued by cross-cutting challenges that fuel cycles of violence and impede economic progress.”
2013-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7081 (2013) · source
“We also continue to recognize the important role that the ICC can play in achieving accountability, and are steadfast in our belief that justice for the innocent victims of the post-election Violence in Kenya is essential to lasting peace.”
2013-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7060 (2013) · source
“Because of our respect for Kenya and the African Union (AU), and because we believe that the Court and its Assembly of State Parties are the right venue for considering the issues that Kenya and some AU members have raised, we decided to abstain rather than vote against on the draft resolution before us. The United States and Kenya have been friends and strong partners for half a century. We value the friendship and will continue working with the Government and the people of Kenya on issues of shared concern, including security against terror, economic development, environmental protection, the promotion of human rights and justice.”
2013-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7060 (2013) · source
“Accordingly, we are encouraged that Kenya is continuing to pursue its concerns through an ongoing ICC process. We are also encouraged that the Assembly of States Parties, which includes the Government of Kenya, is working to enable trial proceedings to be conducted in a manner that will not force the defendants to choose between mounting a vigorous legal defence, on the one hand, and continuing to do their jobs, on the other. The Assembly, which under the Rome Statute has responsibility for overseeing the Court's administration, will meet next week and have the chance to engage in dialogue and consider amendments that could help address outstanding issues.”
2013-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7060 (2013) · source
“It is incumbent on us all to support accountability for those responsible for crimes against humanity. At the same time, we want to emphasize our deep respect for the people of Kenya. We share their horror and outrage at the recent Westgate Mall terror attacks and understand their desire both for effective governance and for accountability under the law. We are mindful as well of the importance of those issue to the States members of the African Union that have raised similar concerns. We recognize that the situation the Court is confronting in those cases is a new one. The ICC has never before had a trial ofa defendant who is also a sitting Head of State or a person who may act in such a capacity, and who has appeared voluntarily subject to a summons.”
2013-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7060 (2013) · source
“The United States abstained in the voting because we believe that the concerns raised by Kenya regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings against President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto are best addressed within the framework of the Court and its Assembly of State Parties, and not through a deferral mandated by the Security Council. This position is consistent with the View that we shared with the African Union Contact Group at the Council's informal interactive dialogue at the end of October. Furthermore, the families of the victims of the 2008 post-election violence in Kenya have already waited more than five years for a judicial weighing of the evidence to commence. We believe that justice for the Victims of that Violence is critical to the country's long-term peace and security.”
2013-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7060 (2013) · source
“The United States condemns in the strongest terms any calls for violence. We are especially concerned about the recent discovery of attack tunnels emanating from Gaza into Israel. In addition, we remain concerned about ongoing incidents of violence in the West Bank, as well as recent clashes around holy sites in Jerusalem. We stress the importance of maintaining calm in those sensitive places. We urge restraint on the part of all sides and call upon all parties to avoid taking actions that undermine final status negotiations. Following the bold lead of both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, it is essential that we all work to build the trust and confidence necessary for lasting peace.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“We also recognize the need to address the humanitarian needs of the civilian population in Gaza, and wish to highlight the continued efforts we are making to promote economic development in both the West Bank and Gaza, including more than $348 million in debt relief for the Palestinian Authority that the United States has provided just this year. Private sector debt relief and direct budget support to the Palestinian Authority are vital, and we encourage donors to meet their existing commitments in providing additional support. To stimulate short- term economic growth, we work with the Palestinian Authority to encourage immediate investment in high- impact micro-infrastructure projects in the West Bank. The United States has also provided $25 million in funding for those projects.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“President Obama, Secretary Kerry and Special Envoy Martin Indyk remain deeply engaged in achieving a final status accord within the nine-month time frame set for the negotiations. In addition, the international community continues to demonstrate strong support for the peace process, most recently through several special events on the margins of the General Assembly, including the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee and the Quartet principals meeting, as well as the special meeting of supporters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which conveyed continued support for the Agency and its mission. As a compliment to the political track, international support for the Palestinian economy and the Palestinian Authority is crucial.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“We look forward to reviewing that plan and we hope it will provide a firm basis, along with the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 1701 (2006), for further internationally supported efforts to maintain Lebanon's political progress, security, social cohesion and economic well-being. In the meantime, we call on the international community to help reduce the extraordinary burdens that Lebanon, through no fault of its own, has been compelled to bear. Turning finally to the ongoing negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas made clear in front of the General Assembly their commitment to reaching an enduring peace agreement that ended their conflict.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“At that meeting, Secretary Kerry announced that the United States would contribute an additional $30 million to help Lebanese communities cope with the rising demand for public services, including those related to infrastructure, education and health. That is in addition to the $74 million in new humanitarian assistance, which is Lebanon's share ofthe $340 million in refugee-related aid announced by President Obama during his visit to the General Assembly. My Government commends Lebanon's cooperation with the World Bank and the United Nations in developing a plan to address its heightened needs.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“Because of the nature of that conflict and because of the influx of refugees, Lebanon faces enormous humanitarian, economic and security challenges. More than one fifth of the population of Lebanon are now refugees from Syria. A recent meeting in New York of the International Support Group for Lebanon demonstrated that the permanent members of the Council, the European Union, the League of Arab States, the United Nations and other international institutions shared a common agenda in support of Lebanon as it faces current challenges and promoted a policy of dissociation from the Syrian conflict.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“The regime must immediately lift any bureaucratic locks on the delivery of urgently needed medical aid and seize targeting medical workers. Non-State actors too must respect medical neutrality and facilitate access. In conclusion, we appeal urgently to Council members that have influence on the regime to put pressure on the regime to fulfil its obligation under international humanitarian law as it relates to medical neutrality. The United States will continue to urge opposition groups to facilitate medical access in areas under their control. For the sake of the Syrian people and the sake of the sanctity of medical neutrality everywhere, we have to do more to address that problem. Lebanon is among the neighbouring countries most affected by the Syrian civil war.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that, as of June, in Al-Raqqa, Dayr Al-Zour and Homs more than 70 per cent of health centres had been damaged or are out of service. Nearly 40 per cent of the 1,724 primary health-care centres across the country are either badly damaged or completely closed. Worse, nearly 70 per cent of Syria's health professionals, up to 80,000, have fled the country, according to WHO. Some members have seen the statistics that of the 5,000 doctors in Aleppo before the war, 36 remain. Many governorates now lack qualified medical expertise for trauma, anaesthesia and specialized laboratory personnel. In two northern governates, there is hardly any female staff to cope with reproductive health emergencies or to respond to gender-based violence.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“This conflict is going to be remembered even 100 years from now for the obliteration of the core principle of medical neutrality. According to the recent report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, "[t]he denial of medical care as a weapon of war is a distinct and chilling reality of the war" (A/HRC/24/CRP.2, para. 3)"; "Government forces have engaged in agonizing cruelty against the sick and wounded." (ibid., para. 33) The attacks against medical facilities and on those requiring treatment is barbaric and must halt immediately. The provision of emergency help and necessary medical equipment should not be subject to any sort of political litmus test. People in dire need should be helped regardless of their sect or where they come from in Syria. The Syrian health-care system is shattered.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“We have credible reports that residents are eating leaves of trees and that people have died of malnutrition-related causes. The regime continues to trap an estimated 12,000 people, of whom 7,000 are women and children. They are begging us - this week, in fact, begging us -to save them from death. All parties must allow humanitarian agencies unhindered access to evacuate the remaining civilians and deliver lifesaving treatment supplies in that area. The parties have to respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian laws to protect civilians and to allow the safe access of neutral and impartial humanitarian organizations to all people in need. Again, the situation is urgent. The second issue is the daily assault on medical neutrality.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“The United States strongly endorses the Council's recent presidential statement (S/PRST/2013/15) demanding secure passage for humanitarian relief. But statements alone are meaningless without changes in behaviour on the ground. We on the Council must track progress, report any and all obstruction and press urgently for compliance with the basic standards enshrined in the presidential statement. Winter is fast approaching, and the despair of families across Syria is only growing worse. IfI may, I would like take this occasion to highlight two alarming and time-sensitive issues that warrant the Council's urgent attention. First, in Moadamiya people have been under siege and without access to basic necessities for almost one full year.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“As President Obama and Secretary Kerry have consistently stated, given the role of the present regime in the monstrous crimes of the past two and a half years, Al-Assad has no part to play in a political transition. The United States supports the consultative efforts now being made by Joint Special Representative Brahimi and will continue consultations of its own with, among others, Mr. Brahimi, Russia, the London 11 and the Syrian opposition, so that the "Geneva II" conference can be convened urgently. It is imperative to make diplomatic progress, and it is beyond urgent to take additional steps to relieve suffering both inside Syria and among the more than 2 million Syrians refugees who sought refuge in neighbouring countries.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“The Secretary-General has aptly pointed out that a red light for one form of weapon does not mean a green light for others. The vast majority of the human carnage in Syria has been, and continues to be, inflicted by Government bombs, mortars, shells and bullets. As innocent people continue to be targeted, the country is disintegrating. That has devastating human consequences, and its repercussions are spreading across the region. My Government believes that the only viable way to end the horrific violence in Syria is through a political transition, based on the Action Group for Syria Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex), which calls for a transitional governing body, with full executive powers and chosen by mutual consent.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“Under the joint leadership of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), implementation has already begun. I commend the brave men and women of both organizations for their courage and professional dedication, and welcome the appointment of Special Coordinator Sigrid Kaag. Make no mistake, what we are attempting is without precedent. Never before have international experts been asked to locate, secure and destroy a vast quantity of nerve agents, toxins and other chemical arms in a country torn apart by conflict. The responsibility for complying with resolution 2118 (2013) rests with Syria's leadership, which built those weapons of mass destruction, then lied about them, proceeded to use them and promised, under international pressure, to cooperate in eliminating them.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General Feltman for his excellent briefing. Today I will focus on three topics, namely, Syria, Lebanon and Middle East peace. On 27 September, the Security Council confirmed that the use of chemical weapons anywhere was a threat to international peace and security (see S/PV.7038). In so doing, the Council fulfilled its role as a guardian of global stability by voting unanimously to require the expeditious and total destruction of Syria's deadly chemical weapons programme. That welcome vote was a necessary response to the Syrian Government's ruthless and repeated use of chemical weapons against its own people. But to have meaning, resolution 2118 (2013) must be implemented immediately and with great rigour.”
2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source
“Let us instead take concrete steps so that women share fully in efforts to avoid and contain conflict, just as they inevitably share in the suffering when such efforts are poorly designed or when they fail. Make no mistake - the engagement of women in peace and security does not reflect a desire for disengagement by men. The principle that guides us is respect for the rights and dignity of all. To end and recover from strife we seek the leadership and participation of each gender and every nationality. Just as all benefit from peace, so all must help to create peace.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Whether discussing the right ofa girl to sit in a classroom or the right of a woman to lead her country in the quest for security and peace, the principle is the same and the dividend for peace, for dignity and for prosperity of women's inclusion is obvious. At least since the adoption ofresolution 1325 (2000) 13 years ago, the international community has agreed on the direction in which we want to move. As we continue to go forward, let us confront honestly the obstacles that remain before us. Let us create a spin-free zone on resolution 1325 (2000) and its implementation and let us not conflate effort with results. They are different.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“We have seen in Kenya civil society deeply engaged in a five-year campaign, endorsed by the United Nations, to enshrine the rights of women to own land, live equally in marriage and be free from the threat of violence, and on the election day this past spring a record 87 women were chosen for Parliament - a number that, pursuant to the country's new Constitution, will increase further in the years ahead. We also commend Rwanda, 62 per cent of whose parliamentarians are now women, which is a remarkable statistic. We know too that what begins as a single voice can sometimes become a mighty chorus. Like many here, I recently had the honour of meeting Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani with the soft smile and the steel spine, as well as a powerful message of inclusion.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Those range from the peacebuilding efforts of women in Mali to new legal protection measures in Colombia to smoother access to justice in Haiti to the enhanced role for women in the police of Zimbabwe. Women are also playing an important part in preparing for elections in Sierra Leone and in harnessing new communications technology to monitor and report on violations in the Sudan and other areas of conflict. There is cumulative power in the new voices being heard, and when opportunities arise some civil society leaders are making the leap from outside advocacy to positions of political power.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“The situation is now a catastrophe as rebels have replaced law with anarchy and, as we have heard, a quarter of a million people have been driven from their homes. The depth of that crisis underlines the importance of Ms. Balipou's presence here today. It is vital that her message of inclusion be heeded. The Secretary-General's report reminds us that the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) must go forward with both the short and long terms in mind. Our ultimate goal is a transformation in how people everywhere think about security. Our daily focus is on the incremental changes that will lead us in the right direction. Because of UN Women and its partners, numerous productive initiatives are under way.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Our Justice Department is working with police, prosecutors and judges to increase accountability for sexual violence, and the Centers for Disease Control have launched a system for monitoring abuse against women and girls. As the Secretary-General's report acknowledges, there remain troubling gaps in what we know about women and security, but one thing we have learned is that there is a correlation between gender inequity and the potential for civil strife. Let us consider, for example, the Central African Republic, which ranks 138th out of 146 on the United Nations Development Programme's Gender Inequality Index. Even before the explosion of Violence, teen pregnancy was out of control and the rate of unhealthy births and maternal deaths was far too high.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“My Government announced its own blue print two years ago, after broad consultations with civil society. The plan lays out a comprehensive strategy for incorporating women in efforts to prevent conflict, provide humanitarian protection, foster food security and ensure fair treatment under the law. That plan is backed by leaders across the United States Government. President Obama is personally determined to change the DNA of the United States Government so that the inexorable link between women's inclusion and lasting peace is a premise, or an axiom, brought to every policy discussion. President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry have ordered its full integration into our diplomacy. The Defence Department is spreading the message of gender awareness to partners across the globe.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“The figures of 10 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively, remain well below the modest target of 20 per cent that had been set for next year. Just as disappointing, only 4 of the 27 peace-related field missions are led by women. Moreover, we have all deplored the horrific sexual crimes being carried out daily in Syria, where rape has again become a routine weapon of war. The Council is just back from the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where we met with internally displaced persons, peacekeepers and civil society who described a near pandemic of sexual violence associated with the conflict there. Clearly, the involvement of women in peace and security is a goal that must be approached from many directions simultaneously. That is why the United States encourages every country to develop an action plan.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Since 2009, gender crimes investigators have been a part of all United Nations commissions of inquiry, and as was said, this year 3 out of 10 peace agreements in United Nations-supported processes included provisions for women's political participation or protection. That is more than the year before. An analysis of women and security is now included in most reports by peacekeeping and special political missions. The Secretary-General has established, and my Government and other Governments vigorously support, the policy of zero tolerance towards sexual-related abuses committed by United Nations personnel, something that still happens with alarming incidence. Less impressive, however, is the level of women's participation in police and military deployments.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Whether a country is rich or poor, there is no excuse for denying women fair representation when negotiating the terms of the peace, when enacting laws or when forging a conflict-free future. The United Nations should be a standard setter and, according to the Secretary-General's September report, some important progress is being made. In the past year, as we have heard, women were included in every formal peace-negotiating process led or co-led by the United Nations. Gender experts were present in 85 per cent of delegations. In each case, representatives of women's civil society groups were consulted. Women are playing a more prominent role in crisis prevention, most notably in Darfur and the Great Lakes region.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“There mass rape was used as a tactic of war, and the means of accountability had to be created through the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. However, it was created only after tens of thousands of people had already died. We have learned through hard experience that wars are increasingly carried out less by professional troops than by irregular forces, leading to more civilian casualties, economic disruption and displaced families. During the chaos of armed conflict, legal systems are often bypassed, and sexual predators, we found, do their worst. In the wake of such suffering, we understand that inadequate governance and limited resources may complicate the task of recovery and healing. There is, however, one standard that we can live up to regardless of the situation. That is the principle of inclusion.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“That reality is in turn linked to the achievement of all eight of the Millennium Development Goals, whether directly, as in women's empowerment, or as a logical consequence, as in the areas of universal education, maternal health, child mortality and environmental protection. Progress towards one of those essential Goals will make gains easier in the others. All are connected to women's participation in peace and security. Today's debate, as we know, focuses on one particular aspect of that linkage, which is the rule of law. That focus is appropriate because the law is diminished in any country where half of the population is denied the chance to shape it. Years ago, I bore witness as a journalist to the brutal violence in the Balkans.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Balipou, not only for her remarks and for undertaking an arduous journey to be with us here today but also for advocating with such eloquence on behalf of women's participation and on behalf of the rule of law, which go very much together in the Central African Republic and beyond. What she does takes courage, an we commend her for it. Resolution 1325 (2000) was a landmark measure. It affirmed the principle that women's participation in conflict prevention, mitigation and recovery was vital to the maintenance of international security and peace - not a sideshow, but vital.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“I welcome the chance to participate in this debate on issues that are central to the mission of the United Nations and to the future of us all. I thank the Secretary-General for his recent report (S/2013/525), his presence here today and the personal commitment he has made to women and peace and security. I also would like to thank Ms. Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka for her testimony and for her tremendous leadership of UN Women. We know that the best is still ahead, and we are delighted to have her in that role. I would like to thank High Commissioner for Human Rights Pillay, who has spent her whole career pressing the agenda, with significant returns. I also thank Ms.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“In closing, I'd like again to commend the leadership being demonstrated by President Mansour and his Government, by Special Adviser Benomar and by the members of the GCC. In this joint effort of extraordinary importance, the United States remains ready and willing to do its part.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“The United Nations response plan for Yemen remains severely underfunded; it is critical that countries who have pledged deliver on their pledges and do everything necessary to see that basic requirements are met. The United States has provided over $320 million over the past three years in support ofthe United Nations appeal. Ultimately, the success or failure of the transition depends on the choices made by Yemen, by Yemen's Government and by Yemen's people. That is appropriate, and it is a challenge for all of us to work as diligently as we can to attain the goal we all seek: a Yemen that is stable, confident, at peace with itself and its neighbours, and moving in the right political and economic direction.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source
“In Yemen, as elsewhere, open and constructive policy debate should be welcome, but efforts to divide and destroy through violence must be resolutely opposed. Looking ahead, we are encouraged by the commitment shown by the United Nations, the GCC and other partners to support Yemen during this pivotal period. It is essential that the transition remain on track and that progress also be made in implementing economic reforms, fighting corruption and strengthening governance, which is, of course, also foundational, as is security. I emphasize as well the persistence of food insecurity and other urgent and dire humanitarian needs within the country.”
2013-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7037 (2013) · source