Photo taken on April 23, 2019 shows the United Nations Security Council voting on a German-drafted resolution at the UN headquarters in New York. The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday passed a German-drafted resolution to reduce sexual violence in conflict and end rape as a weapon of war. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday passed a German-drafted resolution to reduce sexual violence in conflict and end rape as a weapon of war.
The newly adopted Resolution 2467 reiterated the Council's demand for "the complete cessation with immediate effect" by all parties to armed conflict of all acts of sexual violence, and its call for these parties to make and implement "specific time-bound commitments" to combat sexual violence.
The resolution expressed the Council's deep concern at "the slow progress" in addressing and eliminating sexual violence in conflicts around the world.
It said that such acts often occur with impunity and "in some situations have become systematic and widespread, reaching appalling levels of brutality."
The resolution urged existing sexual violence sanctions committees "to apply targeted sanctions against those who perpetrate and direct sexual violence in conflict."
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of Resolution 1888, which created the mandate of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
The basis for Tuesday's open debate is the UN secretary-general's annual report on conflict-related sexual violence, which was released on March 29.
Over the past decade, the report said, there has been a "paradigm shift" in understanding this issue and its relationship to international peace and security.
