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Statement by H.E. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Open Debate of the Security Council
On Women and Peace and Security
25 April 2014
Thank you, Madame President,
First of all, I thank Secretary-General and his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, for their briefings. I would also like to thank Ms. Rhoda Misaka for her powerful briefing as a representative from civil society.
Madame President,
Japan welcomes the Secretary-General’s latest report on this agenda item. Newly introduced national-level policy recommendations will help the Security Council to continuously monitor country specific situations. Japan also appreciates that the report highlights the UN Action’s role as a coordination mechanism and its activities on enhancing prevention.
Security Council Resolution 2106 provides, for the first time, the theme of sexual violence in conflict with a comprehensive prevention framework. We believe that emphasis on “prevention” is vital, if we are ever to defeat conflict-related sexual violence.
Progress on the ground is dependent on concrete action by both national governments and civil societyof affected countries. The international community must support them to achieve a change on the ground.
Madame President,
The Japanese Government fully supports SRSG’s new priority to strengthen national ownership, leadership and responsibility.
To appreciate the work of the SRSG, the Japanese Government invited Ms. Bangura last November to Japan. During her visit, Prime Minister Abe reassured her of Japan’s commitment to cooperate closely with her office.
And we are deepening our collaboration with the SRSG’s Office, as well as its Team of Experts (ToE) and UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict. Japan is now the second largest contributor to the SRSG’s Office, after Sweden.
One example of Japan’s assistance is 2.15 million dollars contribution to support work of Team of Experts in Somalia and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In these countries, SRSG and herTeam of Experts, through their engagement efforts, succeeded in drawing the political commitments of these national Governments. The Joint Communiqués were later signed between SRSG and therespective Governments. Japan’s financial contribution will help these Governments to implement the Communiqués.
In the DRC, for example, we are helping the Government expand and consolidate the Special Police for the Protection of Women and Children. We will also support activities of the Special Representative of the President Kabila on Sexual Violence once the post is filled.
Furthermore, on International Women’s Day this year, the Japanese Mission and the SRSG Officeco-hosted a special event here in New York in order to raise awareness of the topic we are discussing today.
We look forward to further cooperating with SRSG in this regard, including at the upcoming Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London in June.
Thank you, Madame President.
