On May 15, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, gave an intervention during the Security Council Open Debate on “Women and Peace and Security: Sexual Violence in Conflict.”

In his statement, Archbishop Auza noted the recent report of the Secretary General that detailed the horrendous impact sexual violence in conflict situations is having on women, girls and entire communities. He drew specific attention to the use of sexual violence as a terrorism tactic and called upon the international community to give priority to stopping this “particularly horrendous violence against women and children.” He applied the Responsibility to Protect to the situation of conflict-related sexual violence and sexual violence as an instrument of terrorism and called upon the international community to help States fulfill their responsibility and to bring conflicts to an end. He stated that the role of women in dialogue and meditation efforts, post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation measures, is essential. He said that women and girls who are being savagely violated look to the Security Council for hope and action and summoned the Council not to let them down.   

His statement can be found here.