蘑菇视频

Excellencies, Honourable Minister of the Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Chapters of the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (NDDRC), 蘑菇视频 Colleagues, Deputy-SRSG Cong, 蘑菇视频ICEF Representative Hamida Laseko, Members of Diplomatic Corps, Representatives of Civil Society Organisations, Religious Leaders, Children鈥檚 Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to start by commending this initiative of the Government of South Sudan for organizing this very important conference to address an issue which Christopher [蘑菇视频ICEF Child Representative] called of urgent concern: sexual violence against children and their protection.

I commend the concerted efforts of the High-level Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Technical Committee, working closely with 蘑菇视频 partners, to address the scale and gravity of sexual violence against children. An urgent need to protect them.

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I stand before you today deeply moved by the harrowing stories and harsh realities so many of the most innocent souls face every day. I still recall vividly during my first visit to South Sudan, my encounter with the mother of an 8-month-old baby, victim of sexual violence. I urge you to think of her, and the thousands of children who suffer in silence, and then act: act with your advocacy, with your funds, and with your dedication to end impunity for these heinous crimes against children. We owe it to these children, who cannot act on their own behalf. As Christopher again gave a message this morning, it is our collective responsibility to reflect on the words from Christopher about how it is, for each and every one of us, we have a role to play in protecting these children.

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While people of all genders and ages experience sexual violence, which is fundamentally rooted in unequal power dynamics, for children, their age and gender play a significant role in their vulnerability, placing adolescent girls at critically high risk of sexual violence in conflict settings. As we confront the stark reality of the significant increase in the number of sexual violence cases against children in 2022, it is important to also bear in mind that this crime is historically plagued by chronic underreporting. So that the data that we have only represents the very tip of the iceberg.

Stigmatization plays a pivotal role: gender norms, such as harmful concepts of honor and purity for girls, distorted notions of masculinity for boys, the flawed principle of guilt by association, in addition to the fear of reprisals and the lack of age-appropriate services, all combine to discourage children from reporting.

Conflict-related sexual violence is one of the most devastating forms of violence with lasting, harmful effects on victims. It has particularly severe consequences for children, who often suffer from a wide range of physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences.

Since I took office in 2017, I have advocated for a survivor-centered approach that recognizes that survivors are unique individuals and I have sought to empower them by prioritizing their different needs, perspectives, and wishes. It is crucial that child survivors also receive comprehensive child-focused, gender-responsive, specialised support. Their vulnerabilities differ and so do their needs.

The specific needs of girls cannot be overlooked. Too often, they are hidden victims of conflict who suffer stigma, rejection by their families and communities, in addition to psychological and physical consequences of sexual violence. For adolescent girls, unwanted pregnancies carry distinct risks, including of injuries associated with childbearing, which can lead to permanent and profound health impacts. Equally, boys need specialized programmes, hence the importance of gender-responsive approaches tailored to their needs.

Internally displaced and refugee children, as well as unaccompanied minors and children in detention, are at particular risk of sexual violence. It is important to recognize and address appropriately children鈥檚 different vulnerabilities according to their gender, age, disability, actual or perceived sexual orientation, and other relevant factors, such as poverty, and these are important for both prevention, mitigation, and response purposes. Child protection services must be fully funded and supported to become more holistic, age- and gender-responsive, and better able to address the gendered nature of the violence they may have experienced.

For example, as noted in the latest Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, abductions of girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced marriage, and sexual slavery 鈥� a chronic feature of the conflict in South Sudan 鈥� increased in 2022, with rape and gang rape serving as a form of reward for men engaged in the fighting.

The plight of children born of rape must also be urgently addressed. Their protection needs have long been overlooked despite the severe and even life-threatening risk of stigmatization, rejection, and discrimination they face as a result of their mothers鈥� own social exclusion. I urge you to give due consideration to the Special Report on children born of conflict-related rape, which my Office was mandated in 2019 by the Security Council to prepare, and which provides a solid foundation for upholding and responding to the needs of both survivors of sexual violence and children born as a result.

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Since the signing of the Joint Communiqu茅 in 2014 between the Government of South Sudan and my Office on addressing conflict-related sexual violence, my Office has continually engaged with key stakeholders to reinforce both prevention and response. And there is a need for enhanced implementation of this Joint Communiqu茅, including the Action Plans for the Armed Forces, and that of the National Police Service. In this regard, the work of our Senior Women鈥檚 Protection Advisor, and her team at 蘑菇视频MISS, is of critical importance.

To date, accountability for crimes of sexual violence against children has not been prioritized. I think they suffer more perversely within the need of a culture of justice and accountability. Prosecutors are often reluctant to use children鈥檚 testimony. The lack of protection pathways and referrals also act as barriers to engaging children in judicial processes. As a result, a culture of impunity is entrenched, emboldening the perpetrators, and perpetuating vicious cycles of violence. It is therefore also urgent to address gaps in the level of expertise within investigative mechanisms and judicial structures regarding how to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes against children. In this regard, my Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict stands ready to support the efforts of the Government.

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Last but not least, I wish to stress that the first form of protection is prevention. As my colleague said, we are talking about a crime that is preventable, it is not inevitable. While it is essential to mitigate its devastating mental, physical, social and economic effects, and to continue to improve these responses, there is also a compelling need to invest more in prevention.

In this regard, last year, I launched a Prevention Framework aimed to prevent the occurrence of conflict-related sexual violence in the first instance, and to prevent further secondary harms from arising in its wake. This Framework is intended to be a 鈥渞oad map鈥� to address prevention efforts and to serve as a tool to advocate for more broad-based initiatives.

My Office, together with 蘑菇视频 system partners, stand ready to support the roll-out of this Framework in South Sudan.

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Excellencies, Children, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As the number of children at risk, or victims, of sexual violence in conflict continues to rise, the need to better prevent, mitigate and respond to this problem is more urgent than ever, demanding immediate coordinated action to prevent them from becoming 鈥渁 lost generation鈥�.

In conclusion, let us bring all available tools to bear in combatting sexual violence against children, and promoting a culture of accountability, deterrence, peace, and respect for human dignity. I would like to leave you with a few recommendations:

• First and foremost, it is critical to boost tailored and targeted prevention efforts;
• To deliver comprehensive child-centered services from mental health and psychosocial support to sexual and reproductive healthcare, bearing in mind that without targeted support, child survivors of sexual violence are at risk of a perilous future of poverty, discrimination, exploitation, and often further violence and abuse;
• Strengthen and adequately finance the collection of data on sexual violence against children and ensure it is done in an ethical, safe, responsible, and child-friendly way;
• Put children at the center of all actions against this violation including by supporting child-led groups, increasing children鈥檚 voice and participation, and supporting their inclusion in peace-making and peacebuilding efforts;
• Address the underlying root causes and drivers of sexual violence against children;
• And finally, end impunity for this egregious crime including by supporting mechanisms to prosecute sexual violence cases against children and through the adequate resourcing of dedicated gender-responsive, child-specific expertise in investigations.

As we approach the milestone of ten years since the signing the 2014 Joint Communiqu茅 on addressing conflict-related sexual violence in South Sudan, let us commit to聽set the stage for a new decade of decisive action to replace horror with healing and hope.

We owe this to the children of South Sudan and to humanity as a whole.

Thank you.