Qatar Calls for Applying International Law to Protect Women During Armed Conflicts

New York, October 29 (QNA) - The State of Qatar stressed the need to devote humanitarian and legal protection for women and girls affected by armed conflicts. Qatar called for the importance of giving priority to the application of international law strictly to protect women during armed conflicts, expressing at the same time its concern about the continuing and emerging patterns of violence against women and girls during and after armed conflict. This came in the statement of the State of Qatar delivered Tuesday by HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, in front of the open discussion session of the Security Council on "Displaced women and girls: leaders and survivors", in connection with the agenda item "Women and peace and security". HE Sheikha Alia said that the attention given to the issue of women, peace and security by the Security Council and the International Community, since the adoption of the Resolution 1325 (2000), helped to shed light on the larger impact of conflict on women and girls, as well as the unique role of women in resolving conflicts, building consensus and creating opportunities for the consolidation of stability, democracy, prosperity and reconciliation in addition to post-conflict peacebuilding. She believed that the high-level review of the implementation of resolution 1325, which will be held in 2015, would be an important opportunity to highlight the good practices and to address the existing challenges and concerns, especially that women and girls still form the vast majority of those affected by armed conflict, including refugees and internally displaced women. HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, noted that the majority of the refugees consists of women and children as a result of conflicts and terrorism, pointing out that this well increase all forms of discrimination, violence and human rights violations against them. In this context, she said that the State of Qatar commends the joint mechanism between the United Nations Commission for Women and the Justice Rapid Response (JRR) initiative with regard to sexual and gender-based crimes, and its support for the international community to achieve justice and accountability for violent crimes in conflict situations. HE Sheikha Alia expressed regret that in different regions of the world, particularly in the Arab world, the refuge and displacement form a major problem as a result of conflicts and terrorism, pointing out that reports show 51.2 million people were forcibly displaced with the end of 2013, an increase of 6 million people registered in 2012. At the end of a statement, State of Qatar called for the need to deliver the humanitarian aid to those in need and the implementation of the provisions of international law and Security Council resolutions concerned with humanitarian aspects, emphasising the importance of fighting impunity and holding accountable those responsible for human rights violations. (QNA)