Pakistan has called for the full, faithful and non-selective implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on conflict-related sexual violence, stressing that these resolutions carry clear obligations to prevent, protect, investigate, prosecute and repair. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks during a Security Council debate convened by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which holds the Council presidency for July. More than 70 delegations participated in the debate, which considered the Secretary-General's recent report on conflict-related sexual violence.
Report Documents Alarming Increase in Cases
The report, presented by Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, covered 21 situations of concern and documented 9,788 cases verified by the United Nations in 2025. This figure is more than double the number recorded in 2024. However, Ms. Patten cautioned that such figures can never capture the full scale and magnitude of this chronically underreported crime, estimating that for every case reaching a clinic, 10 to 20 go unreported and unaddressed.
Pakistan's Stance on Accountability and Prevention
Ambassador Asim Ahmad emphasized that conflict-related sexual violence destroys individuals, fractures families, terrorizes communities, and leaves inter-generational wounds, including for children born of conflict-related rape. He stressed that the Secretary-General's listing mechanism, which blacklists perpetrators, should cover all situations of conflict and foreign occupation on the Council's agenda. No situation should be shielded from scrutiny, and no perpetrator should be allowed to treat sexual violence as cost-free, he said.
The Pakistani envoy also called for more effective use of sanctions regimes against persistent perpetrators and for justice processes to be more victim- and survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and accessible. He underscored the need for strengthening accountability comprehensively and consistently, ensuring that victims and survivors receive timely and comprehensive support, including medical care, psycho-social assistance, legal aid, livelihood support, and reparations.
Prevention at the Core of Collective Response
Prevention must be placed at the centre of our collective response, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said. This requires compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law; meaningful participation of women in peace processes; early warning; sustained funding; responsible arms control; and, above all, addressing the root causes of conflict, including foreign occupation and denial of the right to self-determination. The true test of this Council's commitment lies in the full, faithful and non-selective implementation of its resolutions, including on women, peace and security, he added.
Background of the UN Mandate
The mandate on conflict-related sexual violence was established by Council resolution 1888 (2009), building on the Council's recognition of such violence as an issue of international peace and security, including its use as a weapon and tactic of war and the persistent impunity enjoyed by perpetrators. Pakistan's call for non-selective implementation underscores the need for consistent application of these resolutions across all conflict situations, without exception.
