Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, PR of Latvia to the UN, at the UNSC Open Debate on CRSV
New York, 8 July 2026
Je vous remercie, Madame Président,
Tout d’abord, permettez-moi de souhaiter une chaleureuse bienvenue a V.E. Mme Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Première Ministre de la République démocratique du Congo en tant que Président de cette séance du Conseil aujourd’hui.
I thank the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten for her sobering briefing and for her unwavering commitment. The SRSG and her Office work every day so that survivors are heard and the perpetrators are held accountable. I also thank Ms Carine Jocelyn for her contribution and her courageous work on the ground in Haiti.
Madam President, I will highlight three points.
First, the Secretary-General’s report leaves no doubt: conflict-related sexual violence remains a persistent threat to international peace and security. The number of verified cases has more than doubled in the past year. Terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda and Da’esh, used CRSV to reach ideological goals and incentivize recruitment. Russian armed forces and security services systemically used sexual violence as a form of torture against Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilian detainees and civilians in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia to humiliate, punish or extract confessions. In Haiti, gangs targeted children to assert control, while in Myanmar CRSV was weaponized as part of political violence to intimidate opponents. And in Sudan, rape was used as a tactic of war to terrorize entire communities.
These are not isolated incidents. They reflect deliberate choices, a systematic pattern of targeted violence by parties to conflict that we must never accept.
Second, accountability must match the scale of the crimes. This requires the strengthening of the monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements and a sufficient deployment of Women’s Protection Advisers to all situations covered by the report. It also means ending impunity through the effective use of available tools, including targeted sanctions. We welcome the strengthening of accountability through the newly created CRSV Prosecution Network, of which Latvia is a member.
There is also a responsibility that rests with a permanent member of this Council. For the first time, Russia’s armed and security forces have been listed for the widespread and systematic use of sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. The UN has previously reported that 98.9% of freed detainees disclosed being tortured while in Russian custody, 75% of those being subject to sexual violence, 63% - multiple times. The fact that Russia is the only listed state actor refusing to engage with the SRSG’s Office speaks volumes. Russia must provide full and unimpeded access to independent monitors and must immediately cease these violations and implement formal commitments to address them.
The Secretary-General’s report addresses the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with verified cases of sexual violence against detainees, hostages, and children. We call on all listed parties to immediately cease these violations and reiterate the need to provide access for independent monitoring, full investigations, and accountability.
Where there is political will to address sexual violence, there are results. We welcome the significant progress achieved in the DRC through sustained engagement with the SRSG. The efforts of Ukraine have been exemplary, with the authorities engaging fully with the SRSG since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine has pioneered interim reparations for survivors of CRSV, while continuing to investigate and prosecute cases during wartime. These examples show that determined action can strengthen prevention, improve protection and advance accountability.
Third, we must keep survivors at the centre and ensure that no one is overlooked. As we heard from SRSG Patten: women and girls remain disproportionately affected by CRSV, accounting for the vast majority of verified cases. However, in detention settings, among prisoners of war and detainees, the crimes mostly affected men and boys. Their experiences remain underreported and are often compounded by deep stigma, underscoring that support must be gender-responsive to reach all survivors. Victims and survivors span the ages of 1 to 70 and include persons with disabilities and members of various minority groups. Addressing the individual needs of each survivor in a trauma-informed manner is essential, with full respect for their safety, dignity, confidentiality and non-discrimination.
Madam President,
Conflict-related sexual violence is not an inevitable consequence of war - it is a deliberate choice made by perpetrators. It must therefore be met with a clear and consistent response by this Council: to prevent it, expose it, and end impunity. Latvia will continue to stand firmly with survivors and to support the important work of the SRSG and her Office.
I thank you.