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Protection of Women and Children in Emergency or Armed Conflict

93.3EM Emergency Resolution: Protection of Women and Children in Emergency or Armed Conflict

[Whereas,] Rationale:

  • Sexual abuse of women and children remains one of the gravest atrocities of war.
  • Women and children, the most vulnerable victims of armed conflict, have often suffered while the world remains silent.
  • Recent examples include mass rapes in Somalia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and other regions of armed conflict, emphasizing the urgent need for protection.
  • The Geneva Protocol (1925), Geneva Convention (1949), and decisions of the International Court of Justice guarantee protection for women and children in armed conflicts.
  • The UN General Assembly’s Resolution 3318 (December 1974) highlights the international community's responsibility to protect women and children in emergencies and armed conflicts.

RESOLVED:

The National Council of Women urges the Government of Canada to:

  1. Take immediate steps to ensure that the United Nations, Canada, and other nations uphold treaties protecting women and children from sexual abuse during emergencies and armed conflicts.
  2. Ensure crimes of sexual abuse against women and children in Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and other regions are investigated and prosecuted by the International Court of Justice, in adherence to international standards.