UN sex violence envoy chides council on Libya texts

Patrick Worsnip – Reuters news Africa – Friday, 15 April, 2011

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. special envoy on sexual violence in conflict chided the Security Council on Thursday for failing to mention it in two recent resolutions on Libya, despite having made the subject a priority.

In a speech to the council, Margot Wallstrom said measures against sexual violence should be “automatically and systematically included” in provisions to protect civilians like those in the Libya resolutions.

“Otherwise, interventions on the frontlines may relegate women’s security to the sidelines,” she said.

As recently as last December, a resolution on sexual violence in conflict listed tough measures the United Nations should take to combat the crime, leading women to expect action would be taken to prevent it, Wallstrom said. . .

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