A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for international efforts to curb and combat sexual violence in conflict.
Speaking at an open debate of the United Nations Security Council honoring the promise of international law to survivors of sexual violence in conflict, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, noted that in an increasingly volatile world, the issue of conflict-related sexual violence has worsened over the recent years, with women and girls being the main victims.
"Using sexual violence as a means of war and terrorism seriously violates relevant Security Council resolutions and international law, gravely infringes upon the dignity and fundamental rights of victims, and causes long-term trauma to them, their families, and societies," Fu said.
"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes all forms of sexual violence in conflict, and calls on all countries to jointly curb and combat it," he said.
Nearly 10,000 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were recorded worldwide last year, more than double the previous year's figure, as rape, sexual slavery and abduction were deployed as weapons of war across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Caribbean, according to the latest UN annual report on the issue.
China calls for international efforts to combat conflict-related sexual violence
