Canada statement to be delivered by Ambassador Louise Blais, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations at the Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians

22 May, 2018

Madam/Mr. President

In the last year, the scale of humanitarian needs and levels of forced displacement as a result of armed conflict and other violence has increased.

In Syria alone, 1.5 million Syrians suffer from war-related injuries. Civilians have been killed, injured and terrorized by chemical weapons, barrel bombs and conventional weapons.

At a time when violence and conflict threaten international security, Canada is leading efforts to build a more peaceful and secure world. Here’s how:

First, by consistently advocating for compliance with international humanitarian law to strengthen the protection of civilians.

Just last month, under Canada’s G7 Presidency, G7 foreign ministers committed to using their support to state and, when relevant, non-state parties to armed conflict, to encourage effective implementation of IHL. This will be achieved through practical measures, such as seeking commitments from partners to enhance respect for IHL, assisting them to incorporate IHL into their doctrine, field training and rules of engagement, and also assisting partners to ensure that their judicial structures are capable of effectively addressing their own IHL violations should they occur. We urge members of this Council and all UN Member States to undertake a similar commitment.

Canada is outraged that attacks on civilians, healthcare facilities and medical and humanitarian personnel persist. Canada calls on this Council to clearly condemn direct and indiscriminate attacks against civilians, and demand that parties to armed conflict comply with their IHL obligations and this Council’s resolutions.

Second, by ensuring accountability.

In Myanmar, Canada is committed to working closely with other countries, international organizations and civil society to establish lasting peace and reconciliation, and a clear pathway towards accountability for atrocities committed in Rakhine State.

Specifically, Canada is coordinating with international partners to support existing evidence gathering efforts and the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. Canada will also explore options to assist in investigating and documenting gross human rights violations and abuses, including sexual and gender-based violence, especially in Rakhine State.

Additionally, in both Syria and Iraq, Canada is funding evidence collection, analysis and documentation efforts to support the future prosecution of members of Daesh and of other parties for war crimes or other violations of international law.

Let me be clear. In order to achieve sustainable peace in conflict zones including Syria, the transition out of conflict must be accompanied by an inclusive process of accountability that addresses serious violations of international law by all parties to the conflict.

Third, by strengthening the protection of civilians through peacekeeping.

UN Peacekeeping has helped provide protection to millions of vulnerable people affected by conflicts. On the ground, Canada has peacekeepers in the UN Missions in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo who are working tirelessly with international partners to protect civilians. Canada will soon be deploying to the UN Mission in Mali, another mission where the protection of civilians is mandated as one of its “priority tasks.”

However, as the nature of conflicts change, so too must modern peace operations. Therefore, Canada is also advancing innovative approaches to enhance the protection of civilians in peacekeeping operations.

For example, last November, Canada launched the Vancouver Principles. Endorsed by 62 UN Member States to-date, these are a set of political commitments which take an assertive stance on preventing unlawful child recruitment in the context of peacekeeping operations. 

Canada also launched the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, a pilot project through which Canada will develop and test innovative approaches to increase the representation and participation of women in UN peace operations.

Lastly, by working to address the needs of women and girls caught in conflict.

The protection of civilians must be gender-responsive to be effective. For this reason, Canada’s second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security includes measures to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence in situations of armed conflict. It also includes measures to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by international personnel.

We must also remember the particular challenges of persons with disabilities in situations of conflict, including their access to humanitarian assistance. We encourage Member States who have not done so to endorse the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.

Madam/Mr. President,

When Canada last served on the Security Council in 1999-2000, we fought to put the protection of civilians on the Security Council’s agenda, and today, these considerations are emphatically included as a significant objective in peacekeeping mandates.  This is important progress, but clearly our work is far from done. Today, let us recommit, together, to shoulder our responsibility to prevent conflict, to protect civilians, and to hold perpetrators of serious international crimes to account.

You can count on Canada to do its part.