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Draft Platform for Action
E. Advance peace, promote conflict resolution and reduce the impact of armed or other conflict on women
Strategic objective E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the incidence of human rights abuse in conflict situations

Actions to be taken

146. By Governments:

(a) Consider the ratification of or accession to international instruments containing provisions relative to the protection of women and children in armed conflicts, including the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 1949, the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I) and to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II);

(b) Respect fully the norms of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts and take all measures required for the protection of women and children, in particular against rape, forced prostitution and any other form of indecent assault.

147. By Governments and international and regional organizations:

(a) Reaffirm the right of self-determination of all peoples, in particular of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective realization of this right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 2/ adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights;

(b) [Encourage diplomacy, [preventive diplomacy,] negotiation and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4 thereof;]

(c) [Consider the establishment of a special United Nations unit for third-party conflict prevention and resolution and the gender composition of any such unit;]

(d) Urge the identification and condemnation of the systematic practice of rape and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment of women as a deliberate instrument of war and ethnic cleansing and take steps to ensure that full assistance is provided to the victims of such abuse for their physical and mental rehabilitation;

(e) [Declare that rape in the conduct of armed conflict can constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity and under certain circumstances may constitute an act of genocide, take all measures required for the protection of women and children and strengthen mechanisms to investigate and punish rape and other such acts;]

(f) Uphold and reinforce standards set out in international humanitarian law and international human rights instruments to prevent all acts of violence against women in situations of armed and other acts of conflict and undertake full investigations of all acts of violence against women committed during war, in particular [systematic rape] and sexual slavery, prosecute all criminals responsible for war crimes against women and provide full redress to women victims;

(g) [Call upon the international community to condemn and act against terrorism;]

(h) Take action to investigate and punish members of the police, security, and armed forces and others who perpetrate acts of violence against women, violations of [international humanitarian law] and violations of the human rights of women [who violate the human rights of women] in situations of armed conflict;

(i) Take into account gender-sensitive concerns in developing training programmes for all relevant personnel on international humanitarian law and [international] human rights awareness and recommend such training for those involved in United Nations peace-keeping and humanitarian aid, with a view to preventing violence against women, in particular;

(j) [Encourage the elimination of and abstain from adopting unilateral coercive measures, in violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, that go against the population of affected countries and, in particular, women and that could provoke situations leading to conflicts;]

(k) [Take measures in accordance with international law [and legitimacy] with a view to alleviating the negative impact of economic sanctions on women and children.]

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