Sanction terrorists involved in sexual violence: India to UN

India has called on the Security Council to "proactively" sanction terrorists involved in conflict-related sexual violence while asserting that there is a need to finalise a global treaty to counter the growing scourge of terrorism.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said while in the last two decades there had been a considerable strengthening of the normative framework around various aspects relating to women, peace and security, sexual violence in situations of armed conflict was yet to abate.

He attributed this to the proliferation of armed conflicts and their evolving nature involving various non-state actors and the spread of terrorism in such situations across large parts of the world.

"The more vulnerable sections, especially women suffer ever more in such violent conflicts," he said at the Security Council's open debate on women, peace and security here yesterday.

Akbaruddin said the rapidly expanding trans-boundary nature of terrorist financing, supply of arms, recruitment and training of foreign fighters have led to a situation where whole regions are impacted and no country is in a position to effectively counter this menace alone.

lamenting the lack of unity in the international community to tackle complex challenges posed by terrorism, Akbaruddin said large trafficking networks run by transnational criminal groups compound the misery of vulnerable communities, especially women.

"Tackling such complex challenges demands closely coordinated and collaborative efforts among nations," he said.

"Sadly, we remain far from being able to come together to overcome such challenges collectively," Akbaruddin said, citing the "glaring example" of the lack of progress on the issue of finalising a Comprehensive Convention to Counter International Terrorism that can strengthen the global counter-terrorism strategy.

Sanctions Committees of the Security Council need to address the issue of "proactively listing terrorist individuals and entities involved in situations of conflict related sexual violence," he said.

"While the evolving normative framework suggests a number of short term measures, only a comprehensive approach facilitated by a supportive international environment can help sustain peace and security and build prosperous societies," he said.