accountability and monitoring mechanisms for existing human rights obligations, promote
access to justice for all and ensure effective participation for all, including the most
marginalised and disadvantaged, in development, decision making and implementation;
strongly recommends that a stand-alone goal for women’s rights and gender equality be
included in the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, with a strong emphasis on
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights;
124. Urges the EU and its Member States to ensure that the ICPD+20 review process results in
a comprehensive review of all aspects related to the full enjoyment of sexual and
reproductive rights and to reaffirm a strong and progressive approach to the issue of
sexual and reproductive rights for all in conformity with international human rights
standards, as well as calling for greater accountability as regards achievement; also calls
on them, in particular, to ensure that the review process is conducted in a participatory
manner and provides opportunities for the different stakeholders, including civil society
as well as women, adolescents and young people to participate in a meaningful manner;
recalls that the framework for such a review must be based on human rights and must
have a specific focus on sexual and reproductive rights;
125. Expresses its serious concerns regarding the issue of rape; deplores the extremely high
degree of impunity with regard to rape in countries like India and Pakistan;
126. Condemns the extended use of sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war, especially in
the Great Lakes region; draws attention to the fact that gender-related crimes and crimes
of sexual violence are included in the Rome Statute among war crimes, crimes against
humanity or constitutive acts with respect to genocide or torture; welcomes, in this
context, UN Security Council Resolution 2106 (2013) on the prevention of sexual
violence in conflict, adopted on 24 June 2013, which reaffirms that the ICC plays a key
role in the fight against impunity for sexual and gender-based crimes; calls on the EU to
support the implementation of these principles in full; reiterates also the EU’s
commitment to mainstreaming human rights and gender aspects in CSDP missions in line
with the landmark UN Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820 on women, peace and
security;
127. Calls for the EU to prioritise the fight against trafficking in human beings; stresses the
need to consider both internal and external aspects when addressing human trafficking;
encourages the Member States to implement the EU Directive (2011/36/EU ) and
Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016;
128. Calls for the universal ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; calls
on the Commission and the EEAS to take action regarding the rights of the child, with a
specific focus on violence against children, specifically on the issues of forced child
labour, child marriage, enlistment of children in armed groups, their disarmament,
rehabilitation and subsequent reintegration, as well as placing the issue of child witchcraft
on the agenda of human rights dialogues with the countries concerned; stresses the
importance of prioritising children’s rights within EU external policy;
129. Stresses the need to step up efforts to implement the Revised Implementation Strategy of
the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict; encourages the EU to further deepen
its cooperation with the UN Special Representative for Children Affected by Armed
Conflicts; welcomes the launch in 2012 of a new funding line to support children affected
by conflict through humanitarian assistance providing access to education in emergencies;