Rape and Abuse of Women in the Areas of Armed Conflicts in the Former Yugoslavia

Reminds all States of their obligation to cooperate with the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 and also with the Office of the Prosecutor in the investigation and prosecution of persons accused of using rape as a weapon of war;

Calls upon States to put experts, including experts in the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence, as well as adequate resources and services, at the disposal of the Chief Prosecutor and the International Tribunal;

Urges all States and relevant organizations to continue to give serious consideration to the recommendations in the reports of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the former Yugoslavia, in particular the recommendation concerning provision for the continuation of necessary medical and psychological care to victims of rape within the framework of programmes to rehabilitate women and children traumatized by war, as well as the provision of protection, counselling and support to victims and witnesses;

Also urges all States and all relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization, to continue to provide to the victims of such rape and abuse appropriate assistance for their physical and mental rehabilitation and to extend their support to the community-based assistance programmes;

Demands that the parties cooperate fully with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights and her staff, as well as other mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the monitoring and other missions of the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including by providing full access;

Encourages the new Special Rapporteur to continue to pay particular attention to the use of rape as a weapon of war, particularly in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report, as appropriate, to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session on the implementation of the present resolution;