Under the Democratic Republic of Congo’s rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka took the helm of a high-level public debate on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. This crucial session of the UN body was dedicated to addressing conflict-related sexual violence.

The debate, operating under the poignant theme “Honoring the promise of international law to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence,” brought together member states to focus on the effective implementation of the global Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Kinshasa demands tangible action

During the proceedings, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa powerfully articulated that enduring peace remains elusive when survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are denied justice, their communities are left without redress, and perpetrators, along with their accomplices and masterminds, continue to operate with impunity:

“Our ambition can no longer be merely to document the horror after it has occurred. The Congolese presidency of the Security Council has chosen to begin with the victims, because no peace architecture holds meaning if it does not originate from those who have paid the heaviest price of war.”

Ending the cycle of impunity

Adding her voice to the critical discussion, Pramila Patten, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, extended her profound gratitude to the DRC for elevating this pressing issue to the Security Council’s agenda:

“I commend the political courage of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the very first country directly affected by this scourge, to convene such a debate. This sets a positive precedent, a positive example for those who turn a blind eye to sexual violence… The promise of international law has never been more relevant, and never been more imperiled. The report [from the UN secretariat] calls for action in the face of new realities of war.”

According to Patten, sexual violence persists as a weapon of war, with verified cases continuing to escalate globally.

The UN has recorded the highest number of verified cases in these nations:

• DRC
• Central African Republic
• Colombia
• Haiti
• Sudan.

This high-level public debate provided a vital platform for numerous states to voice their positions on the issue and collectively demand the effective enforcement of existing Security Council resolutions concerning sexual violence.