Through a series of resolutions on women, peace and security, the United Nations Security Council (“Security Council”) has emphasised that sexual violence, including when used as a tactic of war, torture, or terrorism, or as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, can significantly exacerbate situations of armed conflict and threaten international peace and security. The Security Council has thus taken conflict-related sexual violence up as an area of grave concern, asserting the need for effective prevention and response measures in order to promote the maintenance of international peace and security.

The Framework outlines critical elements and considerations for prevention, in order to guide decision-making in a clear and comprehensive way. It builds on general acceptance that the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence must involve normative change and the elimination of gender inequality and power imbalances, but also highlights critical political and security-focused approaches that can help reduce the occurrence of armed conflicts in which this particular form of violence necessarily arises. For this essential work, Member States and other political entities must be engaged. This Framework provides guidance to this end and further aims to dismantle silos by enhancing efforts and collaboration between diverse actors within broader efforts to prevent conflict-related sexual violence. In doing so, the Framework contributes to the overall prevention of conflict and human suffering, which lies at the heart of the United Nations mandate.