A/HRC/RES/42/27 they represent a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population, amounting to crimes against humanity, and that such acts constitute the war crimes of rape and other forms of sexual violence, including torture and outrages upon personal dignity; 28. Strongly condemns all acts of sexual and gender-based violence and abuse, recognizes the need for a survivor-centred approach in preventing and responding to such violence and abuse, calls for immediate and non-discriminatory access to services, such as medical and psychosocial support to be provided to all survivors of such crimes, and for every effort to be made to ensure justice for those who have suffered as a result of such crimes, and urges all parties to the conflict to respect and protect women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of human rights and to heed the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry; 29. Also strongly condemns violence against persons based on their religious or ethnic affiliation, demands that all parties take all appropriate steps to protect civilians, including members of ethnic, religious and confessional communities, and stresses that, in this regard, the primary responsibility to protect the Syrian population lies with the Syrian authorities; 30. Further strongly condemns the damage and destruction of the cultural heritage of the Syrian Arab Republic, in particular that of Palmyra and Aleppo, and the organized looting and trafficking of Syrian cultural property, as outlined by the Security Council in its resolution 2199 (2015) of 12 February 2015, affirms that attacks intentionally directed against historic monuments may amount to war crimes, and underlines the need to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice; 31. Expresses deep concern at the displacement of approximately 13 million civilians, including 6.2 million internally displaced persons across the Syrian Arab Republic, and urges all parties to take note of the recommendations on this matter made by the Commission of Inquiry, and to ensure that any evacuation and movement of civilians is consistent with international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable; 32. Condemns the reported forced displacement of populations in the Syrian Arab Republic, expresses deep concern at reports of social and demographic engineering in areas throughout the country, and calls upon all parties concerned to cease immediately all activities that cause these actions, including any activities that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity; 33. Expresses grave concern that, according to the Commission of Inquiry, more than 1.5 million civilians were forced to flee their homes in 2018, and that thousands more were forcibly displaced pursuant to “evacuation agreements” negotiated among warring parties; 34. Expresses deep concern for the more than 5.6 million registered refugees in the region fleeing the violence in the Syrian Arab Republic, welcomes the efforts of the neighbouring countries, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, as well as of Egypt, to host Syrian refugees, acknowledges the socioeconomic consequences of the presence of largescale refugee populations in those countries, and urges the international community to provide urgent financial support to enable the host countries to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees, including the particular needs of women, girls and persons with disabilities, while emphasizing the principles of responsibility and burdensharing; 35. Notes those States outside the region that have put in place measures and policies to assist and to host Syrian refugees, encourages them to do more, and also encourages other States outside the region to consider implementing similar measures and policies, also with a view to providing Syrian refugees with protection and humanitarian assistance; 36. Notes with concern that one of the main obstacles to refugees’ safe, voluntary and dignified return to their country of origin derive from the Syrian authorities’ own practices of violating the human rights of civilians in areas under their control, including the freedoms of assembly, movement and expression, as well as systematic property 6