violence was commonly used as an instrument of war. Sexual violence brought with it the risk of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and pregnancy. Women have been forced to bear and raise the children of their aggressors or forced to raise rejected orphans. Women have also experienced the trauma of being shamed in the eyes of their communities, of losing relatives and friends in times of armed conflict, and of having to take responsibility for the care of surviving family members. 55. Representatives recalled that armed conflicts, civil strife and foreign occupation had resulted in internal displacement and refugee flows, with women and children comprising the majority of those who were internally displaced or refugees. Displaced and refugee women faced the risk of abuse during flight, in refugee camps and in countries of ultimate refuge, from the military, paramilitaries, bandit gangs and male refugees. 56. Camps for the internally displaced and refugees had sometimes become the site of continuing conflict and, in the absence of structures to preserve law and order, had served to shield the activities of warring groups. Displaced and refugee women in camps faced other difficulties, including lack of physical security and privacy, difficulties relating to health, and lack of suitable occupation and income-generating opportunities. Humanitarian workers were sometimes insensitive to the needs of women in camps, and that circumstance underlined the importance of gender balance among such workers and mainstreaming a gender perspective into their activities. Representatives noted the importance of training all security workers in international human rights and humanitarian principles and the participation of women in all areas, as civilian and military peacekeepers, peace-builders and as special representatives of the Secretary-General. National armed forces should be well acquainted with international human rights and humanitarian principles as well as gender perspectives. The increased participation of women at all levels of national armed forces should be a specific goal. 57. Breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law affecting women required a particularly effective response and should not be marginalized during post-war reconstruction. Speakers emphasized the importance of justice at the international and national levels to provide the foundation for national reconciliation. Delegates stressed that the statute of the proposed international criminal court should provide for the prosecution of violations of the human rights of women during conflict and should specifically address sexual violations. National legal systems should also be reviewed in order to ensure that they provided justice for women who had been affected by armed conflict. The importance of procedural and evidentiary safeguards and of strengthened support for victims was also emphasized by representatives. Representatives encouraged support for trust funds for women victims of armed conflict. 58. Many representatives emphasized the potential of women as agents of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peace-building. Noting that women should not be viewed primarily as the victims of armed conflict, delegates noted that the participation of women in peacekeeping missions had positive results and that their participation should be secured in all relevant areas, particularly in modern multifunctional peacekeeping operations. Innovative strategies to encourage women’s participation in peace processes, refugee camps and their reconstruction, and post-conflict resolution were crucial, and concrete steps were necessary to ensure that women were appointed as special representatives of the Secretary-General. Close connections with grass-roots and local initiatives with regard to peace-building were also essential. -74-