Tomorrow the world commemorates the #InternationalDayfortheEliminationofSexualViolenceinConflict.
This international day presents the opportunity to come up with real solutions
to eliminate sexual violence in conflict. It is also a chance to provide
protection and support for victims of sexual abuse.
Sexual violence in conflict, as well as all forms of
violence and discrimination against women, girls, men and boys is a flagrant
and unacceptable violation of human rights. Every person, who has suffered from
sexual violence, must have the right to comprehensive services, justice and
reparations. It is the primary responsibility of all States, to support and
assist the victims, as well as to hold perpetrators of sexual violence to
account, to prevent and deter these crimes.
It is important to note that while these atrocities are used
as a weapon of war, they do not occur in a vacuum. States have failed to put
mechanisms in place that ensure the safety of particularly young girls and
women in conflict situations. Fortunately, many organizations fight
the different variations of sexual violence
Sexual violence is mostly indiscriminate and is
committed by only some conflict actors. Some of the key findings showed that
not all armed actors in African conflicts engage in sexual violence. Even in
conflicts with high reported levels of sexual violence, some groups seem to
refrain from such acts. It also showed that government forces, rebels and
militias seemingly commit sexual violence without a clear purposeful selection
of victims. The violence seems indiscriminate. Most armed actors also
perpetrate sexual violence in periods when they are largely inactive on the
regular battlefield.
Sexual violence in conflict is a threat to our collective
security and a stain on our common humanity.Its effects can echo across
generations, through trauma, stigma, poverty, poor health and unwanted
pregnancy. Children conceived through wartime rape often struggle with issues
of identity and belonging for decades after the guns have fallen silent.
They may be left in a legal limbo, or at risk of becoming
stateless. They are vulnerable to recruitment, trafficking and exploitation,
with broad implications for peace and security, as well as human rights. Their
mothers may be marginalized and shunned by their own families and communities.
These women and children are sometimes seen as affiliates of armed and violent
extremist groups, rather than as victims and survivors.
Every person suffers during war and conflict.
However, women and girls are the most prone to experience sexual violence
during these times. This can include rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution,
pregnancy, marriage, abortion, sterilization, and more. Sexual violence can
even be used as a tactic of terrorism. We see these abuses constantly in
situations of conflict. However, they are often unreported and almost always
unresolved. The protection systems are themselves not functioning, victims are
not heard, and perpetrators are not punished.
The effects of conflict-related sexual violence, including
poverty, poor health, unwanted pregnancy, and extreme trauma, can endure across
generations. The alternative for women who have been impregnated in conflict is
abortion – with unsafe abortion the leading cause of maternal mortality in
settings affected by war conflict.
Children born as a result of sexual violence are often
stigmatized as “children of the enemy”, are sometimes ostracized from their
communities for their entire lives. The women who have been assaulted in
armed conflict and children born to them are frequently considered as
“partners” with extremist groups, rather than as victims. This stigma of
association has severe consequences - children left stateless, in a legal
limbo, and susceptible to human trafficking and exploitation.
In summary, conflicts
are breeding ground for many atrocities, which often have long lasting effects
on people’s physical, social and economic lives. Chief among these atrocities
is sexual violence suffered majorly be women and girls.
And the answer to all this atrocities lies in international
law and policy. Sexual violence as a weapon of war during conflict and post-conflict
is a direct violation of #HumanRights and #InternationalHumanitarianLaw (IHL). We must ensure that humanitarian facilities
comply with the medical care mandates of #IHL while providing medical workers
who treat war victims with immunity from prosecution if they violate local
abortion restrictions. #IHL is the superior legal regime which can supersede
national laws with lower standards and protections, including national abortion
laws. Victims of sexual violence in armed conflict are afforded international
legal protections.
Social media has been a great tool for raising awareness of
sexual violence in conflict zones. In the battle against sexual violence,
social media allows for a relatively level, non-political platform to engage in
the conversation about the most serious of issues. More importantly, there is a
need for states in collaboration with the International community to have
explicit policies that will prevent sexual violence in conflict and
post-conflict situations.
Finally, International
Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is an important date
when we can raise awareness on this issue. It is also an opportunity to stand
together with the victims of conflict-related sexual violence. As we
commemorate the day, let us think about how we can prevent this injustice in
our communities, States must continue to work to ensure that survivors of
sexual violence in conflict are at the heart of international efforts to combat
these crimes and that our ultimate vision that every person has the chance to
lead a full life can be recognised. #JusticeforVictims #JusticeforSurvivors
#EndRapeInWar #EndConflicts #EndSexualAbuse #HumanRights #EliminationofSexualViolenceinConflict
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